It’s easy to think of stone hardscaping as needing little or no maintenance. Patio stones, pavers, retaining walls and sidewalks are made of stout material that seems indestructible compared to wood, dirt and plants. But, the elements still take thei...

Easy Elegance Rose

Few plants symbolize fragrance like roses. This group of plants features shrubs, climbers, miniatures — and all sorts of other wonderful types. Flower color runs the gamut, including white, deep burgundy (almost black), lemon yellow...

How do you create a yard that's light years ahead of others? One way is to make the space usable at night. Since many people work or play till long after the sun goes down, they often don't have time to enjoy their backyard until the evening hours. A...

Are you looking for a creative way to spruce up your home landscape for the Fall? Although it’s still quite warm in Texas and most Southern states, Autumn is well on its way. The benefit of living in the South is that your family gets to enjoy the ou...

When the air turns crisp and the leaves turn brown, many people’s thoughts turn to bonfires, apple cider and Halloween. But hardcore gardeners know that it’s not quite time to lock up the garden shed! To help you get the most out of your late-season...

Modern concrete block walls are fairly sophisticated systems designed for strength as well as for fast, easy assembly. You simply stack the blocks on top of one another and secure them with pins, clips or interlocking edges. They’re designed to be se...

Gazebo and Deck Addition

A deck addition became an outdoor suite with the addition of this gazebo. The structure's shingled roof traps out sunlight and supports a ceiling fan, but the true beauty of this gazebo lies in the details that complement the...

Space-Saving Bench

Similar to how banquette seating saves space in a small kitchen, a built-in bench is perfect for a small patio because it doesn't require extra space for chairs around the dining table. Here, the stone on the facade of the house con...

If you’re lucky enough to have a patio, balcony, terrace, porch or any other outdoor space, chances are you’ll want to make the most of it. And fortunately there exists a myriad of tips: which patio floors to pick, how to choose the best outdoor furn...

Create a welcoming and well-planned outdoor space with these ideas.

Get Up Close and Personal

Place your patio table close to your garden beds, so that you and your guests can enjoy year-round color and foliage. The design of the patio can also be a pl...