There is nothing as enticing for visitors as a well-landscaped yard. Beckon visitors to your yard with well-defined areas, scenic views, a variety of colors and pleasant fragrances. Your home and garden will make everyone’s must-see list when you experiment with ideas like these.
Arbors and Pergolas
Arbors and pergolas are easy to erect but make a strong visual statement. They are available in lots of different materials, including vinyl, wood, and iron. One of the best ways to use an arbor or pergola is to position it just before an entrance gate. A well-dressed arbor acts almost like a magnet for visitors who yearn to walk beneath it. Train Sweet William vines or similar to grow up and over the arbor from both sides. One gardener’s tip that will help you is to use faux vines until your real vines are mature enough to fill in the arbor. Then you can simply remove the fake vines. You’ll be left with a fragrant greeting for visitors to your enchanted garden.
Decorative Gates
Don’t settle for drab, standard gates. You can get beautiful, decorative wrought iron and sculpted wood gates that will last a lifetime and more. Gates like these may come with unique hinges, latches and other features that capture the eye and imagination of those who use them. Wrought iron gates, in particular, are pleasant to use because the opening and closing movement is smooth and solid. Usually there is scrolling decoration in the construction that emulates the shape and design of flora.
Define Your Area with Fencing
Once your visitor has passed under the arbor or pergola and through the gate, let them see that they are in a special place that is different than the rest of the property. You can do this with clearly defined fencing. Attractive fencing makes visitors feel protected and cozy within your garden area. You can adorn the border of the fencing with any number of flowers, plants or decorative garden items, such as lights, birdhouses, and more. The fencing and gate also helps to protect the work that you put into your landscaping, keeping stray animals or wandering children away from your special place.
Scenes and Vistas
Reward your visitors with beauty at every turn. Invest in several unique trees or flowering shrubs that can act as conversation pieces or centerpieces for sitting areas and picnics. Plan your flowering garden so that something is in bloom at all times. Plant a variety of perennials and annuals so that your garden never looks the same year after year. Consider adding berry bushes or a few vegetable plants in your garden, so visitors can come away with something special to enjoy later. Add stone benches, small tables and bird baths to give them impression of a living area full of activity.
Call L & C Fence & Gate at 214-823-3623. Let our experts help your beckon your garden visitors with flair.
Green living enthusiasts will be the first to tell you that being green in the outdoors is just as important as being green on the inside. Our planet wouldn’t be as healthy without plenty of flora to create oxygen for us to breathe. So even in drought conditions, it doesn’t make sense to do away with green plants altogether. Instead of replacing your parched dry lawn with gravel, consider these options for drought-tolerant plants that will enhance the beauty of your outdoor space no matter how little water is available.
Agave
Agave succulents are native to Mexico, and do well in climates like Texas. It’s a perennial, so you only have to plant it once. Agave are not cacti plants, but they are very much like them. The flowers come out once, and then die. If you are particularly motivated, you might like to know that some of the world’s best tequila is made from the agave plant. But that’s a whole new blog post.
Hens and Chicks
The official name for this succulent is Sempervivum, but you likely know it by its vernacular, Hens and Chicks. Hens and chicks can grow in just about any size container, so if you’re into container gardening, this succulent is a good choice. But it also grows extremely well in gravely, sandy conditions, so it’s perfect for regions like Dallas, where mandatory bans on water use can come about in less than 24 hours. There are over 3,000 varieties of hens and chicks and many of them produce very vibrant, colorful flowers. These can be a showy addition to any garden.
Forsythia
Forsythia is not only drought-tolerant, but cold tolerant. In cooler months, it simply goes into dormancy. When spring finally arrives, it flower erupt from its seemingly barren branches into a showy, yellow display of flowers that lasts for weeks. The rest of the time, its abundant green leaves provide plenty of privacy, making it perfect for planting near fences and along property borders. One of the best features of forsythia is that it requires little more than a quick trimming after the blossoms have fallen
Arbors Broaden Your Options
When you add arbors to your garden landscape, your growing options increase. Arbors that are abundant with climbing vines add shade where it’s needed most. Areas with shade will naturally need less water than areas that are subject to hours of the sun’s heat. You can often grow plants under an arbor that you wouldn’t normally be able to in hot, dry climates.
No matter how you decide to plant your garden, you will do well to keep water restrictions in mind. That way, you’ll never be disappointed if and when your town imposes a mandatory water restriction.
Contact L & C Fence & Gate today and let our experts help you choose landscaping elements that will help you have a beautiful yard even in drought conditions. You can reach us at 214-823-3623 or use the contact form on our site.
Homeowners insurance protects you financially if your property is damaged or someone has an accident while visiting you. Raising your deductible, installing a home alarm system and using the same company for home and auto coverage lower your insurance costs. A fence might reduce your homeowners insurance premium, too.
Reduce Vandalism and Burglary Risk
Build a sturdy fence around your property, and vandals or burglars are less likely to enter your home. Your insurance costs could go down because of this security measure.
Protect Your Pool or Hot Tub
Because they’re a safety hazard, fence in your pool or hot tub. The best fences meet pool codes for your municipality and:
- ● Must be at least four feet high
- ● Include less than a 2” gap between the ground and the bottom of the fence
- ● Cannot be climbed from the outside and
- ● Feature a self-closing gate and child-safe latch.
- ● Use Sturdy Materials and Proper Installation
You can choose from dozens of fencing materials, including wood, vinyl and chain link. If the fence isn’t made from sturdy materials and properly installed, however, it won’t withstand intruders and other potential property damages. Since it’s ineffective, the fence won’t be eligible for any insurance discounts.
Document Your Fence
Once you install your fence, take pictures of it. Your insurance company might want to see proof that you have a reliable fence in place before they lower your premium.
You will need to invest money to install a perimeter fence. However, you’ll easily make up that expense as you prevent accidents, protect your property and save on your homeowners insurance premiums.
Call L & C Fence & Gate and let our experts help you choose the fence or gate that you need. You can reach us at 214-823-3623 or use the contact form on our site.
If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, or if you have been following zombies for many more years, you may ponder the need to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. This may mean gathering tools and possible weapons, deciding who will be part of your zombie defense squad and collecting canned food and bottled water “just in case.” However, there is another important step you should take to save your family from the outbreak—zombie proofing your yard.
The Fence is Key
You want to keep those zombies far from your home, so anything you can do to do this is important. While you may consider some traps or alarms for the yard, the key is a fence. Just like protecting your yard from dogs, or rabbits, a fence can be designed specifically to protect your family from zombies.
A good zombie proof fence is tall and durable. Choosing a high-quality fence construction company is important. You do not want a second rate fence to be the only thing that stands between you and a zombie herd. Make sure your gate is sturdy as well. You want something that will be easy for you and your family to get in and out, but one that is zombie proof—perhaps with a latch or that has the ability to install a lock.
The best thing about zombie proof fences is that they are ideal for “real life” too. After all, a zombie proof fence is sure to keep neighborhood kids out of your swimming pool or keep rabbits out of the garden. When you’re getting ready to build a new fence for your home, perhaps you should think about making it zombie proof. By doing this, you’ll have a fence that can stand up to nearly anything!
Allow the experts at L & C Fence & Gate help you choose the fence or gate that you need in this zombie apocalypse scenario. You can reach us at 214-823-3623 or use the contact form on our site.
Benefits of Privacy Fencing and Automated Gate-Controlled Entry
One effective way to protect a home and add value to the property in the process is by installing a fence around the property and adding an automatic gate to keep unwanted visitors from coming on your property, while allowing the people inside to control entry through the gate. A fence around your property will give you privacy, something Texas homeowners need and want as part of their outdoor living experience. When you install an automated gate, the added security not only benefits you and your family; it also increases the value of your home and surrounding property.
Deciding What You Need
If you want to use an automated gate to add to your home’s security, you have many alternatives from which to choose. The automatic gate can be an extension of a privacy gate, or one that merely blocks off entry to your property, or just to your house. In today’s technology-driven world, people are looking for ways to transform their homes into smart homes that are easily controlled from every electronic device they own – no matter where they are.
Many homeowners choose to use wireless keypads or telephone systems. With each of these technologies, a person must contact the homeowner via the telephone system or intercom to ask entry or get the keypad code. If homeowners have a whole house security system, it may be possible to remotely program the gate so that it is tied into the entire household security system.
Regardless of the type of technology you choose, and the cost of installing and maintaining it, the goal is keep intruders out and control who enters your property, or the area you choose to surround with an automated gate.
Automated Gate-Entry to Safety-Proof Swimming Pool Accessibility
Homeowners who install an automated gate as part of a fence surrounding a swimming pool, may add a level of security to their pool area with potentially life-saving benefits. Whether the gate has a keypad that only gives entry to people who know the code, or is hooked to a telephone system where people must ask to enter the pool area, this automation may effectively prevent children from entering the pool area without adult supervision.
When it comes to your home’s security, think of the safety of your family. Look at all the materials and options available to you, and allow the experts at L & C Fence & Gate help you choose the automated gate that is as attractive as it is functional. You don’t have to sacrifice looks to increase your home’s security.
Advantages of a Deck
Decks are relatively inexpensive compared to whole room additions, and deck sizes, shapes and materials are easy to customize. Whether you want to create an outdoor entertaining space, complete with built-in seating, or a small area where you can set up your own Texas-style barbecue station, all of this is possible with a deck.
If you have to walk down stairs to enter your backyard, why not take advantage of the elevation to create a living space from which the stairs extend? If your yard or garden area is largely shaded, a deck may allow you to capture some sun so you can grow things to increase the appeal of your outdoor living area. A deck is an excellent place on which to place containers for growing everything from native flowers to vegetables, miniature fruit trees and other interesting plant life.
The materials from which decks are made are easy to care for and need very little maintenance. Railings can increase the privacy of your deck, give you areas on which to place window boxes and offer protection for your children, so you don’t have to worry about whether they will fall. Stone or concrete patios are much more susceptible to damage from weather, and the cost of repairing and maintaining them is considerably higher than it would be for a deck.
You may not be considering selling your home at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that when you make improvements to your home, you shouldn’t consider the value that those improvements add to your home and property. Since outdoor living is so much a part of Texas life, by adding a deck, you are making your home that much more appealing to potential buyers, whether now or years from now.
Why an Arbor?
An arbor or pergola is an excellent way to extend growing space, especially if your property doesn’t have a lot of outdoor space. You can also use it as an umbrella or canopy under which you can put an outdoor living space, eating area, or small sitting area that is shaded from the intense Texas sun and heat. If you have a very sunny outdoor area that extends right off your house, an arbor is a useful and attractive way to shade your house, while also adding visual appeal to your home and to the overall look of your outdoor space.
Fast-growing vines easily attach themselves to arbors, creating a living umbrella that is as attractive as it is functional. If you choose to grow vines that produce colorful nectar-rich flowers, you’ll enjoy your property even more because of the beautiful hummingbirds and butterflies that will be drawn to your arbor. If your arbor is close enough to your home to offer protection from the sun during the hottest part of the day, you may also lower your cooling costs, making the investment of an arbor even more worthwhile.
Whether you add an arbor or a deck to your property, your family will enjoy the added outdoor space, while you increase the overall value of your property, adding to the equity you get from home ownership.
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