Plant a Banana Tree - Landscaping Design ideas

Plant a banana tree, it's easy! Follow this simple guide on how to plant and care for banana trees. See more on www.tytyga.com

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Martha Stewart Living Welland 5 rooms terrace outdoor dining set - the

Obtain furniture from Martha Stewart patio at its best with this set of dining 5 pieces Martha Stewart Living Welland that resists the rain, wind and weather of the elements.

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Home design landscaping on much more than looks - The Vancouver Sun

The end of last week, I was in a ride of the ATC, the Holmes Foundation fundraiser. I had to do something outdoors, have fun, be with friends and support skilled trades training - some of my things favourite all in one. It was great.

It also reminded me how field can maintain and manage the environment. On the route of the ATC, we have a trail. The way in which rain water flowed a dry parts and other a mess. According to how the trees and plant life grew, we had shade at some locations and Sun in others. This has me thinking the field around our homes.

I am not a landscape but I care about landscaping. Why? Landscaping affects a House.

Most people think landscaping is a way of the House features - increase the attractiveness of sidewalk. But most of all, eye candy, landscaping around a House serves a purpose. It has a function. And it is for you to decide what is this function.

You want to ensure the safety of children? Keep them in view? Direct traffic? Protect pets? Protect your home against weather outside? Protect your home from the Sun and heat? Manage rainwater around your home? Increase in privacy? What you want to do for you?

Good landscaping works with your home. Steps against it. It is obvious. What you do outside of a House, it will affect the Interior. He must be intelligent.

For example, planting a garden against the walls of your House may seem pleasant. But the soil around the foundation walls has been disrupted. Packaged not as strongly as the undisturbed soil. It has more air space. So when you water the plants, where you think that water goes? Directly to the Foundation. Not good. If you want to avoid a basement leaking, keep gardens and plants away from the walls of your House.

Let's say you want to build a bed raised to a garden near a fence. Large. What is the first thing you think of? What type of wood, you will need to place it? Type of soil? Type of plants? You will need the address - above all - the most important thing, is how is that it will affect the grading around your home. How this will affect the neighbours?

I have heard of many stories where a neighbor will be doing some landscaping on their property and the next thing you know, he is a pooling of countries neighbouring water. Why? Because the landscape has changed the rank. And that drainage.

Can be difficult to know exactly how landscaping will affect your home. That is why it is smart for someone who knows to do. Someone who can tell you what must be done to keep your home safe and healthy. And what landscape options you have to increase the functionality of your home.

Are there ways you can enjoy the Sun in the winter? The heat during the summer? Block tough winds that can damage the outside of your House? Plants and shrubs to help drainage? Prevent leaks?

A good landscaper will know all the right questions to ask before a shovel even touch the ground. As the location of all the lines the utility on your property. The last thing you want is to cut your cable - or worse.

They will also tell you the best way to maintain everything. Don't forget to water the lawn is one of the largest committed water. The average suburban garden at the Canada is about 100 000 litres of water during the growing season. That's a lot of water. But when you consider that the water used for most of the gardens has been processed for consumption, which is a huge waste.

The grass is always greener, when we are green. If you are intelligent, collect you rain water and use it to water your lawn and garden. A professional landscape will help you do so. They develop a system and work to develop landscape around him.

How do you find the right landscape? Similarly, you can find the right contractor. Ask lots of questions, a lot of references and talk to many past customers. Do you your homework and check their work.

And notice what kinds of questions they ask. -T - they care more than your budget? Or they ask if you have children? If you plan to have children soon? How long you will live in the House? Everything you need for the good landscaping to solve problems? This will tell you if they are interested in doing a good job or get next task.

I do not expect the owners of all about homes and landscaping. But I expect pros to know. And if you spend the time and money, just the first time. Spend your money once and you are going to do you and your home a huge favour.

Work for us - and save us money in the process. Everybody wins when we handle.

Catching Mike in his new series, the best of Holmes on Homes, aired Thursdays at 9 am on HGTV. For more information, visit www.hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.

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Gardening, Garden Design, landscape Palmers Green North

Garden maintenance Services North London harmony spaces offer as well as North London garden design services, we offer services North London Gardens we offer side Garden, garden maintenance services, trimming hedges, fences, installation and repair, garden wall, repair and construction, repair of Patio and jet servicesconstruction of patio, Garden deck and maintenance, repair of lawn and sodding and any garden landscaping, washing and the design of services. www.harmonyspaces.co.UK

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Design ideas landscaping of Beaver UT 2 BD/25 BA

** myhzm.com a level of home with beautiful surrounding views and great location wonderful this House has 2 bedrooms which are two suites, a 1/2 bathroom, extra built in storage and the wonderful built in wall oak units, very nice large room and an Office that is ready for all your Office needs, central VACcultural marble window sills and shower and more motorhome spare garagevoiture 2 attached garage, beautiful landscaping including a pond fish, terrace, vinyl fences and an adjacent area Extra watering system may be available to buy as a virtual tour: www.myhzm.com Allinformation is regarded as accurate, but not guaranteed. Buyers should verify all information with the registration agent. To search for more inventory, please click here: erabrokers.com ** please see current price list. Video uploaded on Wednesday 3 August 2011 05: 07: 16-0500

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County of Palm Beach cities chafe under limited landscaping - Sun Sentinel article

County of Palm Beach preps the median for landscaping landscaping along the State road 7, between understory and Broward County line road. (Carline Jean, Sun Sentinel / 11 June 2012)

Grasses of Bahia and trees? Oh, please.

No irrigation? Hein.

Obviously, the Palm Beach County loves its landscaping. A new policy of State limiting the amount can be spent on beautification has some cities turning up to their nose of impending changes.

"Bahia grass is not cut," said Randy Whitfield, Executive Director of the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, which determines how to distribute the State and federal transportation money in the County.

For years, money has been invested in beautify roads in the County. That changed this year when legislators of said State than the Florida Department of Transportation could be only 1.5% of the financing of the construction on the development landscape.

To comply, landscaping for many road improvement projects had to be eliminated. Projects will receive a landscaping have large doors and corridors and are limited to large trees and grass, shrubs or flowers or ground cover.

This change comes as a blow to the Palm Beach County. Each year, the Organization of planning to set aside more than $400,000 for beautification projects, but that money has disappeared, Whitfield said.

The federal funds that would often to County beautification projects cannot be used on landscaping.

The State DOT has had the directive of 1.5% for landscaping for some time, but it is not a strict requirement, Whitfield said, and Palm Beach County often exceeded this percentage.

A budget of thinner landscaping is a bit of a shocker.

"They obviously not look to a lot of landscaping equipment," said Whitfield.

Boca Raton lost the State funding in the amount of $800,000 landscaping project for the glades road and Interstate 95. The city is hoping to get it if the project is designated as a "gateway".

But the expectations of the city are higher than a few large trees and sod.

"We believe that it is important to the city - as one of the points of the major of the city - has something interesting and welcoming to Boca Raton, as opposed to the grass of Bahia which is cut," said Assistant City Manager Mike Woika.

Riviera Beach officials were more blunt in their disapproval when the State has changed the design landscaping on a project for the construction of state route 710.

In the design of the project, the State told the city, landscaping of the project would mirror a similar project on 710 with irrigation, ground covers and St. Augustine lawn. Under the new policy, the project is now more Bahia grass and without irrigation.

The Manager of City Ruth Jones sent a letter to officials FDOT expressing "deep concern" for the new design and requested the cooperation of the State to ensure a more "aesthetic" project.

Riviera Beach offered to pay the difference to install and improve landscaping landscaping. Woika said that Boca Raton would also pay improved landscaping and maintenance.

"If the State continues in this way and put trees and grass to the bottom, we would like local municipalities to be allowed to put money in the best of trees and grasses and bushes around trees," said Whitfield.

astreeter@Tribune.com or 561-243-6537

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Failure at the end of the work to the development of the Court - Grimsby Telegraph Company Mews land Station

FAILURE to complete the landscaping work landed a real estate developer in the Court.

North East Lincolnshire Council has taken action against the Humberson on construction projects Management (BPM) Ltd after failed it negotiations to solve problems, the development of the Station Mews, in new Waltham.

Housing development: development of the Station Mews, new Waltham, the construction in early 2009.

At a recent hearing at Grimsby Magistrates' Court, the company has been recognized guilty of three violations of the Planning Act, and now the case has been adjourned at the request of the prosecution, to July 6.

At trial, the case was formed by NELC following complaints by local residents.

When the permission is granted, it is often a requirement that a developer is committed to planting of shrubs and trees.

A statement by NELC said that in this case, the developer did not finish landscaping around eight houses on the site, which is located off of the road to the Station.

According to the archives of the Grimsby Telegraph, houses on protected residential development have been marketed for sale in 2009, with some properties at the price of £ 147,000.

It was designed by architects award-winning The John Derbyshire Partnership, using a theme of railway as an influence.

Eight properties have been created, ranging from cottages link to a magnificent four-bedroom residence detached town house.

Jason Longhurst, head of the Development Council, said: "The Council is committed to promote the sustainable development of high quality."

"It is always to work with landowners and developers to ensure that planning problems are resolved in a manner that strikes a balance between their needs and the needs of the local community."

"Unfortunately, in a very small number of cases, the Council is to resort to legal powers available to it."

"This case related to a small housing development and the developer has been recognized guilty of are not not the requirements of its urban planning".

Councillor Alex Wallace, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said: "' it is for the applicants so that what they allowed to build what is effectively built.".

"Otherwise, we then have the possibility of using the law to ensure that a developer performs its duty of local residents and the whole of the community and fully meets the requirements of its urban planning."

"This is the reason why we use in this case, supported by local residents and Councillors of district".

BPM Ltd refused to comment on at this stage of the procedure.

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An idea of garden landscaping. Gardening resources

A good garden landscaping idea is that everyone can make use of. There are many garden different landscaping ideas and most of them is quite good, but to find the one that suits you and that's all what your garden needs may take a reading. This article will help you find the perfect landscaping idea for your home garden.

A good garden landscaping idea is to use evergreen trees. The use of these fabulous trees will be o much for any construction. Add a majestic character of the sensation of your home while keeping warm and welcoming. Many people like to use deciduous trees in the Court and it is always a good idea, but it is evergreen trees which will give yard, structure and stability needed for a good garden landscaping idea and design.

You need to find a garden landscaping idea such as the one above that will benefit you throughout the year. Deciduous trees will be superb step in all seasons, perhaps more, but not all. Conifers are always fantastic and they also look beautiful in the winter, as they do in the summer and this is why they do this for such a large garden landscaping idea. The key to any large landscaping design is to find a garden landscaping idea like that which will keep your garden interesting any time of the year it is.

Another good garden landscaping idea is to use hardscape. It is the use of things such as rocks, fences and walls. These can give your garden a very interesting aspect during all seasons. You can push plants on it during the summer and spring and nice trees around it that will be great in the winter. When looking for a landscaping idea good garden, that you need to look for other options just plants. There is much more that just landscaping plants and trees.

Walls and fences can provide your property beautifully and their use is such a large garden landscaping idea because they will just focus all your other garden beautiful landscaping ideas. They will frame your garden as a photo frame frames a beautiful painting. Look at this type of backyard landscaping idea and in your search for one.

about the author: To obtain advice on the shasta and daisy plant daisies, visit the site of facts on the daisies.

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How to reduce your costs of landscaping - Forbes

Development of the House, more you gives a beautiful view of the window and can be a major selling point to potential buyers, if your home is on the market. A total redesign of your lawn, trees and flowers may not be in the budget, there are ways to landscape that passes the savings and potential resale value. Given a well-equipped garden can increase the value of your property up to 15%, a new shrub may be just the boost you need.

Before buy you plants
Save money on the new landscaping starts before you buy your first plant. Take the time to know your local growing conditions, as this can have a tremendous impact on the lives of your plants. Using native plants in your area is the most reliable way to ensure your new site will be on the ground and thrive. Do your research on the conditions of soil in your area, and the plants grow better in this. If you buy $10,000 of plants which cannot stand your ground, you have immediately wasted your money.

Make careful that consult you. Research online, library, or at a local college. Talk to a vendor in a renovation store can leave feel you obliged to buy until you are ready, which can be particularly problematic if you do not know if plants will work in your home or not. Exotic plants imported are expensive and will likely require more maintenance, so make sure that plants that you consider can be obtained locally. When you are calculating plants how may need to complete a given area, forget not that your plants will grow. Save money and space taking account of their growth potential in the planning of the land, shrubs, perennial flowers and other plant cover growing horizontally. (For more advice, see 6 ways to save money this summer.)

Choose wisely between annual and perennial. Annual will be flower and die in a year, which means that you must be replaced the following season. However, they are less expensive and available in large varieties. On the other hand, the perennial last you season after season, requiring less work from your part just be prepared to spend a little more on your initial investment. After they begin to develop, you can often split perennials in several plants, making them still more than a great choice for anyone who knows want the same plants for years.

Buy plants on a Budget
When it comes to your purchases of plants, you want to ensure that you get the best deal for your money. Landscaping cost should total 5-10% of the value of your home, this can become easily a well planned investment strategy or a quick way to lose thousands. Check all your local nurseries and centres of renovation to find the best deal on plants that you selected. Then compare their prices with online nurseries. Make sure you simply the cost of the expedition. Do not be tempted by the convenience of a nearby store if you can paste your budget by shopping online. While you cannot buy at a nursery development centre or at home, it is a good idea to ask on their sales. The price of flowers, trees and specific plants can be reduced at certain times of the year, which means that you could catch many things on the plants you want to if you are adjusted their calendar. The easiest way to significantly reduce the cost of your landscaping is to increase your new yard of seeds. You you will wait a bit for your lawn, flowers and other plants to grow, but the budget expanded and the pride of watching your new spring of yard to life can be worth the patience necessary.

Maintenance of the landscape on a Budget
Once you have chosen your new plants, found the location perfect and find the best deal, it is time to ensure that maintenance does not become your next financial burden. Take in mind, the needs of each plant. Take into account the time, money and effort required to maintain this new green lawn. Do you really need of tropical plants in a desert environment? Tolerant plants drought are an excellent way to reduce the costs of water supply and are ideal for xeriscaping-landscaping that requires no additional rain water. If your area is naturally rain, then planting of local plants will ensure that they will get all the water that they need (with perhaps a little drip irrigation help line) without a sprinkler system wasting water. If you prefer the appearance of a spiny succulent lush lawn, then let your grass grow at least two inches long before mowing. Higher grass can collect more light from the Sun, allowing it to grow more healthy and stronger. Keep your lawn short and often mowing actually damage, leading to dead spots and increased activity of weeds.

The bottom line

If you are looking to reduce the cost of landscaping your garden, you need to spend some time of serious research, visit many retailers of the plant and pick up a new online shopping habit. Know as much as possible of what will and will grow in your area can save you a frustrating season of dead or dying plants a budget completely lost. Once you have chosen which you want plants, shop around until you find the best conditions in the store or online. Finally, do not forget maintenance. Some plants will cost much more time and money to keep in good health, that in fact an investment much bigger than you would think.

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Neighbours: Lack of personality of Dr. NY changed - msnbc.com

By CAROLYN THOMPSON
Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - neighbors say surgeon Timothy Jorden was meticulous about his work, his appearance and even the landscaping at his home.

Therefore they suspected something askew in her life in the spring when he started to put less effort in things he previously raised with care. The affable doctor also become less friendly and dropped nearly 75 books, they said.

They have learned this week that the police nationally are searching for Jorden - also a trained military weapons expert - the bold fatal shooting of his friend ex suite in a stairwell at the Hospital where they work. Now they wonder if the strange change in his personality is somehow related to the death of the administrative assistant Jacqueline Wisniewski.

"I have seen early in the season and noticed how much weight he had lost, said June DuPree, a neighbour of the Jorden in an exclusive cluster of homes on a promontory by the Lake." He has said, "Yeah, I lost a little bit." But it was more a little. That's a lot. It was not too friendly this time that I saw him. It just did speak. »

In his district of Lakeview South of Buffalo, Jorden clearly spent a lot of money to keep the reasons of his White House, Gable, well maintained and lush Lake, residents say. But this spring, Jorden bushes becomes overgrown, the grass grew up boot and kitchen remodeling work has been interrupted.

"He had lot of money invested in his house and landscaping." And when I returned to Florida in may, he was really sloppy. "I was just shocked", said neighbor Tom Wrzosek.

"We assumed he was sick, and that, perhaps, he followed a kind of great unease," Wrzosek said.

"He was ill," he said. "But not in the way we thought he was sick."

Police across the country have been on the lookout Thursday for 49 years trauma surgeon. They say former army expert weapons can be armed and should be considered dangerous.

"It was an excellent surgeon." He saved many lives. "To make one is unreal," DuPree said.

The search of Jorden begins Wednesday morning, when the 33-year-old Wisniewski was found murdered in a stairwell on the campus of the Erie County Medical Center. The police said that she was shot four times.

Heather Shipley, a friend of Wisniewski, told WIVB-TV that Wisniewski fears Jorden and would not let go after that she left him because she believed that he had affairs with other women.

She said that Wisniewski, told him that the doctor had developed a device tracking GPS in his car and once held his captivity in his house for a day and a half, brandishing a knife.

"She told me that if something had happened to him, that it was him," Shipley said at the station.

Jorden was involved in two domestic incidents in nearby Cheektowaga in 2003, said of the police, Captain James Speyer. He said that he could not release details but that incidents do not Wisniewski.

Commissioner of Police of Buffalo Daniel Derenda Thursday, said that a national alert had been issued by informing the services of police that he was wanted for questioning. Agents combed through the reasons outside his home, and for a second day, an Erie County Sheriff helicopter circles above.

Derenda said all vehicles of Jorden was accounted and investigators were certain that it had not crossed the border near Canada.

"This is somewhere," he said.

The research comes after a life of success for father divorced of an adult son.

Jorden profiled in the Buffalo News as a local success in 1996 and was among those who have honoured Black Buffalo leading to the award of the industry in 2002. As a surgeon at the hospital in the main town of trauma, he worked long hours and was always ready to respond to an emergency hospital, when his cell phone rang.

Copyright 2012 the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Lockport client business landscape helps treat plants right - YAHOO!

D. Stanley Lawn and landscape, a complete landscaping at Lockport, New York company, offers helpful advice to their clients on the critical stages of care of plants freshly installed.

Client d. Stanley Lawn and landscape, a complete landscaping at Lockport company, often ask the installation of new plants and trees in their landscaping projects. However, they may not realize the sensitivity of new plants and the steps needed to keep them healthy and prosperous in a new site. D. Stanley Lawn and landscape provides advice on the maintenance of plants to each client when landscaping work is completed to ensure that lawns and plants of the State of New York remain beautiful and green.

The first two weeks after d. Stanley Lawn and landscape ends a facility are without doubt the most important, since the plants are not yet established in their environment. Trees and shrubs must be watered every three or four days, with ground cover and perennials that need more frequent watering every two or three days, because their root structures are much smaller and take less water. Ideally, the plants should be watered early in the day, but regardless of the time, it is important to ensure full and deep water on each plant.

D. Stanley lawn and landscape recommends using a garden hose and spray nozzle of landscape projects, any size. Sprinklers can run for hours and deliver the exact amount needed, and this specific plant allows water to penetrate to a foot deep in the topsoil. The general rule for this type of garden is to apply one inch every week in the region, and this can be easily measured by the installation of a rain gauge near the plants are watered.

Once the critical period of two weeks, the new plants will have less watering. Once or twice a week is generally much of established plants. If the time is hot and windy, plants will need more frequent watering. The soil around the plants for moisture, it is an easy way to say if additional watering is necessary.

Despite the best efforts of owners, plants die sometimes. D. Stanley Lawn and landscape is proud to offer a warranty replacement on each plant they install. To total customer satisfaction, the company will replace any plant once who died in the year of installation.

Company presentation:

D. Stanley Lawn and landscape is a full service landscaping company located in Lockport, NY. They provide homes and businesses with a wide range of landscaping services. D. Stanley Lawn and landscape is formed in 2002, since then, they have tried to provide exceptional service to all their customers. Provide their customers with quality timely finishing is their priority since a day. They are dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction. On a regular weekly basis, they service the following areas: Lockport, Middleport, Gasport, Medina, Amherst, Clarence, Williamsville and Grand Island. For more information, visit their Web site at http://www.stanleylawn.com.

Derek Stanley
D. Stanley lawn & landscape
716-433-8176
Information E-mail

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Landscaping of the team is to award business group CN - North West Evening Mail

Last updated at 10: 20 pm, Thursday, June 14, 2012

A development firm landscaping Lillyhall will compete for a place in the CN Group Business Awards 2012.

Tender title award: Paul Coombe and Alan Sharpe, of Coombe-based on the Lillyhall & Sharpe, landscaping

Coombe and Sharpe Landscaping Ltd., Pitwood road, has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, the installation of driveways, block paving and patios, fencing, decking and same tree work.

10 Strong team also conducts maintenance and property House clearances.

The company entered the small business of the year and the categories of environmental awareness.

Earlier this year, Coombe and Sharpe has installed a new transfer station of waste at its yard to separate and treat developed the firm for a more environmentally friendly method of waste disposal.

Despite the economic situation, administration Paul Coombe and Alan Sharpe said the company took three employees and has seen a general growth in the business over the past year.

Mr. Coombe, stated: "our success has been our dedicated, skilled workforce."

"The waste transfer station means succeed to obtain authority to operate the county council and the Agency of the environment.".

"This facility adds to the centre of excellence at Lillyhall waste recycling and expands our ability to be able to recycle and reuse more waste that are generated from our landscaping and property maintenance work that we do."

"We are a small business who fought against opportunities to providing professional services to the population of West Cumbria.".

CN Group Business Awards 2012 are organized in association with Barclays and invest in Cumbria.

Despite the return to the recession, there is much to celebrate in Cumbria. Firms continue to lead the way to a multitude of sectors and the County remains an attractive destination for investment.

With these free price - enter, we aim to focus on the men and women who run our businesses more successful and create jobs that support communities.

There is a category based on the size or type of business, and as long as you have a base in Cumbria, you are eligible for this program. All accepted entries will receive coverage in the Web sites and newspapers of the CN group. The price will end with a night of party at the Rheged, Penrith, in October.

To see a list of categories or to apply, visit www.cnbusi nessawards.co.uk or call Alison Sisson on 01228 612617.

Published in 19: 24, Thursday 14 June 2012
Posted by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk

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Long Island landscape, Longo of landscaping & masonry launches third site showcase masonry services - PRWeb

A versatile landscape & design company masonry, you tend to have a lot of services to promote. Landscaping of Longos & masonry has several services that make up their business. Being in business for more than 25 years Longo has moved from a company of lawn to a powerhouse Long Island masonry company. This began in 1980, founded by Nick Longo, Longo has always shrived to the satisfaction of the customer and customer satisfaction. Owners Nick & Carmine Longo made it is a priority to listen to the customer and needs and make a decision based on what will help beautify their property.

In 2008 Longo landscaping launched their first Web site to display their lawn maintenance services. The site was very basic, display photos, videos, customer reviews and tips for general maintenance of lawn. The Web site was designed, built and maintained by Long Island Web Design & SEO Company, Benjamin Marc and the site are out grand. Benjamin Marc CEO, Anthony Savino commented on using landscaping & masonry of Longo on their Web site. "Working with Carmine Longo was great, we have become good friends and I look forward to working with him again." Savino was unaware is that he could build a two sites but not more Longo.

The following website is dedicated to landscaping of Longo section. Landscape design consists of plantations, flowerscapes, water features, lawn, lawn and more. This part of the business is mainly for new owners and clients who wish to completely renovate their property. Longo displays shock before and after photos on their Web site that show a reconstruction complete property and it is beautiful.

Recently, Longo has designed and built a website devoted entirely to masonry services. Masonry consists of:
Patios
Access roads
Gateways
Retaining walls
Bridges
Swimming pools
Swimming pools
Stoops
Steps and more.

The Web site shows before and after photos of each section and videos galleries. The site also shows a list of client Longo design awards and certifications. Landscaping of the Longo also has a section dedicated to the customers of developers on the use of quality materials and equipment to day and the last. Finally the Web site has a section of control where past satisfied customers can leave comments about how it was to work with the landscaping of the Longo.

The new site, it is an answer many customers, and landscaping of the Longo show no signs of slowing down.

For more information on landscaping landscaping of & masonry of Longo, available online or call their showroom to put in place a consultation.

Longos landscaping
27 Walking Dr.
St. James, NY 11780
631-862-8605

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Line Expo landscaping Lunacy - Huffington Post

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is on the verge of making a decision that would be as ridiculous as The Nature Conservancy choosing a corporate fleet of Hummers. The MTA has been remarkably progressive in installing light-rail lines throughout the region, but if non-native landscaping is installed along phase two of the Expo Line, the MTA will gravely undermine its environmental credibility and will torpedo what could have been a boon to the Los Angeles environment. It is essential that phase two of the Expo Line be landscaped solely with California native plants. The tragedy is that many people, including those at the MTA, seem to think that native landscaping is a small cosmetic issue. It is not. Like recycling, landscaping with native plants is at the heart of sustainable living and nature conservation.

The reasons for landscaping with California natives are many: They use one-seventh the water of most non-natives, need no soil amendments or fertilizers (decreasing nitrogen run-off into Santa Monica Bay) and support our ecosystems due to the fact that 90 percent of all insect species can eat only native plants. Insects are essential to people's well being because insects are pollinators, food for other insects and animals, population regulators of other organisms, and decomposers of organic waste. As Edward O. Wilson, the eminent Harvard biologist, has observed, "Insects are the little things that run the world."

Add stunning beauty and exuberant masses of flowers to these conservation credentials and you have some of the reasons for landscaping with California native plants. Winter offers blossoms of California lilac. Spring, purple whorls of sage. Summer, white dollops of toyon. Autumn, coral trumpets of California fuchsia. These are just a few of the more than 6,000 species, sub-species and varieties of California native plants.

The seemingly oblivious attitude of the MTA, Expo Authority and landscape architects hired by the firm building the Expo Line would be laughable if the issue were not so serious. This landscaping will be with us for decades. We can choose a native plant palette in recognition of the fact that drought is normal for California, transportation and treatment of water are nearly 20 percent of the State's energy usage, and many pollinator and bird populations are only 10 to 40 percent of what they were 40 years ago. Or we can choose a non-native plant palette that is a head-in-the-sand response to pressing water, energy and ecosystem issues.

Along phase one of the Expo Line, the MTA installed non-native lawn and ginkgo trees along the parkways and Mexican fan palms at the stations. Never mind that the Mexican fan palm is listed as invasive (the botanical equivalent of vermin) by the California Invasive Plant Council. Never mind that the L.A. Department of Water and Power encourages citizens to rip out their lawns, or that native bunch grasses and Santa Cruz Island Ironwood trees could have been substituted to create the same overall aesthetic for much less water. Furthermore, bunch grasses do not need mowing, which saves money on the cost of maintenance and machinery.

What, exactly, is proposed for phase two? More ginkgo trees and Mexican fan palms, plus color-themed landscaping that that uses less than 20 percent native species and is as forward-looking as using carrier pigeons for mass communication. The stubborn adherence to an inappropriate plant palette is "justified" by statements that deny an obvious reality: "Native plants are fragile and not as durable as non-natives" (though natives survive in the wild without irrigation). "Native plants are not appropriate for landscaping" (though counter-examples are many: U.C. Irvine and U.C. Riverside have installed native landscapes, as has Sierra Madre Elementary School through funds from the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District. In addition, hundreds of native landscapes have been featured on the Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour). "Native plants won't work in many of the conditions on the West Side" (though the West Side was covered with native vegetation before the city came along). This is the reality: our Southern California native plants have evolved over millions of years to be ideally adapted to thrive in the local environment.

It seems that the design division of Marina Landscape, the firm hired by the company building the Expo Line, does not typically work with natives and that their plant suppliers don't primarily grow natives. However, the construction division of Marina Landscape has done native restoration projects. Given that the Urban Design Committee -- 14 members representing local communities and stakeholders, members appointed by the Expo Board of Directors -- requested in December 2011 an all-native design for phase two, wouldn't it make sense to hand off the project to the Marina division with native landscaping experience?

Now is the time to make the paradigm shift. We do not have enough water to spend on plants that feed neither people nor wildlife and contribute precious little to ecosystem health. The foot-dragging on the design of an all native landscape will favor the shameful status quo because, when the plan is needed in late summer 2012, there will be insufficient time to create a better, forward-looking plan. It is time that landscape architects adapt to the local environment. There are plenty of landscape architects and suppliers that use natives, and if the MTA requires natives, then it will support sustainable practices and truly "green" companies.

The MTA has a responsibility to the public to model appropriate practices. Landscaping is about beauty as well as decreasing our water and energy usage, promoting an authentic landscape for L.A. and increasing habitat. And the creation of habitat is not just about saving insects and other animals for their own good. Birds, for example, contribute billions-of-dollars-worth of ecosystem services to California each year, from preying on agricultural pests to reforestation to watershed protection. The creation of habitat is about saving species for our own good. We need them, and they need us to do the right thing.

We need native plants along all our light-rail transportation parkways and stations, with informational signage at the stations about the benefits that native plants provide. This would be a great way to educate the public about forward-looking solutions to energy, water and ecosystem issues.

To all members of the MTA and Expo Authority: Don't repeat the landscaping mistakes of phase one of the Expo Line. We have to do better. Here in Los Angeles, we should model the kind of urban and suburban practices that are needed planet-wide.

For more information and to sign the petition in favor of native plants, go to www.lanative.org

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