Get Your Landscaping Off The Ground

So the pool is finally installed, and for all it’s swimming time. But that’s not to say your project is done: far from it, in fact. Just plopping a concrete box in the ground and filling it with water is hardly a noteworthy swimming design. If you don’t mind and from your upper-crust neighbors, feel free to enjoy the and call it good. If you want your to look as good as it feels, however, your job isn’t finished.

There are many things to consider when planning your ’s landscaping. How much room do you have to work with?

Are you considering an allinclusive design that dominates your entire , or are you just thinking of a patio or deck around the itself? For an above-ground , a deck may be your quickest and least-. If you have an inground that already has a scarred , however, finishing the project is going to require a little bit more in-the-.

There are literally hundreds of elements that you could incorporate into a landscaping design. You’ll want to start your design out with the basics, however. Work from the inside out by deciding how you want your walkways to lay out. Is there simply going to be one that leads from your to the , or are you planning on having some more scenic detours?

Multiple could lead one to the and another to a scenic area with a rock garden, some shrubs, a , a natural landscape and a . The options are literally limitless.

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Saturday, May 31st, 2008

Its Hot Again This Year Eco Chic Gardening

the average household spent more than $400 for garden-related items. Landscaping grew by 19 percent, water gardening by 49 percent, planting by 26 percent and by 1 percent. Experts watch sales and several other areas to distinguish trends.

Why are they important? Garden and landscape trends shape for the next year and years to come.

I mentioned last year after returning from the International Conference in Little Rock that green gardening was the undertone of many of the speakers. For 2008, the Garden Media Group identified going green as the No. 1 , professional trend-watchers for the gardening industry.

“Environmentally savvy homeowners know that it’s not just good enough to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle; you’ve got to be environmentally responsible ” said Garden Media’s Susan McCoy.

Gardeners want to find , use locally produced or recycled materials and use environmentally responsible .

Eco-chic is the for gardens designed and maintained in an ecology friendly manner. Gardeners are recycling plastic pots, composting and using to catch rainwater. To restore balance in nature, they are creating feeding spots for birds and so that bees, ladybugs and have fruit and nectar to eat.

Water gardening is still trendy. However, it is not necessary to have a huge . In fact, is out. New smaller scale fountains and ponds are . They use less water, require less maintenance and can be more interesting in a home . Pondless waterfalls are an option as are tabletop and recirculating fountains.

Many gardeners are opting for less grass in smart and easy landscapes. They are adding stamped concrete patios, walks and driveways. Turfless landscapes are showing up as gardeners install rocks, , trees and ground covers rather than traditional . More expensive initially, it will save time, money and energy in maintenance, especially if combined with a drip irrigation system. Natives show up frequently in gardens as well as ornamental grasses.

Half of this country’s consumers say that a lack of time is a bigger issue than a lack of . The service industry is exploding as homeowners who have purchased homes with large landscaped lawns just cannot find time to maintain the outdoor aspects. Full-grown plants and trees are hot sellers for homeowners too impatient to wait for smaller ones to naturally mature in the .

Outdoor rooms take center stage in gardening trends. For the past five years, outdoor living and decorating were cited as the top two mega trends. In 2007, $6.2 billion was spent on outdoor furniture, accessories and grills. More than a million outdoor kitchens were constructed, and upscale homeowners opted for construction of gazebos near their outdoor pools. Stylish table lamps, special submersible lighting for fountains and dramatic illumination options are now on the market as a result of interest in outdoor living projects.

Simplicity is in with a new twist on the monochromatic slant. One basic color theme dominates a bed or pot with foliage and succulents, many of them variegated, used as accents. Services A ratio of 60 percent of a primary color, 30 percent of a secondary color and 10 percent of accent color is attractive for a pot or bed. Big is beautiful these days. Big in big containers with big bold color are being used to create stylish pot scapes.

The “slo” food movement is growing, according to and Garden Consultant Adele Kleine.

“This philosophy reduces dependence on convenience and processed fast food. One of the purposes of gardening is to encourage adults and children to feel better emotionally and to inspire them to take more control over what they consume. That’s what slo food does,” Kleine said.

Farmers markets and organic food stands are part of this movement, as well as home . Garden sales via the Internet are increasing dramatically. This year, sales are expected to equal or exceed catalog sales, growing from $7 million in 2007 to more than $10 million.

Consumers jump on the bandwagon for products that are new and hot, so growers will continue to introduce hundreds of new each year to meet consumer demands. Organic pesticides, fertilizers, eco-friendly products and drought tolerant and/or pest-resistant , many of which are container suitable - plus more native options - are expected to be big sellers this year.

Hopefully, these eco-friendly trends are not merely fads that will fade with time Landscaping Services. We all can be responsible caretakers of the environment, but need readily accessible products to help us do so.

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Monday, May 26th, 2008

Understanding About Concrete Landscaping

What is Concrete ?

Concrete landscaping refers basically to any type of that involves concrete, which is a masonry product that is composed of cement, sand and gravel or other coarse aggregate. Concrete is in fact quite a popular matter, for instance, concrete may be used in order to form the flooring of a patio, or concrete footings may be used to support a wooden deck.

Concrete Landscaping Idea: Building a

One great concrete idea is to build a into your landscaping design; it is actually not that hard, and as long as you learn about and understand the basics, you should not have that hard of a time completing it. As well, concrete patios are extremely durable and can dramatically enhance your garden or other designs.

Basically the first thing that you need to do is plan; buy your materials and tools ahead of time, and rent an automatic mixer. Then you need to excavate the landscape with a garden shovel, and then build a form to hold the and concrete. Sink form into the area that has been excavated for the patio, and remember that the top of the form should be level with the ground.

Then you install the , tamping it down firmly to make sure that it is secure. Install pieces of rock, and this will be used as support for the patio. Then install reinforcing rebar to unify the slab, and make a grid, then mix the concrete in the automatic mixer and then pour the concrete, starting at the end that is farthest from where the mixer is.

You then need to use a screed to level the surface of the concrete, and then use a float to even out any lumps. You then need to finish the control joints, and finish the surface by using . Lay plastic over the surface of the new , and the key to curing is to not let it dry out too fast. This is the point of the plastic, as by laying plastic over the , you will trap the moisture within.

You should generally keep the plastic on the top of the patio for about a week, and then remember that even after you have removed the plastic, you still need to remember not to subject the concrete to any undue stress.

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Friday, January 11th, 2008

Great room offered in various plans

Many buyers today opt for a great room area — a multi-function space closely connected with the kitchen and dining areas.

At West Point Gardens, in the Randall Road corridor on Elgin’s west side, several of the single-family and townhouse plans offer great rooms, enhanced by private back yards and gardens.

“The gardens expand the space available for family use and entertaining in the great room area, and buyers can more fully appreciate this grand area when visiting the 11 single-family and townhouse models we offer,” said Patrick Curran, president of West Point Builders, the developer.

West Point Gardens is unique in the Elgin area for its traditional neighborhood design. The 173-acre community will include 342 two-story, single-family homes in and 128 townhouses.

Single-family homes include the Heritage Series, priced from $324,990 to $349,990, and the Series, priced from $379,990 to $424,990. The townhouses are priced from $237,990 to $299,990.

Twelve townhouse exteriors and 28 single-family home exteriors, with some featuring two-story , ensure a varied, attractive ambiance.

The room-sized front that bring the homes closer to the ensure that residents relaxing on then front can visit with friends walking to the park. Garages are set in the rear of the homes to ensure a safe, inviting streetscape for pedestrians. Bicycle and walking paths lead to 12-acre Meier Park, the community .

In addition, residents can walk to smaller pocket parks, a planned 20-acre commercial convenience center and neighborhood schools.

A sodded lawn, landscaping, privacy fencing and a are included in the price of each home. These secluded fenced areas may be enhanced with a variety of theme gardens that are available for purchase in part or in entirety, or buyers may choose to enhance their own yards.

“The fact that these gardens are enclosed and private make them really feel like an outdoor extension of the home,” Curran said.

The Belmont townhouse, a 1,428-square-foot residence, includes two bedrooms plus an upstairs computer niche, 1%26#189; or optional 2%26#189; baths, front covered porch, full basement and two-car detached garage, priced from $247,990.

The Belmont features a great room and a spacious kitchen with dining area overlooking the private garden. In addition, the home has a large foyer and formal dining room plus a master bedroom with tray ceiling, walk-in closet and private bath plus a second bedroom with walk-in closet and the computer niche.

The single-family Georgetown also features a great room that has outdoor garden space on two sides including a sliding glass door. The kitchen with breakfast bar overlooks the great room and garden, and the Georgetown is an ideal plan for indoor-outdoor entertaining.

In addition, the 2,034-square-foot Georgetown boasts three bedrooms, 2%26#189; baths, a two-story foyer, formal dining room, large covered front , first-floor laundry, full basement and two-car attached garage. The second floor includes a master bedroom with tray ceiling, his and hers walk-in closets and private bath. Two other bedrooms are served by a hall bath. Buyers may opt for a deluxe master bath with soaking tub and separate shower, a loft in lieu of the third bedroom and a three-car garage. The Georgetown is priced from $328,990.

Buyers have many choices in floor plans at West Point Gardens.

Five townhouse designs are available at West Point Gardens, offering freedom from exterior maintenance. The plans range in size from 1,278 to 1,790 square feet with two or three bedrooms, 1%26#189; to 2%26#189; baths, lofts, family rooms per plan, nine-foot first-floor ceilings, full basements, brick exteriors, two-car garages and private enclosed gardens.

The Heritage Series of single-family homes features four floor plans, varying in size from 1,841 to 2,307 and including three bedrooms, 2%26#189; baths, basements, private enclosed gardens and two- or three-car attached garages grouped around motor courts.

The Series includes five single-family designs, ranging from 2,398 to 3,264 , with three, four or five bedrooms, 2%26#189; baths, basements, private enclosed gardens and two-or three-car attached garages at the rear of the homes accessed by side drives or grouped around motor courts.

The booming Randall Road corridor provides a wide variety of stores, services and restaurants. Commuter train service and convenient highway access ensure access to job centers.

West Point Gardens is at the southwest corner of Route 20 (Lake Street) and Nesler Street, one mile west of Randall Road. Sales center hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, call (847) 608-1000 or visit www.westpointgardens.com.

To visit, take Ill. Hwy. 20 (Lake Street) west to Nesler, and go south on Nesler to the community. Or, take I-90 to Randall Road, go south to Lake Street, west to Nesler, then south to the community.

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Thursday, December 27th, 2007

Public records Building permits

Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $3,200,000, Merit Construction Inc., shell space on first floor of new three-story 24,059-square-foot commercial office buildingBU07-1557, 10416 Parkside Drive, T&;W Properties Partnership, $2,100,000, Wood Brothers Construction Co., new pre-engineered metal building to be used for light automotive service and cleaning for Toyota and Lexus dealerships

BU07-1592, 4627 Greenway Drive, Knoxville Levcal LLC % Marvin F. Poer &; Co., $2,000,000, J. A. Fielden Co., changes to new one-story 30,000-square-foot retail building for Circuit City

BU07-1672, 600 Academy Way, Christian Academy of Knoxville, $1,700,000, Evans Contracting Co. Inc., addition to Christian Academy of Knoxville

$1 million to $500,001

BU07-1605, 5352 N. Broadway, Jack W. Amyx, $1,000,000, Christopoulos and Kennedy Construction Inc., 2nd floor - suite 201 in new 4,810-square-foot 2-story building for Broadway Title

BU07-1537, 2055 Alcoa Highway, M.K.A.A., $825,000, Brownlee Construction Inc., new hangar for Tac Air at McGhee Tyson Airport.

$500,000 to $250,001

BU07-1520, 1430 East Weisgarber Road, Mountain View Partners Limited Partnership, $500,000, Ramsbottom and Associates Inc., new one-story shell building

BU07-1551, 1901 Clinch Ave., Fort Sanders Presbyterian Hospital, $472,500, Image Construction Inc., pharmacy renovations to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center

BU07-1519, 7600 Pike, West Town Mall Joint Venture % Simon Property Group, $450,000, CDI Contractors LLC, interior repairs where roof leaked in Dillard’s at West Town Mall

BU07-1664, 6901 Pike, First Heritage National Bank % Regas Real Estate, $380,000, Branch Building Group LLC, removal of front portion of restaurant

BU07-1540, 8923 Linksvue Drive, Gettysvue Center LLC, $350,000, Sequoyah Limited LLC, alterations for new tenant Jupiter Entertainment

BU07-1629, 122 W. Scott Ave., Hospitality Pantries Inc., $300,000, Richardson Turner Construction Co. Inc., new one-story pre-engineered metal building with 8,000-square-foot warehouse/office for food ministry distribution

$250,000 to $100,001

BU07-1609, 2305 Callahan Drive, All Points Development LLC, $250,000, The Strauss Co. Inc., new one-story 5,000-square-foot building for Sherwin Williams

BU07-1660, 516 S. Gay St., City of Knoxville, $250,000, Blaine Construction Corp., complete structural re-roof of buildings 516-524 on Gay St.

BU07-1679, 9352 Park West Blvd, Fort Sanders-Park West Medical Center % Danny Ed, $200,000, Rentenbach Constructors, MRI buildout on 2nd floor of previous shell space at Park West Hospital

BU07-1680, 501 Dutch Valley Drive, Dodson Brothers Exterminating Co. Inc., $184,700, David A. Johnson , new addition to two-story building and also alterations to existing portion to be office for Dodson Pest Control

BU07-1562, 11311 Parkside Drive, Parkside Drive LLC % Colonial Realty LP, $182,000, Build Retail Inc., first time tenant finish in space 1210 for Aeropostale

BU07-1666, 1111 Tree Top Way, Woodlands of Knoxville II LLC, $180,000, Dovetail Builders Inc., two new in-ground swimming pools and a pavilion structure for the pump equipment to be accessory to The Woodlands phase 2.

BU07-1628, 700 Merchant Drive, William E. Monday III % SunTrust Bank, $120,000, Wood Brothers Construction Co., drive-thru addition and renovations to SunTrust Bank

BU07-1655, 3001 Knoxville Center Drive, Knoxville Center LLC, $116,000, Arlington Construction Inc., renovations for existing tenant Lenscrafters

$100,000 to $50,001

BU07-1539, 10984 Parkside Drive, DDRTC Turkey Creek LLC % Developers Diversified, $100,000, Pbc Inc., interior of space for Rack Room Shoes

BU07-1541, 2018 Western Ave., Cherokee Health Systems Inc., $100,000, Johnson &; Galyon Inc., interior of lower level (partial) and upper level (partial) for Cherokee Health System

BU07-1589, 121 Hawthorne Ave., Maxey Co. LLC, $100,000, Signal Point Systems Inc., new 130 feet communication tower

BU07-1595, 835 Huckleberry Springs Road, Bash Group LLC, $98,000, Creative Structures, new paint booth and mixing room with new dealership for Tennessee RV

BU07-1645, 7600 Pike, West Town Mall Joint Venture % Simon Property Group, $87,000, Weekes Construction Inc., interior alterations to space no. 1480 in West Town Mall for Lenscrafters

BU07-1611, 5214 N. Broadway, JBCH Properties LLC, $80,000, R.J. Prather Construction LLC, interior alterations to shell space to be Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza

BU07-1550, 501 Nineteenth St., KPG Lab Partnership, $75,000, Image Construction Inc., Renovations for Tennessee Orthopedic in Trustee’s Tower suites 600 and 603

BU07-1564, 1608 Midpark Road, Melinda P. &; Joel W. Connell, $60,000, Owens Construction Inc., first-time tenant finish to building

$50,000 to $25,001

BU07-1527, 5814 Walden Drive, Walden Park Partnership, $50,000, Sequoyah Limited LLC, tenant buildout of one side of new one-story shell

BU07-1546, 118 S. Central St., James K. &; Sherrie D. Zaring, $48,000, Trammell Construction Co. Inc., interior alterations to store building

BU07-1573, 923 W. Oldham Ave., Ronald &; Martha A. Burress, $45,000, Carl Gibson Construction, new one-story building to be Day Springs Church

BU07-1675, 510 Main St., First Baptist Church, $45,000, Johnson &; Galyon Inc., making part of existing parking area of First Baptist Church into playground

BU07-1610, 5915 Casey Drive, Gth Family LLC, $42,000, Stethen-Smith Construction, general repair to building to include loading dock repairs and minor interior repairs

BU07-1544, 1315 Todd Helton Drive, American Tower Corp., $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on an existing tower of 110 feet with ground equipment for T-Mobile

BU07-1545, 211 Bridgewater Road, Bridgewater Baptist Church Inc., $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on an existing tower of 130 feet; extending tower 14 feet and ground equipment for T-Mobile

BU07-1631, 211 Nixon Road, American Tower, $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on existing tower of 200 feet and ground equipment

BU07-1632, 128 Churchland St., Pedro E. Saez &; Laura E. Stagnari, $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on an existing tower of 177 feet, includes ground cabinets.

BU07-1633, 5289 Oakhill Drive, Tanasi Girl Scout Council Inc., $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on existing tower of 171 feet with ground equipment

BU07-1685, 916 N. Sixth Ave., Crown Castle International, $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., collocation on existing 160-foot monopole

BU07-1586, 1045 Cherokee Trail, Woodlands of Knoxville II LLC, $27,000, Dovetail Builders Inc., new one-story 38 feet by 25 feet maintenance storage building for Woodlands

BU07-1635, 509 W. Jackson Ave., Ernie &; Pamela H. Gross, $26,000, Total Demolition Services Inc., removal of debris from building due to fire

$25,000 and less

BU07-1658, 716 S. Gay St., Jake J. Breazeale, $24,000, owner-commercial, interior office

BU07-1547, 7600 Pike, West Town Mall Joint Venture % Simon Property Group, $23,900, Mastercraftsman, upgrading restrooms in JC Penney

BU07-1176, 9117 Executive Park Drive, White Realty Inc., $20,000, owner-commercial, general repairs to Chinese restaurant for new tenant Lemon Grass Thai cuisine

BU07-1579, 10415 Parkside Drive, T&;W Properties Partnership, $20,000, Wood Brothers Construction Co., removal of car wash canopy addition to rear of existing Toyota Dealership to prepare for new addition

BU07-1667, 543 N. Broadway, Old Gray Cemetery, $19,000, High Oaks Construction Co. Inc., alteration to gatehouse at old gray cemetery

BU07-1603, 5235 Village Crest Way, Ko Knoxville Portfolio LP % H &; R Real Estate Inc., $17,353, R.T. &; Sons LLC, replacing antennas and cable on Sprint cell tower

BU07-1669, 9361 Pike, Home Depot USA Inc., $16,000, Sun Belt General Contractors Inc., alterations Home Depot

BU07-1553, 11308 Parkside Drive, Parkside Drive LLC, $15,000, Craig Belitz, foundation only for new building for Smoky Mountain Brewery

BU07-1659, 6221 Pike, Hawk Family Properties LLC, $14,000, Engineered Retaining Systems LLC, demolition of old storage building and landscape at rear of property

BU07-1518, 4413 Central Avenue Pike, Mark H. &; Helen H. Boring, $12,000, owner-commercial, new 24 feet by 35 feet detached garage accessory in rear of building

BU07-1523, 600 Academy Way, Christian Academy of Knoxville, $10,000, Evans Contracting Co. Inc., interior demolition only to prepare for future addition and alterations at Christian Academy of Knoxville

BU07-1597, 2200 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Tennessee Conference of The AME Zion Church, $10,000, Owner-Commercial, alterations to space in two-story building for new tenant Mosiac Community Church

BU07-1531, 8029 Ray Mears Blvd, Wallin H. Myers, $9,741, Creative Structures, interior demolition

BU07-1585, 1109 Beaman Lake Road, Canaan Baptist Housing Corp., $9,000, L &; M Home Improvement Inc., general repairs to lobby at Golden Age Retirement Home

BU07-1575, 1111 N. Northshore Drive, Cooper Commercial Properties Ix LLC % Dee Ann Gi, $4,000, GSB Contractors Inc., interior demolition to suite s130 to prepare for future alterations

BU07-1543, 1714 Louisville Drive, Walgo LLC, $3,000, Sun Constructors LLC, interior demolition in suite A to prepare for future work

BU07-1634, 7355 Pike, James S Schaad Tr Leased Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, $3,000, Steve Cherry, 14 feet by 44 feet open to front of building for Alley Restaurant

BU07-1639, 1219 Maryville Pike, Gary L. &; Janice Y. Hines, $3,000, Owner-Commercial, general repair

BU07-1536, 1224 W. Fifth Ave., Alzaran Holdings LLC, $2,600, Burnett Demolition &; Salvage Co. Inc., complete demolition of one-story building.

BU07-1516, 1600 N. Central St., Carmichael Wayne E. &; Brenda F. Carmichael, $800, Owner-Commercial, emergency repair permit due to vehicle running into building

BU07-1607, 5352 N. Broadway, Jack W. Amyx, $1, Christopoulos and Kennedy Construction Inc., 1st floor shell in new 4,810-square-foot two-story commercial building for Broadway Title

BU07-1651, 9721 Cogdill Road, Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $1, Merit Construction Inc., suite 101 in new three-story 24,059-square-foot office building

BU07-1652, 9721 Cogdill Road, Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $1, Merit Construction Inc., suite 201 in new three-story 24,059-square-foot office building

BU07-1653, 9721 Cogdill Road, Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $1, Merit Construction Inc., suite 301 in new three-story 24,059-square-foot office building

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Wednesday, December 26th, 2007

Swimming Pools Landscaping Ideas

Possibilities abound to integrate natural landscaping elements with any Pool , whether yours is a new construction or remodeling. also is a key component in the popular poolscape process Pool Landscaping.

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Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

Hardscape And Landscaping Idea With Stone

You say that your landscaping is complete? Then show me your stones! That’s right Idea, stones. The artful application of landscaping stone could enhance the natural elements that you’ve already employed — namely, your plants, or softscape. Landscaping Idea And the aesthetic and functional use of stone can even raise the value of your property.

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Saturday, November 17th, 2007

Will Build A Patio Or Deck Yard Landscaping

You do not have to be a carpenter to build a deck Yard Landscaping, nor do you have to be a mason to build a patio, be it a brick patio, a flagstone patio or a . Of the two projects, building a patio is perhaps the easier one for the average person. (more…)

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Monday, November 12th, 2007