The best place to begin is by defining your needs. Get an idea of what you might want. Look through magazines and websites and collect pictures of what you like. Explain your desires to your landscape designer, but remember to keep an open mind. A professional may have suggestions that you have not considered. Landscaping can do wonders to improve your home from an aesthetic viewpoint by introducing colorful shrubs and beautiful trees and plants. It can also add interest and useful outdoor living space through the addition of decks, patios, walkways, and pools. Additionally, hiring a landscape maintenance firm to take care of your new or existing landscape can protect your investment. Come up with a rough budget. There are great ideas to fit any size budget. If you are planning a large, extensive project, talk to your bank or lender.

Finding A Landscape Professional

We offer a free referral service on this website to assist you in finding members of the Ohio Landscape Association. You can also seek referrals from friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. Don’t be afraid to ask the owner of a property that you admire who their landscape professional is. Most people will be flattered by the request. When you see a contractor working in your neighborhood and you like the work, write down the contact information. Many professional contractors have their trucks marked with their logo and their phone number.

http://www.myohiolandscape.com/howtohireapro.cfm

10 Flowers Commonly Used for Attracting Hummingbirds:

1. Bee Balm
2. Red Columbine
3. Delphinium and Hollyhock
4. Butterfly Bush
5. Catawba Rhododendron
6. Rose of Sharon
7. Trumpet Vine and Trumpet Honeysuckle
8. Cardinal Vine
9. Lantana and Fuchsia
10. Silk Tree

Buy a mister that you can hook to a garden hose. Hummingbirds love to rub against dripping wet leaves as well as to fly through the mist to bathe. And be sure to include bushes or low branches on trees for the hummers to perch when not feeding or bathing. If their perch is close enough to the house, be sure to watch them through your binoculars while they preen. Then sit back in your backyard with your binoculars and with a bit of luck, enjoy the hummingbirds!

May you always hear the whisper of wings…

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