LandscapingNetwork.com offers a handy, new chart comparing flagstone, with information on seven different types of flagstone, color options, pros and cons, and more.

Calimesa, CA (PRWEB) July 26, 2012

A new comparison chart offered on http://www.LandscapingNetwork.com guides consumers on the differences between seven popular types of outdoor paving stones. From sandstone to quartzite to travertine and more, this handy chart comparing flagstone covers the pros and cons of each type, color variations, and other helpful product details such as appearance and origination.

Typically an easy material to work with because of its flat, thin qualities, flagstone is commonly chosen when paving areas such as patios, walkways, pool decks, walls, and virtually any other surface that can be paved. Its varied color options, shapes and sizes make natural stone products, like those covered in this chart, a popular choice by consumers.

Covering seven popular types of stone, including sandstone, quartzite, bluestone, limestone, travertine, basalt and slate, this new comparison chart offers consumers a description of each stone. The chart also guides consumers through five additional facts for each stone, such as stone appearance, origination, color variations, and the pros and cons of each type.

Consumers will find that flagstone has much to offer when it comes to choosing the perfect paving option for various landscaping projects. For more on flagstone options, as well as hundreds of flagstone ideas and design trends, visit The Landscaping Network.

Photos courtesy of LandscapingNetwork.com.

About LandscapingNetwork.com

LandscapingNetwork.com works with a team of professional landscape designers and writers to bring together the very best landscaping resources and information available. Homeowners, landscape designers and architects, builders and more can also stay up-to-date through the site’s extensive collection of articles, landscaping photos and videos on landscape design ideas, products and more.

For consumers ready to turn their landscaping design dreams into reality, the site offers an easy-to-use Find a Contractor directory to find local landscape contractors and designers throughout the United States and Canada.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebcomparing/flagstone/prweb9730067.htm

Are you unhappy with your home’s interior design? If so, you may be the victim of a bad color scheme. It’s no secret that color can either make or break a design, but, luckily, neither is finding out how to choose the perfect color palette for you.

When the color’s right, it can:

— Enhance feelings of health and well-being

— Modify perceived temperature — make your space feel warmer or cooler

— Transform perceived space — make your space feel larger, or more cozy and intimate

— Illuminate dark areas

— Create mystery and romance in dull areas

— Energize static areas

But it has to be the right color for you. Color, and the psychology of color, is a big design trend, says Barbara Jacobs, principal of Barbara Jacobs Color Design.

“But generalizations — green is relaxing, blue is soothing, red is energizing — only apply when certain hues are used,” she says. “A sharp, electric green definitely would not be relaxing; a deep blue-green might feel cold instead of soothing. The wrong red used in an entire room might create the sensation of entrapment rather than energy.”

Before planning color in your personal environment, make a short questionnaire and poll yourself and your family. Your answers are 50 percent of the project because your color choices depend on them for direction, Jacobs says. She gives clients a very long questionnaire with hundreds of questions, but you can start with these five. The answers will lead you to your new color scheme.

1. Where is the room?

2. How many windows are there and which direction(s) do they face?

3. Is there landscaping outside that will have an effect on the colors in the room?

4. Who will use the room, and what will they do there? Is it private or community space?

5. Will it be a sociable and active place, or a peaceful place? How do I want it to feel?

For thousands of other ideas, visit www.hgtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.

Molded from Recycled Tires, EcoBorder Offers an Environmentally-Friendly Alternative to Traditional Lawn Border Solutions

TAMPA, Florida (MMD Newswire) July 25, 2012 — Tampa, Florida-based entrepreneur, John Wink, of Novel Ideas, Inc has developed and nationally launched the newest green product in landscape design, EcoBorder. EcoBorder is manufactured in the USA and molded from recycled tire rubber. This landscape edging is not only environmentally-friendly, but also offers homeowners the flexibility, durability and cost-effectiveness other lawn and garden border products cannot.

Wink spent over 15 years in the landscaping industry before joining Merrill Lynch and advancing quickly to a position as a VP Investment Wholesaler in Tampa Florida. When the stock market and economic crash hit in 2008 leading to layoffs, he sought to be involved once again with one of his original passions, landscaping. With his return to the industry, Wink now had a new motivation in continuing to support his growing family, and ideas for a new green landscaping product that would solve common problems for homeowners and landscapers everywhere. From this concept, Wink created and launched EcoBorder out of his garage in 2009. Though this product hit the market only three years ago, industry accolades and overwhelming consumer response have resulted in exponential growth and a recent national expansion into retail stores throughout North America. With no professional installation or laborious digging required, a homeowner can now achieve a stone border look in a matter of minutes.

In its short lifetime, EcoBorder has already reused over 200,000 tires and is projected to recycle another four million pounds this year. “Automobile tires can take over 100 years to decompose in a landfill,” says John Wink on the idea behind EcoBorder. “Our recycling process gives old tires a new function while providing asimple-to-install solution that looks fantastic in any yard. We are dedicated to doing our part to help preserve the planet and make our world a little more beautiful.”

The originality and inventiveness of EcoBorder has garnered national media attention including features on ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition and the DIY Channel’s Yard Crashers. EcoBorder has now launched nationally in 1,300 Home Depot and Lowe’s stores, and this fall will expand to 550 Lowe’s stores along with every Home Depot in North America. The products are also currently available in four colors online at www.ecoborder.com.

For more information, please visit www.ecoborder.com, www.facebook.com/ecoborder or contact John Wink at (813) 390-1400.

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DECATUR, Ala. – “We moved here from another location because of 2nd Avenue and what’s going on here.”

Bridgid Steed came seeking success on 2nd Avenue. She set up shop here opening Divas, Doodlebugs Debutants.

“We are very excited about it,” Steed told WAAY 31 FirstNews. “We love the landscaping, the streetscapes that they’ve done — the benches, the flowers, the lamp posts. Everything is beautiful!”

Down the street, you can see bales of wheat straw, a park bench and a construction barrel. They’re signs of work wrapping up. New sod is taking root at the new downtown arts school.

Next month, expect students packed to the rafters.

Meanwhile, the city is clearing hurdles for students — or anyone else — to live in lofts.

Above businesses, lofts could pump new life into downtown.

Are you unhappy with your home’s interior design? If so, you may be the victim of a bad color scheme. It’s no secret that color can either make or break a design, but, luckily, neither is finding out how to choose the perfect color palette for you.

When the color’s right, it can:

— Enhance feelings of health and well-being

— Modify perceived temperature — make your space feel warmer or cooler

— Transform perceived space — make your space feel larger, or more cozy and intimate

— Illuminate dark areas

— Create mystery and romance in dull areas

— Energize static areas

But it has to be the right color for you. Color, and the psychology of color, is a big design trend, says Barbara Jacobs, principal of Barbara Jacobs Color Design.

“But generalizations — green is relaxing, blue is soothing, red is energizing — only apply when certain hues are used,” she says. “A sharp, electric green definitely would not be relaxing; a deep blue-green might feel cold instead of soothing. The wrong red used in an entire room might create the sensation of entrapment rather than energy.”

Before planning color in your personal environment, make a short questionnaire and poll yourself and your family. Your answers are 50 percent of the project because your color choices depend on them for direction, Jacobs says. She gives clients a very long questionnaire with hundreds of questions, but you can start with these five. The answers will lead you to your new color scheme.

1. Where is the room?

2. How many windows are there and which direction(s) do they face?

3. Is there landscaping outside that will have an effect on the colors in the room?

4. Who will use the room, and what will they do there? Is it private or community space?

5. Will it be a sociable and active place, or a peaceful place? How do I want it to feel?

(For thousands of other ideas visit www.hgtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

Are you unhappy with your home’s interior design? If so, you may be the victim of a bad color scheme. It’s no secret that color can either make or break a design, but, luckily, neither is finding out how to choose the perfect color palette for you. — When the color’s right, it can:

— Enhance feelings of health and well-being

— Modify perceived temperature — make your space feel warmer or cooler

— Transform perceived space — make your space feel larger, or more cozy and intimate

— Illuminate dark areas

— Create mystery and romance in dull areas

— Energize static areas

But it has to be the right color for you. Color, and the psychology of color, is a big design trend, says Barbara Jacobs, principal of Barbara Jacobs Color Design.

“But generalizations — green is relaxing, blue is soothing, red is energizing — only apply when certain hues are used,” she says. “A sharp, electric green definitely would not be relaxing; a deep blue-green might feel cold instead of soothing. The wrong red used in an entire room might create the sensation of entrapment rather than energy.”

Before planning color in your personal environment, make a short questionnaire and poll yourself and your family. Your answers are 50 percent of the project because your color choices depend on them for direction, Jacobs says. She gives clients a very long questionnaire with hundreds of questions, but you can start with these five. The answers will lead you to your new color scheme.

1. Where is the room?

2. How many windows are there and which direction(s) do they face?

3. Is there landscaping outside that will have an effect on the colors in the room?

4. Who will use the room, and what will they do there? Is it private or community space?

5. Will it be a sociable and active place, or a peaceful place? How do I want it to feel?

(For thousands of other ideas visit http://www.hgtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

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ProMark Landscaping has unveiled its new and improved website with more features, options, and information.

Zieglersville, PA (PRWEB) July 23, 2012

ProMark Landscaping Inc. (ProMarkLandscaping.com) has just announced the grand opening of its newly redesigned landscaping contractors website with an improved appearance, added content, increased information, and new features. These improvements have all been made to enhance the customer experience to allow for more enjoyable and informed decision making.

ProMark Landscaping, Inc. is a highly skilled professional landscaping contractors company that provides a broad range of different services that can bring out the appeal and elegance of any property. Their technically skilled, friendly personnel deliver this plethora of services to their customers.

Among those services include: commercial grounds maintenance, landscape design and installation, erosion control, tree pruning and stump removal and grinding, native plantscaping, reclaiming of wetlands, irrigation systems services, hardscaping services, storm water management and underground drainage, commercial snow removal services, and even geese management.

The new design and navigation of the website provides visitors and existing customers with greater access to a wealth of information about the many services that ProMark Landscaping provides. Beyond the information on the site itself, it also offers quick and simple form tools to communicate with the company regarding questions or comments.

Local weather reports are also available on the site, which is a convenient way to check the conditions, as well as to gauge what services may be required on a certain day, such as snow removal.

The gallery feature offers a highly useful visual resource that can help to demonstrate the success of past projects, as well as to give ideas and inspiration to customers who haven’t yet made up their mind regarding the designs they want.

Also available is the free quote feature, which lets site users submit their project information in order to receive a customized price quote for the completion of the work. This feature is available for any of the services offered by the company and can be used at any time of day or night, from the comfort of the user’s computer.

For more information about the new ProMark Landscaping website or any of the services that the company’s landscaping contractors provide, visit the official site at http://www.promarklandscaping.com or call toll-free at 800-690-5882.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/7/prweb9721362.htm

Kristen Holley, Moss Point Main Street Coordinator and Greg Miller, Economic Development Director for the City of Moss Point, work together in developing business and tourism incentives for Moss Point. (Submitted by Johnnie Bernhard)

Kristen Holley, Moss Point Main Street Coordinator and its recently formed economic restructuring committee, want to see change in downtown Moss Point.

“The committee was formed in May 2011,” Holley said. “In 2012, we developed a work plan that includes a business recruitment packet, a façade incentive program and a plan to host a realtor, developer and investor day.

“We’re throwing out ideas of bringing restaurants like Half Shell Oyster House or Shaggy’s to Moss Point. Now, everyone from east Jackson County drives to Mobile or Harrison County to dine. Why not bring it here?”

“I think we’ll have a hard time getting a national franchise with the current economy to come here, not that it can’t be done. But what we can do is step up to the plate with better business incentives,” said Greg Miller, the city’s Economic Development Director.

Miller works closely with Holley and the Moss Point Main Street Board in developing those business incentives.

The majority of Moss Point Main Street funding comes from the city of Moss Point. Part of the business recruitment plan features a four- phase redevelopment of the riverfront area in Moss Point.

The Moss Point Riverfront Park is the staging area for many of Moss Point Main Street’s events, including the Friday night movie night offering free family-friendly entertainment for area residents. (Submitted by Johnnie Bernhard)

 

Developed by the Mississippi Main Street Association, the plan calls for increased parking, landscaping along Main Street, the riverfront’s mixed-use development, a Central Fish House that includes fish cleaning and sales, restaurants and outdoor dining, a market green, cross walks and traffic calming devices, and the demolition and relocating of the old city hall and police station.

The plans were presented to city leaders October 2011. Currently, the new police station is being relocated to Bellview Shopping Center and the new city hall will open August 3 with a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m.

“These projects were planned earlier, before the Mississippi Main Street redevelopment plan, but we follow the city’s comprehensive plan and add support,” said Holley.

Miller and Holley admit there are many challenges to the revitalization of downtown Moss Point.

“There are the everyday challenges of establishing safety, lawn and landscaping maintenance, vacant lot clean-ups, and making the downtown area pedestrian friendly by slowing down traffic,” Holley said.

“Moss Point downtown is the No. 1 reflection of our civic pride. That has to be reflected to visitors and potential business, so it is my job to make sure business leaders and city leaders are satisfied with what we are doing. I have to let them know what we need to do to revitalize Moss Point. I try to involve them in every aspect of the Main Street program.”

Miller echoed Holley’s concerns.

“I need to get the city leaders to adhere to our comprehension plan,” Miller said. “You have to have a plan to move forward. My role is to keep them abreast of this plan and to always have it (the plan) in the back of their minds when they make a decision for the city.”

The latest attempt by Moss Point Main Street Association to bring families to downtown Moss Point and its main attraction, the Riverfront Park, is a free monthly movie night.

Co-sponsored by Scordino’s Main Street Market, movie night’s goal is to promote family-friendly entertainment in its signature park and the staging anchor for many events. The next movie night is scheduled for August 17.

The group recently hosted the Rockin’ the River Festival featuring live music and a “Quick and Dirty” Boat-Building Contest.

“We’re satisfied with our numbers from the event. Overall it was a quality event and we’re excited about hosted it again next year. We will continue to build upon it as an annual event,” said Holley.

Moss Point Main Street is in the planning stage of hosting the Tunes and Tales on the River event scheduled for Oct. 26-27 at Riverfront Park. Partnering with the Pascagoula River Audubon Center and Real Food Gulf Coast, the event will feature a local cuisine buffet, a “boucherie” or Cajun hog butchery, BBQ cook-off and live music.

“Everything we do is about building trust in the community, so we can help Moss Point take off,” said Holley.

To learn more about these events, contact the Moss Point Main Street office at 228-623-0994 or visit their web site at www.mosspointmainstreet.com

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Click to view (3 Photos)

Bartholomew County Public Library officials plan to limit renovations to the library plaza, for now, to safety issues and landscaping.

The library’s board had a public input session in May to gather ideas on what should be done to update the plaza, constructed with the library, which opened in 1969.

“We had lots of ideas put forth, but money is scarce this year and we have to prioritize,” said Library Director Beth Booth Poor.

Another public meeting had been scheduled for last week to discuss ideas from landscape architect Randy Royer and his company Blue Marble Design, but the library board decided to postpone the meeting until next year’s budget is finalized.

Poor said the library is in the early stages of budget planning for 2013 with a meeting with the Indiana Department of Government and Local Finance this week and a public hearing on its budget in August. The final budget will be approved in October.

Poor explained that the library is an autonomous taxing unit, with its budget and tax rate separate from the city and county budgets.

During the public meeting in May, some residents said they wanted the library plaza left as it is. Others wanted changes to make it a more inviting place for people to sit and spend time there, making it more a downtown gathering spot.

Poor said the first priority is to repair steps to ensure the safety of library patrons. Work needs done on the stairs on the Fifth Street side of the building and to the stairs that lead to the children’s department on the lower level.

“We still want to refresh the landscaping on the plaza,” Poor said, adding that some trees need replaced,including ones that died during this year’s drought.

Library Board President Beth Stroh said the library is an important community resource and making it safe and accessible is the first priority.

“We just feel like there are some necessary physical improvements that we need to do,” Stroh said.

Stroh added that the board will weigh other more aesthetic changes, keeping in mind the architectural significance of the library and the Fifth Street area.

The board does not want to take out a bond for changes at this point, Stroh said, so other physical improvements might be phased in over a period of time.

Boston Hill Nursery is nestled on 30 acres of rolling, green-covered hills in Colden, 2 minutes from Boston, 10 minutes from the centers of Orchard Park, East Aurora and Hamburg and 20 from the Springville area. Co-owner Brad Schottin said that once his customers find the nursery and tree farm, they keep coming back for more.

Schottin has co-owned the business with his brother Brian since 1992. The pair worked at Schichtel’s Nursery in Springville throughout high school and college, which is when Brad Schottin said he first got a taste for the business.

“It really is a labor of love. We thought, ‘Let’s try this,’ and it worked. You can’t do it if you don’t enjoy it, and we do,” he said.

The Schottins bought the property, located on the site of an old dairy farm, from Bob Schultz, who also used to own the Hamburg Airport, although the farm had gone through a series of owners previously. The business is comprised of three parts: a retail nursery, cut-your-own Christmas tree farm and a landscape design division. Landscape plantings include residential, municipal and commercial, although Schottin noted that the nursery does not do stonework. The nursery and tree farm sits on 30 acres of land on Old Lower East Hill Road.

The retail nursery includes what the business advertises as “one of the largest selections of perennials” in the area, as well as trees, shrubs, compost and soil in both bags and bulk. Open seven days per week, the Schottins employ 7 people, including salespeople Betsy Meyers and Donna Frost, who have more than 25 years of experience between them.

Although Schottin said the location can be difficult to find at first, he said that once people find Boston Hill Nursery, they get hooked.

“People find out about us and come down. They come here and say, ‘I heard about you, but I didn’t know you were that big.’ They keep coming back,” he said. “We do [landscaping] shows and mail out our catalog to new homeowners, which lists our trees, shrubs and information. We also offer a free consultation and if there are any changes, people can call us and we can try to help them out,” he explained.

The business’s salespeople are available for questions about the plants on-site, and Schottin said his brother offers advice on landscape design, as well.

“A lot of people listen to what we suggest, but sometimes people have their own ideas. We also offer a one-year guarantee. We don’t have a lot of problems, but there are sometimes weather-related issues or bugs,” he said. “One of the most important elements is the soil. If the soil isn’t good, you’re going to have problems. We compost our plants, and that makes a big difference.”

The way the nursery grows and stores its trees is also unique in the area, Schottin explained. The business grows many of its own plants, although some have to be started in the west, because of Western New York’s short growing season. Trees are started from liners, which are small plants that are transplanted from their former location to be cultivated elsewhere. Liners are typically one or two growing seasons old. Once the liners are received, they are established to continue growing to saleable size.

“The reason we do it that way is to keep our prices reasonable. The longer it takes to grow, the most costly it’s going to be. Trees are costly enough, already,” Schottin said. He added that his business has a wider variety of trees and shrubs, including many unusual types, because its plants are kept in-ground, rather than sitting in root balls on the property.

“Many nurseries in the area buy the standards because they’re not planting them, just keeping them in stock. They have to get rid of them that same year. You can’t hold over a plant for more than one season if they’re not in the ground, so they stock what they know they can sell. Because ours are established, if they don’t sell, they just keep growing,” he said.

The Boston Hill Nursery trees are planted in the ground surrounded by fabric bags, so their root systems are contained enough to allow customers to take them home themselves, if they so choose.

“It’s very manageable. It’s not like a field-dug tree that has to be brought in with a lot of heavy machinery. Our customers can plant the trees themselves, or we will come and plant them for them if they don’t feel comfortable,” Schottin explained. “It saves them money, because they don’t have to rent the equipment. That way, they can buy more. They don’t get sticker shock,” he added, noting that one of his trees can cost half the price of trees at other local nurseries.

The nursery stocks a wide variety of trees, shrubs and perennials, although Schottin said the stock changes based on what customers like and what grows well.

“There’s a lot of trial and error, like there always is with living things. People have their favorites.”

Open year-round, the nursery also stocks “cut your own” Christmas trees.

“It takes a tree about 8 – 15 years to grow to harvestable size,” explained Schottin. “Once you get through the first crop, that’s when it gets easier. That first [season] is tough, because you’re still learning. We have three varieties that we find do best in this area.”

Schottin said that his nursery does not grow Douglas firs, because that crop has been experiencing devastating disease in past years, which makes them unsustainable.

“We grow what we know we can grow well, because ,at the end of the day, people want a nice, full tree that is going to last,” he said, noting that his own family’s tree lasted seven weeks last year.

“We threw it out because we just got sick of looking at it,” he said, with a laugh. “It still didn’t look bad at all. Most people aren’t shopping for a name; they want something that’s going to look good.”

For both the spring and summer planting season and holiday tree harvesting, Schottin said that his business is located conveniently for many Western New Yorkers, but still feels like an adventure to a rural oasis.

“We’re centrally located, but it feels like you’re out in the country when you come here. It’s like a little escape, which is nice, especially when you’re taking that trip to get your tree around Christmas,” he said. “People like the adventure of it.”

Boston Hill Nursery is open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through November, at which time it changes to winter hours. The Schottin brothers and their staff can be reached for inquiries at 662-7411.