The entrances to your home should provide easy access through your landscaping and yard. First impressions count for a lot, so aesthetic appeal surrounding your landscaping ideas and entryways is important. It's easiest to start with the highest traffic access area which is usually how you'll reach your home from your parking area. Next, assess the paths and walkways to and from all access areas of your home. Plantings surrounding these areas should guide visitors' eye towards your entry/exit points. Side entrances that you use as often or more than your front door, should also be considered. Colorful blooms, walkways, foundation beds, and outdoor lighting may be used.

If you're planting areas for height, start by building up towards your house. Start lower and slowly increase the height of your plants as they get closer to the house. This will help direct attention to the entrance. A note of caution is that garden beds bordering a walkway or path can distract attention from your entrance; the best way I can explain it is to think of the beginning of your walkway as a starting point leading your entry as a vector opening directing you towards your door.

Your entryway should be inviting as well as safe. Good lighting and visibility ensure safety at night when walking from where you park into your home. If your home has a mudroom, laundry room, or any other type of utility room that sits next to your front or rear entryway, plan for making it look good as well as functional for traffic.  

How do you guide traffic to and through your access areas? Most professional landscaping designers basically follow a simple pattern here. Walkways, privacy hedges, shrubs, border gardens, edging, fencing, trellises, screens, and railings are options. You can place planter boxes to frame and accent entryways to certain areas. Screens, hedges, raised beds, and fencing can also be used to mask areas that are more utility-based from view.

When planting to define access and entry areas, consider the mature size and spread of the plants when spacing. This is often an overlooked consideration in landscaping ideas. Since paths, walkways, and other access areas will usually lead to or near your house, plants should have enough spacing from your foundation so that you can take care of both the plants and home. Space any plants far enough from your house so that you can work all the way around them to maintain them once they are fully grown. Shrubs and hedges given time to grow will create a natural boundary, while a fence offers immediacy.

©2012 CapStar Real Estate & Loan. All Rights Reserved.

Best Landscaper in El Cajon expert installations of lawn sprinkler systems. 877-293-8820 Free Consultations in San Diego or sign up for more free video garden design tips at: http://www.Bobs.Sprinkler-System.info

East San Diego County Sprinkler Systems Planting Tips

Video 1: How and Why to Plant Gazanias in Southern California

Robert Barranco has over 30-Years of Irrigation installation design and landscape engineering experience. In this video series Bob will give free on the job video tips and send gardening, irrigation and landscape advice to your email when you sign up at: Bobs Sprinkler System Info

East County Sprinkler Systems is a Full Service Landscaping Design and Landscape Maintenance Company. The Barranco family has been serving San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties in California for 70-Years as Bob carries on his fathers business.

Landscaper Services Include:

• Serving San Diego for 30 years
• Irrigation System Overhauls, Repairs and Adjustments
• Manual to Automatic Sprinkler System Conversions
• Sprinkler Head Valve Replacements
• Underground Landscaping Leak Detection
• Automatic Sprinkler Systems Controller Programming
• Rainbird Sprinkler System Experts
• Free Estamates in San Diego

When you go and sign up you will receive new video quick tips and instantly be provided with Guides to Irrigation, Drought Resistant Plants, Irrigation Maintainance and much, much more. Click on the image below to go there now...

My name is Howard Freelove, Managing Officer of Solaris Electric Corporation - and I want to welcome you to the Energy Revolution!

Here at Solaris, we believe that Solar power should be available and accessible. We want to help you understand how solar power for your home or business is now more affordable than ever.

We have a free guide available, right now, at www.solar is for all.com where you can instantly learn how to take advantage of:

-Federal Income Tax credits
-guaranteed low interest financing
-Rebates throught the State of California

But, now that this Solar Boom has begun with President Obama's Energy Initiative, It will create high demand for solar products and a shortage of trained technicians, so if you want to start saving and receive the highest quality installation, the time to act is NOW.

This is an exciting time in which we live, and our guide will show you how you can increase the value of your home, and  save hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars on your energy needs starting today.

To get your guide to The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, go to www.solarisforall.com "

©2012 CapStar Real Estate & Loan. All Rights Reserved.