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Many clients find themselves in a difficult position trying to integrate a remodeled home with new elevations, entrances and windows that no longer have a good relationship with the existing landscape design. A new home on a cleared lot that has no landscape design can be even more overwhelming with endless possibilities and viewpoints from which to consider a new garden, pool, arbors, pathways and landscaping. A good landscape designer can bring fresh eyes and new possibilities to difficult spaces.

Define the Landscape Program

As a home owner it’s important to break through the frustration of your existing landscape design and just decide what you want. Your program is an outline or list of desired wants/needs and functions for the site. For example, “I want a beautiful pool with some kind of water feature, grill area and spot for entertainment” or “I want my landscape design to reflect the beauty of the Tuscan Valley.” Visualize and use all of your senses in how you will enjoy your new landscape garden entertaining or relaxing with family and friends.

Landscape Concept

Once we meet on site with the client and get their landscape program, challenges of the site and the relationship of the architecture to the site a basic working skeleton or backbone begins to emerge. These might be simple indications of desired locations for the pool, areas to screen and pedestrian flow patterns. As good landscape designers intuitive, imaginative, analytical abilities and experience of space all come together, a design intent and concept crystallizes.

Turning Landscape Liabilities into Assets

The goal is to create spaces that relate to the home and elements that also have a relationship with the yard and surrounding area. First, look at the large factors that will literally determine whether or not you can have all the items on your wish list or not. “We really need to screen the neighbor’s windows, or we will have to conceal the generator or pool equipment.” In looking at assets and liabilities we are first testing the big picture the viability/capacity of the site.

Refining Spaces and Transitions

Once the larger assets and liabilities are resolved you can move on to the details. Now is the time to address the smaller spaces such as transitions between the home were maybe the foundation is unsightly and needs to be hidden. This is were you put attention on how to hide 18″ of concrete foundation or moving a 3 foot path away from the foundation to accommodate for greater landscape layering. The landscape design is a hierarchy of problem/solution/problem/solution down to each detail and back out in relation to the whole. The overall objective of any great landscape design is a space that breathes with the home and has a relationship to its surroundings-reflecting the client’s visual desires and functionally working together in every aspect.

Additional tricks of the trade are listed here:

– Arbors and Pergolas- can be utilized to screen neighbor’s homes or to create a focal point in an area that needs a destination.

– Decks and Patios- Utilize to organize outdoor spaces. Be intentional and define space-a 10′ x 10′ is a standard for simple 4 person sitting area. Your “hierarchy” of patio space may be public entertainment, private seating area for coffee, reading, and pathways to connect to the home or side yard.

Pools- the present design trend for pools includes; sun shelf, swimming area, spa, functional and detailed elements such as benches, jets, and fountains. If the relationship of the home to the site has many odd angles, a curvilinear or arch in the pool design may resolve this beautifully. In a formal home scenario, you might relate the house to pool and patio and resolve the relationship of the property line with plantings.

– Screening Hedges – Large trees can be strategically placed to give privacy to fence edges or offer screening to neighbor’s houses. ) Long driveways and property line fences often need SCALE to them were hedges and colonnades could be used. Another opportunity in breaking up a long boring fence would is with the use of wire pattern work for vines. These don’t have to be typical rectangles they can be overlapping triangles, creative patterns that not only add scale but something of creative interest to look at as well.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share infomation about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Landscape Design in Houston Texas

What is designing for entertainment? It is creating ambiance and a wonderful mood. In order to do this you have to know the elements that compose the feeling of repose, relaxation, elegance, pleasure and arrange landscape design elements in such a way that everything has a convenient layout and provides interest. The landscape design should create intrigue with different areas to visit and ponder-the excitement factor.

Create the Mood

What creates a fantastic landscape design environment that keeps your guests entertained, refilling their wine glasses, smelling and tasting the fresh hors de chore. Regardless of budget and elements a great outdoor landscape design for entertainment should have multiple uses and activities, be comfortable and beautiful. Although highly personal, a beautiful landscape design should be engaging with water fountains, sculptures, or garden art with graceful foreground trees and a soft lush back drop of hedges and shrubs. Pathways of varying and unifying materials guide your guests form one space to the next with intrigue and interest, “what else is here” is the excitement you want to generate. How can you make the most out of each garden element to create maximum beauty, functionality and use?

Patios and Lawns and plantings

Creating a hierarchy of pathways, patios and landscape lawn areas delineates spaces that have different uses. In addition, you can add details to paving and concrete areas. For example, you can create an outdoor rug effect by adding a mosaic tile pattern to a patio or have a brick herringbone courtyard with a white stone edge to add visual interest and detail in defining the space. You could also change color or materials in transition pathways between larger spaces such as using cut stone with ground cover planted in between to soften the effect of the path and provide greater visual interest and softness with the surrounding garden. Lawns can serve as open courtyards for play with pruned hedges and garden edges that have seating areas-just like in a public park were people love to watch other people.

Swimming Pools, Spas and Water Fountains

Over the years swimming pools have became dynamic architectural elements with built in water features. Sun decks are common to walk into and step down into the pool. Benches can be built along one entire length of the pool for lounging. In addition pools can be shallow for walking. Water fountains can take advantage of adding a vertical sculptural element suck as a raised spa that descends into the pool basin or jets can be seamlessly woven into the pool for visual and auditory effects.

The Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor kitchens have become multimedia rooms. A beautiful outdoor fireplace can serve as the backdrop for a wonderful evening outdoors serving as both function and art. A simple fire pit can provide all the entertainment and focal point that you need in a small courtyard. If it’s a built in area, a T.V. and stereo can add to your grilling enjoyment. There are all types of variations in grill setups. There are combinations of grilling and smoking as well as sinks or refrigerators depending on the amount of cooking you see doing for your guests. Outdoor kitchens bring indoor entertainment outdoors.

Seating

Seating needs to vary from passive to comfortable. This would include passive seating walls and concrete, stone or wood benches, areas were your guests can sit or stand against to talk to someone for a short mingling conversation. At the next level you may have seating for eating and conversation. Then, more comfortable oversized chair seating for the family and relaxation.

Landscape Lighting

The soft blue glow light off a live oak limb and its leaves cascade across a stone bench. The ambiance of light and water flicker and shimmer off a pools surface. Night lighting is truly what creates the mood and sets the whole tone for evening enjoyment. High voltage mercury vapor lighting gives off a surreal soft glow at night creating a whole new effect to the landscape design. Warm accent lights can be carefully placed to give interest to sculptures, urns, flower bowls or light up the beauty of an ornamental tree.

Build an outdoor extravaganza

The more you can add the above elements, the more your landscape garden design becomes an experience for gatherings, events and private renewal. Just as the inside of your house provides for different use areas, so should the garden reflect your many public and private needs and dreams.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share infomation about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Landscape Design Houston Texas

When a Hurricane like Ike blows through your neighborhood and 100 mile an hour winds destroy your prized trees, maybe you loose several tall pines or have a prized oak that gets uplifted. The loss of large trees, storm debris and the damage they do are horrific but as the sky clears there are possibilities to make the new landscape design better than before.

Trees Damage

The first thing after a storm rips through a property is to assess the yard for tree damage. Trees may need special attention to properly prune the canopy shape that may have been damaged or compromised. Landscape lighting fixtures may need to be repaired or relocated to new limbs. Trees that have been uplifted may have root damage and should be seen by a certified tree professional to assess damage and future care, protection and deep root feeding.

Hardscape Damage

These include decks, patios and walkways. Damage here is usually done by fallen trees, uplifted roots, or drainage and water damage. Here it is important to assess whether or not repair can be done to the existing damaged area, if it can be replaced (assuming a match in material is still available) or if new materials that either contrast or compliment the old should be integrated.

Re-landscaping from shade to sun

With tree canopies opened up, trees completely down or existing trees properly pruned to even out the canopies and prevent future storm damage, you may find your garden has more sun than shade. In terms of the landscape design, it would be important to determine which landscape plantings can tolerate more sun and keep those as an overall part of the existing design and replace those plantings that were made for heavy shade. In this way you can keep the overall landscape design and only change the most intolerant plantings to the new sun conditions.

Consulting with a landscape professional

After the devastation of a large hurricane you may want the advice of someone who understands landscape design and installation so you have a coordinated and priority approach to repairs. An experienced landscaper , landscape architect or garden designer will know what contract services to call first, second and third. Also, someone who is in the landscape design and landscape business has strong relationships with subcontractors which can influence the scheduling priority of your work. In addition if more than one service is required, they will know who is reliable and the scheduling involved. A full service landscape design and construction consultant will know:

• Tree arborist
• Large tree removal services
• Tree stump grinding services
• Irrigation repairs
• Drainage repairs
• Landscape lighting and electrical work
• Concrete, brick, stone and other hardscape repair
• Design services to address repairs

New Landscape Design and Planting

If you have several trees that have fallen down and pathways and walks have lifted up from tree roots, it may make much more sense to start over again. Now is a time to think about:

• Now that I have sun in my backyard, how do I want the new landscape design to utilize this space? Lawn, entertainment, seasonal color.

• Do I want to create a better relationship with the garden design and the home

• What types of plants can I now enjoy with the new sun, are there more opportunities?

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share infomation about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Landscape Design Hurricane Houston Texas

Annual flowers bring beauty and mark the change of seasons in both the residential and commercial landscape. Annual flowers bring to life the front entry of a home, create light and excitement to shrub boarders or can accent a water feature or restful area in the yard. Color can bring a positive image to a commercial building that can signify attention to detail and class. Whatever the application annual flowers bring beauty and sophistication to a home or business.

Annual Color Selection

It’s important that annual flowers be selected to make a bold impact. Residential and commercial flowers planted as a mix of all colors often times come across as a riot of different colors. We approach annual flowers the same as a landscape design; we focus on their layouts, unique patterning as well as simplified design. Complimentary colors, simple contrasts of textures and flowers make a great statement. Sometimes just varying two different types of flowers is enough. There is a big difference between mediocre mixed annual flower borders and annual color combinations that are bold, powerful and simple.

Annual Flowers for Houston

In Houston, annuals and perennial flower combinations can be chosen that last from early winter through spring and then from summer through the hot fall. Although with unpredictable heat and drought, it’s more the case that annual and perennial flower combinations are changed out quarterly. Some examples are as follows and also take into consideration sun conditions:

• Spring-petunias, geraniums, dianthus

• Summer-heat tolerant tropical perennials and annuals to include: lantana, plumbago, impatiens, begonias, caladiums, salvias and shrub rose varieties

• Fall/Winter-cyclamen, pansies, violas, alyssum, cabbage and kale

Successful planting of seasonal color plants
Bed preparation, good drainage and water coverage are all important to being successful with annual and perennial flowers in Houston. Be sure to have the proper drainage system so the planting bed doesn’t hold water. Be sure that the ground is not solid clay, amend with compost and soil. Also, make certain that there is good irrigation system that covers the area. During times of drought especially, if your irrigation system is not getting the proper coverage it will show. Fertilization and chemical treatments are the next important step in being successful with annual color and should also be a part of the landscape maintenance program providing a boost to healthy plants and preventing disease or infestations common to the Houston area.

Fertilization is the next important issue to attend to. For continual blooms, flowers should be fertilized every six weeks or so in the Houston landscape. Also, dead heading which is simply pinching off the flowers that have died should also be done to encourage profuse blooming. Regular landscape maintenance ensure that the flower beds are weeded weekly. It is also a good idea to turn the mulch every two weeks so that you keep the exchange of air and water flowing into and out of the soil. To optimize the growth and bloom cycles of seasonal flowers, they also should be regularly pruned.

Being successful with annual flowers takes knowledge and experience of color combinations, sun conditions, seasonal color plant section, proper amending of the soil as well as maintenance to be successful in our difficult Gulf Coast Climate.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share infomation about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Annual Flowers Landscape Design Houston

There is nothing as enjoyable as sitting around an open fire on a cool summer evening or a crisp fall afternoon. You can create a simple, easy sitting area to enjoy such fires in your own backyard by just putting your existing garden benches around the fire pit and you are ready to enjoy the warmth of the fire and the camaraderie that seems to blossom at such times. Your patio furniture will no longer just be for those lazy summer lunches or family barbecues. It will become an integral part of your outdoor living area.

There are many styles you can use when designing the outdoor area that will center around your fire pit. The least expensive option is of course to take advantage of the patio furniture you already own and place it around the fire pit in an inviting layout. However, since your patio furniture may already have its own special area in which it stays, you may want to consider buying new things to place around the fire.

Garden benches around the fire pit are a great idea because they can withstand the elements and can be left outside in an arrangement that is always ready to use. You can also find garden benches that will easily match the look of the fire pit, like wrought iron benches and stone benches. The one drawback with garden benches is that they tend to be rather stiff, uncomfortable yard furniture that do not invite people to sit for long periods of time. In order to remedy this downfall, get cushions and blankets that you keep in the house but readily at hand for those times you want to cozy up to the fire. You can turn any garden bench into a comfortable, inviting seat with a little softness.

Sling chairs, directors chairs, Adirondack chairs and swings are all other inviting seating options to place before a fire pit. Some of these are temporary seating and can be placed around the firepit when needed. However, by choosing one of the more permanent options in seating and leaving it in place you will use your fire pit more than you otherwise would, because the already ready seating plan will invite you to keep coming back.

Another important touch to the seating arrangements for your fire pit area of the yard is side tables. It is important to make your area comfortable and yet functional for those who use it. Side tables work much better around a fire pit, as coffee tables in front of the seats would be too close to the fire or force people to sit too far from the fire to enjoy it. Tables of a comfortable height are perfect for laying down a cup of hot cocoa or a cool drink.

Whether you use garden benches around the fire pit, comfy chairs, two-seaters or something else, there is nothing that beats sitting around a fire for the ultimate in simple relaxation. Grab someone else to enjoy in the moment and cuddle up to a fire for the best outing you’ve had in ages.

About the Author:
For more information on fire pits, adirondack chairs, garden benches or patio furniture, go to http://www.premiereadirondackchairs.com

Keyword tags: Adirondack chairs,fire pits,patio furniture,outdoor chaise lounge,garden benches

Fire Pit Tables add beauty and pizzazz to any outdoor living area. They are very popular and it is easy to see why. Not only are they an impressive addition to your outdoor décor, they are also very practical.

1. Fire Pits Tables can be used for cooking. Many fire pit tables come with a grill cover or one can be purchased for not much money at all. All you have to do is turn your fire pit on, cover the flame with your grill cover, and enjoy a great evening of barbeque. Shish kabobs are great on a fire pit table grill too. Maybe vegetables are more to your taste. You can use your fire pit table to roast corn or other fresh veggies.

You can leave the grill cover off and enjoy roasting hot dogs with the kids. And who can leave out ooey gooey smores? They make a great dessert for a barbeque. Kids will love roasting marshmallows too! Another great idea is to place a cedar plank over your fire pit table and cook salmon or other meat. The possibilities are endless.

2. Fire Pit Tables provide warmth. Relaxing outside with friends and family is a great American tradition. When the evening cools down, you can simply start up your fire pit and gather around for warmth. You can add the perfect patio furniture around your table, pull up some Adirondack chairs, or slide a few garden benches over. Get ready to snuggle.

Get-togethers will be memorable when everyone gets cozy and warm around your fire pit table. Maybe you and your family will create a tradition of gathering around the fire pit on cool evenings to talk about your day. You can create a warm, inviting place in your outdoor living space. Just try to stop the spontaneous singing of campfire songs!

3. Fire Pit Tables can be used when they are not lit. They make decorative, creative ice chests. Just fill up your table with ice and beverages and you don’t have to worry about bringing out a cooler. Your living space stays stylish and clear without having to drag out a bulky cooler. Your guests will be impressed with this unique way to offer drinks.

Fire Pit Tables make great planters. Maybe you have a favorite green plant or a beautiful flowering plant you got for your birthday. Display it for all to see, outside in your fire pit table. This will surely show your creative style.

You can also use a decorative lid. Choose a lid that matches your taste or choose one with an umbrella hole. You can create a special, shady spot to gather on sunny days. To add to your outdoor décor, you can choose an umbrella that reflects your unique style.

Though fire pit tables are thought of as things of beauty that add elegance to an outdoor living space, they also have many practical uses. Add one to your outside home today and start enjoying your beautiful, practice fire pit table.

About the Author:
For more information on fire pit tables, fire pits, Adirondack chairs, patio furniture or garden benches, visit http://www.premiereadirondackchairs.com

Keyword tags: Adirondack chairs,fire pits,patio furniture,outdoor chaise lounge,garden benches,fire pit tables

Most home owners take lot of pride in caring for their homes both inside and out, and try to make their home the best that it can be. Nice landscaping makes a person feel welcomed to the home.

Having the correct tools and lawn care products is essential to getting your garden and lawn looking its very best. Far too many people believe that the way to achieve this is through the use of pesticides and other chemicals to eliminate weeds and keep bugs under control. People do not realize that they can have a really beautiful lawn and garden using organic gardening methods, and they won’t be harming the environment in the process.

Fertilizers used on today’s lawns are full of chemicals the worst of these being nitrates and phosphates. Since it takes several pounds of fertilizer to treat one lawn, you are exposing your family and pets to a great deal of toxic products. Fertilizers are known to trigger asthma, are a known carcinogen, and cause neurological problems in young children and pets. Worse yet these chemicals get into the soil and into our drinking water supply.

So what can you do to make the switch to organic gardening? The first change you should make is to switch to using natural compost. Despite what people think, composting is not difficult. Simply purchasing a compost container where you dispose of food scraps, pet dropping, and your lawn and leaf litter is the first step. By its very nature, the amount of composting material generated, will be a lot less that the amount of material that you start out with. You want to save your materials all year long to make enough compost to serve your garden.

Having good soil will produce a much healthier and longer root system, which will in turn produce healthier plants and grass. Long roots require less water to keep it green. This will cut back on your water bill as well.

Many communities are under water restrictions, so having good soil and a good root system will allow you to have a lovely lawn and garden despite those water restrictions.

It is also important to know that watering should be done in the early morning hours to avoid loss of water to evaporation. Watering in the heat of the day will result in most of the water being evaporated before being used by the plants. Watering during the nighttime hours exposes your lawn to fungus.

Another way to preserve the water you use is by adding a layer of mulch over the top of the soil to reduce evaporation loss.

If you are the type that enjoys spending a lot of time on your lawn, use organic gardening methods. This will keep toxic chemicals from harming your family and pets.

The use of native plants is another good organic practice. To avoid disappointment, choose the proper plants and grass that grow in your area. Not all plants grow in all area, and may need extra water and care to survive.

There is a benefit to choosing native grass and giving at a good root system. Those lawns hold up much better to foot traffic and child’s play. You certainly wouldn’t want a lawn that everyone has to stay off in order for it to look nice.

Far too many individuals immediately reach for chemicals to kill off weeds. It is important to first find out what type of weed is growing to indentify the problem you are having. Overwatering may produce weeds that thrive in a wet environment. Simply cutting down on the amount of water you are using will eliminate the problem.

Some weeds can actually be beneficial to your lawn, and you may want to leave them alone. They can serve as a natural fertilizer for your yard. The rest of the weeds should be either pulled out by hand or to use tools to remove them. Just make sure you pull them from the roots up so they can’t re-grow as easily.

Many people just run weeds over with their lawnmowers. This is not a good idea as there are seeds in the weeds. Cutting them with the lawnmower will result in the weeds spreading all over the place. This will result in your having more weeds in more areas than when you began.

One final change you need to make before you go organic is to choose the proper lawn mower. A reel type mower puts no pollutants into the air and does not produce noise pollution. You also get the benefit of exercise using a reel lawn mower.

The next best choice is an electric mower. This type mower has improved over the years. They are now battery operated and do not require a long electric cord to operate. Last is the gas powered lawn mower. These are probably the most polluting device used by homeowners. One hour of using a lawn mower is equivalent to driving 1300 miles in an automobile. To truly go organic, ditch the gas lawn mower.

About the Author:
Beverly Saltonstall is an environmental writer. Visit http://pollutionwebsite.com for news, podcasts, articles and guides covering many aspects of pollution. To understand pollution, read Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pollution, But Never Dared to Ask. (available on website)

Keyword tags: pollution, composting, organic gardening

The heat of summer might be nice for kids to splash in the pool, but it can wreak havoc on your garden roses if you don`t know how to keep them nice and fresh. Looking after your flowers means they`ll be around year after year and you`ll be able to enjoy fresh cut flowers indoors or blooming ones outside.

1. Fertilize. Using the right fertilizer is key, look for one formulated for roses. Also, be sure not to fertilize after August 15th or your roses will bloom too late in the season and be killed by the early frosts.

2. Prune. Do your pruning early in the season to allow for more blooms throughout the summer months. Snipping old flower heads and leaving five leaves below is the best way to do this. Pruning will cause the bush to grow quickly over the summer months.

3. Water. In the heat of summer, your roses will need more water than usual. A heavy watering in the morning is excellent and a light misting at night will help keep those flowers dewy fresh. Never water during the day, when droplets can concentrate the sunlight and cause the leaves and flowers to burn.

4. Soil. Having the right soil will allow the water to reach the roots of your bushes and will draw the roots down. This is why a heavy watering is good, it establishes a deep root system which means the roses will be drawing water even when the top layer of soil is dry. Look for soft, loamy soil mixed with a bit of sand for drainage.

5. Planting. To ensure that your new roses have the best chance at surviving summer, dig a 12 inch hole and fill it with compost and bonemeal. It`s a good idea to loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole, as well, to encourage deep roots.

6. Light. The majority of roses love sunlight and are quite happy with direct sunlight for 6 or so hours a day. However, it`s important to note that there are some hybrids that need shade, so check with your nursery to be sure you are planting your roses in the right place.

7. Spacing. Roses need room to breathe, so don`t crowd them into your flower bed. Allow for plenty of room for air to circulate around them and they will stay cooler and fresher during even the hottest parts of the day.

8. Spray. Unfortunately, all that warm weather is great for pests, too, so you`ll probably need to spray your roses with a repellant of some sort (home made or commercial) to keep these hungry critters at bay.

9. Mulch. Pile a little mulch around the base of your roses to hold in water and keep the roots cool. This is a very simple task that can be done throughout the summer as the mulch is dispersed.
10. Hose. Using the right hose is important. You want one that is flexible enough you can snake it between plants and water the roots.

Roses aren`t as finicky as many people think, especially these days, but they do need some special care for those hot summer months. Taking the care needed to keep the plants fresh and cool will result in healthier roses and fresher blooms throughout the summer, so you can enjoy your flowers all year long. Healthy roses during the summer can provide a myriad of opportunities. It really isn`t that difficult to look after roses if you follow the ten tips given above.

About the Author:
Toronto flowers company offering bouquets and arrangements for any occasion. Including birthday flowers, wedding flowers, mother’s day and sympathy flowers. http://www.tidysflowers.com

Keyword tags: toronto flowers, wedding flowers, gardening, online flowers, flowers arrangements

The Husqvarna 5521CHV

If you are looking for an easy to use, gas powered, self propelled lawn mower the Husqvarna 5521CHV may be right for you. The AutoWalk system is easy to use and allows you to set your own pace rather than having to push the mower. ideal for people who find pushing a mower difficult. With six cutting positions, adjustable between one inch and three inches, and a triple bagging system it will deliver an efficient tidy cut.

The AutoWalk system uses a front wheel drive and is controlled by a simple lever.We found it very easy and intuitive to use and certainly takes the hard work out of mowing. The Husqvarna 5521CHV starts easily and the choke is automatic. The cutting height adjusts for different types and heights of grass and with six cutting positions can cope with rougher spots and small inclines easily. It is necessary to stop and adjust the cutting height if you hit a rough patch or an area of longer grass or the mower may stall.

The triple bagging system works efficiently and throws clippings into the bag smoothly. The attachment of the bagging system is a little less sturdy than we would like.

The Husqvarna 5521CHV mis easy to maneuver with large back wheels and can cope easily with small slopes. On very hilly areas or very rough patches the engine struggles so we would not recommend this model if you have a lot of these areas to mow. However on normal lawn areas, which most people will have, the mower works efficiently and the AutoWalk system is excellent if you have difficulty pushing a normal mower.

Advantages

Easy to use, AutoWalk system works well, six different cutting positions

Disadvantages

May stall on rough areas or very long grass

Price: $349.98

The Toro Super Recycler 20090

A gas powered push mower that has an efficient mulching system, the Toro Super Recycler 20090 is light and easy to store and powerful. Clippings are chopped up by a veneered blade that uses an acceleration system and kickers to keep the clippings in the air, before being ejected onto the ground. You can also discharge into a bag by attaching a side discharge tube.

The Ready Start system used by Toro mowers does not have a choke or need any priming and allows for easy starts. The 190cc Briggs and Stratton engine supplies plenty of power and makes the mower efficient on a wide range of grass types and surfaces. The deck is easy to adjust between cutting heights of one and a quarter to four and a quarter inches.

One feature we like is the Quick Washout Port which makes cleaning super easy. Attach a hose to the port, turn on and wash out all the accumulated clipping and dirt in one go.

The Toro Super Recycler 20090 is very light at just 69lbs and with a folding handle is easy to store. The mower is well constructed and should last a long time.

Advantages

Easy starts, good mulching system, light and easy to store

Disadvantages

Expensive

List Price: $474.99

About the Author:
More lawn mower reviews at http://lawn-mower-reviews.net and http://lawn-mower-reviews.net/category/gas-lawn-mower-reviews

Keyword tags: lawn mower reviews, gas lawn mower reviews, push lawn mower reviews

The Cub Cadet CC-500 BAT

If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly electric mower you may want to check out the Cub Cadet CC-500 BAT cordless electric lawn mower. This mower is quiet and needs very little maintenance compared to a gas mower and is well built and clean running. As it is cordless it can be used away from any power outlets unlike a corded electric mower that can only be used as far away as the cord can extend. The power output of cordless models nowadays is comparable to gas powered models.

The Cub Cadet CC-500 BAT has a uniquely designed three in one deck with an upward sloping blade . This creates a cyclone effect which suspends cuttings in the air where they can be cut repeatedly to produce a fine mulch. The mulch is then ejected onto the ground where it is an excellent fertiliser for your lawn.

A 48 volt battery supplies the power and is designed for a minimal impact on the environment as well as long life. Lack of power has been a serious downfall of cordless mowers in the past but modern batteries deliver much more power and these newer models are comparable in power to gas powered mowers.

The Cub Cadet CC-500 BAT is extremely maneuverable thanks to ball bearings in the wheels which make rolling and turning much easier than many other models. The cutting height is easily adjusted with a lever and does not need individual wheel adjustments as some models do. The adjustable cutting blade gives seven different cutting heights from one inch to three and a half inches. A lock out key prevents accidentally starting the mower.

Overall we found the Cub Cadet CC-500 BAT has a very efficient mulching system, good cutting power and excellent features.

Advantages

Good mulching, easy to adjust cutting height, maneuverable

Disadvantages

Bagging is less efficient than some other models

List price $449.00

The Black and Decker CMM1200

For small areas of grass that are too far away from a power outlet the Black and Decker CMM1200 is ideal. This cordless electric lawn mower is well built but with slightly lower cutting power than the Cub Cadet CC-500 BAT. It has an efficient mulching system and operates for longer than the average cordless mower on one full charge.

The disadvantage of cordless electric mowers is that the usage is limited by the charge and until recharging takes place the mower can’t be used again. However if you only have a small area to mow this won’t be a problem and for those looking for a more environmentally friendly mower with low maintenance the Black and Decker CMM1200 would be suitable.

The cutting path, at nineteen inches, is about average for a cordless mower and about the same as a small gas mower. it is very quiet. A big advantage over gas mowers especially if you like to do your mowing early in the morning!

The cutting limit on a full charge is stated by the manufacturer to be 15,000 square feet but independent tests found this to be lower at around 10,000 square feet. Obviously, if you are mowing long grass or thickets of weeds you can expect this to be much lower, probably about a half of this figure. Be aware that no electric mowers should be used on wet grass.
The Black and Decker CMM1200 is easily transported as it is light and compact with a fold down handle for easier storage. It copes well with shallow inclines and is well constructed as you would expect for a mower from Black and Decker. Starting is easy with a push button and the controls on the handle are easy to use. An easy to use lever is used to adjust the cutting height which varies from one and a half to three and a third inches. .

A complete charge takes about sixteen hours and a replacement battery will be needed at least every five years. A new battery is around $110 today.

Overall we found the Black and Decker CMM1200 to be well built and efficient and very quiet.

Advantages

quiet in operation, well constructed and durable

Disadvantages

Limited battery power, only suitable for smaller lawns

List Price: $474.99

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