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A Fragrant Entryway

Hyacinths planted near doors and walkways add a lovely perfume to the spring air.
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Drives - Maintenance products for interlocked brick drives

There are different maintenance products on the market. These include degreasers, all purpose cleaners for stains; efflorescence removers (applied before sealing), which remove whitish calcium deposits that can rise to the surface during curing; and rust removers for marks that can be caused from old lawn furniture.
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Marking transition between path and driveway

An idea for marking a transition between an entry path and the driveway is by the use of a flowering arch. Use a coated-steel or cedar structure and train a bright-blooming rose or clematis to climb it.
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Drive - How often to apply sealant on brick paved drive

Do not apply sealant more than once every 3 years or buildup will occur and lead to peeling.
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Brighten up mail boxes or lamp posts

Turn simple structures like mail boxes or lamp posts, into visual centerpieces with an encircling parade of flowers from earliest to latest spring. Plant: purple and gold crocus; dainty white snowdrops; pink-and-white narcissi; blue hyacinths; bright white anemone blanda (Greek wind flowers) and tulips of several colors. Position rocks or boulders around the posts, as well, to create added interest.


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Entrance plantings

Large older homes and formal landscapes have upright shrubs near the entrance to symbolize a sentinel and strengthen the "gate" effect. Modern homes rarely benefit from upright or pyramidal shrubs near the entrance. Shrubs with special foliage or color interest in small or medium sizes with spreading or rounded forms are more appropriate.
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Planning tips for front yard

When planning a front yard, look at the front yard for what it really is: (1) the public view of the house, (2) the family view of the neighborhood, (3) a route of access to and from the house, (4) a useful area and (5) part of our physical and social environment. Plantings should make the home attractive and compatible with the neighborhood as well as satisfy the family´s needs.

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Colorful focal points for front door

Use containers of flowers to create colorful focal points at your front door. Select pots of different styles and sizes for bulb flowers of different heights and bloom times -- then mix and match. In larger containers, plant a mixture of many bulbs to achieve months of successive bloom. These can be planted in layers, like lasagna, with larger bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths and narcissi about eight inches deep and smaller bulbs such as crocus, snowdrops and grape hyacinths five inches down.


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Entry Paths

Make an entry path more inviting with a mass of colorful annuals. Select kinds that will spill over the path and blur the hard line.
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Tips for planning main entryway

Give particular attention to your main entryway. Be sure it is clearly defined so that people can easily find their way to the door you want them to enter. Make walkways solid, well drained and wide enough so that 2 people can walk comfortably side by side.
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Drives - Finding installer for interlocking brick

It is important to get an experienced contractor if your are looking for an installer for your interlocking bricks. Call the manufacturer for recommendations. A good contractor should show you his portfolio and help with decisions about colors and style. He may also drive around with you to look at other installations and discuss preferences.
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Tips for entrance plants

Use plants with year-round interest, because they are seen closely and often.
Plants alongside the door should not be taller than one-fourth to one-third the distance from ground to the eaves. Choose plants that are in proportion with the entrance, don´t crowd people coming and going and don´t choose plantings that may have to be deformed by excessive pruning.

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Make walks and drives as direct as possible

Try to make all walks and drives as direct as possible. If some physical characteristic of the land dictates a bend or curve, make curves seem natural and logical.

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Walkways

Make sure your walkways to the house are not obstructed by spreading or low-branched trees or shrubs. Your plantings should not interfere with outdoor lighting and should not hide the house and number.


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Drives - Variation to all brick drive

If you don't want to invest in interlock brick for your entire driveway, consider asphalt with brick side trim or a centre circle of colorful interlock.
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Weed-Free Paths

For a weed-free path, lay down a plastic or geotextile sheet and cover it with pebbles or shredded bark. If desired, lay stepping-stone slabs that are spaced at a striding pace.
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Drive - Preparation before applying sealant

Before applying sealant on your brick paved drive, make sure you cover vegetation within a metre of the driveway. Clean the surface with a cleaning agent and use a power washer to take the sand between bricks below the bevelled edge. Allow to dry completely for approx. 24 hours. Once dry, brush sand into the joints, taking sand up to bevelled edge, then blow off excess sand.
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Keeping the colors going

Try planting masses of yellow daffodils in your front, along your fence, or jointly with your neighbors along the common roadway. Narcissi naturalize and come back to bloom year after year. Choose several types with different bloom periods or a "naturalizing mix" to keep the color going for months on end. Plant a dozen or so tulips in single color "bouquets" in red, purple, white, orange, pink and stripes around your front yard.
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Drives- recommended widths

When constructing a drive for your front yard, keep in mind that the minimum width for a driveway should be 10 feet, preferably 11. If the drive also doubles as a walk, add 3 feet of width. Walks should be a minimum of 4 feet wide and at least 6 feet from the house.
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Drives - Alternative to interlocking brick

An option when choosing interlocking brick and paving stones for a driveway is the tumbled paver, which imitates the look of ancient cobblestone. Be prepared to pay a little more than you would for regular interlock.
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Drives - Applying sealant to brick drive-DIY?

You can apply sealants yourself but you must prepare the driveway properly and follow product instructions strictly. Use a solvent-resistant roller to apply the sealant exactly as instructed and avoid pooling.
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Drives-"tumble" pavers

Tumbled paver bricks are “tumbled” in a drum to chip and scratch them for an instant Old World feel.
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Drives - Advantages of sealant on paving stones

Applying sealant will enhance the lustre of the paving stone as well as protect it against fading and against staining from oil, leaves and rubber.
It will seal out water and therefore prevent chipping that can occur after water seepage and it prevents about 90 percent of wind-blown seeds from germinating in the sand between the bricks.
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