Outdoor Oasis – Build Yours Today!
Having a great outdoor oasis and living space helps almost everyone to feel better, more relaxed and provide a great way to bond with your family and friends. If you want to build your own outdoor oasis in your backyard, you should know that even though this can be a challenging project, you won’t really need a lot of time or money to make it happen.
If you don’t want to build your outdoor oasis on your own Landscaping can be made easy by calling the “Pros” Landscape Pros in Manassas, VA @ 571.535.8622…We have all the landscape design ideas, materials and professional inspiration you’ll ever need for your landscaping needs.
Here are some ideas and information on how our experts at Landscape Pros can create the perfect outdoor oasis when you are ready to start your outdoor project. Look here and read how we can easily transform your backyard into the outdoor oasis of your dreams. DIY doers it isn’t that hard to do and takes a little elbow grease to complete these projects.
Pavers
There are so many ways you can spruce up your landscape around the home with pavers to transform an average backyard into an outdoor oasis. Whether your looking for a Big project or Small… the hardest part is selecting what you want for your oasis. Need some ideas… how about a new walkway, patio, or fire pit. Landscape Pros are experts in creating outdoor spaces.
There are many different types of paver materials that can be used, and most are available at your nearest Big Box Stores like Home Depot and Lowes.
Concrete Pavers 
Brick Pavers 
Stone Pavers 
Porcelain Pavers 
Building an outdoor oasis can be as easy as adding mulch to a new flower bed, a peaceful garden area, around your homes landscape borders, etc.
Mulching
Mulch protects your homes landscaping investment and the environment. It provides nutrients for your plants and protects their roots while also preventing weed growth. The best mulch slows topsoil erosion and retains soil moisture. Using this information will help you find the types of mulch that will best meet your needs for your outdoor oasis.
- Color-enhanced wood mulch is among the most beautiful and the best mulch used for landscaping. Colorful mulches give your flower beds and landscape a decorative pop and curb appeal.
- Use Color-enhanced and double-shredded for consistency.
- All dyes used in mulch are normally pet-safe, non-toxic, biodegradable and most are vegetable-based.
- Mulch is designed to break down over a year’s time or more.
- Brown mulch has a rich, chocolate brown color. This mulch is more even toned than natural wood.
- Black mulch creates a striking contrast between your garden beds and lawn.
- Red mulch is dyed using iron oxide. It is mainly used with light-colored plants and in rock gardens.
- Mulch is great for flower beds, vegetable gardens and general landscape use.
- Mulch colors is normally guaranteed to last all season long and available for sale at your local stores.
Rubber Mulch – is another type many homeowners are using and is often made from recycled rubber material.
- Rubber mulch is more permanent than wood mulch but does not improve the soil structure.
- It also acts as a weed barrier and reduces fungal growth.
- The rubber is non-porous and does not absorb moisture.
- It can be used for garden beds, but it is mostly used for creating pathways and for ground cover.
- Rubber mulch is one of the best mulches for playgrounds and walking trails.
- Provides soil protection and bounce.
Wood Mulch – Like mini pine bark mulch gives your garden a neat, natural look.
- Mini pine bark is a great landscaping option for walk paths, driveways, gardens and around the trunks of trees.
- It breaks down more slowly than shredded mulch, and it will not need to be replenished as often.
- It has chunkier pieces that are about one inch in size.
- This gives your landscaping a unique look and adds curb appeal to your home.
- Wood mulch is designed to break down over a year’s time or more.
Once you decide on the best mulch for your landscaping, you need to determine how much mulch is needed.
No problem… simply use Home Depot’s Mulch Calculator to find out how much mulch you need to buy.
Do not guesstimate and have to go back to get more… calculate it, with a quick and easy mulch calculator.
Pretty easy and cool! The calculator considers the type of mulch you want to use, the area you plan to mulch and the recommended depth of mulch you need to purchase. These simple ideas can help you create your oasis without breaking the bank.
Landscaping Rocks
Another way to “Beautify” your outdoor oasis area is with a variety of landscaping stones.
Decorative stone and landscaping rocks can be used in almost any area of your yard or outdoor oasis as an attractive and functional ground cover. They are extremely durable, and resist losing color or being scattered by wind or washed-away by rain. These landscaping rocks can help keep the soil moist and in place when used as mulch around trees or shrubs. Better yet…Rocks do not attract pests such as termites or ants.
Gorgeous Rock Pathway Ideas
Rocks and gravel can be used for garden pathways and can be a nice alternative to pavement or concrete for a patio or driveway.
Stone rocks comes in a variety of colors and textures and will add an element of character to your landscape area.
How much is needed? Measure the width, length, and depth of the area you need to fill and cover with landscape material. Then use an easy online the calculator to help determine the amount of material needed in cubic yards.
Just like calculating how much mulch you need…There are several factors used to determine the amount of stone needed for an area. In addition to the square footage of the area to cover, you must also consider how deep the coverage will be or desired.
Stone & Rock Coverage
Bagged landscape rocks can be used for smaller landscape jobs, such as a decorative accent at the base of a mailbox or for mulch around a shrub. These bags typically contain about 0.5-cubic feet of stone and can be purchased at the local big box store.
Note: As a rule, a single bag will cover 3-square feet with stone 2-inches deep.
If you have a long walkway, driveway and larger landscaping job you might require purchasing bulk landscape rocks. Large quantities are sold by the pallet or by the cubic yard. Contact Landscape Pros design team to help you do create and install this heavy job or project.
The suggested depth of coverage varies according to the size of the individual stones.
- If the stone size is 1/2-inch or less, the suggested depth is 2-inches.
- Stones that are 3/4-inch to 1-inch should have a depth of about 3-inches.
- Stones that are 1-inch or larger should have a depth of 4-inches.
The coverage area of a cubic yard (27-cubic feet) of decorative stone or landscaping rocks depends on the depth of the area. Consider this information when measuring for and purchasing decorative stone.
Follow this basic guideline for how much area one cubic yard of stone will cover:
- 160 sq. ft. at 2-inch depth
- 108 sq. ft at 3-inch depth
- 80 sq. ft. at 4-inch depth
- 54 sq. ft. at 6-inch depth
The options are many when deciding what decorative stones, you may want for your outdoor space… If you need more help in deciding what decorative landscaping rocks and stones you need for your outdoor oasis, call Landscape Pros @ 571.535.8622. Your local Big Box Home improvement stores will have many types of stones to choose from.
Bagged Landscape Rocks
Parchment Bulk Landscape Rocks
Crushed Stone
Gravel Stone
River Rock
White Stone
Other Decorative Stone
Choosing the right decorative stone and rock for your new outdoor oasis can be a challenge as there are so many types available. Options are many but you also can choose from brick chips, crushed gravel, lava rock, river rock and even marble to create pathways, mulch for garden beds, driveways and much more. These popular types of landscaping rocks are widely available. Landscape Pros rock and stone experts can also help you find the perfect stone and rocks for your outdoor space.
Crushed Gravel
Crushed gravel is usually gray and composed of sharp, irregularly shaped rock fragments. Other colors are available.
- Rocks easily interlock and provide good packing
- Size ranges from 1/4- to 3/4-inches
- Used for roads, driveways, base rock and pathways
Lava Rock
Lava rock is porous, light and irregularly shaped.
- Available in red or black hues
- Generally, lava rock offers good drainage and packs down well
- Usually ranges in size from 3/4-inch to 1-1/4-inches
- Used in driveways, gardens and along paths and walkways
River Rock
River rock is round and smooth and is available in shades of gray or brown. Pea gravel is a smaller size of river rock used in decorative concrete and other applications.
- Provides good drainage and erosion control
- Sizes range from 3/8-inch to 2-1/2-inches
- Used in flower and garden beds, and on walkways for erosion control
Marble
Marble chips are made from fragments of marble.
- Used in fountains and to cover soil in houseplants and container gardens
- Stone sizes range from 1/4- to 1/2-inch
- Note: Should not be used around plants that require high levels of acid, as it will change the pH of the soil
Wall Blocks
Retaining Wall Blocks
Retaining walls were originally designed to keep landscape soil from eroding. However, they are becoming increasingly popular for their aesthetic value and ability to create more usable space within your yard.
It is recommended that homeowners seek assistance from design experts like Landscape Pros in Manassas, VA if your outdoor oasis includes a retaining wall. Block walls need to be installed correctly or they can be a hazard if not built correctly. Give Us a call @ 571.535.8622 to design, build and install your new wall for your outdoor oasis.
Here is a little information about retaining wall blocks to consider for your project as there are many types of materials to choose from.
Garden Wall Blocks
Wall Caps
Pool Coping
Individual Retaining Wall Blocks
Landscape Edging
Stone landscaping edging provides a functional solution for outlining patios, walkways, gardens, and other landscape elements. Nothing can spruce up a tired looking flower bed or garden area like some fresh landscape edging. There is a wide variety of styles and price ranges, from natural stone, to all types of pavers.
Landscape Pros in Manassas, VA recommends using landscape edging as an easy way and affordable way to create an outdoor oasis in almost any area of your yard and easily help to visually define your planting beds, keep grass and mulch in their respective places and showcase so much more.
Landscape edging is an easy DIY project too, that almost anyone can do with minimal materials and skill required. If you don’t want to do it yourself or have the time to do your landscape project, call the “Pros” Landscape Pros @ 571.535.8622.
Types of Edging:
Plastic Edging 
Concrete Edging 
Rubber Edging 
Metal Edging 
Brick Edging 
Stone Edging 
How to Install Edging:
- Choose and purchase your desired edging materials: a solid roll of commercial steel edging, plastic, rubber edging, or individual stone pavers.
- Note: It is recommended to use Stone Pavers because they are more durable and offer a professional finished look when install correctly. Make sure to determine how many stone pavers needed.
- Use a garden hose or string to define your desired shape and mark the area with landscape marking paint.
- Kill grass under the marked area with an herbicide.
- Dig a trench to appropriate depth and width of the edging. Make sure trench is tamped down and level. For stone edging trench should be 6 inches deep and the width of your edging stones.
- Set edging stones side by side in the trench, starting from one end of the trench and working to the trench’s opposite end. Ensure stones fit well together and do not have gaps between the stones.
- Lay or place edging deep enough so a lawn mower’s wheels can smoothly go up to or over it and to avoid tripping hazards.
- Hammer in edging stakes to secure the steel, rubber, or plastic commercial edging.
- Using a level, ensure edging is installed level, even, and flush with surrounding soil.
- Fill the trench with native soil up to soil grade on the grass side of the edging. Pack the soil tightly around edging or stones to keep them from shifting.
- Add mulch to the flowerbed side of the edging, using the same mulch used in the flowerbed. Either fill the trench with mulch up to soil grade or drag the mulch at an angle from the flowerbed.
- Enjoy your new edging.
Stepping Stones
Enhance your home’s curb appeal by updating our driveway, patio, walkways, landscape paths with stepping stones and pavers or to create a backyard oasis. Stepping stones and pavers help to extend your usable outdoor spaces and make your backyard feel more welcoming for friends and family. They also add beautiful touches of color and texture and can modernize the look of your home.
Decorative stepping stones have a major impact as far as beautifying home gardens and creating outdoor oasis, and if anything, their use today has become all the more wide-spread. Besides them being decorative instruments of utter beauty, stunning steppingstones are not that hard to find, and there is nothing more readily affordable, and yet available than stones that bring out the life and beauty that your home garden or outdoor oasis so rightly deserves.
Take it from the “Pros” at Landscape Pros… their expert designers highly recommend adding stepping stones to your homes landscape and their use as elements of home décor. Additionally, stepping stones have long been known to come in a variety of sizes and shapes, which greatly allows them to be used with other various home amenities.
Give Landscape Pros a call @ 571.535.8622 for more details on stepping stones or ask for a free quote for your next outdoor space renovation. We are experts in creating outdoor living spaces.
Stone Fire Pits
Summer is coming to an end and cool nights of fall are fast approaching. Just in time to gather around a warm campfire with friends and family without leaving the comfort of your own backyard.
If you want a custom stone Fire Pit designed and installed call Landscape Pros in Manassas, VA @ 571.535.8622. Our team of designers can build your new fire pit to enjoy before the snow fly’s in Virginia.
If you are a DIY type use these tips to choose the right fire pit kit for a cozy and intimate gathering place. Most home improvement stores have several styles to choose from.
Fire Pit Styles
Today’s fire pits are much sleeker and more stylish than their name implies. Here are some fire pit ideas for your yard and backyard oasis:
• Fire Bowls. A fire bowl is a large metallic bowl suspended over the ground by a frame. These portable fire pits sit low to the ground. Most Outdoor fire pits can be small enough to fit on most small patios or in your backyards Choose a simple metal design or one with more ornate latticework are very affordable. A concrete bowl style gives an industrial feel to a modern outdoor space.
• Fire Pit Tables. Fire tables sit higher off the ground than fire bowls, and they are generally made from stone or metal. Fire tables may have a surface that can hold drinks or even act as a footrest. Some gas-powered tables have decorative wicker or metal sides. They are great for a more formal patio that is a frequent entertaining space.
• Fire Pit Kit. Install a permanent fire pit in your backyard with a kit from your local Lowes or Home Depot. Each one has everything you need to put it together, including stones and adhesive. Most also have a fire ring, which will safely contain the flame.
Here are a few out-of-the-box style Fire Pits to get your ideas going…if you want a custom built stone Fire Pit call the “Pros” at Landscape Pros @ 571.535.8622.
Pavestone RumbleStone 38.5 in. x 21 in. Square Concrete Fire Pit Kit No. 3 in Cafe.
Approx $656.00
RumbleStone 46 in. x 10.5 in. Round Concrete Fire Pit Kit No. 1 in Sierra Blend with Round Steel Insert. Approx $379.00
Nantucket Pavers Ledgestone 47 in. Concrete Fire Pit Ring Kit Brown. Approx $466.00
Landscape Pros hopes you have learned a new ideas on how you can design and build your outdoor oasis. Whether you are a DIY type and want to take the next step to begin your landscaping project or not… our experts are ready to do it all for you. Call Landscape Pros today @ 571.535.8622 for all your landscaping needs.