Landscaping, in plain English.

The lingo.

Aeration and overseeding

Pulling plugs of soil to relieve compaction, then spreading seed. The fall routine that thickens a tired lawn.

Backflow preventer

The required device that keeps irrigation water from flowing back into drinking water. Many cities require annual testing.

Drip irrigation

Low-pressure tubing that waters beds and trees slowly at the roots, using far less water than spray heads.

French drain

A gravel trench with a perforated pipe that collects water and moves it away. Different from a surface channel drain or a downspout extension.

Grading

Shaping the ground so water runs away from the house. The first six feet should drop about six inches. Most wet basements start with grading and gutters, not foundations.

Hardiness zone

The USDA map of average winter lows that tells you which plants survive your winters.

Hardscape

The built parts of a landscape: patios, walks, walls, steps, fire pits. Softscape is the plants, lawn and soil.

Irrigation zone

A group of sprinkler heads run by one valve. Zones separate lawn from beds and sunny from shady areas so each gets what it needs.

Landscape fabric

Woven cloth under mulch or gravel meant to block weeds. Useful under stone; under mulch it usually ends up a mess within a few years.

Low-voltage lighting

12 volt path and accent lights run from a transformer. Safe for homeowners to touch and a common add-on to a hardscape project.

Mulch

Shredded bark or wood chips over beds to hold moisture and block weeds. Two to three inches; never piled against trunks and stems.

Native plants

Species that evolved in your region. They need less water and care and support local pollinators.

Pavers

Interlocking concrete or stone units laid on a compacted gravel base and sand bed. The base is what keeps them from heaving; ask how deep it is.

Retaining wall

A wall that holds back soil. Walls over about four feet usually need an engineer and a permit; drainage behind the wall is what keeps it standing.

Sod vs. seed

Sod is an instant lawn at a higher price; seed is cheaper and takes a season to fill in. Both fail without soil prep and watering.

From the Pros.

Written by the people who do this work every day, in your area.

The first posts from Landscaping Pros are on their way.