Hardscape Ideas to Make a Small Yard

A graduate of Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jake Kruse works as a dog breeder and landscape designer. Since 2002, he has served as president and owner of K&E Landscapes, providing functional outdoor designs for commercial and residential clients. In so doing, Jake Kruse focuses on installing low-maintenance and attractive hardscape elements.

Hardscape refers to the addition of materials such as stone, concrete, or bricks to a landscape design. These elements can increase home value and maximize space. Properly designed, hardscapes can create different levels to provide the illusion of more space. Adding pots to stairways or installing trellises for vines to climb will add upward growth and visual interest.

Even if you have a small backyard, there is usually sufficient space for a patio. Situate a table, chairs, and a grill on raised pavers or a concrete slab to carve out a cozy dining corner, then add lights to illuminate the perimeter. A small water feature such as a fountain creates a relaxing environment and can be integrated into a flower bed or placed directly on grass. Instead of using fences or walls for boundaries, use objects such as a bench or flowerpots to create barriers.

Things to Do at the Pinicon Ridge Park

An established entrepreneur, dog breeder Jake Kruse also maintains a private landscaping company where he meets the needs of commercial and individual clients. Jake Kruse is a Salem-based dog breeder and a lover of outdoor activities such as boating and fishing.

Fishing, a common pastime amongst Americans, is popular in Iowa. The topography of the state makes room for several water bodies. One of the best spots to fish in Iowa includes Pinicon Ridge Park.

Located in Linn County, Pinicon Ridge Park is popular amongst the locals for its many attractions, including fishing access at the Wapsipinicon River. Anglers in Iowa regularly visit this spot to fish the various species found in the lake. At any time during the year, anglers can come across the bigmouth buffalo, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. The Iowa DNR recognizes the Wapsipinicon River as a premier fishing location in the state.

Aside from the fishing access, Pinicon Ridge Prak offers hiking trails, camping, wildlife exhibits, and watercraft concessions.

Benefits of the Outdoors

A dog breeder in Salem, Iowa, Jake Kruse is also a landscaper. In his free time, Jake Kruse enjoys boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Spending time outdoors can have tangible physical and mental health benefits. The word biophilia refers to humans’ desire to connect with nature. Edward O. Wilson is credited with propagating biophilia to a wide audience in his book of the same name in 1984.

Studies in succeeding years found evidence supporting the existence of biophilia. Multiple studies discovered that exposing participants to nature lowers their levels of cortisol, the hormone most heavily associated with stress. Other studies found that exposure to nature heightens creativity, improves productivity, and increases happiness.

Companies and architects can incorporate biophilic design in many ways, great and small. Creating buildings that use eco-friendly, organic materials, such as reclaimed wood, can remind employees of the outdoors. Strategically placing plants throughout a workspace can add nature to a work environment. Integrating large windows to let in abundant natural light, and perhaps even allow wind to blow through the office, can bring in the benefits of the outdoors, even in urban locations.

Perennials that Suit the Iowa Landscape

Jake Kruse is an entrepreneur in Salem, Iowa, who maintains a business as dog breeder and also guides K & E Landscapes, Inc. Working closely with home and business owners, he coordinates landscape design and yard maintenance services that add to curb appeal. In particular, Jake Kruse is knowledgeable about perennial plants that thrive across Iowa’s four seasons.

When it comes to perennials in sunny areas of the yard, daffodils brighten up the garden in the early spring. Often paired with tulips, creeping phlox can be incorporated in rock gardens and along slopes, offering a loose groundcover that can be kept full and compact simply by shearing after blooming. A native of the Iowa prairies, echinacea purpurea has distinctive purple petals and is hardy enough to survive nearly any climate. Attracting butterflies and bees, it is also favored by bird species such as goldfinches when the flowers are allowed to go to seed.

When it comes to shady, moist areas of a property, a number of native ferns add verdure. These include intermediate wood fern and northern maidenhair fern. Woodland native plants such as goats-beard, which can reach a half dozen feet, and ligularia “the rocket” add striking floral elements to the mix. These perennials thrive with a couple inches of mulch material, which helps to retain moisture and suppress weeds.