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Looking at features you can use in your landscaping other than plantings, we'll take a look at some different materials that aren't usually thought of as garden decor or accents. Everyday materials can be decorative additions to your landscaping which can fill bare spots, create a sense of depth, and give your lot a more complete look.

While elements such as buildings or lighting aren't usually thought of as design materials, they can be. And many others not mentioned here can be hand-crafted or found inexpensively at yard sales and flea markets. Without more delay, here are a couple of more attractive and tasteful ways to make your landscaping ideas and gardening areas more functional and inviting.

Storage sheds and Lean-tos: Such structures aren't usually thought of as decoration or focals. They're created for keeping and cleaning your gardening tools, starting seeds, etc. However, potters sheds and other structures are more than usable; they can also be used as design elements that can beautify your landscaping and your house.

Your gardening shed can be created to match the architecture of your home. Lean-tos and garden sheds can have paint and trim which are the same as the colors of your house or complement your gardening color scheme. Add matching window boxes and you have a good sense of being finished.

Lighting: Low-voltage lighting can be extremely appealing along walkways and as decorative lights to highlight specimen trees, focal points, and a few other outstanding picture perfect landscaping features. Most important though, they can also add to your safety by lighting up possible hazards and dark spots. Low wattage lighting is usually an easy and safe home owner project. However, sometimes it can require special wiring. In this case, you'll want a qualified electrician. Be sure to use a qualified electrician or landscaping contractor certified in electrical work if you are going to have High wattage lighting installed.

Berms: These are simply raised earthen yard places. Surrounded with large timbers, rock retaining walls, or on their own, they are an attractive means by which you can create the illusion or more topography, a more in perspective site, in level areas. They are great for controlling erosion and can also be good for creating privacy while waiting for your plants to get large enough for private screening height. Berms should fit well into your landscaping, recommended heights being from 1 1/2 to 2 feet above soil level.

So keep in mind that not all of your plan has to be figured out. Things that you may not consider design elements may help take up more area and cut down on the amount of space you have to work with.