The contestants are allowed to submit their images, including bbq grills, outdoor kitchens, smokers, and any other area or tool they use to cook. They can submit their photographs until September 30, 2011. The best creative image will be awarded with the Omaha Steaks Gift Card worth $250. Visitors and members have already started voting online from August 1, 2011. Voting will continue until September 30, 2011. Official rules of the contest can be found at http://www.yardshare.com/yard_contest_info.php?contest_id=187

YardShare.com founder, Bryan Powell said, “We conduct contests to encourage our members to showcase their creativity. This particular contest is being conducted to highlight the barbeque season in which cooking in outdoor spaces is an integral part of the enjoyment of our yards.”

YardShare provides do-it-yourself tips, creative ideas, step-by-step illustration of construction of yards and many more to help amateurs, professionals and garden enthusiasts design their yards and gardens.

With an archive of more than 12,000 images, this site is a perfect one stop solution for creative design ideas of outdoor spaces. It has a separate section for constructing different types of gardens.

Powell offers themed advice columns under the “Yard Ideas” tab on YardShare, which is open to both amateur and professional yard and garden enthusiasts. Some of the most popular articles are – Creating Privacy: 10 creative ways to make a front or backyard more private; Outdoor Entertainment: Make your yard the life of the party; The Taste of the Garden: Edible Gardens and more!

The members are also allowed to share their yard ideas and post pictures. One can even get some really advanced and sophisticated designing ideas and suggestions from experts. So, make sure that you visit this site to make your outdoor spaces look more unique, attractive and creative.

Bryan Powell, 32, founded YardShare.com in 2008 when he couldn’t find online inspiration for building his own back-yard kitchen and patio. Powell, who lives in Castro Valley, Calif., and works for a financial management company in San Francisco, began working in his free time to merge technology and neighborhood to create a virtual community of advisors and launched YardShare (“Knocking down fences”). Today it is an online community of more than 5,000 members and over 40,000 unique monthly visitors, many of whom post pictures of and step-by-step DIY instructions for their landscaping, design and yard projects; YardShare’s archives contain more than 12,000 images.

Contact:
Jenny Randall
Jenny@RevvGroup.com
3899 Boulder Canyon Dr.
Castro Valley, CA 94552
Phone: 415-279-9893
Website: http://www.yardshare.com

The post YardShare.com Announces Its “The Light Up The Grill” Contest first appeared on BIG-TOPICS.COM.

Decide the location where you wish to add the decorative brick fence. Mark the lines of the respective locations with a landscape spray paint. Then, dig a foundation of 6 inches deep between the two lines. The loose dirt on the bottom of the trench should be removed till it becomes firm and compact. Then, gravel should be poured into the trench with a depth of 3 inches. The gravel gives a solid base for the brick fence. It also allows underground water to pass beneath.

Prepare the mortar mix with water in required consistency and spread it over the trench so that it is enough to lay four bricks. Two bricks should be placed on one end of the trench. In order to embed them half-way with the mortar, you can hit the bricks with a mallet. The bricks should be set by placing mortar adjacent to the bricks. Till the trench gets filled, you need to continue to set the first row or course of bricks. Then, another half inch layer of mortar should be spread on the layer of bricks. Then a second row of bricks should be built on it. You can build the brick wall till your desired height. Generally brick decorative fences are two feet tall. However, it is based on the design and feature of the landscape element.

The post Know How to Lay a Decorative Brick Fence first appeared on BIG-TOPICS.COM.

You can add a stone wall around the perimeter of the lawn, around trees for raised flower beds. It can also be added to the front of the house for an attractive appeal. The stone wall can be short or tall. The most important thing that you need to consider is the choice of stones. It is necessary to choose the right stones for your wall. For instance, for a modern model of home, smooth grey stones can be preferred.

The first thing you should do is to decide where you wish to build the wall. Then, necessary shoveling should be done and use a small level to ensure that the line or circle is levelled. Some home owners prefer to add concrete walls as a base. Then, you can start layering the stones and spread mortar on them.

You can also enhance the appeal of the stone by wall by certain landscaping ideas. Containers filled with flowers can be placed along the stone wall. A beautiful backdrop can be attained by flagstone stepping stones. You can also plant creeping vines along the stone wall for creating an attractive and green design. Installing certain solar lights also serve for decorative, safety and security purposes. So, better choose to add a stone wall to your landscape to intensify the charm of your home.

The post Add a Stone Wall to your Landscape first appeared on BIG-TOPICS.COM.