Garden Makeover
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Winner of the $10,000 Garden Makeover Contest

Garden Makeover

Fall Garden Makeover Update

Resting beneath the trees, with her toes in the water and lost in a good book, is where you were likely to find Lisa Fletcher this summer. Over the last few months Lisa has watched the different features of her backyard renovation grow and mature into the spectacular scenery it is today. By adding personal touches like an iron table and chairs, bench and flowers, it has become an oasis for the entire family to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

"We are down there so much. We spend all day there reading, entertaining, or just relaxing and listening to the waterfall. Lying on the bench with the bushes around, it blocks out the rest of the neighborhood and really feels like we're in our own little park."

From the beginning, Lisa expressed that one of her goals of her garden makeover was to bring more wildlife to their property. In their suburban neighborhood there are many different kinds of small wildlife, and now they can all be found nestled in the landscape of Lisa and Tom's new backyard. As Lisa explains:

"Of course we have our wonderful fish, but there are also about eight frogs that visit our pond regularly. It's great to see them when they are active and swimming. We have chipmunks running around, and lots of birds that splash, refresh, and take baths in the pond. I guess in the end has become a retreat for the animals too."

Caring for her new backyard has been a success using the great advice from Bachman's, some TLC and of course Clear Choice. Used for her lawn and in the rocks of her landscape, Clear Choice has been able to keep away her pesky weeds, to keep her backyard looking beautiful and fresh.

"I love that Clear Choice is friendly for the animals that visit our home, like the chipmunks that poke in and out of the rocks."

As Mike Porwoll from Bachman's explains, making sure the new features are well cared for after the renovation is key for their survival.

"The first couple months are the most critical caring for the plants and especially getting the right amount of water to them so that they get established. They did a great job of caring for the lawn and garden, and weeding to ensure that everything comes through properly."

All good things must come to an end however, and now after a long summer of enjoying her new retreat, Lisa Fletcher must get her backyard ready for the fall and winter conditions that are on their way. As Mike details,

"Lisa will first need to shut down the pond. Bringing the fish indoors for the winter is essential for their survival. Next, and very importantly, she needs to maintain sufficient watering for her trees and plants, and make sure that her smaller trees are wrapped, like her Dogwood Tree, in order to protect from chewing animals, such as rabbits."

To see more of Mike's tips on preparing your home for the winter months, click here.

With winter prep underway, Lisa is already looking forward to unveiling her backyard all over again next summer. And looking ahead to next season, Lisa is also very excited to begin using new PureSpray GREEN "all-in-one" organic listed spray oil, to care for her tomatoes, roses and the rest of her home garden.

Lisa Fletcher chooses Clear Choice for a weed free lawn

"I use Clear Choice all season long on all of my weed problems. Whenever dandelions or any weeds creep up, if I don't think it's a flower, I just spray it with Clear Choice and it works!" Read More...

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Lisa Fletcher chooses Clear Choice for a weed free lawn

Clear Choice garden makeover contest winner Lisa Fletcher, never imagined when she entered the contest that she would actually win the garden of her dreams. As an already avid user of the Clear Choice product, and with her backyard in shambles from a recent tornado, she figured it was worth a shot, and it really was!

Lisa was originally drawn to Clear Choice because of its reduced impact on the environment. A lover of local birds and wildlife, Lisa wanted something that had less active ingredients. Lisa was also attracted to Clear Choice's reasonable price compared to other brands of its kind, as well as the convenience and appeal of the easy spray bottle. Having used Clear Choice now for three straight years, she trusts its effectiveness to rid her lawn of dandelions, and to help attack her Creeping Charlie and crab grass.

"I use Clear Choice all season long on all of my weed problems. Whenever dandelions or any weeds creep up, if I don't think it's a flower, I just spray it with Clear Choice and it works!"

Although Lisa has a big lawn Clear Choice provides her the benefit of spot spraying only the weeds she needs to kill, without harming the rest of her grass. She loves how the product is milky when sprayed on weeds, so she can see where she has sprayed without forgetting the areas already covered. This feature prevents users from over spraying their lawns and overusing the product which can be harmful for the environment.

Now helping her mother with her lawn care needs, Lisa always takes along her bottle of Clear Choice to help bring the same results she has enjoyed for her home.

Preparing your home for the winter months

To help home owners prepare their lawns and gardens for the upcoming seasons, Mike from Bachman's has provided some helpful tips:

Water, water, water! Even though the hot and humid weather is gone, your trees and plants still need lots of water to survive the cold winter months – especially new plants and evergreens. So this autumn make sure to keep the hose going and keep your grass lawn and garden moist.

Wrap it up. In regions where snow drifts and mounds are common, it is best to protect your small trees from animals, such as rabbits, that can climb up and chew on the bark of your small trees. To prevent damage from these animals, wrap your tree bark for the winter seasons. For best results wrap the trunk before the first snow fall, and remove in the spring once you are sure the snow has melted for good. No specific dates to follow, just go by weather.

Don't forget your friends. Although first nature for some, it is important to remember to protect your pond creatures from the cold. Ponds will freeze, and fish in cold climates will not survive when left outdoors. So unless you have a very deep and protected pond, it is best to prepare for new house guests this winter.

Leave it be. Often gardeners will over prune or take too many precautions for the winter. In Lisa's case and for many gardeners, it is best to leave your trees and plants as they are and prepare for clean up in the spring.

By keeping up regular maintenance for your lawn and garden, you too can have the backyard of your dreams.