In what sense do so-called "floating decks" float? Well, the term refers to the fact that such decks aren't attached to a house. Being free-standing, floating decks are easier for beginners to build, for two reasons:

1. You don't have to worry about doing any damage to your house (in the process of attaching the deck to it).
2. If your floating deck is a small one, its portability affords you more flexibility, both during construction and afterward (to correct mistakes).

In other words, building a small floating deck is the perfect project for the non-carpenter who would like to dabble in a stress-free construction project. So are you looking for an excuse to build a small floating deck? Here's one reason why you might want to build one:

Do you have a problem area in your yard? The solution to some problem areas may very well be a small floating deck -- for example, a small area between your house and a large pine tree that always looks pretty much like a weed patch because grass and flowers fail to compete successively with the pine for the available water. Building a small floating deck here could transform the area into a usable space.

This tutorial shows pictures of a small floating deck in the process of being constructed. And not to worry: the accompanying instructions are written for non-carpenters.

View tutorial: How to Build Floating Decks

How to Build Floating Decks originally appeared on About.com Landscaping on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 08:29:15.

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I recently posted about dwarf trees, an extreme example of which is mugo pine. The popular mugo pine tree is such a dwarf that it acts as a ground cover. Talk about an odd juxtaposition of terms: We don't often speak of a "tree" as a "ground cover"!

Today I want to broaden the topic of conversation a bit. A tree can be considered a "small tree" without qualifying as a "dwarf." For example, I consider Kwanzan cherry trees to be small trees: they're small in comparison with a mature red oak tree. But they're not dwarf trees: You wouldn't plant a Kwanzan cherry tree in a foundation planting.

So with that distinction out of the way, let me ask you: Which are the best small trees? Click the link below to inform us of your favorites.

Let us know: Which Are Your Favorite Small Trees?

Small Trees: Which Are Your Favorites? originally appeared on About.com Landscaping on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 08:25:27.

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I recently posted about some of the "first signs of spring" I like to keep an eye out for, noting that my checklist includes:

• Pussy willows
• Skunk cabbage
• Red-wing blackbirds
• Spring peepers

I could easily have included other entries, such as spotted salamanders. The spotted salamanders arrive late to the party compared to their fellow amphibians, the spring peepers. But what the salamanders lack in precociousness they more than make up for in beauty. The mass migrations to vernal breeding ponds that they undertake annually is a sign of spring not to be missed.

Reader, Lynn was kind enough to relate another of the first signs of spring, one of which she is particularly fond. "You didn't list marsh marigold as a sign of spring -- always one of my favorites," says Lynn. "Blooms in late March/early April in southern Michigan." In the landscape, marsh marigolds are a useful plant for wet areas, thriving where other plants would drown.

A delightful way to observe the first signs of spring is to pack a wildflower book and hike out in the woods in search of the various types of wildflowers that appear early in the growing season. In addition to marsh marigolds, some of the early-rising wildflowers include:

• Spring beauty
• Hepatica
• Dutchman's breeches

Dutchman's breeches, like their relative, the bleeding heart, are among the most aptly named flowers, their fanciful moniker being highly indicative of their shape.

How about you? What are the first signs of spring that you await in your region? Click the link below to let us know.

Let us know: What Are the First Signs of Spring?

First Signs of Spring originally appeared on About.com Landscaping on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 07:12:29.

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The spring equinox for 2010 falls on March 20. What is the significance of this day? Well, as Larry West says in an article on the spring equinox, "equinox" is Latin for "equal night" (as in daylight hours and nighttime hours being equal). Says Larry: "The idea is that on the first day of spring there are exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness, but it rarely works out that way. There is always a time each spring, and again each fall, when the hours of light and darkness are equal, but it usually occurs before the vernal equinox and after the autumnal equinox."

That's okay with me. All the numbers aside, the fact is, the chief significance of the spring equinox for the plant lover is that it marks the first day of spring! So the spring equinox in 2010 can't come fast enough for me. And as Larry notes, "In spring, the Earth's axis is tilted toward the sun, increasing the number of daylight hours and bringing warmer weather that causes plants to bring forth new growth."

Resource related to spring equinox 2010: Groundhog Day and the Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox 2010 originally appeared on About.com Landscaping on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 09:16:35.

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March has arrived, and I know that I'll need to turn my attention now to cleaning up the yard and getting my plants ready for the growing season. I'll undertake these tasks with a smile, as their performance is essentially a rite of spring (Oh, that word has a wonderful ring to it!). But after enduring the long winter, I know that I, too, could stand some TLC. Couldn't you?

Consequently, at the heart of my to-do list for March is the promise that I will not let any of the first signs of spring go by unnoticed. You see, every year at about this time, I begin looking for particular signs of spring in the wild. It's sort of a mental checklist that I maintain, as a way of deriving maximum satisfaction from what I believe to be the most exciting time of the year (in my region). My checklist includes:

• Pussy willows
• Skunk cabbage
• Red-wing blackbirds
• Spring peepers

I feel gypped if a spring comes and goes and I have failed to appreciate the arrival of these, its harbingers. I must admit that I'm more diligent about this part of my March to-do list than I am about some of the other parts. But for those more diligent than I, I recommend consulting Marie Iannotti's list.

"A regional gardening calender for the month of March can give you general tips on what to plant and what to wait for, but spring in the garden is unpredictable and gardeners will have to use some common sense," warns Marie. This handy resource, organized by region, will help you find the most relevant advice for what you should be doing at this time in your own yard. The March to-do list furnished by About's Gardening Guide suggests tips for each of several distinct regions of the U.S. and Canada.

_{Photo ©2006 David Beaulieu (licensed to About, Inc.)}

Related resource: Enjoy a Silent Spring

March To-Do List for the Yard originally appeared on About.com Landscaping on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 08:55:27.

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