The GardenOwl Audits
Deep-dive diagnostics, design critiques, and visual master plans to solve your toughest landscape challenges.
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The 'Black Hole' Planter Box: How to Clad Form Ply Without Rotting It
Stuck with ugly black plywood on your DIY planters? Here are two high-end cladding fixes—Corten steel and cedar slats—and the critical airflow trick to stop rot.
The "Dry Shade" Death Trap: Turning a Barren Corner Into a Brutalist Refuge
Zone 7 shade is tough, but 'dry shade' under a tree is the boss level. Here is how to swap dead grass for architectural ferns and concrete without killing your tree.
Bagging Your Brick House: The Permanent Mistake You Might Not Need to Make
Thinking of bagging your 2012 brick home? Stop. Learn why the 'bowling alley' path and weak landscaping are the real killers of your curb appeal.
The "Fence-As-Wall" Mistake: Why Your Planter Needs a Back (And a Footing)
Planning perimeter garden beds? Don't use your metal fence as a retaining wall. Here is why it fails and how to build independent planters correctly.
Stop! Don't Buy Pea Gravel: The Right Way to Fix a Messy Driveway and Install a Prefab Garage
Living in a freeze-thaw zone? Learn why pea gravel ruins driveways, how to prep a solid base for a prefab garage, and the right stone to buy.
The "Roof Gap" Trap: Why Shade Sails Fail and How to Build a Proper Flyover Carport
Thinking of covering a roof gap with a shade sail? Stop. Learn why a flyover roof is the only storm-safe solution for creating a carport in a tight space.