The GardenOwl Audits
Deep-dive diagnostics, design critiques, and visual master plans to solve your toughest landscape challenges.
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Exposed Foundation? How to Fix Soil Erosion Around Your Slab
Is your concrete slab exposed? Learn why backfilling with topsoil fails and how to fix foundation erosion with proper grading and gravel in narrow side yards.
The "Double-Slope" Trap: Fixing a Weedy Hillside for Caravan Storage
Don't dump gravel on a slope. Learn how to fix a compound gradient, banish Sheep Sorrel, and build a stable cut-and-fill parking pad.
The "Flipper Special" Fix: Why Sod is a Mistake for Your Denver Yard (And What to Do Instead)
Bought a 'blank slate' home in Denver? Don't rush to lay sod. Learn why xeriscaping works better for Zone 5b and how to fix the 'bowling alley' effect.
The $6,000 Mistake: Why Burying Wood in Concrete is a Death Sentence for Your Stairs
Is your contractor burying wood stringers in concrete? Learn why this common 'lazy fix' causes rapid rot and how to detail a stair landing correctly.
The "Bowling Alley" Mistake: How to Fix a Flat Backyard and Save Your Retaining Wall
Fixing a boxy backyard layout and choosing heat-proof subtropical plants for Penrith. Plus, why you must remove that Emerald Ficus immediately.
The "Ground-Level" Deck Trap: Why You Should Never Block Foundation Vents
Thinking of building a deck flush with your concrete patio? Learn why this ruins foundation vents and why a step-down paver system is the superior fix.