Landscape safety apparatus, associated combinations, methods, and kits

A landscaping method, comprising:

• (a) identifying a grounds region for using a landscaping device powered by an engine and/or motor capable of hurling debris during operation up to a height of at least about 18 inches;
• (b) transporting a shield apparatus to the region, the shield apparatus comprising:
• first and second supports, each support having an upper end and a lower end,
• first and second bases each having a rod insertable up to a bulge into the lower ends of the first and second supports, respectively, the bases having a construction to maintain the supports in a substantially vertical orientation above the bulges,
• a flexible screen having opposing hems attached to the first and second supports, the screen having sufficient strength to block debris hurled by the device from traveling through the screen, and
• a retraction mechanism associated with the first support;
• (c) inserting the rods of the first and second bases into the lower ends of the first and second supports;
• (d) positioning the first and second supports in a substantially vertical orientation at different locations bounding the region while automatically locking the screen in a substantially taut manner between the supports;
• (e) using the handheld landscaping device in the region at a location no greater than about 20 feet from the apparatus, thereby allowing the apparatus to blocking debris hurled by the apparatus up to a height exceeding at least about 18 inches from hitting passersby, bystanders and/or property located outside the grounds region;
• and
• (f) activating the retraction mechanism to pull the second support toward the first support,
• wherein
• each of the first and second bases is selected from a set of hardscape and softscape bases,
• each hardscape base has a hardscape construction comprising a disk having a vertical rod insertable up to the bulge of the hardscape base into the lower ends of the first or second supports, and
• each softscape base has a softscape construction comprising a stake and a crossbar located below a vertical rod insertable up to the bulge of the softscape base into the lower ends of the first or second supports.

A shield apparatus kit, comprising:

• first and second supports, each support having an upper end and a lower end;
• a set of hardscape and softscape bases for the first and second supports, each base having a rod insertable up to a bulge into the lower ends of the first and second supports, respectively, to maintain the first and second supports in a substantially vertical orientation above the bulges,
• a flexible screen having opposing vertical edges attached to the first and second supports, the screen effective to block debris hurled by the landscaping device from traveling through the screen;
• at least one additional support having an upper end and a lower end and being physically associated with a portion of the screen located between the opposing vertical edges;
• a set of hardscape and softscape bases for the at least one additional support, each base having a rod insertable into the lower end of the at least one additional support to maintain the at least one additional support in a substantially vertical orientation;
• and
• a retraction mechanism associated with the first support,
• wherein the set of hardscape and softscape bases comprise
• hardscape bases each having a hardscape construction comprising a disk having a vertical rod insertable up to the bulge of the hardscape base into the lower ends of the first or second supports, and
• softscape bases each having a softscape construction comprising a stake and a crossbar located below a vertical rod insertable up to the bulge of the scopescape base into the lower ends of the first or second supports.