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Showing posts from September, 2009

5 Tips For Planting Roses

When spring is on its way and the ground is soft, it is the perfect time for planting roses. Roses have been a very popular bloom over the years, not only do they look good, but they smell wonderful too. However, planting roses cannot be done just anywhere or in just any climate. They need special care and treatment. Here are some tips that you need to consider in order to successfully grow roses: 1. Roses require about 4 to 6 hours of sunlight everyday. It would be best to plant your roses in a clear area where there are not too many trees or other types of plants. The reason behind this is that the rose may lack sunlight exposure and the roots are also likely to become intertwined with the rose and throttle its growth. If you wish to replace an old rose bush, you should remove about 1 ½ cubic feet of the old soil and replace it with new soil so that the newly planted rose will have fresh soil to start with. 2. When thinking about the position of your roses you must consider the type

A – Z of Bird Feeders

Bird- table or bird feeder is a platform on which food for birds is placed, usually in a garden. Bird feeders offer the best way to turn your own backyard into a mini oasis for the wild birds in your area. They are usually filled with a variety of grains to suit the different species of our feathered friends. The most popular varieties of seeds include millet, safflower, sunflower and thistle. Apart from satisfying the hunger of birds, bird feeders also provide an excellent ornithological treat. To everyone’s surprise the conglomeration of the rarest species of birds are often witnessed in our very own backyards rather than go miles in search of a bird sanctuary. To capture the essence of bird behavior, modern bird feeders are fitted with web cams. Bird feeders come in different varieties and design depending upon the species of bird they cater to. The most common types are ground feeder, seed tube feeder, humming bird feeder, suet feeder, oriole feeder etc. Seed feeders are very much

7 Natural Stone Pebble Projects For Every Home

Natural stone pebbles are becoming extremely popular in homes because of their wide range of colors and uses. Here are a few ideas for use in your own home. Japanese Gardens Japanese Gardens and known for their peacefulness and tranquillity. This style of garden uses specific plants as well as rocks and water to create this effect. Often these gardens are small in scale and are incorporated into an overall garden design rather than being the whole garden. Decorative Pots Placing some pebbles around the top of a potted plant can make indoor plants more attractive. Consider what part of the potted plant you want to make the focus. You can use a decorative ceramic pot as well. Decide whether you want matching or contrasting colors in the pot and the pebbles you choose. The pebbles and chosen pot should help focus your eye on the plant you have chosen. Vases Pebbles are also very effective used in the bottom of vases. Glass vases in particular look superb with some colored natural stone in

7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile

Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches, becomes a dark, crumbly mixture of organic matter. Learn how composting works. Even a newbie to composting can make good quality compost. It can be compared to cooking as art or part science. The following 7 factors will help you master the art of composting. 1. Materials After a time anything that was once alive will naturally decompose. But, not all organic items should be composted for the home. To prepare compost, organic material, microorganisms, air, water, and a small amount of nitrogen are needed. These items are safe to compost at home: * grass clippings * trimmings from hedges * vegetable scraps * leaves * potting soil that has grown old * twigs * coffee filters with coffee grounds * tea bags * weeds that have not went to seed * plant stalks These items are Not safe to compost at home: * weeds that have went to seed * dead animals * pet feces * bread and grains * meat * grease * cooking oil * oily fo

A beautiful garden is a work of heart

There is immense satisfaction in creating your own garden plan -- the satisfaction derived from relaxing or entertaining in the garden as well as the satisfaction that comes from a job well done. The effort that you expend in planning and executing a design unique to you will add to the enjoyment your garden provides for years to come. How do you begin to create a garden space that is unique to you? Here are ten simple steps that will help you move effortlessly through the process. 1. Identify WHY you want a garden. How will you use it? Who else will enjoy the garden? Remember that you may not be the sole inhabitant, so get input from all family members on how your outdoor space will be used. 2. Do a little dreaming. Now that you know why you want a garden and how you intend to use it, let your imagination play with all the possible features in your special space. A little dreaming will uncover those attributes that will put your personal imprint on the garden. Also decide whether you

A Better Weekend Gardening Experience

It's vital to start the process of having a hassle-free garden. This article gives you that first step and helps achieve some sound understanding of what you face as a weekend gardener. Our goal is to create a garden that practically takes care of itself. Unlike my neighbor, Fred. Fred never found a way to escape the prison of responsibilities and hard, never-ending work required by a high-maintenance garden. If you want to avoid Fred's fate, you need to start by making a critical examination of the maintenance of your yard and garden. Start by taking a stroll around your property and make note of how much time you take to tend to various areas. • Which plants require the most care, right now? • Are there areas that please you and take less care? • Are there some areas that you love so much that no matter how much maintenance they take you'd not want to change them? • Can you visualize any areas being scaled down in size, or that can be improved with a low-maintenance desig

A Beginners Guide To Garden Bridges

Just because you dont have huge, elaborate gardens does not mean you cant accentuate what you do have with l garden bridges. Garden bridges could be just what you need to turn those mediocre garden areas into something quite splendid. Garden bridges can add a touch of country or formal design to a garden. Small garden bridges are easy to find. There are many garden bridges that you can find in garden centers or home improvement centers. One of the best places to find small garden bridges may be online. There are lots of sites that have many ideas for small garden bridges. If you are good with a hammer and nails you may even be able to make your own garden bridge. Plans are available at building stores and at online sites. You will find many choices for garden bridges at these online sites and you can also see photos of many different bridge styles. A garden bridge can be a big benefit for your garden space. A small garden bridge will look attractive in a smaller garden and draw atte

A great range of garden furniture including tables, chairs at a sensible price!

Your garden should reflect the personality and your individual style. It should be decorated and designed in ways that you, like and enjoy. Garden tables and chairs provide you an excellent place to watch your garden beauty. Fornisca offers a complete range of garden furniture to suit your style of living. Place one of these garden tables & chairs in the middle of your garden, on your porch or patio, beneath a tree, or anywhere else in your landscape. These Garden tables offer you so much more than just a place to sit: they offer you additional beauty for your garden. We have a huge collection of beautiful tables to match your taste. We offer: * Coffee tables for Garden * Folding Circular Table * Lister Fairford table * Square dining table These are some of the tables offered by Fornisca. To view the complete range of beautiful and durable garden tables, visit fornisca.com.

A Guide To Japanese Gardens

Ready for something different in your garden? Take a look at Japanese bridges. These beautiful ornamental bridges bring the Far East right into your back yard or garden. Japanese bridges add elegance to gardens and look beautiful when placed over a koi pond or Japanese style dry river bed. There are many flowers, shrubs and trees that compliment Japanese bridges also. If you are interested in Japanese bridges for your garden you may want to look online for ideas and suggestions. There are excellent sites that not only feature the bridges but have information about planning an entire garden space in the Japanese style. Many of the designs for these Japanese bridges are taken from ancient drawings. The Japanese bridges are graceful and unique. Place a Japanese bridge in your garden and create a space to meditate, a quiet area for contemplation and dreaming. These are just a few of the benefits of having a Japanese bridge. You might want to begin planning a Japanese bridge by surveyin

A hammock perspective of life

Do you sometimes have the feeling that life is becoming increasingly complicated, that politics, relationships and even seemingly simple things such as eating are tangled up in a net of opinions, ideas, recommendations, ideals and rules? Well, it is definitely not a black/white world anymore, the shades of grey are multiplying by the hour, and the access to information about the latest shades, the newest, indispensable shades, are easier available than ever before. If one applies a slight analysis, it will be apparent that this is only going to get worse, and it is not going to change by itself. So we have to interfere, somehow interrupt this cycle, but how? Well, let's use an example that for most of us consist of the complete opposite; a pleasant, sunny afternoon spent lazily relaxing in a hammock. This obvious way of recharging might highlight a few key points that could help us manage a life otherwise easily controlled by stress and similar factors. These points are: 1) To seek

A Japanese Garden is Not Your Ordinary Garden

Japanese gardening is much different from the Western style garden. Most would say that a Japanese garden is far more soul soothing and inspires meditation. Japanese gardening is a cultural form of gardening that is meant to produce a scene that mimics nature as much as possible. Using trees, shrubs, rocks, sand, artificial hills, ponds, and flowing water the garden becomes an art form. The Zen and Shinto traditions are both a large part of Japanese gardening and, because of this; the gardens have a contemplative and reflective state of mind. The basic methods of scenery in are a reduced scale, symbolization, and borrowed views. The reduced scale is the art of taking an actual scene from nature, mountains, rivers, trees, and reproducing it on a smaller scale. Symbolization involves generalization and abstraction. An example of this would be using white sand to suggest the ocean. Borrowed views refer to artists that would use something like an ocean or a forest as a background,

6 Styling Tips For Your Fresh Cut Flowers!

So your going to bring your grocery store or florist bought flowers home, now what! I have seen many people just plunk them in a vase of water and that’s it. Sometimes that works but here are some simple tips to make you look like you’re a pro at it. 1) In a clean vase, take your greens first, snip the ends off to the size you want and then start criss crossing the stems into the vase so that you have stems all around inside the vase. There are two reasons for this. One is because you now have a base for the flower arrangement and two; a criss cross of stems makes it easier for flower placement. 2) If you are making a small, low arrangement, slide in the flowers in a criss cross so that the stems are all around the inside of the vase. You should now have a vase with a ring of flowers on the out side and nothing but stems showing in the middle. (The more stems you have in the vase, the easier it will be to have flowers stay put!) The rows of flowers are going to be higher each time you

A Classic Southern Beauty Now Blooms In The North

Flowering plants are one of the most popular ways to brighten the landscape of your home. Even in colder or dryer climates, something in the human soul calls for flowers to give a home beauty, grace and color. Hydrangeas are regaining their popularity with gardeners, home landscapers and breeders alike. Many people remember hydrangeas from their childhood, growing alongside the front porch of their grandmother's house. In those days, white was the predominant color available for success in Northern landscapes or gardens. Now, with the introduction of new Northern-hardy varieties in many colors, hydrangeas can be enjoyed in almost any location around the country. In recent years, breeders have expanded the color range of hydrangeas greatly. However, many of the selections do not bloom well or at all in Northern climates. Winter injury and improper late-season pruning are the major reasons for this problem. Most hydrangeas set their flower buds in the fall, leaving the buds susceptib