Best Gardening Tips|Let’s Talk About Your Best Gardening Tips…
Jul
03
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Elizabeth Jean asked:
Purpose
The first step in planning a garden is probably determining what kind of garden you would like to have. Gardens range in style and purpose so it is important to have a clear idea of the kind of garden you are trying to grow. Some main types of residential gardens include: flower gardens, vegetable gardens, zen gardens, herb gardens and formal gardens. Some of these are best suited to specific climates and locations. In order to make a good decision about the kind of garden you want to have it is important to know a few things about the space your garden is going to be taking up and the weather conditions that may help or hinder your garden’s growth.
Climate
Where you live will greatly influence what you are able to do in your garden. It will probably be almost impossible to grow a tropical garden in Canada and rather silly to grow a cactus garden in a rainforest. You will achieve the most pleasing results in your garden if you make sure to grow elements that are native to your area; easy to grow; or simple to replace. If many of the elements in your garden are fairly uncomplicated, it will leave time to maintain your more precious orchids and roses.
Maintenance
While every gardener had the best intentions, it is important to know how much time is going to be spent maintaining the garden. Annuals must be replanted every year which allows you to recreate a new garden every year. However, the drawback of annual flowers is the need for constant upkeep. Annuals are comparably thirsty plants and need to be well-watered (but not over-watered). Many annuals require “pinching” or “deadheading” for better flowering. For many of us, the value of perennials, which will leave behind seeds that re-grow the next season, can be appreciated for the lack of tending needed.
Soil
Make sure your garden’s soil is healthy. Healthy soil grows stronger plants and attracts fewer pests that might damage your plants. There are some simple ways to test your own soil. Ideal soil for growing veggies in your own garden will crumble easily when you attempt to form a shape from it. If it holds shape to easily, it may be too moist and overworking wet soil can damage the soil structure for several growing seasons, seriously reducing the likelihood of healthy plants. If you soil seems dusty, it is probably too dry for many plants and will most likely be harder to work.
Space
Take a look at the space of your garden. This will help decide what should be planted and where. Think out the logistics of your garden. Where are faucets located in relation to your various plants? Are there any areas where the ground is uneven and unlikely to drain properly? How do sun and shade play across the area? Are there places that are unlikely get sunlight? It may be a good idea to sketch your area. The more time you spend planning your garden the more pleasing your final result will probably be.
Aesthetic
A garden should also have a visual composition. The plants, flowers and/or various statuary pieces should work together in the given space to create something aesthetically pleasing. Think of how your garden looks from different angles and vantages, like from house windows and doors. Great looking garden fountains are available at http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Garden+Fountains.
Color palettes
Pay attention to your color palette. There are many ways to choose the colors of your garden. While there is neither right nor wrong in color selection if you’ve contemplated your palette ahead of time you will have greater control over the final appearance. Some of the most simple color schemes select from either warm or cool tones, while others rely on a single color for a striking monochromatic effect. While for an interesting and dramatic look you might select several analogous colors like shades of red and red violet and then use a complementary color, like golden yellow as an accent. Depending on the kind of garden you are planning you may want a wide variety of colors. Try to create grouped plantings when using many different colors to create a design and visual flow. Many single colored flowers will look dull from a distance.
Composing your garden
Appreciate the space you are using. If your garden is going to be planted along a fence or against a house wall use a vine to add height and shape to your garden. Examine textures and shapes. To keep balance in your garden, make sure to use not just long stemmed flowers but also groundcovers and low plants with a variety of leave sizes and shapes.
Add focal points
By using a fountain, birdbath or other piece of statuary, you can add year round ornamentation as well as a focal point for you garden. If you plan your garden carefully it can be beautiful year-round and not just at the height of the growing season. By using many planters and pieces of statuary in your garden you are have the advantage of complete control over your garden’s shape. Take a look at some garden planter options. A garden consisting of planters can be arranged and rearranged to suit different moods, and different seasons to create something that provides visual interest year round. So if your having trouble deciding on a permanent look, using planters can give you design flexibility. Planters also provide shape and allow for greater control over plant growth.
Tips
When using planters it is still important to think about the heights and textures of every flower and plant and the containers that hold them.
Use ornamental rocks and small pieces of garden statuary to compliment taller planters. Place something tall and with an interesting texture and bright color in the center of your planter and surround it with lower, more simple textures for balance.
Alisander
Purpose
The first step in planning a garden is probably determining what kind of garden you would like to have. Gardens range in style and purpose so it is important to have a clear idea of the kind of garden you are trying to grow. Some main types of residential gardens include: flower gardens, vegetable gardens, zen gardens, herb gardens and formal gardens. Some of these are best suited to specific climates and locations. In order to make a good decision about the kind of garden you want to have it is important to know a few things about the space your garden is going to be taking up and the weather conditions that may help or hinder your garden’s growth.
Climate
Where you live will greatly influence what you are able to do in your garden. It will probably be almost impossible to grow a tropical garden in Canada and rather silly to grow a cactus garden in a rainforest. You will achieve the most pleasing results in your garden if you make sure to grow elements that are native to your area; easy to grow; or simple to replace. If many of the elements in your garden are fairly uncomplicated, it will leave time to maintain your more precious orchids and roses.
Maintenance
While every gardener had the best intentions, it is important to know how much time is going to be spent maintaining the garden. Annuals must be replanted every year which allows you to recreate a new garden every year. However, the drawback of annual flowers is the need for constant upkeep. Annuals are comparably thirsty plants and need to be well-watered (but not over-watered). Many annuals require “pinching” or “deadheading” for better flowering. For many of us, the value of perennials, which will leave behind seeds that re-grow the next season, can be appreciated for the lack of tending needed.
Soil
Make sure your garden’s soil is healthy. Healthy soil grows stronger plants and attracts fewer pests that might damage your plants. There are some simple ways to test your own soil. Ideal soil for growing veggies in your own garden will crumble easily when you attempt to form a shape from it. If it holds shape to easily, it may be too moist and overworking wet soil can damage the soil structure for several growing seasons, seriously reducing the likelihood of healthy plants. If you soil seems dusty, it is probably too dry for many plants and will most likely be harder to work.
Space
Take a look at the space of your garden. This will help decide what should be planted and where. Think out the logistics of your garden. Where are faucets located in relation to your various plants? Are there any areas where the ground is uneven and unlikely to drain properly? How do sun and shade play across the area? Are there places that are unlikely get sunlight? It may be a good idea to sketch your area. The more time you spend planning your garden the more pleasing your final result will probably be.
Aesthetic
A garden should also have a visual composition. The plants, flowers and/or various statuary pieces should work together in the given space to create something aesthetically pleasing. Think of how your garden looks from different angles and vantages, like from house windows and doors. Great looking garden fountains are available at http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Garden+Fountains.
Color palettes
Pay attention to your color palette. There are many ways to choose the colors of your garden. While there is neither right nor wrong in color selection if you’ve contemplated your palette ahead of time you will have greater control over the final appearance. Some of the most simple color schemes select from either warm or cool tones, while others rely on a single color for a striking monochromatic effect. While for an interesting and dramatic look you might select several analogous colors like shades of red and red violet and then use a complementary color, like golden yellow as an accent. Depending on the kind of garden you are planning you may want a wide variety of colors. Try to create grouped plantings when using many different colors to create a design and visual flow. Many single colored flowers will look dull from a distance.
Composing your garden
Appreciate the space you are using. If your garden is going to be planted along a fence or against a house wall use a vine to add height and shape to your garden. Examine textures and shapes. To keep balance in your garden, make sure to use not just long stemmed flowers but also groundcovers and low plants with a variety of leave sizes and shapes.
Add focal points
By using a fountain, birdbath or other piece of statuary, you can add year round ornamentation as well as a focal point for you garden. If you plan your garden carefully it can be beautiful year-round and not just at the height of the growing season. By using many planters and pieces of statuary in your garden you are have the advantage of complete control over your garden’s shape. Take a look at some garden planter options. A garden consisting of planters can be arranged and rearranged to suit different moods, and different seasons to create something that provides visual interest year round. So if your having trouble deciding on a permanent look, using planters can give you design flexibility. Planters also provide shape and allow for greater control over plant growth.
Tips
When using planters it is still important to think about the heights and textures of every flower and plant and the containers that hold them.
Use ornamental rocks and small pieces of garden statuary to compliment taller planters. Place something tall and with an interesting texture and bright color in the center of your planter and surround it with lower, more simple textures for balance.
Alisander
Comments Off
Jul
02
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Bare Bones Gardener asked:
There is a strong belief among many people, that Australian Natives are beautiful but have no perfume. A stroll through the bush will dispel that rumour easily.
The fragrance of crushed leaves and scented blossoms can be almost overpowering at times. But many of the natives have a more subtle fragrance; you have to be close to them at the correct time to appreciate the flavours and scents.
The perfume of native plants is often produced at different times of the day or night. Perfumed native flowers include many of the Grevilleas (some like G. biternata and G. G. buxifolia have a strong honey-like perfume others like G. buxifolia have a light fragrant perfume), Boronias ( e.g. B. floribunda, B. serrulata and B. megastigma), Sowerbaeas (Vanilla Lilies), Xanthoreas (Grass Trees), Banksias, Eleaocarpus reticulatus (Blueberry Ash) which has a strong almost aniseed scent, Hakeas, Pittosporum undulatum (Native Daphne) — the perfume of this species may becoming overpowering in the evening –, Leptospermum species (e.g. L. flavescens), Homoranthus species (which has a Baked Biscuit scent) and Hymenosporum flavum (Native Frangipani). Many of the white flowering Eucalypts, Melaleuca and Callistemon species have a strong honey scent.
There are a number of fragrant orchids particularly the Dendrobium species: these tend to be strongest from early morning to the early afternoon. While some of the Cymbidium species such as C. suave have a good perfume during the middle of the day). The Sarcochilus species have what is best described as a spicy aroma.
The aroma released by some plants foliage is not revealed until it has been disturbed, crushed or brushed against. These include the Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) which is probably the best of all native lemon scents and is also used commercially as a cooking ingredient, while the foliage of B. anisata is strongly scented like aniseed; Eremophilas, Eriostemon species, Prosantheras,
Leptospermum petersoni (Lemon-scented Tea-tree — also good as a hedging plant), Darwinia citriodora (a light lemon scent) and some Melaleucas (Paperbarks) also have scents.
Of course you can’t forget the Eucalypt family with its famous eucalypt scent, which is redolent of our bushland. But now many other countries are growing vast plantations of them for timber, firewood and revegetation programs on every continent bar Antartica. One species, the E. citriodora gives off a strong lemon-come-eucalypt scent while Agonis flexuosa has a combination of eucalyptus and peppermint scent.
Calomeria elegans has been used as a substitute for lavender. Some species of Boronias also have strongly scented foliage.
And let’s not forget the grassy type plants, the lomandra’s and the Grass trees, both of which give a lovely honeyed smell when in flower.
So why not think about using some fragrant native plants in your garden. Not only will you get the benefit of supporting your local environment. But you might also get other benefits, like attracting birds, other wildlife and butterflies to your garden.
Aleck
There is a strong belief among many people, that Australian Natives are beautiful but have no perfume. A stroll through the bush will dispel that rumour easily.
The fragrance of crushed leaves and scented blossoms can be almost overpowering at times. But many of the natives have a more subtle fragrance; you have to be close to them at the correct time to appreciate the flavours and scents.
The perfume of native plants is often produced at different times of the day or night. Perfumed native flowers include many of the Grevilleas (some like G. biternata and G. G. buxifolia have a strong honey-like perfume others like G. buxifolia have a light fragrant perfume), Boronias ( e.g. B. floribunda, B. serrulata and B. megastigma), Sowerbaeas (Vanilla Lilies), Xanthoreas (Grass Trees), Banksias, Eleaocarpus reticulatus (Blueberry Ash) which has a strong almost aniseed scent, Hakeas, Pittosporum undulatum (Native Daphne) — the perfume of this species may becoming overpowering in the evening –, Leptospermum species (e.g. L. flavescens), Homoranthus species (which has a Baked Biscuit scent) and Hymenosporum flavum (Native Frangipani). Many of the white flowering Eucalypts, Melaleuca and Callistemon species have a strong honey scent.
There are a number of fragrant orchids particularly the Dendrobium species: these tend to be strongest from early morning to the early afternoon. While some of the Cymbidium species such as C. suave have a good perfume during the middle of the day). The Sarcochilus species have what is best described as a spicy aroma.
The aroma released by some plants foliage is not revealed until it has been disturbed, crushed or brushed against. These include the Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) which is probably the best of all native lemon scents and is also used commercially as a cooking ingredient, while the foliage of B. anisata is strongly scented like aniseed; Eremophilas, Eriostemon species, Prosantheras,
Leptospermum petersoni (Lemon-scented Tea-tree — also good as a hedging plant), Darwinia citriodora (a light lemon scent) and some Melaleucas (Paperbarks) also have scents.
Of course you can’t forget the Eucalypt family with its famous eucalypt scent, which is redolent of our bushland. But now many other countries are growing vast plantations of them for timber, firewood and revegetation programs on every continent bar Antartica. One species, the E. citriodora gives off a strong lemon-come-eucalypt scent while Agonis flexuosa has a combination of eucalyptus and peppermint scent.
Calomeria elegans has been used as a substitute for lavender. Some species of Boronias also have strongly scented foliage.
And let’s not forget the grassy type plants, the lomandra’s and the Grass trees, both of which give a lovely honeyed smell when in flower.
So why not think about using some fragrant native plants in your garden. Not only will you get the benefit of supporting your local environment. But you might also get other benefits, like attracting birds, other wildlife and butterflies to your garden.
Aleck
Comments Off
Jun
30
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
Every gardener has some questions regarding gardening for which he needs assistance to solve them. We usually have no clue as to whom to approach, or the places to visit to have the gardening questions answered. Rose gardening, especially, can have you baffled ever so often. We require all possible backing to help us emerge from this predicament. Well, the following are some of the places you could visit to get expert advice on problems relating to rose gardening.
1. Internet: These days there are countless number of gardening and home enhancement websites, which can solve any kind of gardening queries. Rose experts regularly write articles or they have FAQ columns on these websites, and hence you realize that you will receive excellent guidance. Moreover, websites that put up roses for sale will usually host an instructions section as well, which will effectively resolve any gardening queries that you may have. These rose websites are excellent in making available the best growing and trimming information. Plus, they will provide sound advice on the available novel rose varieties every year.
2. Books: Most gardening books are able to handle your most crucial gardening queries. Handbooks on roses are wonderful to have in your home library. They can supply you with a ready solution to nearly any difficulty you may be facing with your rose garden. The local garden outlet will probably have an extensive range of gardening books to select from.
3. Gardening Clubs: Becoming a member of the community gardening club can yield wonderful results. Besides gathering all the relevant information regarding your activity, you will also be provided with the chance to interact with gardening specialists and to forge new relations. Moreover, you can go to seminars, which are very enlightening and will suitable settle your rose gardening problems. Rose clubs are located in quite a few areas. You can scan the local listings to check if there is a gardening club devoted to the growing of roses in your neighborhood.
4. Magazines: There are several magazines related to gardening that are definitely worth subscribing for. These magazines contain articles that encompass all the gardening aspects, right from the fundamentals to more sophisticated skills. You will have at your disposal sufficient professional advice to boost your gardening wisdom. In addition, there are usually filled with stunning photographs that will provide you with fantastic ideas and enthuse you to create a captivating garden.
Thus, you can observe that a number of ways exist by which your rose gardening queries can be answered. You can relax and enjoy your gardening with the support of these marvelous resources. In case you are in a jam with regard to your rose garden, simply check with any of the listed resources to assist you with this predicament. Before long, you will become a professional yourself and will be dispensing valuable rose gardening advice in your neighborhood!
Albie
Every gardener has some questions regarding gardening for which he needs assistance to solve them. We usually have no clue as to whom to approach, or the places to visit to have the gardening questions answered. Rose gardening, especially, can have you baffled ever so often. We require all possible backing to help us emerge from this predicament. Well, the following are some of the places you could visit to get expert advice on problems relating to rose gardening.
1. Internet: These days there are countless number of gardening and home enhancement websites, which can solve any kind of gardening queries. Rose experts regularly write articles or they have FAQ columns on these websites, and hence you realize that you will receive excellent guidance. Moreover, websites that put up roses for sale will usually host an instructions section as well, which will effectively resolve any gardening queries that you may have. These rose websites are excellent in making available the best growing and trimming information. Plus, they will provide sound advice on the available novel rose varieties every year.
2. Books: Most gardening books are able to handle your most crucial gardening queries. Handbooks on roses are wonderful to have in your home library. They can supply you with a ready solution to nearly any difficulty you may be facing with your rose garden. The local garden outlet will probably have an extensive range of gardening books to select from.
3. Gardening Clubs: Becoming a member of the community gardening club can yield wonderful results. Besides gathering all the relevant information regarding your activity, you will also be provided with the chance to interact with gardening specialists and to forge new relations. Moreover, you can go to seminars, which are very enlightening and will suitable settle your rose gardening problems. Rose clubs are located in quite a few areas. You can scan the local listings to check if there is a gardening club devoted to the growing of roses in your neighborhood.
4. Magazines: There are several magazines related to gardening that are definitely worth subscribing for. These magazines contain articles that encompass all the gardening aspects, right from the fundamentals to more sophisticated skills. You will have at your disposal sufficient professional advice to boost your gardening wisdom. In addition, there are usually filled with stunning photographs that will provide you with fantastic ideas and enthuse you to create a captivating garden.
Thus, you can observe that a number of ways exist by which your rose gardening queries can be answered. You can relax and enjoy your gardening with the support of these marvelous resources. In case you are in a jam with regard to your rose garden, simply check with any of the listed resources to assist you with this predicament. Before long, you will become a professional yourself and will be dispensing valuable rose gardening advice in your neighborhood!
Albie
Comments Off
Jun
28
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Ewa in the Garden asked:
Moss is either loved or hated in the garden. People very often passionately rake it away. Why not to look at it as blessing to your garden? Its kinds are very difficult to recognize - you need proper book for that and magnifying glass. I don’t remember since when I love moss. I think since always. Soft, fragile and moist. In my garden moss is welcomed everywhere. I try to grow it on my stones as well. Few months ago I covered them with yoghurt dilluted with water 1:1. No great effect yet, just little greenish something appeared.
You can appreciate moss beauty especially in the winter - when it is lush green and so soft to walk on. Grows in the lawn in the shadow? Great! I don’t need to move it. Grass is weaker and weaker in these spots, and moss patches are larger and larger… and more and more green. Moss reminds me my second big and earliest garden fascination of Japanese Gardens.
I look for tranquility and harmony in the garden. In the smaller gardens it is even more important to not overload it with too many different plants.
I like them for meditative and tranquill character. I remember that in communist time in Poland there was not so many books about landscaping and Far East - that was of my special interest at that time. I made friends with the owner of the shop selling used/old books. Whenever something about Japan appeared on the shelf I was getting a phone call and I immediatelly run to the shop to see it.
There is six features as a synonym for an excellent not only Japanese but landscape garden.
According to the ancient book of gardens, there should be six different qualities to which a garden can aspire.
They are grouped in their traditional complementary pairs, they are:
spaciousness & seclusion
artifice & antiquity
water-courses & panoramas.
As the specialists say "it is difficult enough to find a garden that is blessed with any three or four of these desirable attributes, let along five, or even more rarely, all six."
Yet there is such case in Japan.
Its name is “Kenroku-en” which means “garden that combines six characteristics”, which is named by Sadanobu Matsudaira, a feudal load in the present Tohoku district (northern part of mainland Japan).
Plants recommended for Japanese gardens:
Trees and shrubs
Acer plamatum, Acer japonicum, Acer ginnala, Amelanchier canadensis, Cercis chinensis, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Cornus kousa, Cryptomeria japonica, Gingko biloba, Pinus nigra, Pinus thunbergiana, Pinus densiflora, Magnolia kobus, Magnolia stellata, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus mume, Prunus serrulata, Prunus armeniaca, Sciadopitys verticillata, Tsuga canadensis,
Trees and shrubs of medium size
Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, Spirea japonica, Chaenomeles japonica, Chaenomeles lagenaria, Euonymus alatus, Enkianthus campanulatus, Forsytia x intermedia, Forsytia suspensa, Juniperus chinensis ‘Armstrongii’, Kerria japonica, Mahonia aquifolium, Pieris japonica, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Syringa vulgaris
Small shrubs
Buxus microphylla, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’, Daphne cneorum, Ilex crenata, Juniperus chinensis ‘Blue Vase’, Pinus mugo ‘Compacta’, Rhododendron obtusum, Rhododendron kaempferi, Spirea japonica, Spirea bumalda, Thuja occidentalis ‘Globosa’, Viburnum carlesii
All these plants are accompanied by different kind of grass, moss, perennials, bamboo, ivy that might be chosen according to the climate zone.
If you are interested to read more please visit http://wwww.ewainthegarden.blogspot.com
Alessandro
Moss is either loved or hated in the garden. People very often passionately rake it away. Why not to look at it as blessing to your garden? Its kinds are very difficult to recognize - you need proper book for that and magnifying glass. I don’t remember since when I love moss. I think since always. Soft, fragile and moist. In my garden moss is welcomed everywhere. I try to grow it on my stones as well. Few months ago I covered them with yoghurt dilluted with water 1:1. No great effect yet, just little greenish something appeared.
You can appreciate moss beauty especially in the winter - when it is lush green and so soft to walk on. Grows in the lawn in the shadow? Great! I don’t need to move it. Grass is weaker and weaker in these spots, and moss patches are larger and larger… and more and more green. Moss reminds me my second big and earliest garden fascination of Japanese Gardens.
I look for tranquility and harmony in the garden. In the smaller gardens it is even more important to not overload it with too many different plants.
I like them for meditative and tranquill character. I remember that in communist time in Poland there was not so many books about landscaping and Far East - that was of my special interest at that time. I made friends with the owner of the shop selling used/old books. Whenever something about Japan appeared on the shelf I was getting a phone call and I immediatelly run to the shop to see it.
There is six features as a synonym for an excellent not only Japanese but landscape garden.
According to the ancient book of gardens, there should be six different qualities to which a garden can aspire.
They are grouped in their traditional complementary pairs, they are:
spaciousness & seclusion
artifice & antiquity
water-courses & panoramas.
As the specialists say "it is difficult enough to find a garden that is blessed with any three or four of these desirable attributes, let along five, or even more rarely, all six."
Yet there is such case in Japan.
Its name is “Kenroku-en” which means “garden that combines six characteristics”, which is named by Sadanobu Matsudaira, a feudal load in the present Tohoku district (northern part of mainland Japan).
Plants recommended for Japanese gardens:
Trees and shrubs
Acer plamatum, Acer japonicum, Acer ginnala, Amelanchier canadensis, Cercis chinensis, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Cornus kousa, Cryptomeria japonica, Gingko biloba, Pinus nigra, Pinus thunbergiana, Pinus densiflora, Magnolia kobus, Magnolia stellata, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus mume, Prunus serrulata, Prunus armeniaca, Sciadopitys verticillata, Tsuga canadensis,
Trees and shrubs of medium size
Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, Spirea japonica, Chaenomeles japonica, Chaenomeles lagenaria, Euonymus alatus, Enkianthus campanulatus, Forsytia x intermedia, Forsytia suspensa, Juniperus chinensis ‘Armstrongii’, Kerria japonica, Mahonia aquifolium, Pieris japonica, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Syringa vulgaris
Small shrubs
Buxus microphylla, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’, Daphne cneorum, Ilex crenata, Juniperus chinensis ‘Blue Vase’, Pinus mugo ‘Compacta’, Rhododendron obtusum, Rhododendron kaempferi, Spirea japonica, Spirea bumalda, Thuja occidentalis ‘Globosa’, Viburnum carlesii
All these plants are accompanied by different kind of grass, moss, perennials, bamboo, ivy that might be chosen according to the climate zone.
If you are interested to read more please visit http://wwww.ewainthegarden.blogspot.com
Alessandro
Comments Off
Jun
27
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Bare Bones Gardener asked:
It can be a scary exercise to sit down and work out exactly what is spent every year, on the average home gardens and lawns.
Try adding up the costs of plants, weedicides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilisers, petrol, mower and trimmer maintenance, weed eater cord, garden mulch and even water costs. Even the time and effort we go to in order to maintain a good-looking environment for our families and ourselves can amount to a substantial price.
So it is no wonder that many people are looking at ways to save money for more important causes.
One of the first things that you can do to save money, is to make use of as much of that organic matter that many people throw in the bin or wash down the sink.
For instance do you throw out your lawn clippings? Do you dutifully wrap up and throw out those old veggie scraps?
Are you one of those people who regularly get the trailer out and make trips down to the landfill with a pile of branch prunings?
What about those pile of leaves you threw in the bin last autumn?
Do you realise that all of those things can be turned into a wonderful form of plant food, as well as being used as a barrier to prevent the soil from loosing moisture and therefore increasing the amount of time between watering your garden. An organic mulch will also improve the soil structure, increase the good animals like worms while assisting in decreasing the nasty pests living in the soil.
By keeping these sorts of things within your own garden you are also assisting in reducing the effects that city living is having on the environment in landfill problems and costs.
There are a number of different ways that you can recycle these piles of organic matter within your own yard. One is to apply the bulk organic matter directly to your garden beds, ensuring that you don’t pile the material directly up against the trunks or main stems of the plants. A second idea to get a worm farm and recycle your kitchen waste that way; the worms provide you with a very strong and nutritious fertilising liquid for the garden as a bonus. This liquid is so strong it has to be diluted 10-1.
Don’t, by the way, put meat products, citrus peels or onion and garlic in with the worms. A third way is to purchase or construct your own compost pile/bin/tumbler and recycle the material that way.
So just by composting your old leaves, soft cuttings, veggie and fruit scraps, chipped branches, lawn clippings etc., you can do a lot to reduce your costs that you would have spent on such things as garden mulch and fertilisers as well as assisting your plants to last much longer between watering periods. So as you can see there are a number of reasons for not throwing away all that organic material.
Adolph
It can be a scary exercise to sit down and work out exactly what is spent every year, on the average home gardens and lawns.
Try adding up the costs of plants, weedicides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilisers, petrol, mower and trimmer maintenance, weed eater cord, garden mulch and even water costs. Even the time and effort we go to in order to maintain a good-looking environment for our families and ourselves can amount to a substantial price.
So it is no wonder that many people are looking at ways to save money for more important causes.
One of the first things that you can do to save money, is to make use of as much of that organic matter that many people throw in the bin or wash down the sink.
For instance do you throw out your lawn clippings? Do you dutifully wrap up and throw out those old veggie scraps?
Are you one of those people who regularly get the trailer out and make trips down to the landfill with a pile of branch prunings?
What about those pile of leaves you threw in the bin last autumn?
Do you realise that all of those things can be turned into a wonderful form of plant food, as well as being used as a barrier to prevent the soil from loosing moisture and therefore increasing the amount of time between watering your garden. An organic mulch will also improve the soil structure, increase the good animals like worms while assisting in decreasing the nasty pests living in the soil.
By keeping these sorts of things within your own garden you are also assisting in reducing the effects that city living is having on the environment in landfill problems and costs.
There are a number of different ways that you can recycle these piles of organic matter within your own yard. One is to apply the bulk organic matter directly to your garden beds, ensuring that you don’t pile the material directly up against the trunks or main stems of the plants. A second idea to get a worm farm and recycle your kitchen waste that way; the worms provide you with a very strong and nutritious fertilising liquid for the garden as a bonus. This liquid is so strong it has to be diluted 10-1.
Don’t, by the way, put meat products, citrus peels or onion and garlic in with the worms. A third way is to purchase or construct your own compost pile/bin/tumbler and recycle the material that way.
So just by composting your old leaves, soft cuttings, veggie and fruit scraps, chipped branches, lawn clippings etc., you can do a lot to reduce your costs that you would have spent on such things as garden mulch and fertilisers as well as assisting your plants to last much longer between watering periods. So as you can see there are a number of reasons for not throwing away all that organic material.
Adolph
Comments Off
Jun
25
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
The activity of gardening is gaining in popularity since it is being viewed as an extremely rewarding pastime that provides plenty of fresh air, exercise, and “beautiful” results. But most people are not content with just a garden full of ordinary plants, but wish to create a landscape of extraordinary flowers! And so the entry of “flower gardening”!
But wait a minute! There should be no mistaken belief that creating a garden full of flowers is an easy task. It involves tough physical labor and demands dedication. Only then will you be able to produce a “work of art”.
Any outdoor activity should be acceptable to the surrounding ecosystem; so also flower gardening. The suggestions listed below should help you to grow healthy plants–
(1) It is important to know the “hardiness zone” of the area you are located in. The USA and lower Canada have been divided into various hardiness zones by the USDA, according to a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average minimum temperature. This division will allow you to note which plants can survive in which zones (seed packets or flower guides carry this information), and you can purchase the appropriate flowers for your garden.
(2) You have a vast range of flowering plants to choose from, including butterfly bush, butterfly weed, foxtail lily, African lily or the lily of the Nile, lantana and delphiniums. Nice insects like butterflies and bees will feel like visiting your garden!
(3) If you are unsure about the type of plants you need to pick for your flower gardening, take the help of garden guides and catalogs. They can provide you with all the information you want, including useful tips.
(4) Some of the tips given concern having a mix-and-match garden that displays flowers and plenty of colors all year round! There are early bloomers, late bloomers and mid-season bloomers to choose from. The “early” ones and “late” ones can grow in side-by-side rows, to exhibit alternate blooming times. So also perennials and bulbs. Many more combinations can be tried out, depending on your creativity!
(5) Though most plants have green leaves, there are some with silvery-colored leaves. Some exhibit burgundy-colored leaves. These can become “space fillers”, to make up for those flowers which have not yet blossomed/finished blooming.
(6) Before actually starting on your flower gardening project, keep aside a book as a gardening journal. This is what seasoned veterans do, and recording their earlier mistakes have helped them to do better the next time round.
Start off by preparing a sketch or plan of your new garden. Fill in all the details like–the location of your garden, its proposed shape, the flowering plants that you wish to have, a rough arrangement of the plants, and so on. Place pictures too, as you go along. Record your successes and failures. Over a period of time, this journal becomes a “chronicle” of your flower gardening efforts!
(7) Are you planning to have a container garden or a purely outdoor garden? If it is containers that are going to hold your plants, then ensure that the soil conditions are just right inside them. Also, you have to get only those plants that can tolerate temperature changes and exposure to sunlight, because all plants cannot face environmental changes. Again, all plants cannot be grown inside containers.
(8) If it is going to be an outdoor garden, the soil has to be tested first with the help of a soil testing kit. Many local gardening supply stores stock it; in case they are not able to supply one, they can always refer you to a place where the kit is available.
Even without a kit, you should be able to judge the quality of the soil in your yard with the help of your hands. Take some soil in your hand, and rub it back and forth. If the soil comes apart, it indicates the presence of too much of sand. So it cannot store nutrients. Sticking together, indicates that there is too much of clay in the soil. This type of soil does not drain well, and does not allow roots to penetrate easily.
Loam soil (equal amounts of clay and sand) is the best for flower gardening.
(9) Now that you chosen the spot for your garden, start digging. When you have gone about 8 inches to 1 foot in depth, extract the rocks and other unwanted debris that you can find there. Use a rake to split up clods of earth and level the area.
(10) The next step is tilling. About one inch or more of manure or compost is to be added to the dug-up soil. Add even more if it is of poor quality. Grass cuttings or peat moss help to increase water retention capacity if the soil has too much of sand in it. For acidic type of soil, add lime.
When you mix the soil and all the organic components that you have added to it, turning the whole thing over and over a few times, you have “tilled” the soil.
(11) Use the rake again to level the new bed. Some more ammendments have to be added to the soil. Compost goes into the top soil (about 6 inches), along with a general-purpose fertilizer (10-20-10).
(12) Do not start planting your flowers as soon as you have finished adding ammendments. Give them time to enter the soil and spread all across the plot designated for your garden. A few weeks of waiting is necessary. Meanwhile, you can browse the books again so that you are thoroughly prepared when it is actual planting time, with the plants as well as all their requirements.
(13) Now that the time has finally arrived, start sowing the seeds, or planting the seedlings. Smaller ones should take the front seats, while the bigger ones should be placed at the back. Ensure a distance of 3 feet between the plants and any buildings/fences. Also, there should be at least 20 feet of space between your flowers and large trees. Large bushes should maintain a distance of 5 feet from your plants. Other trouble spots to look out for are–steep slopes, places where water tends to stagnate and shallow and rocky soil.
(14) Now that you have come this far in your flower gardening project, it is time to put down a layer of mulch (indicates compost that has not completely decayed) over the garden. A word of caution–ensure that it does not come in contact with the stems of the plants. A layer of 2 to 3 inches of mulch should remain around the plants all the time, especially during the growing seasons.
Weeds can prove detrimental to your garden. As an added precaution, keep layers of wet/damp newspapers under the mulch.
Why mulch? The benefits it provides to the soil include–stabilization of temperature, increase in water retention capacity, addition of nutrients and prevention of excessive growth of weeds.
(15) Do not go in for synthetic substances or chemical pesticides, despite advice from some professional gardeners. You have been “organic” so far; no point in going back to “inorganic”! All that you need to do to make a success of your flower gardening project is to keep the soil quality in top condition. Try to combine plants so that one acts like a “pesticide” for the other. For example, plants like rose and garlic are beneficial to their companions in the garden.
(16) If you are in a hurry to start growing your flowers, there is another option available. Get some jiffy pots that are made from compressed peat moss. Put in potting soil or starting mix. Sow the seeds. Place the pots inside the house in an area where they can can get sufficient sunlight.
Once the plants have attained a height of 4 inches, place the jiffy pots outside in a pre-designated location. The pots rot away and the plants get “attached” to the natural soil by their roots.
In addition, you can look for tips and information about seeds on the backs of seed packages, such as–when and how to sow the seeds, distance to be maintained between plants, etc. Seedlings of course, should be planted as soon as possible.
(17) Like many others, you may not really have an idea about compost or how it is prepared. So, here is some information about this “organic manure”.
How is organic matter different from inorganic materials? When there is decaying of the dead remains of animals and plants (remains of any living things, in fact), the decomposed material returns to the soil. The soil therefore gets enriched with vitamins and other nutrients. Its fertility is enhanced, enabling plants to grow healthy.
Thus, when soil is of poor quality, it can be “ammended” with the addition of natural manure or compost. Being totally organic in nature, it causes no harm to your garden or the surrounding environment.
Since compost is easy to make on your own, you save on costs as you do not have to pay for readymade manure purchased from the local gardening supply store. You save on time too. The environment will be thankful to you as you are taking care of the large amount of material collecting in landfills!
If your garden soil contains too much of sand, compost will help to retain water. If there is too much of clay, the compost enhances the soil’s capacity to drain well. And of course, plenty of nutrients get into the soil with the help of this organic manure.
(18) Finally, how do you prepare your own compost for your flower gardening project?
Dig a pit. Fill it with whatever organic wastes that you can get–lettuce leaves, tea leaves, coffee grounds, banana peels, grass clippings, shredded branches, hay, chopped leaves, garden plants that are free of disease and have finished their season, straw, weeds, shredded papers and newspaper. No bones or meat are to be put in. Whatever is put in, should be small in size–so use a lawn mower or a shredder to reduce the size of some materials.
Once the pile has attained 6 inches in height, use finished compost or soil or manure to cover it. The covering layer should be about 3 to 6 inches thick. Repeat the process of alternate layers of organic materials and finished compost/soil/manure. The final height of the entire pile should be 3 feet.
The compost pile should be started in a shady location. Whenever it seems to go dry, sprinkle water on it; enough to keep it damp, not to make it soggy. There is heat generated that helps to sterilize the forming compost. Keep turning the pile to ensure circulation of oxygen.
When there is no more heat being produced, the pile is ready for use. This compost has to be mixed with soil before planting flowers. It can actually be used in any way possible–as mulch, soil ammendment or potting soil. But use it as quickly as possible since the nutrients in it tend to get dissipated.
Thus, your flower gardening project has been entirely “organic” in nature!
Stacia
The activity of gardening is gaining in popularity since it is being viewed as an extremely rewarding pastime that provides plenty of fresh air, exercise, and “beautiful” results. But most people are not content with just a garden full of ordinary plants, but wish to create a landscape of extraordinary flowers! And so the entry of “flower gardening”!
But wait a minute! There should be no mistaken belief that creating a garden full of flowers is an easy task. It involves tough physical labor and demands dedication. Only then will you be able to produce a “work of art”.
Any outdoor activity should be acceptable to the surrounding ecosystem; so also flower gardening. The suggestions listed below should help you to grow healthy plants–
(1) It is important to know the “hardiness zone” of the area you are located in. The USA and lower Canada have been divided into various hardiness zones by the USDA, according to a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average minimum temperature. This division will allow you to note which plants can survive in which zones (seed packets or flower guides carry this information), and you can purchase the appropriate flowers for your garden.
(2) You have a vast range of flowering plants to choose from, including butterfly bush, butterfly weed, foxtail lily, African lily or the lily of the Nile, lantana and delphiniums. Nice insects like butterflies and bees will feel like visiting your garden!
(3) If you are unsure about the type of plants you need to pick for your flower gardening, take the help of garden guides and catalogs. They can provide you with all the information you want, including useful tips.
(4) Some of the tips given concern having a mix-and-match garden that displays flowers and plenty of colors all year round! There are early bloomers, late bloomers and mid-season bloomers to choose from. The “early” ones and “late” ones can grow in side-by-side rows, to exhibit alternate blooming times. So also perennials and bulbs. Many more combinations can be tried out, depending on your creativity!
(5) Though most plants have green leaves, there are some with silvery-colored leaves. Some exhibit burgundy-colored leaves. These can become “space fillers”, to make up for those flowers which have not yet blossomed/finished blooming.
(6) Before actually starting on your flower gardening project, keep aside a book as a gardening journal. This is what seasoned veterans do, and recording their earlier mistakes have helped them to do better the next time round.
Start off by preparing a sketch or plan of your new garden. Fill in all the details like–the location of your garden, its proposed shape, the flowering plants that you wish to have, a rough arrangement of the plants, and so on. Place pictures too, as you go along. Record your successes and failures. Over a period of time, this journal becomes a “chronicle” of your flower gardening efforts!
(7) Are you planning to have a container garden or a purely outdoor garden? If it is containers that are going to hold your plants, then ensure that the soil conditions are just right inside them. Also, you have to get only those plants that can tolerate temperature changes and exposure to sunlight, because all plants cannot face environmental changes. Again, all plants cannot be grown inside containers.
(8) If it is going to be an outdoor garden, the soil has to be tested first with the help of a soil testing kit. Many local gardening supply stores stock it; in case they are not able to supply one, they can always refer you to a place where the kit is available.
Even without a kit, you should be able to judge the quality of the soil in your yard with the help of your hands. Take some soil in your hand, and rub it back and forth. If the soil comes apart, it indicates the presence of too much of sand. So it cannot store nutrients. Sticking together, indicates that there is too much of clay in the soil. This type of soil does not drain well, and does not allow roots to penetrate easily.
Loam soil (equal amounts of clay and sand) is the best for flower gardening.
(9) Now that you chosen the spot for your garden, start digging. When you have gone about 8 inches to 1 foot in depth, extract the rocks and other unwanted debris that you can find there. Use a rake to split up clods of earth and level the area.
(10) The next step is tilling. About one inch or more of manure or compost is to be added to the dug-up soil. Add even more if it is of poor quality. Grass cuttings or peat moss help to increase water retention capacity if the soil has too much of sand in it. For acidic type of soil, add lime.
When you mix the soil and all the organic components that you have added to it, turning the whole thing over and over a few times, you have “tilled” the soil.
(11) Use the rake again to level the new bed. Some more ammendments have to be added to the soil. Compost goes into the top soil (about 6 inches), along with a general-purpose fertilizer (10-20-10).
(12) Do not start planting your flowers as soon as you have finished adding ammendments. Give them time to enter the soil and spread all across the plot designated for your garden. A few weeks of waiting is necessary. Meanwhile, you can browse the books again so that you are thoroughly prepared when it is actual planting time, with the plants as well as all their requirements.
(13) Now that the time has finally arrived, start sowing the seeds, or planting the seedlings. Smaller ones should take the front seats, while the bigger ones should be placed at the back. Ensure a distance of 3 feet between the plants and any buildings/fences. Also, there should be at least 20 feet of space between your flowers and large trees. Large bushes should maintain a distance of 5 feet from your plants. Other trouble spots to look out for are–steep slopes, places where water tends to stagnate and shallow and rocky soil.
(14) Now that you have come this far in your flower gardening project, it is time to put down a layer of mulch (indicates compost that has not completely decayed) over the garden. A word of caution–ensure that it does not come in contact with the stems of the plants. A layer of 2 to 3 inches of mulch should remain around the plants all the time, especially during the growing seasons.
Weeds can prove detrimental to your garden. As an added precaution, keep layers of wet/damp newspapers under the mulch.
Why mulch? The benefits it provides to the soil include–stabilization of temperature, increase in water retention capacity, addition of nutrients and prevention of excessive growth of weeds.
(15) Do not go in for synthetic substances or chemical pesticides, despite advice from some professional gardeners. You have been “organic” so far; no point in going back to “inorganic”! All that you need to do to make a success of your flower gardening project is to keep the soil quality in top condition. Try to combine plants so that one acts like a “pesticide” for the other. For example, plants like rose and garlic are beneficial to their companions in the garden.
(16) If you are in a hurry to start growing your flowers, there is another option available. Get some jiffy pots that are made from compressed peat moss. Put in potting soil or starting mix. Sow the seeds. Place the pots inside the house in an area where they can can get sufficient sunlight.
Once the plants have attained a height of 4 inches, place the jiffy pots outside in a pre-designated location. The pots rot away and the plants get “attached” to the natural soil by their roots.
In addition, you can look for tips and information about seeds on the backs of seed packages, such as–when and how to sow the seeds, distance to be maintained between plants, etc. Seedlings of course, should be planted as soon as possible.
(17) Like many others, you may not really have an idea about compost or how it is prepared. So, here is some information about this “organic manure”.
How is organic matter different from inorganic materials? When there is decaying of the dead remains of animals and plants (remains of any living things, in fact), the decomposed material returns to the soil. The soil therefore gets enriched with vitamins and other nutrients. Its fertility is enhanced, enabling plants to grow healthy.
Thus, when soil is of poor quality, it can be “ammended” with the addition of natural manure or compost. Being totally organic in nature, it causes no harm to your garden or the surrounding environment.
Since compost is easy to make on your own, you save on costs as you do not have to pay for readymade manure purchased from the local gardening supply store. You save on time too. The environment will be thankful to you as you are taking care of the large amount of material collecting in landfills!
If your garden soil contains too much of sand, compost will help to retain water. If there is too much of clay, the compost enhances the soil’s capacity to drain well. And of course, plenty of nutrients get into the soil with the help of this organic manure.
(18) Finally, how do you prepare your own compost for your flower gardening project?
Dig a pit. Fill it with whatever organic wastes that you can get–lettuce leaves, tea leaves, coffee grounds, banana peels, grass clippings, shredded branches, hay, chopped leaves, garden plants that are free of disease and have finished their season, straw, weeds, shredded papers and newspaper. No bones or meat are to be put in. Whatever is put in, should be small in size–so use a lawn mower or a shredder to reduce the size of some materials.
Once the pile has attained 6 inches in height, use finished compost or soil or manure to cover it. The covering layer should be about 3 to 6 inches thick. Repeat the process of alternate layers of organic materials and finished compost/soil/manure. The final height of the entire pile should be 3 feet.
The compost pile should be started in a shady location. Whenever it seems to go dry, sprinkle water on it; enough to keep it damp, not to make it soggy. There is heat generated that helps to sterilize the forming compost. Keep turning the pile to ensure circulation of oxygen.
When there is no more heat being produced, the pile is ready for use. This compost has to be mixed with soil before planting flowers. It can actually be used in any way possible–as mulch, soil ammendment or potting soil. But use it as quickly as possible since the nutrients in it tend to get dissipated.
Thus, your flower gardening project has been entirely “organic” in nature!
Stacia
Comments Off
Jun
25
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Jeff Halper asked:
You know one when you see it. The English garden design is all about curved beds, winding paths, riotous color. The gardener’s hand is light. There-but just barely. It lets nature do its own thing. You might even say that the English garden design is controlled chaos.
The history of English garden design began with the revolt against the constraints of formal landscape design and classic landscape design. These two forms, with their appreciation of balance, symmetry and geometry, sit on the opposing end of the spectrum from English garden design. Where formal gardens find beauty in linearity, English gardens use undulating lines. Where formal gardens seek right angles, English gardens use few, if any, angles. The words of the English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744)-the “amiable simplicity of unadorned nature”-describe this style.
Impressionist painters were key influencers in the continuing development of the English garden design. Claude Monet (1840-1926) claimed that painting and gardening were his only two interests in life. When he first moved to Giverny, where he would build his famous water gardens, his first concern was to arrange the garden in a rampant, naturalistic explosion of color.
The residential English garden design has since become hugely popular in the United States. Houston’s semi-tropical climate is well suited for vine-covered pergolas, sunny rose gardens, dazzling azalea beds and bursts of seasonal color-all plant materials that fit well within the English garden’s concept of abundance.
A Quick Study of English Gardens
The English garden design is the essence of an informal garden. The different colors and textures of the plant materials-the profuse wildness-draw the viewer in, creating a feast for the mind’s eye. However, while it has elements of a naturalistic garden, it is not considered of this style. Instead, flowering plants are arranged in a seemingly haphazard arrangement that merely recalls a natural landscape.
The general characteristics of an English garden design fall along these lines:
? Plants are chosen out of personal preference or connection. It is common to find cuttings from the gardens of family and friends.
? Regional plants have prominence because they enhance the naturalistic feel.
? Plants, especially flowering ones, are grouped into smaller clumps-not drifts. The desired effect is for the garden to appear somewhat random, but not messy.
? Many different kinds of plants are used-annuals, bulbs, herbs, perennials, shrubs and vines.
? Scent is very important in an English garden design. Hence, the prevalence of roses and herbs.
? Often the garden is enclosed by a picket fence or hedge to help bring some additional order.
? Strong mix of colors.
Colors of an English Garden: Evoking the Emotions
English garden design uses plants to reach the viewer emotionally rather than intellectually. Primarily, it is done with color.
Different colors affect people differently, but generally each color has its own psychological appeal. Green is the most restful color. Pale greens and yellow-greens are perfect for an English garden design because they feel lighter, brighter and more informal. White creates a sense of space in a garden. Red calls attention to itself or what it surrounds, making it perfect for planting near focal points. Apricot, salmon and peach tints are friendly and welcoming.
Space and Elements of the English Garden Design
The arrangement of elements within the English garden space is very important. Whereas the modern garden design uses a philosophy of “less is more”, the English garden simply says “more.”
Some elements to consider for an English garden:
Gates. The garden entryway can become an important element of an English garden design. Plants can soften the garden gate, making it even more inviting.
Hardscapes. Hardscapes are non-plant material features of landscape design. Popular residential hardscape structures made of wood that work well in an English garden design include arbors, pergolas and gazebos. In an English garden, walkways meander through the landscape while providing easy access to your home and other structures. Perhaps a retaining wall, a short wall used to hold the soil in place, is needed as part of a proper landscape drainage system. If so, good landscape designers and landscape architects will construct it so that it fits the design.
Material choices. Just as flagstone and travertine work well in a Mediterranean garden design, brick and gravel complement an English garden design.
The Ever After of an English Garden
While English gardens are lower in maintenance than a formal landscape design, a landscape maintenance program is still required. Especially it will involve the systematic feeding of flowers, bushes and trees. Since trees are a vital part of the English garden, make sure proper tree preservation methods are used during installation. “A temporary irrigation system and hand-digging to minimize damage to trees and their root systems are a very important part of tree preservation,” explains Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. For the longer term, a permanent irrigation system is also a plus for the entire landscape since it will increase the ease of the required regular watering.
Dusti
You know one when you see it. The English garden design is all about curved beds, winding paths, riotous color. The gardener’s hand is light. There-but just barely. It lets nature do its own thing. You might even say that the English garden design is controlled chaos.
The history of English garden design began with the revolt against the constraints of formal landscape design and classic landscape design. These two forms, with their appreciation of balance, symmetry and geometry, sit on the opposing end of the spectrum from English garden design. Where formal gardens find beauty in linearity, English gardens use undulating lines. Where formal gardens seek right angles, English gardens use few, if any, angles. The words of the English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744)-the “amiable simplicity of unadorned nature”-describe this style.
Impressionist painters were key influencers in the continuing development of the English garden design. Claude Monet (1840-1926) claimed that painting and gardening were his only two interests in life. When he first moved to Giverny, where he would build his famous water gardens, his first concern was to arrange the garden in a rampant, naturalistic explosion of color.
The residential English garden design has since become hugely popular in the United States. Houston’s semi-tropical climate is well suited for vine-covered pergolas, sunny rose gardens, dazzling azalea beds and bursts of seasonal color-all plant materials that fit well within the English garden’s concept of abundance.
A Quick Study of English Gardens
The English garden design is the essence of an informal garden. The different colors and textures of the plant materials-the profuse wildness-draw the viewer in, creating a feast for the mind’s eye. However, while it has elements of a naturalistic garden, it is not considered of this style. Instead, flowering plants are arranged in a seemingly haphazard arrangement that merely recalls a natural landscape.
The general characteristics of an English garden design fall along these lines:
? Plants are chosen out of personal preference or connection. It is common to find cuttings from the gardens of family and friends.
? Regional plants have prominence because they enhance the naturalistic feel.
? Plants, especially flowering ones, are grouped into smaller clumps-not drifts. The desired effect is for the garden to appear somewhat random, but not messy.
? Many different kinds of plants are used-annuals, bulbs, herbs, perennials, shrubs and vines.
? Scent is very important in an English garden design. Hence, the prevalence of roses and herbs.
? Often the garden is enclosed by a picket fence or hedge to help bring some additional order.
? Strong mix of colors.
Colors of an English Garden: Evoking the Emotions
English garden design uses plants to reach the viewer emotionally rather than intellectually. Primarily, it is done with color.
Different colors affect people differently, but generally each color has its own psychological appeal. Green is the most restful color. Pale greens and yellow-greens are perfect for an English garden design because they feel lighter, brighter and more informal. White creates a sense of space in a garden. Red calls attention to itself or what it surrounds, making it perfect for planting near focal points. Apricot, salmon and peach tints are friendly and welcoming.
Space and Elements of the English Garden Design
The arrangement of elements within the English garden space is very important. Whereas the modern garden design uses a philosophy of “less is more”, the English garden simply says “more.”
Some elements to consider for an English garden:
Gates. The garden entryway can become an important element of an English garden design. Plants can soften the garden gate, making it even more inviting.
Hardscapes. Hardscapes are non-plant material features of landscape design. Popular residential hardscape structures made of wood that work well in an English garden design include arbors, pergolas and gazebos. In an English garden, walkways meander through the landscape while providing easy access to your home and other structures. Perhaps a retaining wall, a short wall used to hold the soil in place, is needed as part of a proper landscape drainage system. If so, good landscape designers and landscape architects will construct it so that it fits the design.
Material choices. Just as flagstone and travertine work well in a Mediterranean garden design, brick and gravel complement an English garden design.
The Ever After of an English Garden
While English gardens are lower in maintenance than a formal landscape design, a landscape maintenance program is still required. Especially it will involve the systematic feeding of flowers, bushes and trees. Since trees are a vital part of the English garden, make sure proper tree preservation methods are used during installation. “A temporary irrigation system and hand-digging to minimize damage to trees and their root systems are a very important part of tree preservation,” explains Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. For the longer term, a permanent irrigation system is also a plus for the entire landscape since it will increase the ease of the required regular watering.
Dusti
Comments Off
Jun
24
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
kritika sharma asked:
Gardening has been converted into one of the most popular hobbies, and you probably know a gardener or two that would love a gardening gift for their upcoming special occasion. There are hundreds of gardening gifts to buy for both the beginner and expert gardener, and the great thing about gardening gifts is they can be bought just about anywhere: online, nursery, feed store, farmer’s market, even your local Wal-Mart or grocery store.
If buying a gardening gift for a beginner, an instructional or informational book is always a good idea. Books like this will give tips on how to eliminate gardening nightmares like disease, insects, and weeds. They will tell gardeners which kind of plants thrive in different climates, for more details visit to www.insomnia-battle.com as well as how much sun, water, and nutrients various types of plants require. Books like this can be purchased at nurseries, online, or at your local bookstore. If your gardening friend is a “computer nerd”, a gardening information CD might be a better gardening gift for them than a book.
Whether giving to a novice or expert professional, a plant is always a great gardening gift. Whether buying the traditional gift, like a poinsettia at Christmas, or just some random plant random, like moss, for more details visit to www.divorce-rebuild-your-life.com a plant is sure to be greatly appreciated and enjoyed. Another idea is to buy seeds or just a bulb for someone to transplant. Giving a perennial would be a gift that keeps on giving.
Theme gardening gifts using plants can also be loads of fun. An herb can come with an attached card including a recipe using that herb. A plant that produces nectar and will attract butterflies can be coupled with a book on butterflies.
Possibly the best and most common, gardening gift is gardening tools. This can be anything as simple as a hoe or rake to something more high-tech like an electric blower or vacuum. These are good for removing debris, leaves, or grass from driveways and side walks. Other favorites are gloves, hedge trimmers, and sprinklers.
An excellent gardening gift that is rarely though of is a calendar. Calendar’s can serve dual purposes; it can be decorative with beautiful gardening themes, or can be used to keep up with the moon phase that affects most all plants. A farmer’s almanac is also a good idea, it is full of information regarding the weather, moon phase, when to plant, when to prune; it is the best guidebook to gardening there is.
The ultimate gardening gift is for any gardener is a gift certificate to a nursery or store where gardening tools or plants are available. This way, your friend can get any tool they do not have in their collection, or any kind of plant their heart desires.
Gift giving is a difficult task at best, but if you have gardeners for friends, a gardening gift is an easy way out and makes your gift buying simple. Gardening gifts can range anywhere from tools to actual plants and with gardening gifts you have a wide range of costs to choose from. You can give a cheap pair of gloves or an expensive power tiller. So the next time you go gift shopping, thing about a gardening gift for your friends with green thumbs!
Alex
Gardening has been converted into one of the most popular hobbies, and you probably know a gardener or two that would love a gardening gift for their upcoming special occasion. There are hundreds of gardening gifts to buy for both the beginner and expert gardener, and the great thing about gardening gifts is they can be bought just about anywhere: online, nursery, feed store, farmer’s market, even your local Wal-Mart or grocery store.
If buying a gardening gift for a beginner, an instructional or informational book is always a good idea. Books like this will give tips on how to eliminate gardening nightmares like disease, insects, and weeds. They will tell gardeners which kind of plants thrive in different climates, for more details visit to www.insomnia-battle.com as well as how much sun, water, and nutrients various types of plants require. Books like this can be purchased at nurseries, online, or at your local bookstore. If your gardening friend is a “computer nerd”, a gardening information CD might be a better gardening gift for them than a book.
Whether giving to a novice or expert professional, a plant is always a great gardening gift. Whether buying the traditional gift, like a poinsettia at Christmas, or just some random plant random, like moss, for more details visit to www.divorce-rebuild-your-life.com a plant is sure to be greatly appreciated and enjoyed. Another idea is to buy seeds or just a bulb for someone to transplant. Giving a perennial would be a gift that keeps on giving.
Theme gardening gifts using plants can also be loads of fun. An herb can come with an attached card including a recipe using that herb. A plant that produces nectar and will attract butterflies can be coupled with a book on butterflies.
Possibly the best and most common, gardening gift is gardening tools. This can be anything as simple as a hoe or rake to something more high-tech like an electric blower or vacuum. These are good for removing debris, leaves, or grass from driveways and side walks. Other favorites are gloves, hedge trimmers, and sprinklers.
An excellent gardening gift that is rarely though of is a calendar. Calendar’s can serve dual purposes; it can be decorative with beautiful gardening themes, or can be used to keep up with the moon phase that affects most all plants. A farmer’s almanac is also a good idea, it is full of information regarding the weather, moon phase, when to plant, when to prune; it is the best guidebook to gardening there is.
The ultimate gardening gift is for any gardener is a gift certificate to a nursery or store where gardening tools or plants are available. This way, your friend can get any tool they do not have in their collection, or any kind of plant their heart desires.
Gift giving is a difficult task at best, but if you have gardeners for friends, a gardening gift is an easy way out and makes your gift buying simple. Gardening gifts can range anywhere from tools to actual plants and with gardening gifts you have a wide range of costs to choose from. You can give a cheap pair of gloves or an expensive power tiller. So the next time you go gift shopping, thing about a gardening gift for your friends with green thumbs!
Alex
Comments Off
Jun
24
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
Cindy Heller asked:
Botanical gardens are places where a enormous variety of plants are developed, usually for scientific purposes. Not all botanical gardens are open to the public, but the ones that are serve as a great educational tool, as you will be able to study many different plants up-close. While research certainly takes place on these plants, a botanical garden also serves as a place for conservation, keeping these plants protected in the process.
Here are some of the best botanical gardens in the world.
1. The New York Botanical Garden is one of the most well-known botanical gardens in the world. Situated in the Bronx borough of New York City, this garden sits on 250 acres and contains 50 gardens and plant collections. It was founded in 1891 and it acts as the region’s leader in research and plant collection. The New York Botanical Garden has also remained as international leader when it comes to research. If you ever are scheduling a trip to see one of these gardens, this would certainly be a place to keep in mind, as they contain some of the best collections of plants in the entire world.
2. The Missouri Botanical Garden is also very popular in the United States. Located in St. Louis, this particular garden is known for having some of the finest botanical research around. There are also a number of horticultural displays and education programs geared toward training people everything about botanical gardens.
3. Denver’s Botanical Garden is one of the top-rated gardens in all of the United States. This is a very exceptional garden because of where it is situated - the western part of the country. Therefore, by visiting this garden you will get a quick look at some plants you will not find in many other places, especially back east. Visually dazzling and essentially a work of art, this botanical garden has been around for over 55 years and has served as both an eye pleaser and an educational tool.
Those are just three of the most popular botanical gardens in the United States. These gardens can be found all over the world and each one has something different to offer. While these are usually used for conducting research and other learning purposes, one really can look at a botanical garden as a work of art. Beautifully designed, you must visit one in your lifetime; it is guaranteed that you have not seen anything like it, and surely you will not leave disappointed
Here are some of the place where you can see the gardens of the world.
1. Florida contains two gardens that are considered gardens of the world. There’s Leu Gardens as well as the Fairchild Tropical Garden. Leu Gardens is in Orlando, while Fairchild Tropical Garden is in Miami. Both gardens enclose over fifty acres of rare and beautiful species of plants and flowers.
2. The Ness Botanic Gardens is one of the gardens in the world in Liverpool, England. It was been added to by exotic plant hunters since the nineteen hundreds and is even part of Liverpool University’s work.
3. In Russia, there are two gardens of the world. There’s the Botanic Garden of the Irkutsk State University, which isn’t usually open to the public since it’s primarily used for the University’s work, and then there’s the Petrozavodsk State University Botanic Garden, which seeks to work together with other gardens of the world to boost its variety and also add to the variety of other gardens.
4. There’s even one of the gardens of the world in New Zealand, where they have the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, which is home to many acres of trees, flowers and shrubs. When you arrive, you become the master or mistress over all of these acres, and you will love the many walkways, bridges, and shady rests that are available to all who visit.
There are several other gardens of the world, and they are all beautiful and unique in their own right. If you truly love nature and would like to view exotic species and varieties of plants and flowers, and much more, visit one of the gardens of the world near you or begin your travels to all the corners of the world to visit gardens of the world in other countries and states. You’ll love what you see and you’ll love how the power of nature overwhelms you as you likely have never felt before.
Alfonso
Botanical gardens are places where a enormous variety of plants are developed, usually for scientific purposes. Not all botanical gardens are open to the public, but the ones that are serve as a great educational tool, as you will be able to study many different plants up-close. While research certainly takes place on these plants, a botanical garden also serves as a place for conservation, keeping these plants protected in the process.
Here are some of the best botanical gardens in the world.
1. The New York Botanical Garden is one of the most well-known botanical gardens in the world. Situated in the Bronx borough of New York City, this garden sits on 250 acres and contains 50 gardens and plant collections. It was founded in 1891 and it acts as the region’s leader in research and plant collection. The New York Botanical Garden has also remained as international leader when it comes to research. If you ever are scheduling a trip to see one of these gardens, this would certainly be a place to keep in mind, as they contain some of the best collections of plants in the entire world.
2. The Missouri Botanical Garden is also very popular in the United States. Located in St. Louis, this particular garden is known for having some of the finest botanical research around. There are also a number of horticultural displays and education programs geared toward training people everything about botanical gardens.
3. Denver’s Botanical Garden is one of the top-rated gardens in all of the United States. This is a very exceptional garden because of where it is situated - the western part of the country. Therefore, by visiting this garden you will get a quick look at some plants you will not find in many other places, especially back east. Visually dazzling and essentially a work of art, this botanical garden has been around for over 55 years and has served as both an eye pleaser and an educational tool.
Those are just three of the most popular botanical gardens in the United States. These gardens can be found all over the world and each one has something different to offer. While these are usually used for conducting research and other learning purposes, one really can look at a botanical garden as a work of art. Beautifully designed, you must visit one in your lifetime; it is guaranteed that you have not seen anything like it, and surely you will not leave disappointed
Here are some of the place where you can see the gardens of the world.
1. Florida contains two gardens that are considered gardens of the world. There’s Leu Gardens as well as the Fairchild Tropical Garden. Leu Gardens is in Orlando, while Fairchild Tropical Garden is in Miami. Both gardens enclose over fifty acres of rare and beautiful species of plants and flowers.
2. The Ness Botanic Gardens is one of the gardens in the world in Liverpool, England. It was been added to by exotic plant hunters since the nineteen hundreds and is even part of Liverpool University’s work.
3. In Russia, there are two gardens of the world. There’s the Botanic Garden of the Irkutsk State University, which isn’t usually open to the public since it’s primarily used for the University’s work, and then there’s the Petrozavodsk State University Botanic Garden, which seeks to work together with other gardens of the world to boost its variety and also add to the variety of other gardens.
4. There’s even one of the gardens of the world in New Zealand, where they have the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, which is home to many acres of trees, flowers and shrubs. When you arrive, you become the master or mistress over all of these acres, and you will love the many walkways, bridges, and shady rests that are available to all who visit.
There are several other gardens of the world, and they are all beautiful and unique in their own right. If you truly love nature and would like to view exotic species and varieties of plants and flowers, and much more, visit one of the gardens of the world near you or begin your travels to all the corners of the world to visit gardens of the world in other countries and states. You’ll love what you see and you’ll love how the power of nature overwhelms you as you likely have never felt before.
Alfonso
Comments Off
Jun
22
Filed Under (Gardening Tips) by admin
George Finnerin asked:
Are you a homeowner who has your own garden? If you do and if you are like many other garden growers, there is a good chance that you take great pride in your garden. You may not only spend a large amount of time working on it to make it beautiful and full of life, but you may also spend a lot of time just relaxing in your garden area. If you are, have you ever thought about outfitting your garden area with teak garden furniture? If you have yet to do so, you may want to think about giving teak garden furniture a close look.
When it comes to teak garden furniture, there are many individuals who wonder exactly what is so special about it. If you were to talk to a lawn and garden expert, there is a good chance that they would recommend teak garden furniture to you. One of the reasons why teak garden furniture comes so highly rated and recommended is because of its dependability. Teak garden furniture is made from some of the best materials on earth. As long as you carefully choose your teak garden supplier or manufacturer, you should have pieces of furniture that may, literally, last a lifetime.
In addition to its dependability, teak garden furniture is also well-known for its beauty. Teak garden furniture is beautiful beyond what many words explain. Its beauty creates elegance and luxury; elegance and luxury that may be perfect for your garden, especially if you are interested in turning your garden into a private, luxurious getaway. Teak garden furniture can transform a traditional or an average garden, into a thing of breathtaking beauty. The natural beauty of teak garden furniture makes it the perfect fit for your garden. Tweak garden furniture doesn’t look “out of place,” as most other pieces of cheap plastic or metal lawn and garden furniture often does.
Although we often associate gardens with peace and quiet, gardens are also home to many social gatherings. If you choose to have a social gathering in your garden, even just a small one, there is a good chance that you are proud of your garden and its beauty. If that is the case, why ruin that beauty with traditional metal or plastic lawn and garden furniture? Instead, you will want to complement the beauty of your garden and what better way to do that than with teak garden furniture. With teak garden furniture, you are sure to get nothing but compliments from your garden gathering guests.
It is also important to mention the choices that you will have, when it comes to outfitting your garden area with teak garden furniture. If you are interested in doing so, you can only place one or two pieces of teak garden furniture in your garden or you can add a whole teak garden furniture set; the decision is yours to make. When making that decision though, you may want to take the size of your garden into consideration, as well as how much free space you would like your garden to have. Many prefer not to “clutter,” their garden too much and you may want to be careful about doing the same.
If and when you decide that you would like to outfit your garden with teak garden furniture, you will want to start shopping. This is where the fun really begins. When shopping for teak garden furniture, you will find that you have a number of different options. For instance, you may be able to choose from teak garden chairs, teak Adirondack garden chairs, teak garden benches, and so forth. You actually have quite a selection of teak garden furniture pieces to choose from. What is even more amazing is that each piece of teak garden furniture comes in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. What does this mean for you? It means that you may actually have a difficult time deciding which piece to buy! That is why a large number of garden growers actually buy multiple pieces of teak garden furniture and sometimes even a whole garden set.
If you are interested in buying teak garden furniture for your garden or even if you are just interested in seeing what type of garden furniture pieces are available for sale, you will want to check out TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com. With a large selection of quality discount teak garden pieces, you are sure to find exactly what you are looking for and more at TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com.
Abe
Are you a homeowner who has your own garden? If you do and if you are like many other garden growers, there is a good chance that you take great pride in your garden. You may not only spend a large amount of time working on it to make it beautiful and full of life, but you may also spend a lot of time just relaxing in your garden area. If you are, have you ever thought about outfitting your garden area with teak garden furniture? If you have yet to do so, you may want to think about giving teak garden furniture a close look.
When it comes to teak garden furniture, there are many individuals who wonder exactly what is so special about it. If you were to talk to a lawn and garden expert, there is a good chance that they would recommend teak garden furniture to you. One of the reasons why teak garden furniture comes so highly rated and recommended is because of its dependability. Teak garden furniture is made from some of the best materials on earth. As long as you carefully choose your teak garden supplier or manufacturer, you should have pieces of furniture that may, literally, last a lifetime.
In addition to its dependability, teak garden furniture is also well-known for its beauty. Teak garden furniture is beautiful beyond what many words explain. Its beauty creates elegance and luxury; elegance and luxury that may be perfect for your garden, especially if you are interested in turning your garden into a private, luxurious getaway. Teak garden furniture can transform a traditional or an average garden, into a thing of breathtaking beauty. The natural beauty of teak garden furniture makes it the perfect fit for your garden. Tweak garden furniture doesn’t look “out of place,” as most other pieces of cheap plastic or metal lawn and garden furniture often does.
Although we often associate gardens with peace and quiet, gardens are also home to many social gatherings. If you choose to have a social gathering in your garden, even just a small one, there is a good chance that you are proud of your garden and its beauty. If that is the case, why ruin that beauty with traditional metal or plastic lawn and garden furniture? Instead, you will want to complement the beauty of your garden and what better way to do that than with teak garden furniture. With teak garden furniture, you are sure to get nothing but compliments from your garden gathering guests.
It is also important to mention the choices that you will have, when it comes to outfitting your garden area with teak garden furniture. If you are interested in doing so, you can only place one or two pieces of teak garden furniture in your garden or you can add a whole teak garden furniture set; the decision is yours to make. When making that decision though, you may want to take the size of your garden into consideration, as well as how much free space you would like your garden to have. Many prefer not to “clutter,” their garden too much and you may want to be careful about doing the same.
If and when you decide that you would like to outfit your garden with teak garden furniture, you will want to start shopping. This is where the fun really begins. When shopping for teak garden furniture, you will find that you have a number of different options. For instance, you may be able to choose from teak garden chairs, teak Adirondack garden chairs, teak garden benches, and so forth. You actually have quite a selection of teak garden furniture pieces to choose from. What is even more amazing is that each piece of teak garden furniture comes in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. What does this mean for you? It means that you may actually have a difficult time deciding which piece to buy! That is why a large number of garden growers actually buy multiple pieces of teak garden furniture and sometimes even a whole garden set.
If you are interested in buying teak garden furniture for your garden or even if you are just interested in seeing what type of garden furniture pieces are available for sale, you will want to check out TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com. With a large selection of quality discount teak garden pieces, you are sure to find exactly what you are looking for and more at TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com.
Abe
Comments Off
