Plant Gardens 101

Now that spring is here, it’s time begin selecting the best plants and flowers for your garden. But before you do, have you ever been guilty of buying plants on impulse only to discover after planting them they look like the forgotten step child, making your garden look ackward? The goal of this article is to teach you how to plan a backyard garden…right now.

Step 1 - Starting with a Solid Plan

Take the time to assess your garden environment. Determine how much sun and shade your garden gets. What type of soil do you have? Is it the well draining type or does it get waterlogged easily? Take note whether your garden is sheltered or exposed to the sun and wind. Now that you have completed your homework, it’s time to buy the best plants for your situation. (more…)

For most landscapers, the unique beauty and spirit of something made by hand, constructed, and shaped, emphasizes the joy of creating. And even if it means having a small garden to work with, every landscaper knows the value of enjoying their craft and mastering their skills.

Having a small garden to work on does not necessarily mean less details and minor work. What should matter most is to closely assess each detail to come up with the best result.

Working on a small garden is never a problem to most landscape designers. Whether the area is large or small, the sales continue to have a gradual annual growth increase of 8% for the last five years.
In addition, from 1997 to 2002 alone, landscaping sales achieved a growth rate of almost $40 billion. This shows that the landscape designers know how to hone their craft well, regardless of the size of the area they work on.

Generally, when people describe small gardens, they refer to those areas that have straight walls, borders, lines, and/or walks. Then a problem is created because small gardens tend to create an impression of being dull, rigid, and boring. The goal of landscaping should delve into how to make the garden look alive, larger, and more appealing.

The Main Concept
The very core of landscaping a small garden is based on how a landscaper can make the most of the size of the area through plant selection.

With a small garden, having the right kind and size of plants is crucial to the outcome of the whole project.
Size is an important factor because the size of the plants that will be used in the garden should project an image of a bigger space, even if the area is quite small. The color, shape, and texture of the plantings should be coordinated.

It is best to use curves to create a visible flow to the design. Since small gardens tend to have rigid, straight lines, it is best to have curves to open up the garden to reveal its natural beauty. It is also important to create illusions that will give a small garden an effect of being larger.

Considering these, landscaping a small garden will never be a daunting task. As they say, it is all in the details. So whether it is a small or a large garden, landscape designers always take note of the details in the design.

To learn about rain lily and lilies care, visit the Types of Lilies website.

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If you have a tiny yard and would like a simple but well-maintained garden, you only need two things - determination and know-how. Here are some tips on how to keep your garden by the yard looking spruced up and glamorous.

1. Deadheading Keep your border free from wilted flowers and dried leaves. Deadheading or removing dead flower heads will encourage the plants to produce more blooms for longer. Many perennials such as geraniums and dahlias, and some annuals benefit from having spent blooms removed

3. Pinch out tops. Certain plants - especially foliage plants like Coleus - respond with a spurt of growth when their tops are pinched out. Pinching out makes the plant much bushier and so more blooms are produced. Fuchsias are prone to becoming leggy unless they are pinched out.

4. Fertilize lightly. A minimal amount of fertilizer will further boost the growth of your vegetation. If you water your yard frequently, you have to fertilize it more regularly because of nutrient depletion. A fortnightly application of liquid fertilizer is sometimes more beneficial than granules as it is more readily absorbed by the leaves. Container plants will be considerably healthier with a half-strength solution of liquid fertilizer applied regularly.

5. Weed out. This is one of the best ways to preserve the beauty of your garden by the yard. Remember, weeds compete with your plants for both nutrients and moisture. If the weeds are not close to seeding, leave them on the bed to rot down for mulch. If you must use a weedicide, try and get a wick applicator, rather than a spray. This will protect you plants from spray-drift.

6. Water them well One good tip when it comes to watering your garden by the yard is to give it a thorough soaking once a week, making sure there is no run-off to cause erosion. Deep watering will encourage the growth of deeper roots that will be able to withstand dry spells weatherwise

7. Say no to chemicals Chemicals are dangerous to humans and often kill the natural predators of the pest in your garden, so avoid them if possible. There are many organic alternatives that work almost as well.
With these simple tips, your garden by the yard will soon be the envy of your neighbors.

Visit the Cherry Facts website to learn about wild cherry tree and cherry bush.

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Any reliable seed house can be depended upon for good seeds; but even so, there is a great risk in seeds. A seed may to all appearances be all right and yet not have within it vitality enough, or power, to produce a hardy plant.

If you save seed from your own plants you are able to choose carefully. Suppose you are saving seed of aster plants. What blossoms shall you decide upon? Now it is not the blossom only which you must consider, but the entire plant. Why? Because a weak, straggly plant may produce one fine blossom. Looking at that one blossom so really beautiful you think of the numberless equally lovely plants you are going to have from the seeds. But just as likely as not the seeds will produce plants like the parent plant.

So in seed selection the entire plant is to be considered. Is it sturdy, strong, well shaped and symmetrical; does it have a goodly number of fine blossoms? These are questions to ask in seed selection. (more…)

You’ve probably noticed that organic foods are becoming very popular. This is because many individuals are learning the benefits of organic foods. At first, it seemed as if ‘organic’ was a word used to describe an exotic type of food, but it is anything but. Some individuals would even steer clear of the organic foods section in their local supermarket because of the fact that these foods were different. But now, organic food is something that is found all over the supermarket. There is a section in produce designated for organic, but you will find these foods scattered all throughout the supermarket.

But what is meant by ‘organic’?

Well, it all starts with the gardening. Organic gardening is different than most methods that are currently used. In other words, the methods are different than the methods that are used to grow the rest of the fruits and vegetables in the produce section. (more…)

People in the South East have the greenest fingers in the UK, spending the highest amount of money on visits to garden and DIY stores, according to research by Barclays Insurance.

This Saturday will be the busiest day of the year for the country’s amateur gardeners, handymen and home improvers with over 1.2 million people expected to visit their local DIY or garden store, a 50 per cent increase from the average number of shoppers on a normal Saturday. Over £50 million is expected to be spent as gardeners are inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show and the prospect of a long weekend with, hopefully, some fine weather. (more…)

Besides the obvious reason that they are simply beautiful, there are a myriad of other reasons why you may want these flittering creatures to come to your garden. These reasons are both practical as well as mystical when you consider the role of the butterfly in the ecosystem as well as the symbolic representation of butterflies throughout different cultures.

We think that’s the most interesting part about attracting butterflies – what they mean and symbolize in history. We’ll look at that part first. You may be quite surprised and learn a bit in the process!

Butterflies have inspired humankind since antiquity, not just for their decorative value but also as spiritual beings, symbolic of metamorphosis, rebirth, love, hope, and freedom. This is the only article that explores the butterfly’s role in myth, religion, literature, art, and the decorative arts, and includes magnificent pictures ranging from ancient stone carvings to modern furniture, Pompeian mosaics to Sevres porcelain. (more…)

Gardens come in different varieties like the plants you find in them. There are several gardening tips that can be used for all type of gardens.

1. Mulching protects your garden topsoil from being blown away. It also provides nutrients as it decomposes and improves the appearance of your gardens. Mulching has other benefits and is one of the most recommended gardening tips by gardeners and farmers alike.

2. Healthy plants are more disease resistant. Plant are like people, a person with a strong immune system can combat diseases. A healthy plant does the same.

3. Pests can be eradicated by cleaning the plant with a watery solution of soap. Just make sure to rinse after. This gardening tip is best heeded for fruit bearing trees or edible plants.

4. Using compost fertilizers are a great way to have healthy plants. It is also a great way to save money on expensive fertilizers. Non -organic fertilizers also tend to leave chemical residues that can accumulate in garden soils and harm not only the plants but the gardeners as well. They cause toxins to go to the water supplies. Another gardening tip recommended not just by farmers and gardeners but also by environmentalists. (more…)

There are various styles of garden to choose from, although there are no definitive rules and there is no reason why gardeners should not choose a mixture of designs. Having said that, there are a number of styles that have a proven track record, and it is perhaps worthwhile considering the pursuit of just one of them until you are confident enough to mix different styles.

The basic advice is simple, choose a style of garden that you like. There are however, various other factors that may be worth taking into considerations. Your lifestyle is one of the most important of these.

However much you may like formal gardens, there is no point in designing a neat garden that needs to be kept in pristine condition in order to look its best if you are not naturally a tidy person or never have the time to keep it neat. (more…)

Karen Cruser moved to Swannanoa, North Carolina from California in 1972 with her husband and their then two year old daughter. They built their house by themselves using recycled wood and windows, some wood from local sawmills and wood from their property. Swannanoa is in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Asheville and Black Mountain, NC.

The house is located on 12 acres of woods and fields along the Swannanoa River.

When asked what she likes about Swannanoa, Karen gave heart-felt answers, the first of which is the Swannanoa River. She states that this a most beautiful part of the world and it is important to keep it this way. (more…)

Imagine providing your family with food that you know is healthy, because you grew it yourself without the help of chemicals. With organic gardening this is possible. Organic gardening involves using natural pest control and fertilizers to grow flowers, vegetables, and fruits, rather than commercially produced and environmentally hazardous pesticides and fertilizers. If you are interested in organic gardening, consider these ten tips.

Tip 1 - Use Natural Pest Control

Your garden is going to have pests. Once you have identified them, research natural controllers you could add to the garden. These natural controllers could be other insects, such as ladybugs to control an aphid population, or plants, such as garlic to prevent armyworms or apple maggots. (more…)

More farmers are getting into organic vegetable gardening because it is cost effective and they are able to produce almost the same yield of crops. You to can do this at home but first, you have to understand the principles of organic vegetable gardening.

First, organic vegetable gardening does not use any fertilizers, nutrients or pesticides. Nature is your partner here because you will be using two things to make it all work namely sunlight and water. We don’t produce these ourselves but you have to find the ideal area and provide adequate drainage.

Aside from sunlight and water, you can help the crops grow by using compost heap from leftover food, chipped bark, garden compost, leaf moulds and manure. You can mix these all together and then spread this throughout your garden. (more…)

The thing to remember while gardening is to start small. A small plant bed, about 25 or 30 feet square is perfect, is just enough room for about 30 plants. This will give you a chance to try out your green thumb and if you find that you enjoy your garden you can always expand and increase your plantings.

The next thing you will want to do is choose a site. Gardening must be done in an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight. Try and stay away from large trees that will take your plants water and nutrients, and at least three feet from any fences or buildings. In hot climates it is a good idea to choose a place that will have shade from a part of the intense afternoon sun. It is possible to have a healthy garden with even ten to twelve hours of sunlight, but the type of plants must be adaptable. While soil can always be improved, a site with good soil is a plus. Avoid areas that have rocky soil, steep slopes, or areas where water stands. (more…)

As the dull dreary winter fades away giving place to bright and cheery summers, it is time to sit back in your courtyard and enjoy the bright sunshine. The backyards can be an ideal place for quite many recreational activities such as picnics, and other outdoor sports. If the space and other conditions permit, you can also evolve it into a lovely blooming garden with myriad variety of flowers, greenery and shrubs.It could easily pass out as a Creative Backyard Project.

Gardening is not an activity for the lazy, who shirk hard work, or are too busy to devote time to it. It demands hard labour and your valuable time. However the benefits of gardening far outweigh the labor and time devoted to it. I would certainly advise you to test your bent of mind, whether or not, you are fit to take up this exhausting but reinvigorating activity. Whether you would enjoy it or consider it to be a dreaded chore.

You can plan your garden in the manner you want. You can test and adopt your creative skills while designing it. It can be your dream come true. It can be an orchard bearing a single type of fruit, or else you can plant all sorts of flowers, vegetables and shrubs in it. (more…)

Who has not heard the saying: Every rose has its thorns? To many people the thorn on a rose has symbolism, whether it is spiritual or otherwise. The thorn seems to state that even the most beautiful things in life have a little bad to them. You could even say that the thorn is there to say “hey, you got to take the bad with the good.” No matter how you think of it there is some kind of meaning to it for most people.

In Roman mythology it is said that the thorns are there because Cupid was stung by a bee and started shooting arrows every where. Some arrows hit roses and because of the sting in the arrows the thorns took root and have been there ever since. Whether this is true or we will never know but if you are having trouble with thorns you should not be in despair. All you need is a little care and patience and you can remove these pesky daggers safely for a smooth stem.

When removing thorns from roses you have to be careful, the thorns are actually there to help the rose drink up the water. Therefore you have to be careful not to damage the stem when removing these sharp little daggers. It takes time and practice to know how to remove thorns without damaging the stem of the rose itself. If you accidentally peel or tear the skin you can hinder the amount water the rose gets. (more…)