Plant Gardens 101

A Japanese Garden is full of mystery, nature and serenity. Just as landscape gardens of the West followed historic points of reference such as Classical Garden Design, Traditional Garden Design, English Garden Design on up threw Modern Garden Design, the Japanese garden tradition has a history that followed the trends and lifestyles of their location and times. It would be very pretentious to copy directly a Japanese Garden for Houston, although there was actually a style of Japanese Garden Design that did just that. We will highlight how you could build and apply the Japanese or Zen Garden style to your own home in Houston Texas.

Japanese Garden History

• Asuka period (538-710)-gardens were an expression of Buddhism and Taoism. Small gardens were reflections of spiritual themes or miniaturizations of the large mountainous regions of China and Japan.

• Heian period (794-1185)-the garden shifted from representing religious beliefs to becoming a place for ceremony, entertainment and passive contemplation. These became gardens for the wealthy of the time. (more…)

In deciding upon the site for the home vegetable garden it is well to dispose once and for all of the old idea that the garden “patch” must be an ugly spot in the home surroundings. If thoughtfully planned, carefully planted and thoroughly cared for, it may be made a beautiful and harmonious feature of the general scheme, lending a touch of comfortable homeliness that no shrubs, borders, or beds can ever produce.

With this fact in mind we will not feel restricted to any part of the premises merely because it is out of sight behind the barn or garage. In the average moderate-sized place there will not be much choice as to land. It will be necessary to take what is to be had and then do the very best that can be done with it. But there will probably be a good deal of choice as to, first, exposure, and second, convenience. Other things being equal, select a spot near at hand, easy of access. It may seem that a difference of only a few hundred yards will mean nothing, but if one is depending largely upon spare moments for working in and for watching the garden and in the growing of many vegetables the latter is almost as important as the former this matter of convenient access will be of much greater importance than is likely to be at first recognized. Not until you have had to make a dozen time-wasting trips for forgotten seeds or tools, or gotten your feet soaking wet by going out through the dew-drenched grass, will you realize fully what this may mean. (more…)

If you’re thinking about starting a garden, the first thing you need to consider is what type of garden you will have. There are many different choices and often it can be hard to pick just one, but hopefully you can narrow it down. But by narrowing it down, you’ll make the gardening experience easier on yourself and the plants. If all your plants are similar, then it shouldn’t be very hard to care for them all. So here are some of the main garden ideas for you to choose from.

If you’re just looking for something to look nice in your yard, you’ll want a flower garden. These are usually filled with perennial flower. Perennial flowers are flowers which stay healthy year-round. They’re basically weeds because of their hardiness, only nice looking. Different areas and climates have different flowers which are considered perennials. If you do a quick internet search for your area, you can probably find a list of flowers that will bring your flower garden to life. These usually only require work in the planting stage - after that, the flower take care of themselves. The only downside to this is that you don’t have any product to show for it. (more…)

Laying out a garden can be a very exciting task which, despite of the hard work it might imply, is very rewarding and satisfying at the end. But, in order to achieve nice results, there are important guidelines and tips you might want to have in mind and apply, since laying out a garden can be trickier as it might seem at first glance.

The first important factor to have in mind at the time of planning how to lay out a garden is the soil and its previous preparation. You should try to lay out your garden towards endings of winter or beginnings of spring, when the soil is moist but not too muddy or too dry. In order to find out if the soil is in the right condition, you should hold some in your hand trying to make a ball with it, if the ball doesn’t fall apart, then you should wait some more days, and if it tends to fall apart then is ready.

Also, before starting with the garden lay out, you should work on the soil preparing it by adding fertilizer organic matter, and lime. After this, you will be ready to start planning the garden layout. Start by looking at the space very carefully and planning the layout in a piece of paper which will help you as a guide during the process.

If you are planning a vegetable garden layout, there are some special tips you should keep in mind. First of all, a vegetable garden should be located at a very sunny and luminous spot. If you plan your vegetable garden on a dark area, your vegetables will not have all the elements they need to grow.

The best way to lay out a vegetable garden is in raised beds. If you chose this option, you should mound the soil or frame beds of a width of about 4 feet with stones, concrete, or wood. Raise beds are a great choice for vegetable gardens due to the fact that the soil warms quicker than with other methods.

Get home design and decorating ideas by watching homes from all over the world - please visit http://www.dwank.com

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Gardening - What Are the Benefits?

by Bob Janeway

Gardening is one of the simplest and most fruitful, pun intended, hobbies in the country. Even those in the urban areas are rapidly discovering the wonders of this activity. So although they don’t have the garden patch on their backyard that they can show off, they make one several feet above the ground in their condominium units and apartment buildings.
Gardening, after all, does not only involve a large patch of land. One can actually do gardening in pots. Even taking care of orchids and other aerial plants are also considered gardening. Starting small is actually quirt good especially if you do not have much experience yet. Not all people have a green thumb and it is best to take care of only a few so that you will be able to fully focus on each of the plants.

Remember that gardening may look as simple as watering them every morning and putting fertilizers, but the task is more than that. It actually involves a lot of work and can take a great deal of time especially if you have many plants to take care of.

Most people think that gardening is only for aesthetic purposes but the fact is, there are a lot of things that gardening can offer, not only to people but also to the environment. Below are just some of the benefits that one can get from gardening. Read on and you might be encouraged to get on with the craze.

Relaxation
Although it may indeed involve a lot of work, from watering the plants to cutting the unwanted shrubs in the surrounding areas, gardening relaxes people. This is especially true with people who are already used to the task and are simply enjoying the “flowers” of their labor.

Gardening, in fact, has been known to be effective therapy with people who are depressed or those with manic tendencies. Plants soothes the emotions and calms the person.

Clean air
Science books have told us that plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, an air that we need to survive. When there are plants in the house, the air is healthier as plants already filter the air when they make food and then give off clean air. This is the reason why people find cleaner air in the suburbs compared to the cities… perhaps because there are more trees there than in the rustle-bustle of urban areas.

Cooler
The home with plants is also cooler than those that do not have any. This is because of the shades that plants provide. The branches and the leaves of the plants protect the house from the direct rays of the sun and of course the leaves in itself absorb the sunlight. Plants need the sunlight to make or process their own food.

Eye-appealing
Hands down, a house with plants and flowers is more beautiful than any house with great architectural design. Having plants at home provides flashes of colors that are wonderful to look at especially when combined with the general design of the house. Especially good in providing aesthetic appeal are orchids and sunflowers which provide a cheery and bright atmosphere to any home.

Food on the table
You can actually choose to plant vegetables that you and your family can enjoy at the dining table. This actually beats having to buy veggies in the market because you know that what you have planted is clean and free from pesticides and other chemicals that are used in commercial planting.

Bob is the owner of http://gardening.knowsmart.com/ which is an up-to-date, informative gardening website.

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A Garden Pond is an asset to your Garden as well as your Home. The Garden Pond will add value and beauty to your Home. When Completed as per your idea and the Plant and Animal life thrive on it, you have a small wonder World within your Garden Pond..

Building your Garden Pond needs careful planning and perfect execution. A well built Garden Pond can change your Garden in many ways. If you know anybody who has a Garden Pond they will tell you how much the Pond has changed their Gardens. It not only provides a focal point for relaxing and enjoying your Garden, but it will also be a heaven for wonderful local Wildlife.
The first and foremost thing in setting up a Garden Pond is to plan well, don’t try to take any step before planning. That is never rushing to buy materials before the plan is perfect. The next step is to plan the best position within your Garden for the Pond. Point to consider include the amount of Sunlight the Pond will receive during the year, distance from the House and household Members such as Children and Pets, position in relation to Trees, because if the Pond is subjected to strong Sunlight, Algae may be encouraged to grow. Constantly clearing out leaves is not an easy job. (more…)

Landscaping your garden allows you to use your imagination and creativity as well as it can be very relaxing and fulfilling once you see the result of your work. But, despite of this, this task involves specific knowledge and several techniques which you should be aware of in order to succeed and create an appealing design.

Before you start landscaping your garden, you must have a clear plan and idea of what you will do. In order to plan your landscape, you should first consider several factors, such as if you have children, if you have pets, if you plan on placing a pool, and what you wish to grow. A garden landscape will imply different requirements depending on what you will grow in it: flowers, plants, trees, or vegetables.

Also, before planning your garden design, try to have a clear idea on what your budget for it is, and how much available time you have to work on it. Once you have all these factors clear, you should proceed to measure the space in which you will work and if possible make a drawing of it as accurately as possible.

There are many different elements you can consider when landscaping your garden. Depending on the different factors that affect your specific case, you should consider, for example, lawn, an herb garden, a children’s play area, shade trees, a garden seat, a pond, a vegetable garden, flowers, and statues or other ornaments.

Always keep in mind the space and dimensions of your garden. Try to avoid adding too many elements to the garden, respect its dimensions. A garden which has so many elements that walking around and circulating is difficult is not welcoming or attractive. If your garden is very small, then plan it as simple as possible, trying to keep enough free space for circulating easily in it. On the other hand, if your garden is very big, try to divide it in different areas and work each one of them separately, while keeping in mind a harmonious result when the work is completed and the garden is seen as a whole.

Jelling is the founder of Dwank.com. Please visit his website to learn more about great interior design

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In keeping with our theme of features you can use in your landscaping other than plants, we’re now going to take a look at some more elements that aren’t generally thought of as garden decor or accents. Common and functional elements storage sheds can be accent or decorative additions to your landscape which can fill blank spots, create a sense of depth, and give your yard a more ‘complete’ and fulfilling appearance.

While objects such as sheds or lighting aren’t usually thought of as design elements, they can be. And many others not mentioned here can be hand-crafted or obtained inexpensively at yard sales and flea markets. Without further ado, here are a few more attractive and creative ways to make your yard and gardening areas more functional and inviting. (more…)

A home garden is a place, which can give identity to your home building in a neighborhood. You can use very little creativity to enhance to look and feel of your garden so that it stands out from the rest of the gardens in the neighborhood. Here is a list of probable elements you can add to your landscaping garden so that everybody loves it and you get the credit.

1) The compound wall of the home plot defines the boundary of the garden as well. Use paintings on the wall surface (inside), that will add excitement to your garden . You can go for a theme based paintings such as nature, waterfalls, sunsets etc..

2) Use stone sculptures of actual human size. These statues greatly add a uman touch to the garden and also defines a scale to the space. Everything we use in our daily lives such as clothes, kitchen utensils, office equipment, computer parts, are all always related to human measurements. If this is the case with all other objects, why exclude a garden from it. (more…)

Things were going great in the early stages. I had just recently started growing vegetables in my back yard and things were moving along very well. Certain vegetables were growing somewhat slowly, and I didn’t expect things to be so smooth forever, but I had faith things would turn out well no matter what obstacles I would have to face. It wasn’t long before I faced one of the first setbacks in cultivating a vegetable garden and discovered that I would have to put in garden fencing.

I had grown vegetables in the past but it was a communal garden and it was ages ago so when the rabbits started to ruin my garden, I was totally caught off guard. Luckily, because of my experience, I not only knew the answer was garden fencing but I also knew exactly what kind of garden fencing was required. (more…)

When considering starting a garden, thematic issues always arise. Is it better to grow a multitude of types of plants or is it better to explore the immense variety of species within a particular variety of plant? It is possible to do both, of course, but if you decide to specialize in a particular type of plant, there are a few things to consider before getting started.

First and foremost, there must be a tremendous interest in the plant type. You will be embarking on growing plants that will have a life time of no less than a year and in most cases many years. You not only have to consider what will hold your interest, but your location and how the plants that you choose to grow will interact with your specific environment. Your specialty plant choice may depend on whether you have access to a large outdoor planting area or a small indoor space. Some areas will have local resources for your specialty plants. If not, you will have to use mail order and internet sources to get the information and resources you need to make your garden a successful one. Starting your garden will involve choosing a propagation method, as well. You will need to decide between growing your plants from seed and purchasing young seedlings. For some plants, propagation by rooting cuttings may work best. Seasonal climates can also play a role in picking the specialty garden that is right for you. Harsher climates may require the use of greenhouses or relocating plants from time to time. (more…)

For years I have been going to the nursery in the spring and buying flowers and plants that I thought were “pretty” only to get them home and realize they don’t go together or don’t all fit in my small city garden. This year, I have decided to put a little effort into planning my garden before I go out and let my impulses drive my purchases. There are several questions you should ask yourself before you decide which plants and flowers to put in your garden.

1. What is your gardening experience level? If you’re a novice gardener, don’t fill your garden with high-maintenance, temperamental plants that require a lot of attention and knowledge. If you are interested in gaining gardening experience, I suggest that you add one higher-maintenance plant such as a rose bush which requires regular pruning to get some idea of the work involved. If you enjoy it, you can consider adding more next year. (more…)

Over the last few years home gardening has become an increasingly popular past-time and hobby. In fact, studies show that home gardening is at an all time high in America right now. In the United States 8 out of 10 households take part in some type of home gardening activity. Obviously from the number of people that are doing it, home gardening is one of the most popular recreational activities in nation.

Most people that try their hand at home gardening plant flowers; at least they start out planting flowers anyway. Roses will probably be the first thought into any gardeners mind, but roses will take extra time and work, and should probably be left to those who have gardened before. When planting flowers many choices are available, such as bulbs, perennials, and annuals. (more…)

Hose Pipes find enormous use in every walk of our life. The Hose Pipes are manufactured in different types, shapes and sizes. Hose pipes are made of different types of materials to suit the applications they are put to. In olden days the Hose Pipes were made of Rubber and its Compounds, which were very bulky, and could not be easily moved from one place to another. They also got damaged easily and it was difficult to repair.

Now the Hose pipes are made of Poly Vinyl Chloride the wonder chemical of the last Century that has got enormous applications throughout the World. The PVC tubing is made of Virgin Grade P.V.C. and range of Hose piping materials include: Flexible Tubing, PVC Flexible Pipes, PVC Garden Pipes & Hoses, PVC Sleevings, Sanitary Waste Connection Pipes & Tubes, Nylon Thread Reinforced Braided Hoses, Double Layer of Triple Garden Hoses, Solid Doris, PVC Strips, Belts and Profiles. (more…)

The texture and the fullness of the rose is unlike any other flower, and they come in a wide variety of scents and colors that range from a very bright yellow to a dark deep red. It is curious that such a beautiful flower is also equipped with such a thorny stem. A little of the good and the bad from nature I suppose. Roses originally came from the northern hemisphere, and there are over a hundred species growing in mostly temperate regions. Although the rose as been the flower of choice to express ones love for many years now, it was used originally for medicinal purposes in medieval times.

Rose gardens are not only one of the most beautiful types of flower gardens to have, they are without a doubt the most difficult to grow and maintain. This doesn’t mean one should not give it a try, it just means you should research the subject so you are well prepared. One of the biggest challenges you will run into when doing research on rose garden material is finding the time to continue searching. Many of the articles that you uncover on this subject will be useful, but there will be some that won’t be. It is necessary that you find the best resources available on this subject. (more…)

After a long winter, gardeners are eager and anxious to get their landscaping up to par. Many gardeners go the extra mile to add personal flair to their backyard gardens. At first, it may sound like a lot of extra work, but by adding a few simple additions, you can transform your typical flower garden into a backyard retreat.

This will cost a bit extra, but should be very affordable. Many people do not consider their gardens usable outdoor space. This is a huge mistake! While you enjoy your own work in the yard, why not make it so others can enjoy it as well?

A fast and easy way to spruce things up is to add lighting. Small solar lights will add accent lighting and will provide a warm glow in the evening. These lights are great to use along walkways as well. They are inexpensive and can make a drastic difference in the appearance of your garden. (more…)