Archive for Garden Decor
Options For Building Inexpensive Garden Paths
Posted by: | CommentsBy Scott M. Free and Nickolie Allen Greer
Photo by UGArdener
Creating a walkway or path for your garden, flowerbed or lawn is a superb way of adding a glorious touch to the outdoor environment. There are innumerable options from where you can make a choice. Quite a few options have been mentioned below; let’s take a look at them:
• Basic Brick Pathway: The first thing that comes into our mind before creating walkways or paths is bricks. Using bricks you can give any desired shape to your path. In simple words, using bricks you can create several paths such as winding, meandering as well as narrow.
What’s more interesting is that bricks are available in various patterns and designs. You may even choose whether you desire to set the path in concrete or sand. Almost all people prefer opting for a concrete base!
Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 38°F;
- Humidity: 54%;
- Heat Index: 37°F;
- Wind Chill: 31°F;
- Pressure: 29.91 in.;
The Right Plant in the Right Place
Posted by: | CommentsI always hear people say they don’t have a green thumb. This is of course very silly thinking. When you are building and planning a garden you simply need to do a tiny bit of research. A successful garden is about 80 percent choosing the right plant for the right spot. Frankly some spots are like the surface of the moon, nothing will grow there. Find an alternative: try a rock garden. But research first.
If you have a giant Maple and nothing grows under it. You may need to create a raised bed. But some research would tell you not deeper than two inches, as anything more may kill the tree.
Don’t plant Rododendrums in a sunny spot that is solid clay. They just won’t really grow well. They would be happier under some pine trees in some nice acidic and loamy soil.
Got a spot that is smoking hot and dry? Don’t try to plant a rose garden there…unless you want it to look terrible. Try some Sedum, Cone Flower, Oriental Lillies, Butterfly Weed, Ornamental Grass and maybe a double knock-out rose might be O.K. if you get it some water a few times a week. They kind of thrive on neglect.
A little research goes a long ways to creating a successful and thriving garden.
Visit my other blog GartenGrl for some other ideas I have about gardening.
Originally posted 2009-03-29 17:13:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 46°F;
- Humidity: 47%;
- Heat Index: 46°F;
- Wind Chill: 45°F;
- Pressure: 30.05 in.;
Hydrangeas Can Be A Garden Challenge
Posted by: | Comments
Photo by greenhem
One must have some gardening knowledge when it comes to having abundant blooms with hydrangeas. They can be tricky to prune so they bloom abundantly. They are particular about what kind of soil and fertilizer they receive for bloom color. Hydrangeas are also choosy about what kind of light conditions they will do best in-partial shade is just the beginning.The following notes are meant to help guide you with your different Hydrangea plants so you will get the most out of them.
Hydrangeas come in a few different varieties. One type is called Hydrangea Arborescence which usually have big white snow balls on them-these hydrangeas bloom on “new” wood. Because Hydrangea Arborescence varieties bloom on “new” wood they can be pruned in the fall. They will produce new stalks in the spring which will bloom. The tree form hydrangeas you see which are also usually white are called Paniculata hydrangeas and they too should be pruned in the late Fall. Seems simple: white flowers, prune in fall.
It gets more complicated when you realize that there are other kinds of hydrangeas called Hydrangea Macrophyllas-these are the kind of hydrangeas that have pink or blue flowers. These bloom on “old” wood and can ONLY be pruned before July the year before…did I say this was tricky or what?There is also Oakleaf hydrangea which is also an “old” wood bloomer. So when would you prune it??That’s right-summer before….tell me about it…so confusing. Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 21°F;
- Humidity: 84%;
- Heat Index: 21°F;
- Wind Chill: 13°F;
- Pressure: 30.05 in.;
Creating Outdoor Garden Rooms That Relax the Mind and Soul
Posted by: | Comments
When you look out into your backyard or bare garden, are you instantly taken to a more tranquil place – where the stress and worries of the workday disappear before your eyes? If not, then you need to create a personal retreat where you can unwind, relax and enjoy nature. Creating an oasis can be very rewarding and simple to put together. With just a few key ingredients, you can be reap the benefits in no time at all.
The first thing to consider is the area in which to house your new retreat. Ideally, your location should be quiet and peaceful with the least amount of distraction. If your yard is all open space, the a small fence and an arbor could be well served. Once you have explored your options, it’s time to add your personal touches. Here are some ideas of how to improve the look and feel of your garden retreat. Read More→
Originally posted 2009-07-20 13:20:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 69°F;
- Humidity: 66%;
- Heat Index: 69°F;
- Wind Chill: 69°F;
- Pressure: 30.17 in.;
Flower Gardens : How to Grow Scarlet Sage (Salvia Splendens)
Posted by: | CommentsEven though I usually only recommend perennials I have to make an exception with this spectacular flower! Talk about attracting hummingbirds! This plant is wonderful and airy and prolific, even if it is not a perennial in the northern states. Just spend a few bucks and get this one in your garden…you won’t regret it!
Here is Yolanda telling it like it is! Enjoy…
–GartenGrl
Scarlet sage, or salvia splendens, is an herb that is a member of the mint family. Discover why the scarlet sage plant cannot handle freezes with help from a sustainable gardener in this free video on flower gardening and plant care.
Originally posted 2009-05-18 07:56:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 34°F;
- Humidity: 69%;
- Heat Index: 34°F;
- Wind Chill: 24°F;
- Pressure: 29.94 in.;
Caring For Orchids
Posted by: | Commentsby Jan Hartman
Orchids are beautiful, exotic plants that are temperamental, but can be successfully grown indoors as a decorative houseplant Orchids are not that complicated and if you understand caring for orchids and their needs you can grow these exotic and beautiful plants
Orchids are beautiful, exotic plants that are temperamental, but can be successfully grown indoors as a decorative houseplant. Orchids are not that complicated and if you understand caring for orchids and their needs you can grow these exotic and beautiful plants. Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 26°F;
- Humidity: 74%;
- Heat Index: 26°F;
- Wind Chill: 12°F;
- Pressure: 29.72 in.;
Put Your Lawn On a Diet
Posted by: | Comments
by: Doug Green
Those wonderful green lawns many homeowners care about so much can be made much more healthy if we put them on a diet. Overfeeding causes as many problems with lawns as it does with people. Fat lawns are not healthy lawns. Rather than go on about this problem, let me simply tell you about the research at the University of Guelph.
Researcher Christopher Hallfound there was a way to promote health in the lawn by the frequency of the fertilizer application and the amount of fertilizer applied. According the Hall, fertilizer for lawns should be applied three times per year. One quarter of the fertilizer being applied should be applied in early summer, (not early spring) when the ground warms up and the grass is beginning to really grow. Another quarter is applied in late summer, around the middle of August when the fall rains are promoting growth, and the last half of the fertilizer is applied at the end of November to fatten up the roots for winter survival. This application rate was found to create a much denser turf than applications at other times all species and cultivars of grass. It was particularly effective on perennial rye grass and tall fescues.
The next question is how much food does the lawn need? Chris Hall at Guelph found that the turf did better if only 2 pounds of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet was used over the whole season. From the above paragraph, it can be seen that 1/4 pound is applied in early summer, 1/4 pound in late summer and 1 full pound in late November for the healthiest, thickest lawn.
Overfeeding produces thatch and weakened grass that is susceptible to pests and disease. It is also more costly. So, put your lawn on a diet for a better lawn.
Source: Articlecity.com
|
About The Author Doug Green, an award winning garden author with 7 published books answers gardening questions in his free newsletter at www.gardening-tips-perennials.com. |
Originally posted 2009-08-25 13:20:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 78°F;
- Humidity: 55%;
- Heat Index: 79°F;
- Wind Chill: 78°F;
- Pressure: 30.13 in.;
RainChains – 6 foot Copper or Patina Finished Outdoor Decor
Posted by: | CommentsWhen we went to Atlanta*, we got some great new products and also made some videos for you so you could see more about these products. We know it was a bit more helpful than only seeing a picture 
Read More→
Originally posted 2009-09-22 17:11:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 77°F;
- Humidity: 78%;
- Heat Index: 79°F;
- Wind Chill: 77°F;
- Pressure: 30.07 in.;
Three Northern Natives For Your Garden
Posted by: | CommentsIt is winter. The ground is frozen. What should a gardener do? The only thing left for an obsessed gardener to do is make a wish list of things to plant in the summer. Some plants that should be on any northern gardeners wish list are these three midwest natives: Coneflower, Black-eyed Susans, and False Indigo. Why should you care that they are natives? Any gardener worth their dirt knows that choosing native plants for your garden saves water, time, money and helps the environment by providing food for local wildlife.
Photo by melolouConeflower or echinacea is a native plant that is a wonderful contribution to any garden. As a flower it is quite simply pretty in pink and as a native it provides food for the wild life that visits your garden. It makes a great companion plant with many grasses and roses and sedum. It also has roots that can survive in drought weather and clay soil. It will reseed itself and spread in a friendly and non aggressive manner. It should certainly be at the top of any gardeners to plant list. Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 25°F;
- Humidity: 74%;
- Heat Index: 25°F;
- Wind Chill: 12°F;
- Pressure: 30.13 in.;