If you are searching to make a unique look out of your garden, coming up with your own garden decor and design may be the best way to start. It's not as hard as you think. Below you'll find a few tips and ideas to bring your garden decor into life.
First you need to come up with some sort of inspiration for your design. It may come from a color scheme you are liking, such as colors of your garden. It may be a picture you have in mind from some sort of publication of your liking or some painting you may have been interested in. Or it may just be from a piece of something you want to use. Whatever it is, inspiration puts you in proper prospective of what it is you want as a whole.
When you have found your inspiration, you need to gather up specific ideas for your design. Sift thru some books containing pictures or colors for various garden or design. You could often find various existing designs that you can incorporate to your scheme to make it you own.
Then, you need to look into the costs that will surely occur in the process. You may find it necessary to alter some details of your plan as you go along, due to finances. Don't let this bother you. Its quite usual for even the greatest of plans to be altered during the creating process. At the same time, try to stay congruent to your vision as you can by not going to far away from what the plan was in the first place. The finish product should be something you could be proud of for a long time.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Great types of garden decor
Garden décor… when post people think of décor, they probably think of the decorations in their living room, or elsewhere in the house. Only a minority of people connect “décor” with gardens and yards.
Some people may say that the best way to decorate your garden is with flowers and beautiful plants. And yes, this may be true, but there is so much more that you can do! With the proper garden décor, you can turn your garden into your own personal oasis.
Great types of garden décor:
· Garden Benches. What is the point of having a beautiful garden if you do not have a good vantage point to see it from? Setting a garden bench in the midst of your garden gives you the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch your garden grow. A garden bench is not only an inviting place to sit, it is also a beautiful visual addition to almost any garden.
· Bird Bath. There are many styles of birdbaths available these days. There are birdbaths that suit contemporary styles as well as birdbath that suit more traditional styles, and there are ones to suit any taste and style that falls in between. Not only do birdbaths themselves add beauty to your garden, but the birds that they attract add beauty, as well.
· Water Fountain or Pond. Water has many soothing qualities -- even the look and sound of water can be soothing. Placing a fountain or a pond in your garden will transform your garden into a mini oasis. You will love coming home from a hard and stressful day of work and sitting near the peaceful sounds and sights of your garden water feature.
· Garden Statues. Garden statues come in many different varieties. You can find garden statues that add humor, elegance, sophistication, or whimsy to your garden. Indeed, you can find a garden statue to suit any gardener's taste, whether you want to place and hide bunny sculptures throughout your garden, or whether you want a funny garden gnome.
· Lights. There are many different ways to light up your garden at night. And why shouldn’t your garden be lit up at night? There is no reason that you should not be able to enjoy the beauty of your garden at any time of day or night.
These are just a few types of garden décor that you should consider adding to your garden. Adding garden décor to your garden is like adding a beautiful frame to a painting – it enhances it. Sure, your flowers and other plants are still the main event, but the right garden décor can really make your garden unique and beautiful.
Some people may say that the best way to decorate your garden is with flowers and beautiful plants. And yes, this may be true, but there is so much more that you can do! With the proper garden décor, you can turn your garden into your own personal oasis.
Great types of garden décor:
· Garden Benches. What is the point of having a beautiful garden if you do not have a good vantage point to see it from? Setting a garden bench in the midst of your garden gives you the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch your garden grow. A garden bench is not only an inviting place to sit, it is also a beautiful visual addition to almost any garden.
· Bird Bath. There are many styles of birdbaths available these days. There are birdbaths that suit contemporary styles as well as birdbath that suit more traditional styles, and there are ones to suit any taste and style that falls in between. Not only do birdbaths themselves add beauty to your garden, but the birds that they attract add beauty, as well.
· Water Fountain or Pond. Water has many soothing qualities -- even the look and sound of water can be soothing. Placing a fountain or a pond in your garden will transform your garden into a mini oasis. You will love coming home from a hard and stressful day of work and sitting near the peaceful sounds and sights of your garden water feature.
· Garden Statues. Garden statues come in many different varieties. You can find garden statues that add humor, elegance, sophistication, or whimsy to your garden. Indeed, you can find a garden statue to suit any gardener's taste, whether you want to place and hide bunny sculptures throughout your garden, or whether you want a funny garden gnome.
· Lights. There are many different ways to light up your garden at night. And why shouldn’t your garden be lit up at night? There is no reason that you should not be able to enjoy the beauty of your garden at any time of day or night.
These are just a few types of garden décor that you should consider adding to your garden. Adding garden décor to your garden is like adding a beautiful frame to a painting – it enhances it. Sure, your flowers and other plants are still the main event, but the right garden décor can really make your garden unique and beautiful.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Working With Children For Setting Up School Gardens
Working with children to set up a garden in their school is always a challenging project. From my experience of teaching horticulture to schoolchildren in Israel, the most critical factor behind a project's success is the extent to which they are involved mentally in all the various tasks that they will be performing.
The first important step is to hold a class, preferably a series of them, to explain the significance of each act and stage in the process. Admittedly, a lecture on soil fertility or weed control will probably bore the children to death, so it is advisable to adopt the Socratic method of asking questions and imparting the necessary information by means of the answers they themselves provide.
For example, when I ask what the plants require to grow and develop a shower of hands shoot up and answers such as "water" and "food" are proffered. "What about air?" I ask. "Oh yes they need that as well." "How do the roots get access to oxygen? Is it absorbed by the leaves and then circulated down to the roots?" After they are reminded that this is of course not the case, the importance of adequate supplies of air in the soil is better understood. This puts such tasks as digging the soil and composting into context.
Soil tests
One of the best ways of grabbing the children's' interest is to conduct a soil test. The process as a whole and the data gathered provide an authoritative basis for all that follows. The children, under the supervision of the science teacher, should be involved in collecting the samples to be sent to a laboratory, told of the type of information that is sort and how they will be acting on it. Data concerning the soil pH, (acid - alkaline scale) nutrient levels, soil salinity and presence of pathogens affect decisions as to fertilizing and soil improvements.
Design considerations
The workshop is a golden opportunity to explain something about the rules of design. It may be a good idea to enlist the services of the art teacher to explain the reason why particular combinations of plants are suitable and others not so. The most important thing is to make it clear that there is nothing capricious or personal in the choices that have been made.
When the work is being carried out, time should be allocated for questions and answers. It is an opportunity in fact to reiterate what was discussed in class, thereby clarifying the connection between the tasks themselves, and the reasons for them. Schoolchildren no less than adults, hate having things imposed on them. Telling and barking out instructions alienate them, while involving them in the mental processes involved, includes them properly in the project, with far more satisfactory results ensuing.
The first important step is to hold a class, preferably a series of them, to explain the significance of each act and stage in the process. Admittedly, a lecture on soil fertility or weed control will probably bore the children to death, so it is advisable to adopt the Socratic method of asking questions and imparting the necessary information by means of the answers they themselves provide.
For example, when I ask what the plants require to grow and develop a shower of hands shoot up and answers such as "water" and "food" are proffered. "What about air?" I ask. "Oh yes they need that as well." "How do the roots get access to oxygen? Is it absorbed by the leaves and then circulated down to the roots?" After they are reminded that this is of course not the case, the importance of adequate supplies of air in the soil is better understood. This puts such tasks as digging the soil and composting into context.
Soil tests
One of the best ways of grabbing the children's' interest is to conduct a soil test. The process as a whole and the data gathered provide an authoritative basis for all that follows. The children, under the supervision of the science teacher, should be involved in collecting the samples to be sent to a laboratory, told of the type of information that is sort and how they will be acting on it. Data concerning the soil pH, (acid - alkaline scale) nutrient levels, soil salinity and presence of pathogens affect decisions as to fertilizing and soil improvements.
Design considerations
The workshop is a golden opportunity to explain something about the rules of design. It may be a good idea to enlist the services of the art teacher to explain the reason why particular combinations of plants are suitable and others not so. The most important thing is to make it clear that there is nothing capricious or personal in the choices that have been made.
When the work is being carried out, time should be allocated for questions and answers. It is an opportunity in fact to reiterate what was discussed in class, thereby clarifying the connection between the tasks themselves, and the reasons for them. Schoolchildren no less than adults, hate having things imposed on them. Telling and barking out instructions alienate them, while involving them in the mental processes involved, includes them properly in the project, with far more satisfactory results ensuing.
Types And Varirties Of Container Vegetable Gardening
Container vegetable gardening is becoming more prevalent in these days of smaller yards and more hazards with our food supply. More people want to grow some of their own vegetables in an attempt to avoid buying non-organic product or having to pay the high prices of organic produce. With the recent prevalence of outbreaks of salmonella, e. coli and other from products such as green onions and spinach, we are left concerned about whether any of the produce we buy is really safe. The problem is, the produce we eat is mass produced and mass processed. This means a lot of hands are touching each and every item we end up eating. When you grow your own vegetables, you know whose hands are touching your food!
Of course, most of us don't have the space for large gardens. Many of us have very small yards. Apartment and condo dwellers may have no space at all! That is where container vegetable gardening is very handy. Growing vegetables in containers means you can grow your vegetables on a deck or patio, or even indoors using special grow lights. Because of container gardening, we can now grow our own vegetables no matter where we live.
Some types of vegetables are more appropriate for growing in containers than others. Some of the larger types of plants won't do as well in containers. For example, corn is so large that you would have to use a very large, very heavy pot to support it. Large melons grow on long vines and may set out multiple root systems, thus they don't do well in containers. Very large varieties of tomatoes and squashes may be hard to support in pots.
Some types do especially well in containers. Lettuce, spinach, and other leafy vegetables typically do very well in containers. Smaller varieties of tomatoes such as salad tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and grape tomatoes are great for container growing. Many types of bush beans and peas do well in containers. If you use large tubs, you can even plant potatoes in containers! It's not difficult to do this, and they grow remarkably well in this manner. In fact, most smaller varieties of vegetables will grow just fine in pots.
The biggest concern with regards to growing your vegetables in containers is choosing the right size of container for your plants. You should look up the average root depth, as well as the average diameter of the plant. If your plant has 6 inch deep roots and normally grows about 10 inches wide, you should get a container that is about 8 inches deep and 10-12 inches wide. You should always leave a small amount of room for error. Sometimes your plant's roots may grow a bit deeper than normal, or the plant may grow larger than expected. You don't want to have to risk damaging your plants by transplanting them if you don't have to.
If you are concerned about the safety of your food, I suggest you give container vegetable gardening a try. Remember, you can also grow many types of herbs and even fruits in containers, too!
Of course, most of us don't have the space for large gardens. Many of us have very small yards. Apartment and condo dwellers may have no space at all! That is where container vegetable gardening is very handy. Growing vegetables in containers means you can grow your vegetables on a deck or patio, or even indoors using special grow lights. Because of container gardening, we can now grow our own vegetables no matter where we live.
Some types of vegetables are more appropriate for growing in containers than others. Some of the larger types of plants won't do as well in containers. For example, corn is so large that you would have to use a very large, very heavy pot to support it. Large melons grow on long vines and may set out multiple root systems, thus they don't do well in containers. Very large varieties of tomatoes and squashes may be hard to support in pots.
Some types do especially well in containers. Lettuce, spinach, and other leafy vegetables typically do very well in containers. Smaller varieties of tomatoes such as salad tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and grape tomatoes are great for container growing. Many types of bush beans and peas do well in containers. If you use large tubs, you can even plant potatoes in containers! It's not difficult to do this, and they grow remarkably well in this manner. In fact, most smaller varieties of vegetables will grow just fine in pots.
The biggest concern with regards to growing your vegetables in containers is choosing the right size of container for your plants. You should look up the average root depth, as well as the average diameter of the plant. If your plant has 6 inch deep roots and normally grows about 10 inches wide, you should get a container that is about 8 inches deep and 10-12 inches wide. You should always leave a small amount of room for error. Sometimes your plant's roots may grow a bit deeper than normal, or the plant may grow larger than expected. You don't want to have to risk damaging your plants by transplanting them if you don't have to.
If you are concerned about the safety of your food, I suggest you give container vegetable gardening a try. Remember, you can also grow many types of herbs and even fruits in containers, too!
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