Water Garden Feature How To Save On The Pennies And Labour

Writen by Maisy Day

A Water Garden Feature without doubt is the cherry on the cake giving the ultimate finish to enhance the beauty of a garden or patio - but unfortunately some gardeners are put off because of the work involved with the installation and maintenance of having a water feature. Cost can also hamper the decision of adding a water garden in your courtyard etc.

Expense may not be an issue if you decide on doing the work your self. If you have a good manual at your side when you take on the task then that is the first step in the right direction - follow the instructions accordingly and all should be okay. By chance if you are not DIY minded then you need not worry because Water Garden Features come in all different shapes and sizes thus cutting costs to meet your budget - where you can have an expert fit the fixture.

Small water garden features not only will save on the pennies but will save on the labour also when it comes to the cleaning. And with what you save you can buy different garden novelties.

Combining a fish pond with a water garden has to be carefully planned if plants like the lotus and lily are used; you need to have access to these. Your water garden needs to be approx 16 to 18 inches deep. This is good depth for plants to flourish. Young plants are not dependant on deep water.

How you ornate your water garden feature is entirely up to you but we do not want is to over do it, to much can spoil the appearance.

Water Gardens that host too many plants and shrubs can lose the effect of what you want to inject from the whole project and that is beauty. Shelving is best kept to a minimum if the feature is small - plants can be elevated on to rocks. Shelving is a good idea - it keeps the fish happy providing them with cover from the rays of the hot sun.

Nature comes to the fore from your Water Garden Feature with uninvited guests - what you have to remember water will always attract aquatic life and also children so be careful. Frogs toads and newts will enjoy your water garden feature just as much as you, if not more - so be prepared. There will be the upkeep of the pond/waterfall you have installed - the work involved with the maintenance will not be heavy work if you keep on top.

Installing a water garden feature is not a complicated mission unless you make it one by not having the right tools for the job. Be sure to obtain a good book with details on how to erect and to find the best place to locate the feature. Also do some research on what flowers and plants are suitable? How to clean and maintain a water garden are all important issues you need to know about and last but not least find out what you have to do to meet with the fishes needs and requirements if there is to be any marine life in your pond or pool.

Safety Tip - When next at the garden store purchase your self some netting or mesh so that the Water Garden Feature can be covered in your absence. This is a safety measure for when - CHILDREN ARE AROUND AND YOU ARE NOT.

Behind the scenes on gardening can be found at http://www.watergardens.webinputbiz.com

Information on garden birds http://www.birdbook.webinputbiz.com

Winter Injury To Trees

Writen by Paul Burke

Low temperatures, frost or dry conditions are all causes of winter injury. In our region we can expect one or all of these conditions during the winter months. The results of these conditions vary from leaf burn to the death of the entire plant.

Causes:

Low temperatures: If the temperature drops below a plant's ability to tolerate it, this is known as low temperature injury. Generally this occurs in plants which are not suited for a particular zone. Frost cracks or sun-scald occurs when temperatures drop after the bark has warmed up. Symptoms of low temperature injury include branch or stem die-back, black or brown leaves, or splitting of the bark.

Frost: Injury from frost occurs during the late fall or early spring when plants are still growing. If temperatures drop below or near freezing, this is when frost injury will occur. Symptoms of frost injury include brown to black flowers, fruit or leaves.

Dry Conditions: This is also known as "winter burn". It occurs when the leaves of the plant continue to lose moisture, which is not replaced. Generally plants in exposed sites to the wind in the winter are more likely to have this damage occur.

Although these are the 3 most common injuries to occur in winter, there are other problems that can occur. If there is a heavy snowfall or icy conditions occur (freezing rain), these can cause limbs to break. Food is scarce during the winter months for such animals as deer, mice and rabbits. They will seek out leaves, bud and bark to supplement their winter diets.

Solving the problem:

There are certain steps a homeowner can take to lessen the chances of winter injury. The most important step is choosing shrubs and trees that are hardy for the zone you live in. Check with your local nursery if you are unsure of the zone you live in. Ensure your soil drains well when choosing an area in which to plant. Give your trees and shrubs a good soaking before the soil freezes in the fall to ensure they have sufficient moisture for the winter months. Use some sort of windbreak for trees and shrubs in exposed areas. Good maintenance throughout the growing season by providing nutrients, water, and protection against stress to ensure your plants are more resistant to winter injury.

Paul is a Certified Pesticide Applicator in the province of Alberta, Canada. He has over 15 years experience in the lawn care industry.

For more lawn care information, please visit http://www.fairyring.ca

Two New Beautiful Noninvasive Bamboos

Writen by Alan Summers

Fargesia robusta 'Green Screen' and Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda'
Bamboo is known for being very decorative and beautiful in the garden, but many gardeners shy away from bamboo because of its reputation for being invasive. This week we are featuring two new clump forming bamboo plants that are non-invasive and perfect for any gardener who has always wanted to try to grow bamboo - 'Green Screen' and 'Green Panda.' Native to China, both bamboo species are favorite foods of the Giant Pandas. You are sure to enjoy either of these bamboos in your garden - they make excellent hedges, screens, specimen plantings or can be grown in containers. Either one will make a great vertical accent or specimen.

A Fast-Growing Screen
Fargesia robusta 'Green Screen' is a robust strong-growing, clumping bamboo that will reach fifteen to eighteen feet high with a culm diameter of one inch and a clump diameter of 12 feet. It is both fast-growing and sun tolerant, with arching stems that give Bamboo 'Green Screen' a very soft texture. New shoots develop in the spring, continually adding to the interest and texture of this bamboo. 'Green Screen' is very vigorous and hardy throughout Zone 6.

Ideal Bamboo for Smaller Spaces
Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda' is also a non-invasive clumping bamboo. It is smaller than 'Green Screen' reaching just six to eight feel tall. It forms a dense mound of stems and foliage that will expand by just a few inches each year, eventually maturing to eight feet in diameter. It is also very vigorous and is hardy to -15F (Zone 5).

Planting and Care

Rated as deer resistant.

Fertilize with Cottonseed Meal and Kelp Meal when planting in early spring and again in late fall.

Ideally, select a location with part shade, especially in the afternoon. Once established, both bamboos will tolerate full sun.

Both bamboos will do best when planted in a compost-rich, moisture retentive, but well-drained soil.

Click here to view Green Screen on the Carroll Gardens website.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.

Solar Lamp Post Fixtures For Your Outdoor Lighting

Writen by Daren L. Bomaster

Outdoor lighting is quickly becoming more recognized as just as important as indoor lighting. Consider using solar lamp post fixture for your outdoor lighting.

More and more people are considering their outside area as part of their living space. Backyards, patios, and decks are all great places to entertain and the ambiance in your yard can be set with the right lighting. So they are spending a great deal more time deciding what the right lighting is.

Sadly there are more examples of bad lighting out there than there are good. A common mistake is to place lighting in the wrong places which can cost light to filter into the neighbors yard, contribute to light pollution by shooting upwards, or just plain not effectively light your space.

Here are some outdoor lighting tips:

1. Choose the most efficient lamp for the job.
2. Lighting on walkways, driveways, and garden areas should light the ground area.
3. Use timers to turn lighting on and off and in areas where appropriate use sensors to turn lighting on.
4. Make sure you aren't polluting the sky with up ward lighting and make sure you aren't annoying the neighbors.

An important element in outdoor lighting is choosing efficient lighting that's easy on the environment and on your pocket book because of reduced energy costs. And that's why solar fixtures are certainly worth considering!!

Them metal solar lamp post has the look of a traditional gas lamp from an era long gone. This classic fixture looks great and eludes of beauty and charm while providing security to your yard.

The metal construction is the best because it's strong and durable and not likely to be vandalized if placed in public areas. Choose a lamp with an extra large solar panel to get the maximum benefit. LED lights are best.

The post needs to be mounted in full sun. The lamp will then charge during the day and then automatically turn on at night for anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. The LED light will burn 17 times brighter than other bulb types.

A 7 inch solar panel with a 1 watt high powered LED will provide ample lighting. This is the perfect combination for both new and retro installations. Consider the correct placement of the lamp posts in your yard. They are a great choice for driveways, walkways, and for areas where you'll be entertaining guests.

They work well placed parallel or across from each other. There are different size bulbs available. The larger bulbs can provide area and security lighting while the smaller bulbs provide ambiance.

If you plan to install during the winter months you'll need to let the battery charge for at least a week in the mornings. Shut it off at night and do not allow it to operate until the battery has managed to get a full charge. It takes a bit longer during the winter months to get a functioning light because of the lack of sun light and the lower intensity.

The installation is fairly simple. They come broke down in sections that quickly reassemble. Directions supplied by most manufacturers are adequate.

sIf you are looking to make better use of your outdoor space the solar lamp post fixtures are the best choice in lighting!

Daren has been lighting store for 10 years now and has become experienced with installing lighting in various areas. He has decided to create http://www.lightingus.com to answer many of the questions he has come across many times. Visit his website to learn more about decorative outdoor lighting.

3 Easy Tips For Successful Container Gardening

Writen by Doug Green

Here are several tips for creating a wonderful hanging basket or container this summer. The first is to use an artificial soil composed mostly of peat moss. Good soils such as Fafard or Pro-Mix use perlite, peat, and other ingredients to produce a soil that will not compact over the summer. Real garden soil compacts and turns into concrete under the pressure of regular watering. And when it does, plant roots stop growing because they require good open spaces to move into and absorb nutrients. Hard, compacted soils do not grow good plants so do not use real soil in your containers. I re-use my artificial potting soil from year to year. I dump it out of the pot. Chew it up with a shovel to cut up all last year's roots and add approximately 10 % by volume of compost. The compost increases air spaces and gives plants a boost in healthy nutrition.

Feed your plants weekly. Nitrogen, the engine of plant growth, is water soluble and as you water your containers from the top the dissolved nitrogen is leaving from the bottom. I use a fish-emulsion liquid feed with seaweed to provide all the trace nutrients my plants require and recommend it highly. You can use any liquid plant food (like Miracle Grow or Shultz) to promote growth. Compost tea is the Cadillac of liquid plant food and if you make your own compost tea, your plants will respond with bigger and better blooms as well as increased vigour.

And finally, no matter the size of the container, it is important to soak it all the way to the bottom at each watering. Continue watering until water emerges from the pot bottom. This ensures the roots can reach all parts of the container and grow properly.

Doug Green, an award winning garden author with 7 books published answers gardening questions and gives container gardening advice in his free newsletter at http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com

Floribunda Rose Julia Child

Writen by Alan Summers

2006 All-America Rose Winner Honors the Famous Chef

Julia Child, the world-renowned chef who is credited with revolutionizing American cuisine, passed away on August 12, 2004. Just before passing away, she selected this exceptional rose to bear her name - a touching tribute to this wonderful lady. Julia chose this rose because he loved its even butter gold color and the licorice candy fragrance. Anyone else who has seen this rose has also fallen in love with it - so much so that it was named one of the four 2006 All-America Rose Selections (AARS) Winners. Not all AARS winners stand the test of time; but Julia Child is getting rave reviews from everyone who has grown it and appears to be a true winner.

Old-Fashioned, English-Style Blooms Julia Child has an old-fashioned, English-style look, filled with 35 petals or more, on a perfectly round and densely bushy plant. Blooms are produced in abundance, several to a stem in typical floribunda fashion. Their butter-yellow color will blend well with any landscape and the spicy licorice fragrance the blooms emit will be enjoyed by all who pass. The rounded 3 foot bush has super glossy green foliage that is very disease resistant. Works well as a specimen planting, along a border or even in a container.

Planting and Care

• For best results plant in spring or early autumn.
• Performs best in an area with full sun to light shade and well-drained soil.
• Fertilize with Rose-Tone monthly from mid-March to mid-August.
• Hardy in Zones 5-9.

Click here to view 'Julia Child' on the Carroll Gardens website.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.

Growing Orchids Successfully In The Northern Hemisphere

Writen by Neil Day

Look in any gardening section of a book store or do a quick search on the Internet and this will give you an idea of just how much people love the Orchid. All around the world enthusiasts are trying to grow these beautiful plants.

Their natural habitat is a humid tropical climate, which gives us a bit of a challenge if we are trying to grow them in the Northern Hemisphere. Many people have risen to this challenge and despite the fact that some horticulturists even encounter reproduction problems, as their orchids fail to multiply, others have managed to cultivate thriving Orchid specimens.

So as you can see it is not impossible to grow stunning Orchids, even here in the Northern Hemisphere. Here are some essential tips that will heighten your success rate:

* Select the right orchids: Even though Orchids prefer tropical climates there are some varieties that are more adaptable than others. Phalaenopsis are becoming the most commonly kept orchids. They are now more available, as garden centres, D.I.Y. stores and supermarkets and florists are now selling them. They are reasonably easy to keep and maintain, and will survive, and thrive in your home, although they mostly require re-potting once a year.

* How well do you know your Orchid? Become familiar with your Orchid. Do some research and find out if your Orchids of thrives better the up in the air, down in the soil or a height in between. Your research will let you what elevation your orchid needs. Epiphytes, for example, are air-loving orchids that derive most of the nutrients necessary for their sustenance from the air. Terrestrials, on the other hand, derive their nutrients from the soil, and as such, are best left clinging to the ground. If you didn't do your homework you might not have known this, which would have disastrous effects on your Orchids.

* Lights Please: Not all Orchids are alike. Different orchids need different amounts of light. Some varieties, like Dendobriums, demand very bright lights. Other varieties, like Phalaenopsis that we mentioned earlier, can be grown with artificial light. If you want to have a blooming Orchid you need to know how and where you will keep them.

* Nice and Healthy: It is important that you keep the soil healthy at all times. Orchids, more than any other plants, demand the highest quality soil. Keeping healthy stunning orchids will require regular fertilization. There's no substitute for this. If your soil is not the best your Orchid will not survive.

* Don't drown them: How often do you water Orchids? There are no hard and fast rules. It all depends: the season, compost and local conditions all affect watering frequency. This may vary from every two or three days in midsummer to once a fortnight or less in midwinter. It is hard to say because each plant is an individual. Experience is the best judge and the only way to gain experience it is best to lift the pot and feel the weight. The light pots need water. If in doubt do not water until next time. The best time to water is in the morning so that surplus water has completely drained away by nightfall. Never, ever leave your orchids standing in water. Rainwater is preferential to tap water and should be warmed to the same temperature as the plants.

* Orchids need air. Enthusiasts have been saying it for years but in a way, Orchids are like humans. They'll choke with stagnant air. Make sure that their habitat is properly ventilated, but not too much, as this could ruin their blooms. When the weather allows, open vents or windows will give your plants the fresh air they need. In the greenhouse small electric fans can be used to move the air around and help keep leaf temperatures down in hot weather. Orchids, however, like humidity, and open vents or windows will dry the atmosphere. In the greenhouse water can be sprayed onto the floor and on the staging between the plants to raise humidity.

Following the tips above and by visiting will ensure that you'll have healthy, beautiful flowers come their season of blossoms. With a little knowledge of their cultural needs, anyone can keep these, and other orchids – even in the Northern Hemisphere!

The only way to keep up with the latest about growing orchids is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you visit my orchid resources site you'll find out about orchid care, types of orchid, wholesale orchids, orchid plants and orchid bouquets. It won't take long for you to become an influential authority.

Garden Pond Liners

Writen by Eric Morris

A garden pond can be decorated with plants or fish or both. It needs to be lined with either a preformed, fixed liner or a flexible liner. Rigid or preformed liners are best suited for small ponds. Preformed liners are suitable where you do not have space to dig. Such ponds, in different shapes and sizes, are an alternative to the costly concrete pond. Using these materials, an average gardener can install a decent-sized pond in less than one day, and have it stocked with plant and fish by next morning.

But to create a pond shape of your choice you may require a flexible liner. Flexible liners come in various measures of thickness, with the thicker ones being more resistant to wear and tear. But preformed liners are suited for small ponds, while for medium and big ones, flexible rubber liners are suitable. Plastic liners may harm fish and plant life in the long run

When creating a garden pond with a flexible liner, calculate the width, length and depth of the pond and multiply the maximum depth by three. Add the figure to the length and width. This measurement will cover the entire base and sides, and even leave a portion around the sides which can be covered with rocks to secure the liner in place. On the other hand, installing a rigid or preformed liner requires creating a hole that suits the shape of the pond.

Installing Pond Liners is a delicate task, as they are in danger of rupture by sharp objects like stones or roots. It is prudent to install a pre-liner between the liner and the soil, made of materials like Styrofoam, sand and crumpled newspapers. While you start the installation, lay the liner around the hole with an overlap all around and smooth any wrinkles. Lay some stones over the overlap, and secure the liner around the pond.

Synthetic liners are okay for small ponds, as their health is not being challenged by micronutrient feeding problems. Soil additives such as sodium bentonite clays are much cheaper than synthetic liners. The only drawback is that they require professional help for maintenance.

Flexible liners are mush better than concrete or fiberglass. Concrete ponds are expensive, requiring footings, reinforcements and several layers of concrete. Construction of such ponds requires professional help and over the long term, they begin to crack. With the advent of new rubber and synthetic Pond Liners, the drudgery associated with concrete shaping and mixing is a thing of the past.

Pond Liners provides detailed information about pond liners, garden pond liners, preformed pond liners, rubber pond liners and more. Pond Liners is the sister site of Natural Waterfalls.

22 Fun Things To Do With Your Dozen Rose Gift

Writen by Gina Stathopoulos

Your dozen rose gift doesn't only have to decorate your favorite room. Roses are about romance and enjoying the moment they are given and received. I've discovered some fun ways to use roses to create a stimulating day or night.

So read through this list of fun rose goodies.

Spice up your relationship and turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary day you will both remember. Select your favorite and have fun!

* Send your partner a dozen roses of their favorite color along with a check for a hundred kisses.

* Order a dozen roses, eleven red and one white. In your personal message write something like: "In every bunch there's one that stands out – and you are that one".

* Want your partners' eyes to glow? Order a bouquet of different colored roses and place each one in a different place in your home. Where you place the dozen roses, also place a small card (decorate it nicely if you like) where it will state the meaning of each colored rose and how that meaning fits in with your lives.

* When you pick up your partner have a single rose waiting on the passenger seat for him/her. He/she will be pleasantly surprised but the real surprise is yet to come… Have two dozen roses waiting at home.

* Give a bunch of long stem roses for no reason. That will sure surprise.

* Dress your bed with a white satin cover and scatter red rose petals all over. Light candles, put some soft music, have fun!

* Order 11 roses and in the bouquet put an artificial one that looks real. On your card write something like: "I will love you till the last rose withers."

* Get a journal (buy the same color journal to go with the color of roses you are going to send) and fill it with romantic quotes and love poems. Tie a ribbon around the book and give to your partner along with your dozen rose gift.

* Another variation to buying a journal and filling it with quotes is to write all the memorable moments you have shared and how you felt during those times. Like the first time you met, etc. Telling the other person how you feel always makes that person feel special. Of course accompany this with a beautiful bouquet of roses, or even one long stem rose.

* Send your partner a dozen roses - Surprise number one. When they're wilted, turn the rose petals into potpourri, put in a nice decorative box and this is surprise number two. Your partner will be delighted with your thoughtfulness.

* For this valentine's day I received a dozen roses. So the last thing I was expecting was to receive another bunch a week and a half later. What my boyfriend had done (and it was a great surprise) was to lay the petals of the old roses in the shape of a huge heart in our living room which would be the first thing I would see when I came home from work. In the middle of the heart he had placed a vase with different colored roses. I loved it!

* Leave a trail of roses leading from the front door to the dinning room where you have laid the table with fine dining wear and candles ready to enjoy a romantic dinner. Leave another trail of roses leading from the dining room to the bedroom. Scatter some red rose petals on your bed.

* Write a long love letter telling your partner why you love him/her. List in it all their good qualities. Write down all the things he/she does that makes you feel special. Write down how you see your future together and anything else you can think of. A better idea would be to write all this stuff in a journal so it can keep longer. Accompany with a dozen of their favorite colored roses.

* Write a love letter to your partner and put it into an attractive glass bottle. Fill the tub and scent it with your favorite aromatic bath oil(s). Scatter in a few rose petals and put the bottle in the tub. Let your partner discover it for themselves when they get into the tub.

* Give your partner 11 roses and tape the last one to the mirror of your bathroom. Tell him/her to go to the bathroom where they will see the last rose along with your message that says 'these are the 12 most beautiful things in the world.'

* Buy a bunch of different colored artificial roses. On each rose write what each color represents. These roses will last forever and your partner when they look at them will always be pleasantly reminded of the first time they receive them.

* Place a rose on the windshield of your partner's car which they will see and be delighted by before they leave for work. This will make them think beautiful thoughts about you all day. Then when they get home, present them with the rest of the 11 roses.

* Lay a white sheet on the floor of your bedroom/living room or wherever else. Scatter rose petals on it, place candles around the sheet, put on soft music and have your partner lay there and give them a massage.

* If you have a spare key to your partners car and know where they park during the day, while they are at work, put a bunch of roses in the car seat along with a note. They will be pleasantly surprised that you were there during the day.

* Present your partner with 10 red roses and 2 white roses. Write in the card something along the lines of "You will never be alone"

* Two weeks before valentine's day, send your partner a rose for every day leading up to the big day. For the day arrange to do something you don't usually do as a special treat to celebrate.

* Make a list of the qualities you love about your partner. Write each one individually on a small card and hang off each rose.

About The Author

Copyright © Gina Stathopoulos

Looking for a gift? Let Gina and Nick show you what we buy for friends/family and each other. At our site you will find popular gifts, gift information and stories from our readers. Come have a look http://www.we-recommend.com

Lawn Care Products

Writen by Jennifer Bailey

Lawn care products are of vital importance in maintaining the luster and condition of lawns. The use of lawn care products ensures that less labor is needed in developing and maintaining a lawn to suitable requirements. There is a diverse range of lawn care products available, and proper application is the road to a successful lawn.

Weeds are a major nuisance in proper lawn care. In order to ensure that the lawn is weed-free one should keep the lawn as dense as possible. If the grass is dense and even, weeds find it difficult to take root and grow. Thin or weak grass facilitates the growth of weeds and causes great damage to the texture and appearance of the lawn.

There are commonly two kinds of weeds - grassy weeds, like crabgrass, foxtail and other unwanted grasses; and broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, ground ivy and chickweed.

Normally, products that keep broadleaf weeds in check do not curb grassy weeds. However, products have emerged that combine the elements necessary for both grassy and broadleaf weed check.

The best weed control is achieved when weeds are new and aggressively developing. The perfect time to use a weed control product is on a temperate day after it rains, and when there is not much wind to blow the spray onto flowers or other plants.

If the lawn has abundant weeds, an extensive use of spray spread over the total lawn may be essential to keep them in check. Such sprays control over 30 types of broadleaf weeds.

If a thick, lush green lawn is already in place, spot-treatment of separate weeds or patches of weeds may be adequate. There are lawn care products intended for spot treatment purposes.

Lawn Care provides detailed information on Lawn Care, Lawn Care Tips, Lawn Care Products, Organic Lawn Care and more. Lawn Care is affiliated with Grass Seeds.

Water Ponds And Wildlife How To Attract More Animals To Your Backyard

Writen by David Ray

Wildlife require water just as humans do. Water is essential for life. Songbirds use it for bathing and preening; waterfowl and shorebirds for finding food and escaping predators; and muskrat, mink and beaver for every part of their existence.

Providing water can be as simple as a bird bath or small fiberglass water pond or as complex as the construction of a large, excavated wetland with an artificial or clay liner.

The simplest method of providing water is a bird bath. The structure need not be elaborate, an old pie tin works as well as a prefabricated concrete structure. Make sure the water is no deeper than three inches and that smooth bottom baths are enhanced with some type of structure or objects for perching. To cut back on maintenance, simply hang a garden hose above the bath and allow water to drip into the bath at a slow rate.

Birds also require water in winter. By providing open water, you may potentially attract more birds for viewing. There are a variety of options including dog and poultry water heaters as well as commercial water heaters designed specifically for bird baths.

It is important that you always keep placement in mind both for the bird's safety and for your viewing enjoyment. Keep the bird bath near a favorite viewing location but at least ten feet away from vegetation or other cover. This will help in preventing neighborhood predators such as domestic cats from killing birds.

Small backyard ponds with artificial liners are another method of providing water for wildlife. Choose a location that receives sun part of the day to stimulate plant growth. Begin pond construction with a pre-fabricated fiberglass shell or similar item such as a kid's wading pool or old washtub. A good option to both of these methods is utilization of 20 mil black plastic.

If you begin with a child's wading pool or washtub, it should be lined with 10-30 mil black plastic. This will insure water does not leak from the pond and will give a more natural background color than that of a wading pool or other structure.

Begin by excavating soil out of an area roughly equal to the size and shape of your liner. Remember, the location of your pond should be where you can view it from your house. You should also consider keeping it within reach of a garden hose for filling purposes or and electrical supply for powering any pumps or aerators. A pond need not be more that ten feet long and two to five feet wide. Providing varying depths from a few inches to a couple feet will increase chances of different wildlife using your pond

After fitting the liner, field stones, flat rocks or timber can help hold and hide the edges of the plastic liner. Adding soil over the top of the positioned liner will allow future planting of aquatic vegetation. An alternate method to lining the entire pond bottom with soil is to put aquatic plants into pots and then submerge the pots in desired locations within the pond. Stabilize pots with rocks or other means to prevent tipping. Plan to have enough aquatic plants to cover 30-40 percent of the surface area.

Provide areas for birds and turtles to make use of your pond by adding log perches or a rock island. Creating a sandy, gravel beach in one corner can provide the grit birds require for digesting food. A sandy substrate also makes looking for wildlife tracks an educational experience. After you have completed all the necessary preparations, fill the pond with water. If using tap water rather than well water, let stand for a week to let chemicals like chlorine dissipate.

You may choose to see if plants will come naturally. This could occur through transfer of seeds on bird's feet or from their droppings. Another method to introduce potential plant and invertebrate life is to scoop muck from an existing wetland and transfer it to your pond.

Keep an eye on your pond often and log the plant growth as a family activity. And be sure to keep watching for new wildlife to your new oasis.

This article is courtesy of D.R. Ray, owner of the Water-Pond-Guide.com website. Learn more about backyard and patio ponds at Water-Pond-Guide.com.

Bonsai And Tree Cultivation As An Art Form

Writen by George Dodge

Somehow, the words bonsai and tree do not seem to go together. After all, the word "bonsai" comes from the Japanese word for 'tree in a tray' which at first thought would not seem to make sense, at least not for a real live tree. Yet the ancient Chinese managed to create an art form that results in exactly that, a tree in a tray.

Now when you first look at a bonsai, you think that the tree has to be some special dwarf variety, Yet the miniature form of the tree that you see is not produced by some genetic dwarf, but rather it is the result of years of patient shaping of ordinary species by a bonsai tree gardener.

While they are grown and shaped in small pots, they are produced from ordinary species, such as pine, maple, juniper, and many others, including some fruit trees!

Bonsai trees come in five basic styles, the formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade and semi-cascade as well as more than a dozen advanced types.

The more advanced styles are truly magnificent art forms produced by master artists who not only have mastered the artistic vision and skills required to produce the beautiful works of art, they have also had to learn and master a dozen sub-sciences to cultivate and maintain them as a healthy tree with so little soil and space from which to draw their nutriments.

An art of that kind is not mastered in a month.

Bonsai tree gardeners may labor for years to produce a single tree, which may then last a hundred years or longer. The bonsai trees are then frequently handed down from generation to generation, with each successive artist adding his or her own distinctive style. Although the tree is carefully and lovingly formed and shaped according to the personal aesthetic of each caretaker, past efforts are not discarded but rather venerated and serve as a source of learning.

Years of training and experience are required to become a skilled bonsai gardener. Ordinary horticulture is by itself a difficult craft. But to produce a miniature tree from ordinary species takes a lifetime of patience and learning. Yet, for a person who is patient, the art can be learned.

The results are widely regarded as well-worth the effort, though. Bonsai are admired all over the world for their uniqueness, their longevity, variety and beauty and for the skill that goes to produce them.

So as you can see, bonsai and tree do go together after all. The next time you see a bonsai, look carefully at it, study its harmony and begin to appreciate bonsai as an art form. Who knows, perhaps you'll take up bonsai tree gardening as a hobby yourself.

George Dodge has long appreciated the art of bonsai and has recently launched a Bonsai Tree Gardening website where you can discover much more about the cultivation of bonsai and tree gardening and see some bonsai examples.

Garden Etiquette How To Act When In Anothers Garden

Writen by Fred Davis

One thing I've noticed in recent years (and others have also mentioned in passing) is that there seems to be more garden visitors who are "out of sorts" and, at times, downright disrespectful and thoughtless. I recently overheard a couple of avid gardeners remark that if they see another tumultuous season like this one, they'll soon be ex-gardeners! One even wished she'd designed a "secret" garden into her landscape, set aside only for her and close, trusted friends.

True, times like these do seem to fray fragile nerves and stir up some deep frustrations. Polite society, however, clearly requires garden visitors -- out of sorts or not -- to observe a sort of "code" to at least attempt to avoid trampling on another's sensitivities or property rights. Here are a few suggestions to make your visit to someone else's garden -- private or public -- more pleasant, informative, and relaxing while, at the same time, avoiding the ire of its gardener or manager.

For parents with youngsters in tow, one of the kindest things you can do is to control your little ones (and some which aren't so little, as well). Filled with energy and exuberance, youngsters can do a great deal of damage as they race around. Advise them to stay on paths; forbid rock-throwing, flower-picking, and branch-tugging; and assist them in keeping their sometimes cheeky remarks to themselves.

Domestic pets of visitors have no place wandering around in someone else's garden. Yes, there may be a resident pooch or cat, but that's never a reason to turn your pet -- even cute little "lap-dogs" -- loose to rip and tear, dig and chew, or otherwise "soil" the garden environment with their wastes. Leaving Fido (or even worse, big-footed Boomer) home is always the safest bet. Your friends will most certainly appreciate the kindness. . .not to mention your deeply appreciated respect for their "turf."

Stepping off obvious paths to go plodding around in the cultivated soil of a friend's garden is definitely out! You may do that in your own garden, but it's not going to be appreciated by most of your friends...and, if you persist, may get you an invitation to leave. (Much of this annoying and now near-universal habit of modern gardeners originated with the advent of television. Turn on any gardening program and see "experts" in total disregard for the structure of soil as they tromp straight into a cultivated bed to achieve a better camera angle.)

Don't pick flowers, take seeds, or snip or pinch cuttings unless you've been invited to. Yes, I've seen it in my garden and the gardens of others. Often, offenders will glance around first to see if they're being observed; then snip! or snatch!, and into a pocket or purse it goes. Seed-snatchers, blossom-pickers, and cutting-crooks are rarely invited back.

Don't appoint yourself as the official visiting weed-puller or bug-stomper. Remember that one person's "trash" may be another's "treasure." Who knows...maybe they wanted that weed ("wildflower"?) there, and perhaps that squashed insect was a valuable, beneficial type, nurtured and protected by its host. . .the now-offended resident gardener.

Maintain an up-beat, positive, giving, sharing, and pleasant attitude while visiting another's garden. Even if you see all sorts of terrible things (mistakes, misadventures, unfinished tasks, weeds, bugs, diseases, stones, snaggly trees and shrubs, pet residues, scattered tools and hoses, odors, etc.), try hard to put a positive spin on even the worst of circumstances. Avoid insensitive remarks like "Oh, I see you have [some plant or other]; I have one, too, but mine grows taller and has better looking leaves and prettier flowers." Another real "killer" goes something like, "Yeah...a hosta...I've got 25 different varieties in my garden!"

Finally, for you tobacco users, please don't grind out cigarette butts or spit tobacco juice in others' gardens...and never light up a cigar there, either! Most avid gardeners treasure the sanctity, peacefulness and, hopefully, the freshness and purity of air in their garden retreats. Nothing invades that refreshing, rejuvenating, and clean micro-environment like the pervasive smell of tobacco smoke -- especially the disagreeable odor of a smoldering cigar. Few things are less pleasant to police up than someone else's stomped-in cigar or cigarette butt.

And while on the subject, "field-stripping" a cigarette (an old military trick intended to avoid detection by the enemy -- or the drill instructor in boot-camp) is just as bad, if not worse. Not too many people realize that virtually every shred of processed tobacco is a potential source of a deadly agricultural organism known as TSWV (tomato spotted wilt virus). The malady can wreak havoc among many different varieties in a once-healthy garden, causing stunting of plants and a discolored mosaic pattern on the leaves, accompanied by unsightly leaf distortion (puckering). Infected plants must be destroyed -- there is no cure, only prevention. So, if you're a smoker, the next time you visit a friend's (or public) garden, whip out a stick of chewing gum...leave the smokes in your pocket.

It all boils down to this: treat others, their gardens -- and their gardening efforts -- with the same kind of respect, gentle honesty, and caring with which you'd like to be treated. Where have I heard that before?

Fred Davis is a Master Gardener, Master Composter, correspondent, lecturer, co-owner/operator of a popular 18-year-old perennial nursery in south-central Maine, and author of "Keys To The Garden Gate...Saying Some Things That Need To Be Said." He and Linda, his wife of 44 years, reside in Palermo, Maine, and may be contacted by visiting http://www.HillGardens.com

A Choice New Hydrangea With Variegated Foliage

Writen by Alan Summers

At Carroll Gardens, we can't get enough of the breakthrough hydrangeas that have been introduced over the past few years. Beginning with the 'Endless Summer' Hydrangea in 2003, we have seen such choice introductions as 'Forever & Ever,''Forever & Ever Double Pink,''Forever & Ever Red' and 'Blushing Bride.'

Variegated hydrangeas have been used to brighten up shady gardens for at least a 100 years. I grew one as a kid in my fern garden. Any variegated hydrangeas I have ever encountered have had one major deficiency---sparse to non-existent blooms. For some reason, all variegated hydrangeas have lace cap blooms, even when they originated as sports (mutations) of mop head hydrangeas.

Recently, the widely popular re-blooming hydrangea Endless Summer made a variegated lace cap mutation. This hydrangea has been named 'Light O' Day.' Compared to other variegated hydrangeas, it has a more reliable bloom, better hardiness and at least as good creamy white variegation. Don't expect 'Light O' Day' to re-bloom like Endless Summer, but any bloom from a variegated hydrangea in the shade is a blessing indeed. And you will certainly get more blooms from 'Light O' Day' than from any other variegated hydrangea grown in similar conditions. For maximum bloom production, choose a spot that is lightly shaded, has dappled shade or is shaded in the afternoon with morning sun.

The inner blooms are either pink or blue, depending on the soil acidity. Surrounding the inner blooms are bright white flowers. 'Light O' Day' will reach about four feet tall and four feet wide. It prefers moist soil (not wet) in a place with afternoon shade and morning sun. 'Light O' Day' makes an excellent choice for the woodland garden or along the north side of the house or garage.

Planting and Care

For best results plant in early spring to late summer.

Prefers an area with morning sun and afternoon shade or in dappled sun all day long. Will grow handsomely, but will not bloom well in dense shade.

Will perform best in moist, but not wet, soil. Add Soil Moist if you think the soil is too dry.

For blue blooms, use Leaf Gro compost at planting and fertilize with Holly-Tone.

For pink blooms, use Chesapeake Blue Crab Compost at planting and fertilize with Bulb-Tone.

Add aluminum sulphate for blue blooms and lime for pink blooms.

Use a handful of fertilizer at planting and again in early December and early March.

Plant so the top of the root ball is a half inch below the surface of the soil.

Mulch with two inches of shredded hardwood mulch.

If a stem with all green leaves shows up, it should be removed to the base.

Hardy in Zones 5 to 9.

Click here to view Light O' Day Hydrangea on the Carroll Gardens website.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.

How To Grow Brussels Sprouts

Writen by Terry Blackburn

Growing Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are very popular in England; however they are thought to have been first grown in Italy, though in modern times they were cultivated in large amounts in Belgium as early as 1587, hence the name. When cooked, sprouts should be tender but firm, this way thy will retain the vitamins, over cooking also ruins the texture of this delicious vegetable. They contain vitamins A and C; in fact sprouts contain twice the amount of vitamin C as an equal amount of cabbage, they also contain potassium. They contain a wealth of anti-cancer compounds and another wonderful food, which is ideal for weight watchers, as they contain only 31 celeries per average serving. They are one of the traditional vegetables served with the turkey during the Christmas feast.

The sprouts can only be grown satisfactorily in firm soil, where they can be given a good depth of manure and plenty of room to develop.

Soil Preparation

The soil must be prepared in the previous autumn, adding a spades depth of manure and compost at the rate of one and a half bucketfuls to the sq. yd. Leave the soil rough for the winter frosts and winds to act upon it, then in the spring fork it over an inch or two deep, adding either fish manure at 4 oz. (120g) to the sq. yd. Alternatively, you can use a mixture of two parts hoof and horn, one part sulphate of potash, four parts bone meal, at a rate of 4 oz. (120g) to the sq. yd. The plants are planted out in late May or early June.

Sowing

Sow the seeds in a sheltered position in a seedbed during March or April, in drills not deeper than ½ in. (12mm) about 6 in. (15cm) apart. Cover them with cloches to give them warmth and protection. As they grow begin to thin out to give them room to develop.

Planting

Begin to plant out when the seedlings are about 4 - 6 in. (10cm - 15cm) high in the position they are to mature in; continue until the middle of August. It is a good idea to water them well the day before you intend to move them. The ground where they are to go must be firm and the plants well firmed in. Plant about 3 ft. (90cm) apart with their lowest leaves just above the soil level. After they have been trans-planted they must be well watered. As they grow it might be necessary to stake them if there is high winds.

Harvesting

Remove leaves when they turn yellow and gently remove any sprouts that are open. It is better to cut off the sprouts, as they are ready with a knife rather than attempting to break them off as this could lead to tearing or their roots to be dislodged from the soil. Start at the bottom of the plants and work up gradually. In the south the harvest may begin, as early as September but in the north it is likely to be October before any are ready to pick; the crop may continue through to the following spring. The heads of the plant should not be removed until the end of February, for they protect the sprouts forming below and they manufacture sap, which will feed them.

When the plants are finished fruiting, pull them up and put them onto the compost heap; do not leave them on the ground, as they will take up valuable nutrients.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

Ticks

Writen by Josh Riverside

Ticks constitute a menace that can cause debilitating diseases in humans and animals. Ticks are not insects, but arachnids. They belong to the same family as mites, spiders, and scorpions. Although they thrive in warm regions, they stay away from direct sunlight. They are parasitic and live on the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Thousands of species of ticks can be found across the world, and in the Unites States alone there are nearly 200 species.

Eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults constitute the four-stage life cycle of ticks. They generally breed in tall grass, woods, bushes, and lawn grass. Adult female ticks lay eggs raging from 100 to 6,000 per batch, depending upon their species. Similarly, ticks may take less than a year or may take several years to complete their lifecycles.

Ticks carry microorganisms that cause serious diseases in humans and animals. In humans, these diseases are characterized by severe pain, respiratory problems, weakness, swelling, and even paralysis. In dogs and cats, tick-borne diseases cause loss of appetite, lethargy, pain, high fever, vomiting, and paralysis.

As prevention is always better than a cure, certain steps can be taken to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to people and pets. Lawn grass should be mowed regularly, tick-killing pesticides should be applied on pets, and pets' environments should be treated with these products. In addition, pets should be checked daily if they are in tick-infested areas.

Individuals should protect themselves in woods and other tick-prone areas by being fully covered from neck to toe. Clothes should be sprayed with repellent before wearing. However, tick-killing pesticides and repellents should be used only after reading instructions for use.

If ticks attach themselves to people or pets, they should be removed immediately with tweezers. The tick needs to be pulled out right from the point of attachment to prevent its head from remaining embedded in the skin of the host. Ticks must never be touched with hands. After the tick is removed, the bitten part and tweezers should be cleaned with antiseptic.

Awareness about the potential harm ticks can cause, tick removal method, and tick-bite-prevention techniques can help to combat the tick menace.

Ticks provides detailed information on Ticks, Tick Bites, Deer Ticks, Dog Ticks and more. Ticks is affiliated with Mosquito Magnets.

Small Garden Design Creating Illusions Of More Space

Writen by Steve Boulden

While designing small area gardens does have some of its own special challenges, the opportunity for creativity is multiplied within these small spaces. It is possible to create more atmosphere and impact with less.

And while most people do a great job of creating beautiful gardens within confined areas, balconies, rooftops, and courtyards, the greatest challenge is still in making small gardens feel larger than they really are.

Because most small gardens are surrounded by boundaries, vertical surfaces, and can generally be viewed in a single glance, they have a tendency to feel confined, boxed in, and...small. So some designers use a few techniques and "tricks" to create an illusion of more space. Try one or more of these ideas if you're challenged by a confined area.

Screen unsightly boundaries and hard vertical surfaces with plants or structures. Not only does this hide the element, but can also create the illusion that there's more beyond and not just your neighbors wall or yard. Try to hide obvious boundaries.

If your garden is confined by walls, the color of your walls can actually have some impact on how spacious your garden feels. Darker colors alone have more depth. When used behind planting schemes, they blend and help make the boundary seem invisible. Overall, darker color elements help create more depth in confined areas.

Adding curves to your walkways, flower beds, walls, etc. can give the illusion of more distance and travel. The human eye can detect that there actually is more distance involved and so the mind interprets the actual occupied space as being greater.

If you have unused hard corners, make good use of them. An arch or entryway into a corner that otherwise goes nowhere is a nice element and opportunity to frame a focal point in the corner. It also creates the illusion of something more beyond.

Creating levels can give the illusion of more space. It creates vertical surface and appears to create even more horizontal surface. If your floor area is limited, otherwise unused hard corners are a great place to add a second level flower bed or element.

A little creativity might even enlist the use of mirrors. Think about it. A mirror or two placed in the right spots could actually make a garden seem twice as large as it really is.

I hope this helps.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the owner of S&S Designed Landscaping and the creator of http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com For more free landscaping ideas, plans, and pictures, visit his site at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

Waterfall Gardens

Writen by Elizabeth Morgan

Waterfall gardens are gardens built around natural or artificially built waterfalls. They are generally located far from the hustle and bustle of urban life. They are designed to be abundant in natural beauty and tranquility. In fact, the very purpose of having a waterfall in the center of the garden is to dampen outside vehicular sounds and to make people feel more harmonious with nature.

The waterfalls are prime attractions in such waterfall gardens. Waterfalls in such gardens are constructed using natural rock to build the cascade. The rocks are placed aesthetically and the same time subtly enough to seem natural. Water is allowed to flow into ponds, which house fishes and various aquatic plants. There may be exotic species of both in a bid to attract more visitors. Sometimes the ponds are crafted to be long enough to run through the entire length of the garden. The banks of the ponds are lined with pebbles or rounded stones to enhance their look.

Such gardens use decorative ferns and trees in order to provide shade and botanical value to them. Some of them also grow trees from different continents. This process requires acclimatization of the trees, done by experts. Sometimes the names of these trees, common as well as binomial, are displayed on boards hung around them, along with other botanical information.

People usually spend a couple of hours or even a whole day in these gardens. There are trails designed to guide the visitors around the gardens. Most of these trails are built parallel to the waterfall ponds. Bistros, park benches and canopied tables with chairs around them are kept at regular intervals. There are also food stalls, gift shops and bathrooms for the visitors.

Since waterfall gardens are used for commercial purposes, great care is taken in their designing and landscaping. A team of experts chalks up the plans and a team of contractors looks after the construction. These gardens also require regular staff for reserving and conducting the visitors, as well as for the maintenance of the gardens.

Waterfall gardens do not charge their visitors much. Several of them are subsidized by the government and so they provide free entry for their visitors. Some of them charge monthly or annual fees, which are quite nominal.

Waterfalls provides detailed information about waterfalls, indoor waterfalls, waterfall gardens, waterfall ponds and more. Waterfalls is the sister site of Preformed Pond Liners.

Lazy Fish Worries

Writen by Brett Fogle

If your fish hang out at the bottom of the pond, or act restless and lazy, then it's likely that your pond is suffering from poor aeration.

When oxygen levels drop below 7 PPM it not only affects the ability of your fish to breathe, but it also negates your pond's bio filtration systems. That's because optimum bio filtration results require large quantities of air. When bio filtration degrades it results in the buildup of toxic ammonia levels. This, in return, causes stress in your fish which can result in lethargy and even death.

Your immediate first aid calls for increasing oxygen levels at once. Unlike chemical treatments, you can't cause any problems by putting "too much" oxygen into your pond. The easiest way to maintain oxygen levels is to run an aeration pump 24 hours a day. If you are already doing that, and your oxygen levels are still too low, then either your pump is defective, undersized for the pond, or your water temperatures are so high that the water is not capable of retaining sufficient oxygen. Treat whichever of these conditions exist.

Once you have cured the oxygen generation system problems, its time to test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and pH. It's also a good idea to test for total alkalinity and hardness. Adjust any levels that are out of normal ranges using pond additives that are designed for each problem.

If you found multiple problems, or suspect that you have a general water quality issue, then you should commence a daily changing of 20-40% of your pond's total volume until you have turned the water over twice. Of course, you need to use chlorine-free water. After you have turned the water over twice you should perform all of the tests that I wrote about earlier and make any required adjustments.

If your fish do not recover, or you are experiencing kills, then you may have a parasite or other health problem. Check our article archives for potential solutions.

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Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
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Invite Spring Early Grow In Your Basement

Writen by Jim Kennard

Now's the time to get ready to grow your own seedlings! It's not really difficult, and can extend your growing season by many weeks. For example, by planting brassica's (cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) in February in your basement under grow-lights, you can put large, sturdy transplants into your garden by the end of March or early April, and be eating them when others are just seeing them come up! However, remembering that photosynthesis, using light, heat and moisture causes plant growth, you must follow a few key natural principles very carefully, or you will be disappointed.

First, seeds must have moisture to germinate and grow. And the soil mix must be moist, but not soggy, or you'll drown the new plant, since it must also have oxygen!

Second, while heat is essential, temperatures must be maintained in a narrow range for ideal germination to occur. Most vegetable seeds germinate quickly between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. After plants are up, many of them will grow in cooler temperatures, but most all will become dormant (stop growing) at temperatures below 50 degrees.

Third, light is not necessary for seed germination, but as soon as your seedlings begin to emerge from the soil, maximum light is required immediately for proper development. Therefore, to grow in your house, make sure your plants have a strong (but not hot!) light source directly on the plants, for up to 16 hours per day. Pictures of two grow-light shelves can be seen in the Photos section of the free gardening group at MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com. The metal one is 6-shelf Commercial Chrome Shelving, from Sam's Club costing only $70, and will hold 20 flats of plants. Suspend shop lights with 2 cool and 2 warm 40-watt tubes 2 to 4" above the plants.

The fourth principle relates to feeding. A balanced nutrient mix of 13 minerals is essential to plants immediately after germination. Those nutrients are mineral salts and must be very dilute in the soil moisture, otherwise osmosis will cause the salt to draw the life-giving moisture out of the plants, and they will die. To ensure you never burn your plants, water seedlings daily using the "Constant Feed Solution" of one ounce (2 level tablespoons) of Weekly Feed dissolved in 3 gallons of water. For the free Weekly Feed formula, go to the Gardening Techniques section at www.foodforeveryone.org, and look on the Fertilizer page.

Next, it is important to separate your small plants before their leaves begin to overlap with others', or the tiny stems will become very weak and spindly as the plants all stretch - looking for more light. By the time the plants have their first or second true leaf, this step should be completed. Failure to wait even a few hours can result in spindly, weak plants, which never recover. Transplanting seedlings into 2" 6-paks or pots will provide adequate space for them to grow an additional 2-3 weeks, depending on variety. If it's still too early to put them out into the garden by the time plant leaves are again beginning to overlap, prune the leaves, transplant again into larger pots, or separate pots, so the plant leaves always have maximum light.

Before transplanting into the garden, "harden-off" your plants outside, off the ground for 2 to 3 days, to acclimate them to direct sunlight, temperature, wind, etc. This is important so the plant doesn't have the shock of a new environment added to the shock to its root system caused by transplanting. If the weather turns cold at night, bring the plants back in the house. The temperature adjustment needs to be gradual.

For many of your plants, the pruning process does double duty. In addition to assuring maximum light, it shocks the plant mildly, causing it to pause in its growth and produce a thicker, sturdier stem. This process makes the plant much better able to endure the vicissitudes of the outside environment, such as cutworms, ants, etc. that often quickly decimate plants with weak, spindly stems.

For tall-growing plants, like tomatoes, by the time they are 12" tall, provide small stakes tied to the plant stem to prevent them from falling over. And with tomatoes, begin immediately to remove all sucker stems as soon as they appear, to assure a single, strong stem and maximum production from your plant.

Jim Kennard, President Food For Everyone Foundation "Teaching the world to grow food one family at a time." www.foodforeveryone.org,

Jim Kennard is the President of Food For Everyone Foundation. He teaches gardening classes and trains people throughout the world in family-based food production.

The Foundation provides free materials on its website including a gardening ebook, greenhouse plans, automated watering plans, garden calendar, and a valuable free chapter from every one of the world-renowned Dr. Jacob Mittleider's vegetable gardening books. All of Dr. Mittleider's gardening books, software, and CD's are also available to purchase. And you can share knowledge with others and be taught personally by Jim Kennard in the free MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com.

Visit the website at http://www.foodforeveryone.org

How To Choose Water Garden Plants

Writen by Brett Fogle

So. The water garden bug has bitten. You've dug and leveled and sweated and said words you hope that no one else has heard. Now it's time for the fun part – picking out your water garden plants!

Plant varieties within these four categories are what you need to eyeball: deep-water, marginals, oxygenators, and floaters. (If you think these words are big and weird, just thank your stars we're not talking medicine.)

After you've diligently planted your babies in plastic tubs, pans, or clay pots, packing the fertilizer- and chemical-free soil down tightly, load the container down with pea gravel to keep the soil from floating away. (Don't ask why this works, but it does.) Plunk your prize into the water at the appropriate depth (You'll read about that in just a minute, so hang on to your hat.) and you're on your way!

Plant-dunking should be done during the growing season. Wait four or five weeks for the water plants to do their thing before you add your fish. If you just can't hold your horses, er, your fish, for that long, you can jump the gun a couple of weeks, but the idea is to let the plants first get established.

When picking your plants, you'll no doubt be wowed by water lilies of the tropical persuasion. These aquatic wonders lord it over their hardier cousins with knock-out fragrance, big blooms day or night – depending on the variety – and a habit of blooming their little hearts out nearly every day during the growing season. They love their warmth, though, so unless you live in a year-round, warm-weather climate (in which case, you are used to being hated and has absolutely nothing to do with this article), be prepared to hasten them into a greenhouse or at least muster up enough moolah to buy them some "grow" lights to tough it out through the winter. They will definitely bite the dust at freezing temperatures, but give them night-time temps of at least 65F and daytime temps of 75F or warmer, and your love affair with tropicals will only grow that much more torrid.

Hardy water lilies, while not the showboaters that tropicals are, are . . . well, hardier. Their big advantage is that they can stay in the water year 'round unless it freezes so deeply the rootstock is affected. And being the tough guys they are, you can plant these puppies deeper than the tropicals, some living it up in depths of 8 to 10 feet.

Both hardy and tropical water lilies are real sun worshippers. At least 5 to 10 hours a day is what it takes, along with regular fertilization, to keep these plant pals happy.

Everybody and their brother with a water garden wants a lotus plant. (Sisters, too, no doubt.) These water-lily relatives come in hardy and not-so-hardy strains, so make sure you know what you're buying. Much bigger than water lilies, lotus have huge, famously splendid blooms that not only will knock your socks off, but make you forget you have feet altogether. Their leaves and seed pods are so breathtaking, they're a favorite in costly cut-flower arrangements. Big, bold, and beautiful, with water-depth needs of 2-3 feet, these shouters are really better off in big ponds that get plenty of sun.

Marginals (sometimes called "bog" plants by those less high-falutin') are grass-like plants that strut their stuff in shallow areas no deeper than 6" that border the water garden. They also do well in mud. Cattail, bamboo, rush, papyrus, and many other plants fall into the family of marginals and grow best with a minimum of at least three hours of jolly old Sol.

Some plants are there but not seen, working stoically under water and without fanfare to fight algae, oxygenate the water, and provide food for fish. (In lieu of these plants, if your pond is small, you can fake it fairly adequately with an aquarium pump.) Easy on the wallet, varieties of these plants can be bought in bunches and like their soil sandy and/or gravelly. Like hardy water lilies, they, too, will warrior it through the winter.

Water hyacinths have become a recent rage, especially for the lazy among us. No soil is required for these beauties. Toss them in the water and they're "planted." A water hyacinth ain't just another pretty face, though; these plants do their part in the war against algae and blanket weeds by keeping sunlight scarce on the water's surface. But one note of caution: This plant may take over the world if allowed. It's invasive as all get out, so keep it under control or you (and your neighbors) may wish you'd never laid eyes on it.

A water garden isn't a garden without plants. Take your time, know your climate, and choose wisely. Your rewards will be great in return.

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Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several other pond-related websites including MacArthurWatergardens.com, and Pond-Filters-Online.com.

He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE 'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
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Guide To Buying Flowers Online

Writen by Josh Riverside

Buying flowers online is a quick and easy way to show that special someone you care, without having to spend hours looking to find the right flowers. With fast and easy delivery, a great range of flowers and traditional bouquets are available at prices that are very reasonable in most cases. Having a certain type of floral arrangement in mind helps narrow down your selection process.

Customers should be aware of the additional taxes, service charges, flower delivery details and after-sales support. Some online florists include the delivery cost in the price shown for each floral arrangement. Other online stores add the charge for delivery when you reach the check out, just before you enter your payment details. For same day deliveries you will be required to pay a bit extra. You should also check if the online florists can deliver flowers on weekends and holidays. On occasions such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Christmas book your orders in advance instead of purchasing at the last minute. You will need to have the recipient's full name, address and telephone number ready while buying flowers online. It is a good idea to write out in advance the message you want to send along with the flowers you purchase.

Before you provide your credit card details, make sure that the site is using a secure server. With the help of a secure server, all the personal information that you furnish including credit card numbers, names, addresses, and telephone numbers is specially encrypted in a secure code and thereby is not available to anyone else as it passes over the Internet, until reaching your online florist. Once the order is placed, it is essential to either print out the order confirmation, or note down the order number. Also keep a record of the customer services phone number of the online florist. To take advantage of the various discounts and special offers that online florists offer from time to time, it is recommended to register and become members of such sites.

Buy Flowers Online provides detailed information on Buy Flowers Online, Send Flowers Online, Buy Cheap Flowers Online, Buy Fresh Flowers Online and more. Buy Flowers Online is affiliated with Local Flower Shops.

The Incredible Daylily

Writen by Donna Evans

Some people have referred to daylilies as the poor man's orchid. Indeed, daylilies, like orchids, are a beauty to behold. Daylilies are no longer just the muted yellow and orange plants grown in road ditches. They come in every color from white to deep purple (almost black) and in a variety of sizes.

If you don't' have a green thumb, daylilies are the perfect plant.

They are relatively carefree and can turn an unused, dull area, into a stunning bed of color and texture. Daylilies flourish almost anywhere. They are also an excellent plant to use for erosion control, such as on a slope that is difficult to mow, and also as a ground cover plant.

There are indeed a lot of the common yellow and orange daylilies around. However, there are some spectacular varieties that you should keep an eye out for:

Black Eyed Susan: A real standout in the garden. This daylily has rich yellow-orange petals with a maroon and dark orange throat.

Bama Bound: This daylily has a deep reddish color giving it a satin like appearance.

Little Grapette: A miniatured sized daylily with grape-purple petals and a green throat.

Beauty to Behold: A light lemon colored daylily with a green throat. The flowers are satin in appearance. The flowers are nocturnal; the day's flowers actually open up the night before.

Hyperion: This daylily has been around for over 80 years. The canary yellow flowers have a trumpet shape and are treasured for their delicate fragrance.

Stella d'Oro: These daylilies are one of the most popular around. They are a deep yellow gold and bloom from mid-July through frost. Old blooms should be trimmed off to promote reblooming.

Donna evans is co-owner of Gizmo Creations, a landscape and website design firm, located just north of Merrifield Minnesota. Gizmo Creations creates landscape design plans and has a host of landscape resources on their website, http://www.gizmocreations.com. Unique and hard to find landscape books, as well as Gizmo Creations own home landscaping manual can be found on Gizmo Creations' website.

Choosing A Garden Pond Design

Writen by Carry Staltz

If you are using a soft liner your water garden or fish pond can take any shape you like, square, round, oblong or just about anything else that your imagination can think of. If you are using a rigid or preformed pond then you are probably looking at a kidney shaped liner, this is the most popular. It is not the shape of the garden pond that gives it it's charm or character, it is the water plants, fish and the plants that surround the pond.

Basically think of pond styles to be one of two formal and informal designs.

Formal pond styles have clean straight lines and geometric shapes. They have rigid borders made of brick, preformed tiles or rocks. Formal garden ponds are used as reflecting pools. Meaning they are very calm and reflect the surrounding trees and flowers. You don't normally see this style of water garden in backyards.

Rectangles and squares are thought of to be formal styles and the more they are stretched to being oval the more informal it looks. Which means kidney and pie shapes are informal styles.

Informal garden ponds have curving fluid lines that flow without defined edges into the surrounding gardens and vegetation. They have a more natural appearance and function. Unlike formal styles the plants are not used as a decoration or ornament but as the main feature. Waterfalls are normally added to this type of design. Edging compliments the landscaping which can be irregular and hilly. Use large rocks and river rocks on the bottom and edges of the pond, which makes it seem more natural.

Rectangles are the easiest to install, they are easier to dig a hole for and when using soft liners you only have to make a few folds in the corners. Preformed ponds like kidney shapes are even easier to install. Free formed, where you define the shape by digging and then lining with a soft pond liner are more difficult and the most expensive water gardens to install yourself. They require that you buy almost twice as much liner than you think you will need. If you are installing it yourself avoid shapes that produce arms or very irregular designs, it will be a nightmare trying to get the liners to fit.

Just remember what ever shape you choose, it will not be very apparent once the surrounding plants mature. So you see it is not that important, just go with the easiest to install and decorate with beautiful plants and fish. You can read more information about and pond kits and water gardening here.

Carry Staltz provides information on gardening and water features for Decorativewaterfountains.com. Landscaping using water gardens and fish ponds is a hobby and she brings her tips and ideas that have worked for her over the years to make you next project go smoother and easier.

Backyard Birding Tips

Writen by Ronald Patterson

I've fed and cared for wild birds since I was a 10 year old boy (I'm 52). I come up with several ideas and ways to make backyard birding more enjoyable for others. For example: keep predators away from your bluebird house by using carpet tackboard on the post/pole your nestbox is sitting on. What is the ideal birdbath, and much more.

Well, here is another tip and just in time for a busy wasp and yellow jacket season. For the past two years, I've researched and worked with "mint" as an insecticide and deterrent for wasps, ants, and mosquitoes. Researching online, chats with a local herbologist and of course, experimenting with my new brain child.

Some insects are attracted by color. Others by smell and yet some hunt and feed by both sight and smell. Most insects hate to smell of mint and plants in the mint family. Mint is also a Neuro-toxin to wasps. Get some mint on a wasp and it is one dead insect. Are you getting the idea yet?

Every time you clean and fill your hummingbird feeder, dab some "mint extract" on the feeder and the hanger. Wasps and yellow jackets will stay away or risk death. Because mint is a food item, it wont harm birds. Hummers, like most birds have poor sniffers and the strong smell of mint doesn't bother them at all.

Serve up a mixture of 1 oz. pure mint extract and 10 oz. rubbing alcohol. Spray your nest boxes thoroughly and let it soak in. The rubbing alcohol evaporates causing no harm and the smell of mint lingers for up to 4 weeks. Continue to spray as needed. If there is already a wasp nest in your box, spray the wasps and watch them die before your eyes.

I haven't dealt with blowflies, but I am interested in finding out if "mint" will kill or keep blowflies out of nest boxes. Anyone interested in assisting here?

Try this out as well. Mix 1 oz. of mint with 15 oz. of rubbing alcohol. You now have an insect repellent. While using this, the mosquitoes have left me alone and I smell good too.

As the dog days of summer pass us by, wasps and yellow jackets are becoming more aggressive in their hunt to feed an ever growing population of larvae. Fortunately, here in Michigan winter kills off all but the queens. But what about warmer climates where a wasp population can grow and grow and grow,

Try it, "Mint Extract" an insect repellent that is earth friendly. Amazing how nature provides for her self isn't it?

Ronald Patterson has a passion for wildbirds. He's been feeding and caring for birds for more then 40 years. Ron is a "Wildlife Habitat Naturalist" and "Michigan Certified Nurseryman." He also lectures and writes about birds and other wildlife. His expertise and knowledge on birds, habitats, and plants makes him the ideal person to help you learn to garden for birds. Ron Patterson's writes a weekly newsletter called "Backyard Birding Tips." You can sign up today and have Ron give you friendly and often humorous advise on Attractting, feeding and caring for wildlife. Go to: http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com/ Sign up for Ron Patterson's newsletter today and start learning from one of America's backyard birding experts. http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com

Natural Pond Filters Let Nature Do The Hard Work

Writen by Anne Clarke

You may think that it is silly to have to use a pond filter in your garden pond when no pond out in nature uses a filter. Why should you have to? Well, although a pond filter is still a good idea, there are some things that you can do to encourage nature to keep your pond clean, too. Why not let nature do the hard work?

· Water lilies – If you do not have any water lilies in your pond, it is definitely time to get some. Most obviously, you should include water lilies in your pond because they are beautiful. What you may not have known, though, is that water lilies will also help keep your pond clean. How? If you have problems with green water, you should cover over half of the surface of your pond with water plants, and water lilies spread out across your pond with ease. Another benefit to water lilies is that they give your fish a place to hide when it is sunny or when there are predators about.

· Other plants – other plants are also beneficial in your pond. Plants do not just add beauty to your pond (although, the beauty that they add seems like reason enough to include them in your pond). Plants are a living filtration system. They remove and process organic waste materials. Use both floating and submerged plants. Submerged plants are great for releasing oxygen into the water, and they provide an overall clearer water and better water quality. Floating plants great also because their roots are the home to lots of beneficial microorganisms that eat up the organic debris that clouds up your water.

· Waterfalls – again, like water lilies and plants, waterfalls are not just beautiful additions to your pond: they are also helpful additions. Having moving water in your pond helps transport organic materials. Moving water also creates a more oxygen-rich environment which is required for beneficial bacteria to function well.

· Bacteria – as you may have been able to tell already, bacteria is necessary in your pond. Many of us think of bacteria as being bad, but there are, in fact, plenty of beneficial bacteria. You can encourage bacteria to colonize in your pond by having a good pond filter.

All of these things are helpful for pond filtration (including a store-bought pond filter), but let us just go over the benefits one more time of aquatic plants in your pond – they act as pond filters and also protect your fish in these ways:

·	They move carbon dioxide from the water while adding oxygen.  ·	They rid your pond of pollutants like toxic heavy metals, ammonium, nitrates, etc.  ·	They provide areas for beneficial bacteria and biofilms.  ·	They control algae – no peas-soup water!  They both consume and inhibit algae.

Let nature help you keep your pond nice and clean and a nice habitat for any fish that you keep in it. Paired with a store-bought pond filter, these natural filters can do wonders for your pond.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on gardening and ponds, please visit Pond Filters.

Tips For Designing Bonsai Trees

Writen by Francesca Black

Bonsai are shaped by trimming the branches or by wiring them into new positions.

You are dealing with living things, and you must be respectful of that. You will kill trees. This is a sad fact of the activity, especially as you start out. Commit yourself to understanding why every tree dies and what can be done to prevent it. Learn from your mistakes and do your best to prevent them in the future.

Every tree is different. Learn to care for a few different types of plants, and grow your collection from there.

How to Begin the Art of Bonsai

Remove the tree from the plastic pot by turning the pot upside down, tapping the bottom, and letting the tree slide out into your hand. The soil should not be too dry, so that the root ball remains intact. Gently scrape away the topsoil around the base of the tree, to expose the lower trunk (about one quarter to one half inch). Try not to break too many surface roots. First thing is to look at the roots of the tree and check to see if it gives the appearance of a strong foundation.

Cut off the bottom third of the soil and roots, and flatten out the remaining root mass. Prepare the bonsai pot by placing a piece of screen over each drainage hole, and pour a layer of potting soil into the bottom of the pot. Place the tree in the pot, pour in the remaining soil, and pack it firmly. Finally, submerge the bonsai, pot and all, in water, up to the base of the trunk, and let it sit in the water for a few minutes.

Interesting Bonsai Visual Effects

In bonsai, the rule of thirds states that the first (lowest and biggest) branch should be at about one third of the total height of the tree. It is the trunk that gives the tree its visual strength, and every effort should be made to have at least the bottom two-thirds of the height clear of branches at the front of the tree.

Next is checking the trunk. The shape of the trunk will basically determine the style you choose. In almost all cases, however, a thick base, which tapers gradually and gently to a thin apex, will make for a nice tree. Which style you prefer will depend on the movement of the trunk.

Look at the branching pattern. The lower branches should be thick while the upper ones should be thin. The branches should be laid out like the spokes of a wheel with some going to the back. This will give the tree depth when you look at it. No two branches should leave the trunk at the same level.

The handlebar effect is unnatural looking and, if left, will cause the trunk to swell at their level causing an ugly bulge in the trunk line. If your tree has such a fault you should, if a deciduous tree, remove one of the branches entirely. Try to avoid having branches spaced evenly down the trunk. Reduce the distance between the branches as you go toward the top of the tree.

Finally examine the plant to see if it is healthy. Be sure not to wire so tightly that you cut into the bark, or so loosely that you do not have support. Minor wire marks can sometimes add interest and show that the tree has been trained, giving branches character after several years. However, major wire marks are very ugly. To hide any marks that look unnatural you can strategically place foliage at intervals in front of the trunk, so that the trunk line is not completely visible.

It may be ten years (or longer) before your plant will actually be a bonsai. Don't be discouraged by this, but think of it as part of the experience. Perhaps most importantly, understand that when you put a tree in a pot you are committing yourself to the care of that tree. You cannot simply ignore it or it will die. Bonsai is a responsibility as well as a hobby. If you practice it with care and patience, the rewards are tremendous.

Francesca Black works in marketing at Bonsai Garden http://www.bonsai-garden.com and Pilates Shop http://www.pilates-shop.net leading portals for bonsai gardening and natural exercise.

Six Good Reasons For Going Organic

Writen by Marie Fisher

I will freely admit that I devour every article that I can lay my hands on which deals with anything related to gardening. Everyone has something which they are passionate about in life, mine is my garden.

My friends tell me that I am obsessed, and maybe I am. I think my partner is obsessed, in his case it's golf, but as yet I haven't heard any of his friends telling him that he is obsessed.

The compelling joy of being a gardening enthusiast is the creativity of it, because you can see really tangible results for your labour. Watching your favorite roses blooming, or the pleasure of eating your own home grown vegetables, well, I think that takes a lot of beating.

However each to his own!

One of the reasons why I enjoy writing articles on my passion, is because I know that they will be read by people who most likely share my enthusiasm, and can relate to what I am talking about.

One hears the term "Organic" so much nowadays, that I decided to do some deeper research into the suject, and I am sharing with you in this article some brief findings from that research. So the following paragraphs summarize some of the work of various gardening experts who are completely familiar with all aspects of gardening. I must say that I found some of the information totally fascinating.

Since we are discussing the term "Organic" in a gardening context, it might be a useful start to define exactly what that means, so here it is, "Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and fruits with the use of things only found in nature". Really simple isn't it, but most certainly not commonplace any more in today's world I suggest.

Having led up to all of that, a good question might arise as to exactly why you would want to indulge in organic gardening as such! Well, as the title of this articles suggests, here are six good reasons why you should do so, in my opinion at any rate.

1. You can easily make compost from garden and kitchen waste, alhough this is a bit more time consuming than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers. However it certainly helps to put garbage to good use, and so helps the environment.

2. Organic farming does not use chemicals that may have an adverse affect on your health, which is especially important when growing vegetables. The chemical companies do tell us that the chemicals we use are safe, provided that they are used according to direction. Research has shown however that even tiny amounts of poisons absorbed through the skin can cause such things as cancer, especially in children. Quite a sobering thought is it not!

On average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult, which could lead to various diseases later on in the child's life. Remember, pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose, which is to kill living things!

With organic gardening, these incidents are lessened.

3. Less harm is caused to the environment, because poisons are not washed into our waterways to give but one example, causing death to the native fish and polluting their habitat in most cases.

4. Organic farming practices also help prevent the loss of topsoil through erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated 30 - 32 billion tons of soil is eroded from United States farmlands every year, and that's only one country.

4. Cost savings, because you do not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening. Many organic recipes for the control of pest and disease come straight from the kitchen cupboard, and sometimes other plants can even be grown as companions to the main crop. One example of this is the marigold, which helps to repel aphids from vegetables.

Mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap, and 1 cup of cooking oil, can make a cheap garden pest spray for example. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on to your plants. You will find this to be very effective!

5. A simple mulch of pine needles will help to suppress the growth of weeds, as well as keeping the moisture in. Another simple and much safer solution!

6. Organic gardening practices are much more likely to help keep the environment safe for future generations, and all of us who are responsible ciitizens, should always bear this in mind

The whole subject which is part of an on going worldwide debate, is far too complex to cover in such a short article, but I do hope that at least I have left you with some food for thought.

Imagine the overall benefits to be had in our environment, by many people undertaking even some small changes.

Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wonderful colors. She is a regular contributor to Garden Center Showplace, a leading online Garden Center Nursery. For details of their superb product range, and many more free gardening articles, visit http://www.gardencentershowplace.com

Colour In The Garden

Writen by Gwen Stewart

Colour affects our emotions, moods, physical, and spiritual well-being. It has a significant effect on everything we eat, drink, and touch and influences our physical environment including our home, office, and garden. Colour reflects our personalities. The colours we prefer for home interiors carried out to the garden, provide continuity between our interior and exterior living spaces. Colours are a useful tool in creating different moods in the landscape. In order to effectively create with colour it is important to understand the meaning of the different colours.

Red creates vitality. It tends to command attention and will make areas seem smaller. It is a good colour for dining areas as it increases appetite. It creates a feeling of warmth, movement, and drama. For those who may find it too stimulating, use pink instead. Red plants to use in the shade include begonia, coleus, and impatiens. In sunny areas use salvia or verbenas. To augment your plantings use glazed pots, red sandstone gravel, red clay bricks or tiles will bring that vitality to your landscape.

Orange means optimism. It is primarily the colour of joy. It is warm, welcoming, just bursting with earthly energy. Orange flowers have been known since ancient times as a cure for depression. It is a good colour to use when you have experienced trauma or loss. Plants to try in the shade include begonia, coleus and impatiens. For sunny areas try honeysuckle and marigolds. Materials to augment plantings include terracotta pots, ornaments, rusting metal, golden gravel, and clay bricks.

Yellow means contentment. It represents the power of the sun, increases the feeling of space. It brings a sense of well-being to the garden even on grey, dull days. Golden foliage will often scorch in full sun so plant in dappled shade. Many of the grey or silver-leafed plants have yellow flowers. Plants to grow in shade include begonias, coleus, and hostas. For sunny areas try day lilies, potentilla and yarrow. Materials to augment plantings include reconstituted stone containers, ornaments, golden sandstone gravel, and buff paving.

Green means growth. It is a primary healing colour. Green foliage on its own will create a tranquil impression. It is restful and relaxing as it offers sanctuary from the outside world. Using foliage colours and architectural leaves gives structure and form to any garden space. Plants for shady areas include coleus, ferns, and hosta. Use junipers, grasses and conifers in sunny areas. To augment plantings use green wood stain on fences and buildings. It is a popular colour for garden furniture, umbrellas, glazed pots, garden ornaments.

Blue means spirit. It is very conducive for meditation. It conveys the peacefulness of sky and ocean. It combines well with many other colours. Use this colour for modern-day stress and anxiety. Blue flowers add depth and strong healing vibrations to a border filled with pink, lilac, and white flowers. Plants for shade include campanula and columbine. For sunny areas, delphinium, lobelia and morning glory. Materials to augment planting include deep blue-grey slate, paving, granite and ceramics with vivid blue glazes.

Violet means calm. It brings a feeling of self-worth. It sometimes appears dull unless plenty of contrast in texture, form, and tone are used. Flowers are particularly useful for protection and for the cleansing vibrations they give out. It is a rich regal colour that indicates knowledge, self-respect, spirituality, nostalgia, dignity, and wealth. It will help soothe the mind if you are tense. Plants for shady areas include coleus and impatiens. For sunny areas use aster, butterfly bush and salvia. To augment the planting use glazed pots, dyed fabrics used on garden furniture and umbrellas.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace – Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 – 2005. All rights reserved.