Online Flower Shops

Writen by Kevin Stith

Since the World Wide Web has changed how we live, even florists have become "virtual" shops. Now, from the security of your home or office, you can log on to an online florist or florist directory and order fresh flowers, a dried arrangement, a potted plant, or a customized arrangement to be sent to any corner of the world. There are many different options one can choose from.

Leading florists in the US have online sites and computerized sending systems which ensure that your order is delivered when and how you want it. Many of these online florists have a professional network of 30,000 or more affiliate florists located in urban cities, towns, and villages within the US and different countries of the world. So, when you place an order, a florist will customize your order and ensure that it is delivered in good condition and on time. When you place the order you can specify which flowers you want, what kind of arrangement, the colors, as well as packaging. They will, at your request place a beautifully designed card or message with the bouquet.

There are innovative florists who send not just flowers or potted plants but fruit, wine, teddy bears, chocolates, or balloons for delivery. They will even make a mixture of a basket that contains flowers, fruit, wine, gay ribbons, and balloons.

A specialty of some online florists is sending flowers direct from growers. The orders are shipped out directly by growers themselves to all parts of the world.

Online directories like Google and Yahoo give you many options to choose from, as they list different online florists from different parts of the world.

Then there are groups of flower growers, brokers, shippers, and online shopping sites who have reached a business understanding to ship boxes of fresh flowers by overnight air. These are generally a few days fresher and less expensive than flowers one orders from professional florists. The only downside is that the recipients need to unpack and put the flowers in a vase themselves.

A less popular category of online florists are sites run by agents, middlemen, resellers, and catalogue companies. They receive orders and then forward them to florists who will actually do the work. In many instances, these are people with little or no experience with the world of flowers.

As a consumer it is up to you to do your homework and log on to a reliable online florist.

Online Flowers provides detailed information on Online Flowers, Online Flower Deliveries, Online Flower Shops, Order Flowers Online and more. Online Flowers is affiliated with Same Day Flower Delivery.

Gardening With Children Is Crucial To The Future Of Our Environment

Writen by Michael Hanna

Children's fascination with gardens has been canonised throughout the spectrum of English literature. Books like Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce and Francis Hodgson Burnet's The Secret Garden have captured childhood imaginations across generations and cultures. Recently, there has been a burgeoning movement to encourage the growing of gardens in schools across America, the impetus for which has generally come from the direction of the National Gardening Association (NGA).

The NGA was set up in 1973 and prides itself on being a non-profit leader in plant-based education. It has played a crucial role in developing both the personal mind and the environment by educating people on the benefits of growing gardens and highlighting the environmental and therapeutic power of plant life. Through its initiative, the NGA have overseen the establishment of numerous programs, highlighting the opportunities for plant-based education in various public spheres such as schools.

The NGA's Kid's Gardening resource is an impressive educational facility, and has helped a large number of children and teachers learn how easy it is to start growing and maintaining a school garden. Gone are the days of planting a few seeds in a pot: today, the NGA runs schemes to provide schools and youth organisations with grants and funding that actively engage kids in gardening and improving their surrounding quality of life. These awards and grants cover a variety of gardening aspects, from the simple Youth Garden Grants to Healthy Sprouts Awards, and the new Wild Oats Gardening with Kids Awards, which will come into place in 2007. This award is somewhat emblematic of the initiative engineered by the NGA, as it aims to reward kids who develop positive attitudes towards fruits and vegetables as a result of growing them themselves.

Along the other activities run by the NGA Kid's Gardening initiative are various classroom activities on topics as diverse as botany, composting, language and literature connections, as well as science inquiry, the latter of which involves investigations and experiments. The Kids Gardening website also offers a variety of resources for students, teachers and parents, such as an Online Teacher's Course, a Parent's Primer and an all-important catalogue of plant diseases and pests. In recent years, the NGA has joined forces with other organisations to help engender the growth of gardening education for children across America; for instance, since early 2002, the Hilton Garden Inn has been working together with the NGA to broaden and diversify education programs within schools. From the success of the NGA, it's clear that the importance of spreading plant-life education is a vital ingredient not only in making sure that children develop and maintain healthy eating habits, but that they develop environmental awareness from an early age.

Author's Website: PR Sending

Decorating Your Garden

Writen by Jill Dow

It's decorations in your garden. Non plant elements - "Garden Decor".

Garden Decor is part of what makes your garden inviting, comfortable, interesting, enticing, unusual, perhaps hilarious, soothing, cherished and more!

There's no place I prefer to be than in the garden. I work and relax in it, my daughter photographs it. We wander through it, dig our hands into it and we ENJOY it's bounties while we are amazed at it's complex nature and how the garden fills our senses completely. Sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste as well as our spiritual senses are all beguiled in the garden. Linger with us a bit as we saunter through the garden.

We walk into a garden and are immediately entranced by what we see whether it be a formal garden design or a cottage garden we delight in the colors, textures and plant combinations we see. Garden decor adds additional architectural elements to the garden. I love walking through a garden gate or garden arbor filled with blooming roses or dangling grapes and then into the gardens beauty beyond. Bird baths, garden statues, seating areas and water features can all add interest and create a focal point in our gardens.

A quirky collection of containers is always intriguing garden decor. We adorn our patio every year with different plant combinations in containers that are anything from pots, or old kitchen odds and ends, to discarded tubs and old logs with rotted out gnarled holes we can fill with soil and grow in. The patio garden is one of my favorite projects because it's new and unique every year.

A scare crow, garden gnome, or a funky bird feeder can all add a sense of whimsy to the garden. I collect garden decor (ations) from garage sales and display then in the garden, moving things around as the mood strikes. It's really even more fun than rearranging the furniture!

A water garden or water feature delights the birds and other wildlife providing us with a soothing sensation of the sound of running water. A water feature doesn't need to be large. You can add a small water garden to most any garden and do it quite inexpensively. I have an old bucket that I keep unplanted in my garden. This water doesn't run, it's there for the animals. We've recently had a family of foxes move in and they enjoy a fresh drink in the mornings and evenings when the garden is cool and inviting.

Finally, as you add garden decor to your garden, think of garden furniture, maybe a patio umbrella and seating area or a pergola. Every garden needs to provide a "place to be". A relaxing shady spot or a place to plop and enjoy the beautiful view you've created.

As we've wandered gardens we've also taken pictures for you focusing on the garden decor. We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy sharing them. We also ask that you submit your garden decor photos to use so we can share those with our readers. We welcome your projects and project ideas.

Copyright © 2006 Jill Dow http://aaagardendecor.com Website Photos Copyright © Alysia Dow 2006

The Rules Of Outdoor Kitchens Design

Writen by Daniel Roshard

With an outdoor kitchen just a few steps away from your house the option of spending the night outside, in the fresh air and in the company of your family of close friends, is very alluring, not to mention simple and easy.

There are many different kinds of outdoor kitchens on the market, the different designs offer anyone looking for an backyard kitchen a very difficult task of finding the kitchen of their dreams, but this huge selection also promises that there is a kitchen out there for anyone looking for it. You will probably want to match the kind of outdoor kitchen you get to the weather conditions in your area and the kind of design you feel comfortable with, the selection varies from traditional country outdoor kitchen to a ravishing modern contemporary outdoor kitchen, all you have to do is choose and consider the costs involved.

In your search for the perfect outside kitchen you should try and consult any one who offers you advice, some of these tips can save you a lot of money, and in some cases they will cost you money and save you a whole lot of trouble in the future. Many home improvement magazines offer good advice on kitchens, even if you are not an avid magazine reader, try getting one magazine and looking over its kitchens section.

In design magazines you can also find great ideas for your outdoor kitchen, you can find a designer that will help you put everything together, and you can learn about different new designs on the market, consulting with a professional designer will solve a lot of the problems you are not yet to face at this stage, like color matching and placing of the outdoor kitchen appliances.

Some kitchen designers have computer software that can show you exactly how the end result will look like, and you can test drive your outdoor kitchen without buying anything or going anywhere, which is always a good start because you will not have to spend a lot of time to consider different designs that are not compatible with your needs.

Budget is a big issue when it comes to home improvement costs, you can go over your budget very easily, this is even more significant if you are doing the work yourself. To try and keep things in control try and spend about ten percent less then what you have originally planned to spend on your outdoor kitchen, so this extra money could be used later on if you will need to change things, or if costs run high, it is very frustrating to find out that you paid double what you planned.

When you make your final decisions make sure that you are aware of the advantages and the disadvantages of your purchase, if you are going for a custom made outdoor kitchen do not expect it to be cheap and if you are satisfied with a cheap outdoor kitchen you should be ready to replace it in a few years time.

There are many different ways to get an outdoor kitchen, whatever you do try and have fun when you are shopping for your dream outdoor kitchen, if you will have fun searching for it, you will surely enjoy it once its there, a few steps from your door.

Outdoor kitchens are a great feature on any property, your barbecue parties will be upgraded into a whole different level, and your day to day cooking and family dinners will be a delight. Choosing an outdoor kitchen design is a serious thing, learn about Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips at Daniel Roshard's http://outdoorkitchen.zupatips.com outdoor kitchen site.

Rain Gauges

Writen by Jason Gluckman

Rain gauges are indispensable in the study of weather phenomenon. Hydrologists as well as meteorologists use these instruments in order that they can analyze and measure the level of precipitation over a given time frame. Precipitation may be in the form of liquid, which is water rain, or solid, such as snow, hail or sleet. There are essentially two parts comprising a rain gauge, one where the precipitation is caught and the other, which measures the amount of precipitation taken.

Rain gauges are of different types, the standard ran gauge, the weighing rain gauge and the tipping bucket rain gauge. Each type presents its respective advantages and disadvantages when utilized. To be effective, rain gauges should be located in isolated places where the effects of any structures like trees or buildings will be minimized or avoided.

When speaking of standard rain gauges, these refer to the use of a graduated cylinder with a funnel attached to it. The graduated cylinder is further placed into a bigger container that is capable of holding any excess pouring out of the said cylinder.

Weighing rain gauges make use of a pen, a rotating drum, and a storage bin. While the storage drum is being filled with whatever type of precipitation is being monitored, the pen located below the storage bin records the weight of the drum. This gauge is more accurate in its measurement as opposed to the tipping bucket rain gauges. Another feature of the weighing rain gauge is its capability to measure the amount or level of chemicals present in the atmosphere. The disadvantage of using this gauge is its cost, since acquiring this instrument can be quite expensive.

Tipping bucket rain gauge utilizes a big copper cylinder, a funnel, a couple of levers and a recorder consisting of a pen and a wheel. The levers are placed on equilibrium similar to a scale. When a definite amount of precipitation is reached, a lever tips emitting a signal to the recorder. The pen makes a motion, either up or down to record the lever movement and the amount of precipitation. Nowadays, this gauge has been updated with the use of a plastic container and a pivot.

Whatever rain gauge you decide to use, the important thing is achieving its purpose, which is to measure the amount of precipitation in any given time and in any given location.

Gauges provides detailed information on Gauges, Rain Gauges, Pressure Gauges, Wire Gauges and more. Gauges is affiliated with Compression Gaskets.

Lawn Mowers A Simple Invention That Saves A Great Deal Of Time

Writen by John Gibb

Invented in Gloucestershire, England around 1830 by freelance engineer Edwin Beard Budding (wikipedia), the lawn mower is an indispesable tool. The first lawn mowers were rotating blades pushed along on wheels, massively reducing the time that it took to cut large lawns with a scythe. Many decades later came the steam powered and eventaully the petrol driven lawn mowers.

Today the lawn mower is an invaluable asset to a home or an estate or any groundskeeper - a machine that can cut down grass with one or two passes, to equal height, in a tiny fraction of the time it would take to do by shear or scythe. Lawn mowing is a typical part of suburban life and many people find it to be a relaxing and even therapeutic activity. Mowers are very popular with sports grounds and traditionally a gardener will mow up and down in order leaving a neat striped pattern in the grass. These larger grounds usually employ reel mowers which are a cleaner cut and are often pulled by a tractor.

Modern garden mowers are powered by a petrol engine or by electricity. They use a rotating blade that chops the grass, which is then cast either onto the lawn or into a bag or bucket. Some mowers have several blades so that the grass is cut into such small pieces that they can be left on the lawn to naturally dissipate or act as fertiliser.

An even more modern lawn mower is the ride on mower. This refers to a lawn mower incorporated into a small vehicle, shaped like a small tractor or sometimes more like a buggy. These are very popular for large areas as the user can sit back and ride the mower, steering it like a vehicle, cutting large portions of grass at a time. There are even people who race ride on mowers, dispensing with the bags and blades, and turning the machines into speedy little racers with their own leagues and classes. Finally a more rare type of lawn mower works on hover technology like a hovercraft, floating above the grass, able to be gently pushed around the garden with minimum effort.

John Gibb is the owner of lawn mower guidance For more information on lawn mowers check out http://www.lawn-mower-guidance-4u.info

Fall Lawn And Garden Pests

Writen by Ted Roberson

With the cool weather of the fall season, most lawn and garden pests and diseases begin to dwindle away. Yet, there are a few lawn and garden pests that thrive off of the cool temperatures of the fall season.

One good point about fall lawn and garden pests is that they won't have the chance to last as long as spring and summer pests because the freezing temperatures of winter will kill them off long before they do a tremendous amount of damage.

Still, though, if these fall lawn and garden pests have been at it all summer long, they may stick around through the fall and wreak havoc on the remaining lawn and garden perennials, bulbs and trees.

Fall Armyworms

The most beautiful part about the fall season is the different colors of foliage that will begin to appear in September and October. Unfortunately, Fall Armyworms love to prey on this beautiful foliage during the fall months, as their name suggests, and can do damage very rapidly.

They usually appear in September and will stick around until the first big frost. The major problem with this fall lawn and garden pest is that they almost always feed at night, making it hard to identify the problem until you wake in the morning to leaves that have been chewed around the edges.

The upside to Fall Armyworms as a fall lawn and garden pest is that they are usually easy to spot, as they are a large tan to dark brown colored worm with a large stripe either brown or red in color on each side.

Fall Armyworms often like to make themselves present in cornfields in the early fall months and can cause major damage to the remaining corn crops. For those farmers and gardeners who are aware of Fall Armyworms, a pretreatment of pesticides will usually kill the larvae that are preparing to hatch. Unfortunately, the pretreatment needs to be established by late July or August to prevent damage in September.

Grubworms

Grubworms like the cool weather season and feed more in the spring and fall months. Fortunately as a fall lawn and garden pest they do not do as much damage as they do in the spring, but they can still be a concern for some climate zones, especially those that stay above freezing well into November.

Keep in mind that grubworms will usually survive over the winter and turn into adult beetles, repeating the entire life cycle in the spring, and this is why grubworms can be such a problem for all seasons.

Most of the time, they will hatch in the late summer and begin feeding on lawn and garden roots in the fall. This is when gardeners will notice patches of dead grass or grass that is squishy or can easily be pulled up since the roots are missing.

If at all possible, apply grubworm control in the mid to late summer, something with the active ingredient imidacloprid, which is a chloro-nicotinyl compound. This will kill the larvae before they get a chance to hatch in the late summer and will keep the life cycle from perpetuating.

Sod Webworms

Similar to the grubworms, sod webworms have a year long life cycle that means they can become fall lawn and garden pests as well as being bothersome during the spring and summer. Instead of arriving in the form of beetles, the sod webworms come from adult moths that usually begin laying eggs in the spring.

The difference is that their eggs hatch fairly quickly but the webworms are so small that their infestation may go undetected until they cocoon and reemerge as moths in the late summer to produce another generation that is more destructive. This is why you may see sod webworm problems in the fall months.

While it is helpful to use preventive sod webworm control through Microbial pesticides, the problem is that many of these pesticides will not only kill the moths of sod webworms, they may also kill butterflies and even non-pest moths.

The best method of prevention is to simply clean up leaves, grass clippings, mulch and plant debris in the fall months to keep the webworms from making webs in these places and producing more larvae.

Ted Roberson owner of landscape living is a landscape and garden enthusiast who has years of experience working and creating outdoor living areas. Discover how you can improve and maintain your landscape and garden area with simple projects you can do around your home and garden that will give you a beautiful restful area to enjoy. http://www.landscapeliving.com/

Basic Yard And Garden Tools List

Writen by Loren Bailey

This is a list of commonly used yard and garden tools. For those that maintain their own yard, you will probably say that all the tools listed are already in your garage or backyard shed. The list was developed for first time home owners wanting to care for their own lawn and garden. This should provide them with the basics- enough to begin normal lawn maintenance. On the other hand, it may be enough of a warning to help them decide that they do not want to tackle what seems to be never ending task of lawn care.

To prevent this article from sounding like an advertisement, I will not list any lawn and garden maintenance companies for those that prefer not to purchase all the necessary yard and garden tools. After factoring in the time, manual labor plus the cost of the tools, there will no doubt be some drop outs for the do it yourself lawn maintenance program.

For those of you that want to go join the club and go forward with caring for your lawn, you may notice none of the tools have related prices. There are several reasons. Mainly the prices can change at anytime and I simply cannot keep up with them all. You can get pricing while shopping for the tools. I recommend that you do that anyway.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

• Gloves
• Rake
• Hoe
• Shovel
• Spade
• Trowel
• Pruner
• Pruning Saw
• Sprinkler
• Garden Hose
• Lawn Mower
• Edger
• Weedeater - gas or electric
• Blower - gas or electric
• Fertilizer Spreader
• Wheelbarrow
• Hedge Shears
• Tank Sprayer
• Hammer
• Heavy Duty Extension Cord

Again, this is not an all inclusive list of yard and garden tools. It does cover most of the basic tools necessary for regular lawn maintenance. While many home owners have acquired a large number of other gardening tools over the years, the basic list here should be enough for the average startup home gardening and lawn care maintenance project.

The benefit of shopping for the tools yourself is that you can find the best prices. An additional benefit is that you will learn more about each tool and its respective manufacturer. So, review them all. Whether searching locally or on the internet, you will learn about quality and prices. Both will help you determine the right yard and garden tool for your lawn care needs.

Loren Bailey is the content advisor and contributor for CareForaLawn.com and its sister site LawnGardenCare.com.

Riding Lawn Mowers Parts

Writen by Andrew Caxton

If you are one of those who works usually with lawnmowers, then you probably already know the big importance that lawn mower parts have. No matter what model of machine you drive, it will need some parts replacement after some years of use. Even the best manufacturers' models, which worked smoothly at the beginning or that model you bought being the sturdiest mower at the moment will have something broken and therefore will go wrong after few years.

Damage and wear are two of the most typical reasons for replacing lawn mower parts. Since wear refers to parts that have been working hard and do not perform as they should, damage refers to parts that are totally broken and need to be replaced completely. Wear situations come up usually due to worn parts. Unsharpened blades is a clear example of worn parts. You just need to sharpen blades and you mower will cut the lawn as a newer one. Damage situations are easy to detect because most of the times the engine doesn't start at all. It can also happens that suddenly you'd had a lawn mower break when you have only mowed half of the garden size. It becomes an annoying situation and very embarrassing as well.

One of the most typical problem for lawn mower parts replacements is when you broke off the clutch handle as well as blades sharpening. No panic when it happens, it's plenty of mower parts out there, you just need to find the part that better fits your needs. You might be thinking on how easy is to find a mower part. However, it isn't as easy task as it seems at all. Finding the most suitable part that better works with your mower might be sometimes a bit tricky. What professional gardeners use to do is to find the specific parts in a lawn mower parts catalog. But, not everyone have access to this parts catalog, specially regular home and garden owners that just want to find a small piece for their specific model.

How To Find The Right Lawn Mower Parts

The simplest way to find specific lawn mower parts is at the gardening warehouses. You can find there most parts for common mowers' manufacturers. These warehouses have the knowledge and compatibility lists for your specific model as well as most parts to get your machine mowing again. If you are lucky, your mower will run again just a few hours later, if they don't have your required part in stock, then you might order it and pick it up a couple of days later.

Toro And Simplicity Lawnmower Parts They are two of the most reliable and truly manufacturers across the world. Toro mower parts can be bought from almost any Toro dealer as well as from any mower parts or goods warehouse that are specialized in Toro manufacturer. Like many other products, lawn mower parts are divided into subcategories inside walk-behind or riding mowers models. These subcategories are essentially the following 3:

• Engine assembly for current gas powered mowers.
• Handle assembly for handle parts and parts like cables.
• Housing assembly for housing parts such as wheels or frames

Since Toro lawn mower manufacturer offers reliable performance machines, they are yet not the most affordable mower for homeowners. Simplicity mower parts give customers the ability to repair their lawnmowers at affordable prices. Simplicity is a truly mower and parts manufacturer focused to provided top quality for those who are confident enough to perform their own mower parts replacements. Simplicity mowers are specifically designed to make repairs quickly and easily, performance might not be so good, but enough for a small yard. However, there are also commercial simplicity mowers such as three-wheel riding mowers as well as zero-turn

A.Caxton is a successful freelance author who writes regularly to many gardening websites. You can find further articles on riding lawn mowers, and other gardening equipment, including tractors and tillers at Caxton's lawnmowers site.

6 Most Common Dangers To Roses And Their Fix

Writen by James Ellison

Most individuals could not defy a rose's beauty and aroma. These flowers are considered a bit hard to grow, but anybody can begin rose gardening in the convenience of their own backyard.

To be sure that your most treasured roses are in the pink or even red of their health, just follow these tips on coping with every rose health perplexity:

1. Black Spots on Foliage

This disease is usually known as black spot. Black spots occur as circular with fringed edges on leaves. They make the leaves yellow. The answer is to get rid of the infected foliage and collect any fallen leaves around the rose. Artificial sprays may be used to stop or treat this type of rose disease.

2. Stunted or distorted young canes

Called powdery mildew, this is a fungal disease that blankets leaves, stems and buds with wind swept white powder. It causes the leaves to roll and become purple. Spray with an organic antifungal to treat this fungal disease that could destroy your rose garden.

3. Injured underside of leaves

A disease of roses called rust is characterized with orange-red blisters that turn black in the fall. In spring, it blisters new sprouts. This disease can even live through winter. What you can do is to pick up and toss away leaves that are infected in the fall. Organic anti-fungal spraying every 5 to 7 days may help.

4. Malformed or stunted leaves and flowers

What probably caused this is the occurrence of spider mites. They are small yellow, red or green spiders on the underside of the foliage. They suck juices from leaves. The application of a strong stream of water may help in treating this infestation.

5. Weak and blotched leaves with tiny white webs under them

This might be the work of aphids. They are tiny soft-bodied insects that are normally brown, green or red. sometimes clumped under leaves and flower buds, they suck plant juices from the delicate buds. a strong stream of water from a garden hose may help roses to endure these bugs.

6. Flowers that don't open or are distorted when they open.

Thrips could be the cause behind this distortion and unopened flowers. It is defined with slender, brown-yellow bugs with bordered wings flourishing in flower buds. These bugs also suck juices from flower buds. You should cut and get rid of the infested flowers. Using neem oil spray may also treat this problem of your roses.

This important information concerning the diseases your roses are inclined to have will prove to be very helpful in making your rose gardening effort more rewarding.

Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of roses by visiting =>Rose Garden

Light Up The Night Quick Facts About Outdoor Lighting

Writen by Debbie Rodgers

When the days start to get shorter, the darkness may drive us inside from our porches, patios or decks. Don't despair – outdoor lighting can lengthen the day and dramatically extend the potential of our outdoor living spaces.

The first step, as with any project, is to plan. How do you want to use this space after dark, and what lighting will you need? Lighting can be summarized in four categories:

• Security lighting is needed in highly vulnerable areas of your property. Because it is bright and often motion activated, keep it away from the living areas so that it's not distracting. Alternatively, have your security lighting on a manual on/off switch so that you can override automatic illumination.

• Task lighting is for performing specific activities such as grilling or walking safely up and down steps and along paths. You should place task lighting between your eyes and the object that needs to be lighted and should take care that it does not glare. An overly bright light will blind rather than guide.

• Accent lighting adds drama or can highlight an unusual feature. Uplighting, for example can illuminate an interesting piece of statuary. Silhouetting, achieved by placing a light between an object and a fence or wall, dramatically displays an unusual tree or bush.

• General or ambient lighting provides overall illumination so that people feel comfortable and look good. The most magical of lighting imitates what is found in nature – moonlight or starlight. Moonlighting is produced by hanging lights in mature trees, pointing downward to produce a dappled effect, as if the area were lit by a full moon. The look of starlight can be achieved through the use of flickering candles, sprinkled here and there throughout the space, or by suspending tiny lights in the branches of a tree to create a sparkling night time canopy. Of course, there are many other attractive types of light – some just plain fun!

No matter what type of lighting you choose, it will be powered by one of these sources.

• Fire is the oldest source of light and considered by some to be the most romantic. Flames, produced by candles or oil-burning lamps, are warm and flattering to faces, and have a hypnotic effect that induces calm and relaxation. Firelight on reflected surfaces such as ponds, mirrors and even gazing balls is a particularly effective way to create atmospheric lighting and enhance the impression of light.

Try snaking a row of candles along a garden path or suspending them in glass jars from branches. An array of tiki burning torches can add an exotic touch to your patio area. Although torches are designed to withstand a reasonable amount of wind, it's best to provide as much protection as possible to any open flame and never leave one unattended.

• Solar-powered lights are an easy and portable choice for outdoor lighting. Some lights have a collector panel that can be concealed behind shrubbery, while others contain their own energy cell and absorb the sun's rays even on a cloudy day.

• Battery-operated and rechargeable units are also wireless and very portable while in use.

• Line-powered or hard-wired lights are connected to the electrical system of your home. Weatherproof lamps may be plugged directly into an outdoor socket. Wire for lighting that is further from the house runs through buried conduits. The most permanent of outdoor lighting, it is also the most expensive, sometimes costing in the tens of thousands of dollars. It should be installed by a licensed electrician.

• Low-voltage units also connect to the electrical system of your home, but are fitted with a transformer that reduces the electrical current from 120 volts to a safer supply of 12 volts. Although they are less durable than line-powered fixtures, they are also a lot less expensive and are ideal for a small outside space where only short cable runs are required. They are designed for an easy do-it-yourself installation.

Whatever your light source, keep these tips in mind:

• Less is more in lighting. Be subtle: try to hide lights where possible and use a low watt bulb.

• Avoid setting lights in straight lines up and down paths, drives or patio edges. This "airport runway" effect is a very common error.

• Yellow lights are unflattering to both people and plants. Where possible, install blue-white bulbs or purchase daylight-blue filters for your fixtures.

• Position outside lights where they are easily accessible for changing light bulbs. Investing in long-life outdoor bulbs will make the maintenance even easier.

• With any unit requiring electricity, use the protection of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) on all outdoor circuits.

Don't let the sun dictate the use of your outdoor space. Get outside after dark and light up the night!

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on "Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space". Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com

A Guide To Residential Bridges

Writen by Charles Truett

Do you have a need for a residential bridge? Custom residential bridges are a good way to enhance your property and connect certain areas.

Residential bridges may be appropriate for those with gardens, ponds or small streams. You will be able to have a residential bridge built by a local contractor. This endeavor may be expensive but well worth the money spent.

You will have many choices when looking for custom residential bridges and also the builders. Start your search for custom residential bridges on the Internet. The sites online will offer many different possibilities, plans and builders. You may also notice a range of prices for the plans and for the builder's fees.

Residential bridges plans may include a choice of building materials. Choose building materials that are long-lasting. Look at many of the plans and find the custom residential bridge plan that best suits your needs.

There are many styles of custom residential bridges. Pick one that will compliment the area where you plan to construct the bridge. You will find custom residential bridges that are fancy and ornate. You might like a residential bridge plan that blends in with the countryside or lake area.

There are also custom residential bridges that come in kits. If you are talented in the area of construction you may want to build your own. You will find many kits available for custom residential bridges.

Residential bridges can be built in a variety of sizes. You should be able to find a custom bridge plan for even a very large project.

No matter what your need, you should have no problem finding a custom residential bridge plan that is just right for you.

We have a large number of styles and varieties of residential bridges available online. For more information and to learn more about custom residential bridges, visit:
Residential Bridges Online

Hummingbirds Attracting Those Little Flying Powerhouses

Writen by Bonnie Carrier

It's early in May a beautiful fairly warm day so I've decided to enjoy it and sit on the front porch.

While relaxing in a rocking chair with my eyes closed, just enjoying the sun and early warmth I begin to hear a sound off in the distance. At first it's not recognizable, sounds almost like a hum from a model airplane.

As it begins to get louder I'm beginning to think I know what the source of this strange noise is.

I open my eyes and sure enough just as I thought there is a small green colored Hummer hovering right at the edge of the porch – coincidentally right where a feeder normally hangs – now I'm not certain but he appears to be looking right at me like he's trying to tell me "Hey, I'm back, where's the food".

Every year it's the same, they show up around Mothers Day and every year I'm always a little surprised to see them and of course not prepared. Well so much for my relaxing afternoon, it's time to get out the feeders, clean them and make up some food then get them hung. And so begins another season with these marvelous entertaining little birds.

Attracting Hummingbirds:

Hummers have a good memory they can remember where to find food sources from previous years. However in order for them to remember your home you will first need to let them know about it.

There are two ways to accomplish this, first by planting or hanging flowers that will attract them, second is to have an additional food source such as a hanging feeder that you keep filled with a syrup solution.

Flowers that have red to orange blossom colors are known to attract them but they will visit any color if they discover sufficient nectar.

Blossom shape is also important as this little birds beak is long and tapered, so downward-hanging blossom – Honeysuckle is a good example – are a favorite.

Several other varieties are as follows. These particular flowers are geared for the Northeast – where I happen to live – so you will want to check within your region for appropriate blooms.

Perennials:

· Bee Balm
· Salvia
· Foxglove
· Lilac
· Hollyhock
· Forsythia

There are several Annuals that will also satisfy their little palettes.

· Fuchsia
· Impatiens
· Petunia

As these are favorites in the use of hanging baskets each summer try hanging several around your home. The most common place of course is on your front porch or on hooks around a deck or patio; another idea is to hang some right from tree branches. I've done this and not only do the Hummers like them; it also adds color and interest out in the yard.

Putting Up A Feeder:

From elaborately decorated glass to simple plastic there are numerous types of feeders to choose from.

I will tell you from experience, I've used both – the decorated one just because it was pretty, the Hummers really didn't care – and I ended up with a simple teardrop shaped clear glass container with perches around the base, it was easy to tell when the solution was low and simple to take apart.

Where to hang your feeder or feeders – once you start, guaranteed you'll have to have more than one – is up to you and the layout of your home and yard. If you have an open porch this is a great place or from tree branches. Most people look for spots where the birds can be seen; after all half the fun comes from watching these little dynamites. Feeders that mount to windows with suction cups are another alternative.

What To Fill Them With:

Two choices here, pre-made solution or hand made, the choice is up to you. I personally have done both but if you prefer to make your own the following is the standard recipe.

· One part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water
· Boil the water is you wish however it is not really necessary
· Store unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you choose to make your own solution, do not add honey as it ferments very rapidly and can be fatal to the birds. Also the addition of red food coloring is not necessary, they will find the food without it.

Maintenance of Feeder:

Sugar and water mixed together will ferment – not good for the birds – which limits it's usability, this can happen very quickly during hot summer months.

Therefore when temperatures range between 60-85 degrees – or higher – the mixture really should be changed about every three days, of course if you happen to have a few Hummingbirds visiting your outdoor diner then you will be refilling about this amount of time anyway. If you should notice any cloudiness in the mixture change it right away.

Before refilling feeder be sure to thoroughly clean the feeder with warm soapy water and rinse very thoroughly. This is where having a feeder that comes apart easily is important.

Attracting these wonderful little birds is not only entertaining it's also beneficial as they also eat insects.

Plant some Bee Balm, hang a container filled with a beautiful Fuchsia plant and last but not least put up a feeder. You'll find that having your peaceful afternoon snooze on the porch interrupted is worth it.

If you would like to learn more about the Hummingbird the following web site are filled with lots of great information.

· The Hummingbird Society - www.hummingbirdsociety.org
· The Hummingbird Web Site - www.portalproductions.com

This is a share ware article. Give this article away for free on your site, or include it as part of any paid package as long as the entire article is left intact including this notice. Copyright © 2005 bonnie carrier.

Bonnie P. Carrier is the creator of Savvy Home Decorating & Savvy Outdoor Decorating. She is the mother to two grown daughters and a very spoiled 4yr old Blue Merle Sheltie named Toby. Stop by for information and ideas for both inside and outside your home.

http://www.savvy-home-decorating.com
http://www.savvyoutdoordecorating.com

Feeding Your Bonsai Tree

Writen by Lee Dobbins

Your bonsai tree is somewhat dependent on you to provide it with the nutrients it needs to sustain life. While most trees can get the ease from the environment, the bonsai is confined to a pot and so it is up to you to be sure that it gets everything It needs to survive.

Just like anything other living thing, bonsai's need food. This, of course, comes in the form of fertilizer. Fertilizer can be found at your local nursery or even bought online. The most common fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphates and potassium. In addition to these three elements, the bonsai also needs iron and, believe it or not, vitamins in particular the B-complex vitamins.

if you can't find the complex vitamins for your bonsai you might try beer. Of course the alcohol content needs to be very low or you might damage or tree. Try using a weak beer and dilute it using a half beer half water mixture before using it on your bonsai.

You can also get B-complex vitamins and supplement form but no matter how you are getting the vitamins to bonsai one good way to administer it is to spraying the leaves. This needs to be done when the temperature is below 85°F as above that temperature the holes in the leaves close and the tree stops breathing so the exchange of moisture, and therefore the vitamins, will be negligible.

While you're bonsai can benefit from having its leaves sprayed, doing this in hot weather can actually be harmful to your plant as it will cause the leaves to open up but then more sure be lost to the hot air. This can dry out the leaves and eventually the tree causing harm. The most common cause of bonsai death is actually incorrect watering so be careful when spraying your leaves.

You probably take vitamin pills to get your nutrients, right? Well you can give nutrients you bonsai the same way! You can buy commercially made pills that have all the nutrients your tree needs. Just put them in the soil on either sides of the trunk and water each day the water will cause the nutrients to be leached out of the pills and down into the soil.

How much nutrients you give your bonsai depends on many things includeing the species of the tree the size of the tree the age of the tree and how long it has been in Its current pot as well as the drainage in the pot and the development of the root system. Start off by following the directions on the nutrient package and watch your tree carefully. If you see signs of burnt leaves or drooping flowers you may be giving it too much nutrient.

When your tree is growing, you will want to give it more nutrients but in the fall you can also give It a little bit. Try using a mixture that is 0-10-10 (NPK) for the fall months.

Don't feed your tree right after repotting at but otherwise a schedule of every two to four weeks is ideal. After repotting you want to wait at least four weeks before feeding. Feeding is best done when the soil is moist.

Proper care, including proper feeding of your bonsai tree will ensure that you have a beautiful healthy plant for many years to come.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://bonsai.garden-corner.com where you can learn more about bonsai trees and how to start your own bonsai hobby.

Backyard Organic Gardening Grow And Eat Healthy

Writen by Ian Henman

People take part in organic gardening outdoors as a relaxation passtime. It gives a sense of well being when they achieve a colorful array of flowers. Some people go further than that, and create a garden for their own food. The organic movement has shown increased popularity over the past few years, and organic food is getting easier to get at the grocery stores, but gardeners would like to do it for themselves. Organic gardening outdoors isvery relaxing. In addition to organically produced flowers, you're able to grow vegies, fruits, and some herbsswhich are flavourfull and you know exactly what's gone into their creation. There is not any finer food on earth.

Organic gardening means no chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides what so ever. Every gardenerhas fought with garden pests, but you can findcleaner ways of getting rid of them. After all, it's what people years before had to spend time at and they still had food. You just they still had food}} a bit of cunning. One trick to get rid of those annoying aphids is to plant marigolds near to your vegetable patch. Let nature take part in its thing, and organic gardening will be less expensive and give you peace of mind. A lot of people are worried, especially parents, about all the chemicals that are used in regular non organic food growing. Often times these harsh products can end up in our water. Organic gardening outdoors means your pets, kids, and everyone else, can play in the garden safely in a no chemical area.

Backyard organic gardening will require the mysterious world of compost making. This is much more interesting than grabbing some store bought chemical product. It isn't anything that strange really, you just require to know what you can use and more variety makes for better compost. Quite simply, this is an excellent way of using kitchen and garden waste. You can use your own potato and other vegetable peelings. Rose prunings will help with the texture and old coffee grounds will help it smell better! Make sure all the ingredients are dry.

A few more tips about organic gardening outdoors.for the everlasting battle with keeping the soil mosit, healthy, and weed free,you can come up with your own mulch by simply mixing up pine needles and fresh grass clippings. Also you can get bugs using a mixture water, dish soap, and cooking oil.

Organic gardening, even if you only have a tiny patch of land, ensure you can have a natural relationship with food production and natures cycles. Somewhere on the way, we all pushed that aside, and we became accustomed to jumping in the car to go to the soulless supermarket to pick up bland food. Most of uswon't ever think where it originates and if a better way might exsist. Your children can become involved with organic gardening too, teaching them to learn where and how their food was made. They will have interesting and intriguing helping get compost ready and thinking up ingenious ideas on how to remove bugs. Best of all, they'll enjoy eating the delicious food that was grown via backyard organic gardening.

For more information about outdoor activites, and gardening take a peek at out website Outdoor Activites

How To Grow Cucumbers

Writen by Terry Blackburn

Growing Cucumbers

All members of the Cucumber family (Gherkins, Melons, Marrows and Pumpkins) have three major requirements - warmth, moisture and a rich soil containing plenty of organic matter. They are not hardy, though some varieties are suitable for outside growing but it does depend on your area and weather conditions.

Soil Preparation for Outdoor Varieties

Cucumbers prefer soils containing plenty of organic matter; they do best in positions where there is shelter from cold winds and they must have a sunny site. When preparing the ground, add plenty of manure and compost where the plants are to grow. Begin by digging a trench 9 in. (228mm) deep put in the manure then dig another putting the soil from this into the first trench. This will form a ridge; the cucumbers can be planted into the ridges, 3 ft. (90cm) apart.

Sowing Under Cover

Sow the seed mid March through to late May putting the seeds into trays or small pots ½ in. (12mm) deep, at a temperature of 70 to 75 deg F. (21 to 24 deg C.) germination takes 3 - 15 days at these temperatures. Later transplant the seedlings singularly into 5 in. pots. Gradually reduce the temperature down to 65 f. (18 C.) If you are growing the outdoor varieties begin to harden them off before putting the young plants into cold frames at the end of May. Plant them out after about two or three weeks along the ridges when the chance of frost has passed.

Greenhouse Growing

When the seedlings have reached the four-leaf stage re-pot into either large pots or grow-bags. If you are using grow-bags allow three plants per bag. Train the main stem up wires to give the plant support. Stretch training wires from end to end of the greenhouse12 in. 30cm) apart and 12 in. (30cm) from the glass; tie strings every 2 ft. (60cm) at right-angles to the wires, train the leader growths towards the ridge of the house. Tie side shoots to the wires and stop at second leaf; stop sub-laterals at first leaf. Give them shade in sunny weather

Planting Outdoors

Water the pots well before planting out. Avoid holding the plants by their stems as they are easily bruised causing them irreparable damage. If the weather is cool cover each plant with a cloche for the first week to give them a little warmth and protection. One of the best methods I find is to use a half of a clear plastic 5 litre mineral bottle. Cut in half, the bottle makes two excellent cloches. The top half, whilst giving protection also allows air and moisture through the neck onto the plants.

General care

Cucumbers require plenty of water so that they are able to grow and fully develop, soak the roots thoroughly and regularly. Greenhouse grown plants should be sprayed during hot weather to maintain a high humidity, and fed weekly with a good liquid fertiliser. Those growing outdoors must be given extra protection against the surface roots drying out; grass clippings can be used as mulch. They are generally trouble free if the summer is a good one, however slugs can sometimes be a problem; to be on the safe side position a few slug traps around the base of the plants.

Male and female flowers are produced, but male flowers are picked off as they appear, this is to prevent pollination of the females for pollinated female flowers produce bitter cucumbers with large seeds. Just as soon as the first fruits are about 3 in. (76mm) long, begin to give the plants a weekly feed of liquid fertilizer.

Harvesting

Cut the fruits as soon as they ready, the size will depend on the variety which you are growing. They can be cut regularly for this will encourage the plant to produce more fruit. Cucumbers keep well, so they can be cut and kept for a while without coming to any harm.

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 I would be very interested to have your comments on this Article.

How To Plant Shrubs

Writen by Khieng Chho

Do you remember the story of a burning bush? Do you know what type of plant is a bush?

When you hear the word bush, the first thing that will come to your mind is the ancient story of a burning bush. Surely, this type of plant marked in your memory from your childhood to the present.

Shrub or a bush is just the same. This is a horticultural woody plant. However, this is distinct from a tree because of its multiple stems and lower height and measures less than 6 meters. It does not also have a sturdy trunk like a tree.

Planting shrub is easy. There is also a perfect time for planting one. If you want to include shrub plant as one of your collections in the garden you can do so. Surely, the shrub will add beauty to your garden or landscape.

For better results on shrub growth, you can follow the following steps in plating shrub:

• It is good to plant shrub during winter season and early morning of spring. This is the time when the soil is not frozen. The new roots should shred freely underground so it is better to have good climate. If the soil is frozen or the sun is too hot it will not grow well.

• Make sure that the roots are cleaned. Remove the dead roots because it can affect the growth of the plant.

• You can soak the roots of the bush for about 1 to four hours before planting. This will help in keeping moisture to the plant.

• Dig a hole that is deep enough for the roots. Use a shovel to loosen the soil so that it will not solidify. • Plant the shrub to the hole. Fill it halfway with the soil and tamp it with your foot.

• After you finished in filling the soil, keep it moist and apply mulch into it. This will make the shrub healthy. Monitor it as frequent as possible and if you observe yellow leaves falling water the shrub.

The key here is to choose the right shrub that can thrive to the kind of soil that you have in your garden. The roots of the shrub should not be confined to the good soil alone because it can result to a weak plant. Constant watering is also the secret to a good growth of the shrub plant.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho is author and owner of Flowering Shrubs. For related articles, visit Ken's website: http://shrubs.wicwoc.com

Transform Your Desert Backyard To A Beautiful Garden With These Simple And Easy To Implement Ideas

Writen by Johnny McKenzie

You might reside in a place where plants and trees in your backyard are hard to find and green grass is even harder to find. Do you feel that you have all the odds against you? But there really is no reason to worry; there is help to get for your old desert landscape. I know that when your beloved garden is full of rocks and sand, it might be hard to imagine it as a peaceful escape in times when you need a rest. Luckily though, the solution might be as easy as adding a few things to make you garden more inviting and more at ease for you and your family.

Before you begin to design your landscape, you should think about the look that you want to create for your garden. Read through newspapers and look at as many pictures as you possible can to get tips and ideas of what you want for your back yard. Next you might just come up with the design that for many could be the hardest part of the entire landscaping procedure. Keep in your mind how much space you have to work with and the amount of commitment in time and money you want to put into your new desert landscaping project.

Instead of having rocks and boulders in your yard, why don't you add some fun colored rocks with different shapes and styles? This will really bring the desert into your new landscape design. You can even add original desert trees and plants around the blocks to make the design softer to the eye.

Even though it's hard to believe, it's actually possible to have a nice back yard on your desert property. For example you can add flowers if you want make sure they are appropriate for the weather and your place. Adding texture with trees and vegetation will give your desert landscape a whole new look. Please remember though, to keep the low plants in the frontage and the high ones further to the back.

Probably you do want to place your garden so that it can be enjoyed from the inside of your house too. When you do this all you have to do is glance out the window and see your creation in front of you. Even though you eventually will grow custom to the view, your guests will most likely appreciate your desert landscape garden even from the inside. This is a real good idea, especially when you think about that it's often to warm to be outdoors.

Some people live in a type of weather that is hot and waterless. In that case you may want to think about doing something with water in your garden. This is not only enjoyable and imaginative; it might also offer a break for you from the warm weather. Some add water gardens or ponds to their yards and they love it. Further some go even bigger and build the perfect pool for themselves and all their friends. By doing this you will definitely be able to bring more friends over for entertaining barbeques by the pool.

Many garden owners agree that a great idea for your desert landscape is to use lighting. Especially at night it's important that you can show off your impressive desert garden. And for special effects, the lights on the different blocks will create special shadows and bring your new garden design to life at night. By using lights that will re-charge themselves in the sun, you will also save a dollar or two on electricity.

In case you implant one or a few of these fun and creative tips, you can take pleasure in your desert garden with a great and improved feeling to it. Comfort and style will be there for years to come and everybody will just love it.

In case you liked this article the author Johnny will give you more ideas on his site about how you can landscaping yards to impresses your friends.

Pruning Trees And Shrubs To Enhance Garden Views

Writen by Nicole Martins

For a homeowner who doesn't necessarily spend much time in their garden but wants to enjoy it from above, taking into account the garden views from upstairs windows and/or decks will help in dictating the planting plan.

In San Francisco, where garden space is typically 30' X 30', people look to maximize the design effects: creating outdoor rooms with patios, paths, fountains and arbors. The same is true with a garden that is mainly viewed from an upstairs deck or window. One example is a garden that we have been maintaining and restoring for over a year. The objective is that homeowner be able to see as much of the garden as possible from the 2nd and 3rd story decks. See: http://www.everything-patio-furniture.com/garden-arbors.htm

An existing 35' Podocarpus tree adjacent to the deck requires annual pruning and is due to be thinned and reduced on our next visit in October. While we typically schedule an arborists to prune trees larger than 25', deck access from the homeowner and neighbor's property make it possible for us to safely work on the tree.

Once the Podocarpus has been pruned the garden will require only minimal adjustments for the next 8 to 10 months. In the past year, we have pruned several Plum trees along the fence line and through out. At this point, they are in far better aesthetic shape: having opened up the garden as well as enhanced views.

Tip pruning the canopy and select branches of Angel's Trumpet: Datura, is also necessary throughout spring and summer for maintaining the deck views of the rear planting areas. Although this tree is frost tender in many climates, we are fortunate that it thrives in the Bay Area, and that there are several nice varieties to choose from.

Badly formed plants such as the leggy growing, purple flowering Princess Tree: Tibouchina, are also candidates for a severe heading back. While this pruning technique leaves the tree looking hacked and butchered for several months afterwards, on a healthy specimen, dormant buds will grow from the woody stumps creating a new floriferous head.

As with all gardens, the seasons bring about changes, creating new expressions. With fall upon us, our job for view enhancement is nearly complete, once the Podocarpus tree is pruned. After that, we will have many months to concentrate on the under story and plantings.

Nicole Martins is a contributing author and publisher to http://www.everything-patio-furniture.com an online resource that provides you with information, articles of interest and reviews of the best selling outdoor furniture and patio accessories online.

A Portable Perennial Garden

Writen by Doug Green

I currently rent my house and while I'm planning on buying later this year, I can't refrain from obtaining new and interesting perennial plants right now. After all, it is spring out there and new plants have always been a major part of my spring activities. But, what can you do when you have a rented property and you're planning on moving.

This afternoon, I decided to do some planting but I ran out of both pots and space to put them. There was a narrow strip along the side of the house that promised both shade and good visibility. The barbeque sat there along with a few other tools but these were all quickly moved into the garage. To make good gardening use of this space, I spread out black plastic bags to stop weeds or grass from growing and then set my new perennial pots out on the plastic. Leaving the plants in the pots, I arranged them as if I were planting them; tall plants to the back against the house siding, gold leaved next to dark green, and short plants to the front etc. Next I filled between all the pots with peat moss. The peat will keep the plant upright and protect the pots from drying out. When viewed from standing up, the pots disappear under the peat and the garden looks like it was planted. All I have to do is keep the peat moss damp and the plants will grow into a perennial garden.

When I leave this fall, I'll simply pull up the pots, bag up the peat moss into the garbage bags and truck my plants to their new home. But in the meantime, I have what appears to be a garden, my waste space is occupied with plants and my plants will be happy.

Doug Green, an award winning garden author with 7 books published, answers gardening questions in his newsletter at http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com

Attracting Wild Birds

Writen by Paul Duxbury

As more land is used to accommodate the ever-growing human population, yards and city parks become important bird habitat. Diversified landscaping and feeding stations offer an oasis of resources in the middle of human domain. Feeding and watching birds gives families the opportunity to practice conservation right in their own yards. Children can learn and enjoy the wonders of nature right from the kitchen window. Children will be able to observe the hatching of young chicks and learn how many birds help control the insect population.

One fun aspect of feeding birds is learning what birds are visiting your backyard habitat. There are several good identification field guides such as National Geographic, Peterson's East & West and Birds of North America through which the wild birds can be identified. Birds are grouped by physical characteristics. It is fairly easy to distinguish a duck from a songbird by just looking at body shape and size, as well as the beak and feet shapes. These physical characteristics will help identify birds: size, body shape, colors, markings, beak shape, feet and wing shape in flight. Birds have a variety of calls. Good listeners can learn to tell the difference between "chickadee" and "cheerily - cheerio - cheeriup" calls of the Black-capped Chickadee and the American Robin. The most important element is the type of food offered to the wild birds. The widest variety of food sources ensures the widest variety of birds. Ensure that your bird feeder is kept clean. Old, moldy seed left in the feeder will not attract wild birds. Not only is the food type important, but the time period you feed and the consistency of feeding is very important as well.

Many people will only feed the birds in the winter months, which is when they need it most, however, by feeding throughout the spring and summer months you will attract the migratory birds returning from southern climates. In addition, by feeding in the spring and summer, parenting birds will have easy access to a food source for their young. Food like seeds, protein rich insects and worms, flies; birds love mosquitoes, spiders, aphids and ants. Do not kill all the bugs in your yard if you want birds. Flowers, shrubs and trees will encourage a rich insect life in your yard that will, in turn, provide necessary food for wild birds. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden, this can be accomplished in several ways. If you plant honeysuckle, common lilac (with purple flowers), red geraniums, nasturtium, red petunias, red salvia, coral bells, columbine, fuchsia and even scarlet runner beans, there is a good chance that you will see hummingbirds feeding among your flowers. Fresh, clean water made available year round is an important element of attracting wild birds.

The simplest and most readily available is a shallow birdbath. Birdbaths can be kept thawed even in winter by a birdbath heater. Most garden birds like a water source far enough from surrounding vegetation to offer surveillance against a surprise attack from squirrels, rats, big birds. If there is water falling or dripping making sound this will attract birds even more towards the backyard. Birds are dependent on flight for safety; they are most vulnerable when they are "grounded" to rest, feed or nest. To a bird, protection means staying both comfortable and safe. Again, a wide variety of plant vegetation and trees will find the best range of habitat for birds. The selection of plants and their arrangement in the landscape are important in making a bird feel at home. Protection from cold winds and driving rain allow birds to maintain body heat, and keep healthy. Birds that are exposed to cold, wet and windy weather are very vulnerable to exposure and resulting death. Without protective cover near by, wild birds will not frequent bird feeders even if they are the best feeders with the most desirable seed. Build nest and bird houses for birds to raise their families and provide them with shelter. When the birds will feel that there is a shelter provided to take care of the baby birds they will build their natural nests and start living and heave their family. If you specially want to attract humming birds then take care that your feeders are full because they will begin moving south as early as July but it will take several months for the birds to begin to reach the southern U.S. and they can use your feeders during the trip. They eat lots of protein in their diets too and that doesn't come from sugar feeders and they need insects too. It is important to leave your feeders up and full. Migrating birds need all the quick and easy nourishment they can find to sustain the incredible energy demands of migration. It is vital that hummingbirds fatten up for their extended trips, particularly those crossing the Gulf of Mexico. For several weeks after your regular summer hummingbirds have left your flowers and feeders, migrating birds could be quickly passing through your gardens unnoticed. Leaving your feeders up for at least three weeks after seeing your last hummingbird is essential.

Paul is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation with a wealth of experience in personal development, management development, e-learning and operational management. In addition he owns PK eBooks (http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk) and has just published a series of Bird Watching eBooks which can be found at http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk/birding_for_everyone.htm

A Garden To Draw Hummingbirds

Writen by James Ellison

Hummingbirds have an unusual capability to hover in one place by quickly flapping their small wings which may genuinely have made them the fairies that a lot of people saw hovering around brilliantly colored flowers.

It's not hard to make a garden that will lure hummingbirds, but if you'd like to build a home in which they will gladly nest and live all the way through the northern summer, you want to provide them with more than a sugar water feeder and a plant or two. An active hummingbird garden doesn't have to be huge, but it will have all of the following major ingredients to draw in and keep the little fairies.

Select plants that bear flowers many times through the spring, summer and autumn. Flowers are the major ingredient in getting hummingbirds to your garden. The small birds feed on nectar that is made by flowers, and appear particularly attracted to plants with trumpet or tubular bright red and orange flowers. Some of their particular favorites are rose of sharon bushes, rhododendrons and azaleas, so the red trumpet isn't a hard and fast rule. For northern gardens that beckon the ruby-throated hummingbird, select from the list of plants below, be sure that you select plants that bloom at different times during the flowering season to furnish food for them during spring, summer and fall.

Spring Bloomers
Azaleas, rhododendrons and rose of sharon bushes make a great setting for hummingbird gardens. They flower early in the spring and keep on blooming through the early summer. Pink and bright red varieties are preferred, but hummingbirds love all rose of sharon types.

Summer Bloomers
Bleeding hearts and red mountain columbine flower in the early summer, also salvias, petunias, trumpet honeysuckle, morning glories, trumpet vines and impatiens, all of which catch hummingbirds. A wide scope of shade patterned impatiens is an effective attraction for hummingbirds, who hunt by sight.

Autumn Bloomers
Butterfly bush, garden phlox, day lilies, bee-balm and impatiens all will keep hummingbirds returning through the autumn and entice late migrators.

Have a source of water in the hummingbird garden.
Unlike bigger birds, hummingbirds will rarely take advantage of a bird bath or bowl of water. Instead, they enjoy cool mists. A garden hose with a misting fixture or a small fountain that can be adapted to a fine mist will keep them coming back.

Vertical space for hummingbirds to perch and nest.
Hummingbirds require shelter from predators and tiny branches for perching and resting. By selecting a couple taller bushes or trees, you can offer both.

A few feeders will provide a treat in your hummingbird garden.
There are scores of commercially designed hummingbird feeders built to be attractive to the little roamers. Pick feeders with bright red accents to get their attention, and a feeder that holds about 8 ounces of sugar water. Instead of using one big feeder, place 2 to 4 of them around your yard, out of sight of each other if possible. Hummingbirds are notoriously territorial. By offering several private feeding stations, you will increase the amount of hummingbirds that you attract.

They are another reason to go organic because they need not come in contact with chemical pesticides or herbicides that many spray around their flowers and vines. Help them survive.

Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of hummingbirds by visiting: Hummingbirds

Ecological Landscape Design And Organic Lawn Care

Writen by Chip Phelan

There is a growing recognition, that the expanding suburban landscape is having a negative environmental impact. Suburban development often includes vast energy dependant monocultures (perfect, grass lawns). They consume a significant amount of natural resources, (water to keep them green and gasoline to keep them trimmed), and they reduce the amount of habitat available for native wildlife. Over use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides can leach into water supplies and be harmful to children and pets. Trends toward ecological landscaping and organic lawn care are lessening the detrimental effects of these designs. Many landscape designers are recommending native plant species, and even golf course managers are moving toward organic methods.

In practical terms our goal should be to move away from designs that depend on an extensive use of energy, without asking people to give up their lawns entirely. There are a number of options:

* Buffer zones and open space requirements in subdivisions allow for wildlife corridors and bird habitats.

* Leaving a portion of each lot in a natural state will invite birds and beneficial insects into the yard, while reducing the amount of grass to water and mow.

* The use of native plants in the design will greatly reduce the amount of care needed for the plants to thrive.

We should stop worrying about whether our lawns looks like the eighteenth fairway of the local country club. Many of the "weeds" that appear in our lawns are considered to be medicinal, by herbalists, and others attract beneficial insects.

We should stop over watering our lawns. Don't worry about your grass dying. Grass will turn green when it rains. Trust me.

If you must have an all grass lawn, there are organic methods that claim to do as well as chemicals will. It's probably a good idea to test any remedy before applying it to your entire yard. Spot treating problem areas will often be all that is needed.

Ecological Landscaping Considerations

The first and most important thing to consider in an ecological landscape design is an environmental assessment of the site. Is it more like a sunny meadow or shady woodland? Is it wet and marshy or dry and well drained?

Secondly, find out which native plants thrive in your particular environment. This can be easily done by taking a closer look at what is growing in undeveloped areas around you. Look at areas that most closely resemble your site. Species that are flourishing in the wild in similar ecosystems nearby are more likely to do well, with little or no care, than species growing in different ecosystems, not to mention different regions of the country or world.

Some purists would argue that only native species be considered, but I personally feel that non-invasive species from other parts of the world are acceptable if used in the proper environmental setting. Whenever possible choose species that are propagated locally and select varieties that are disease, pest and drought resistant. This will preclude the need for intensive care and excessive watering.

Many native plants are often found growing as part of a larger community of plants. For reasons we don't thoroughly understand, plants appear to form symbiotic relationships with each other. This may be for shade, nutrient contribution or protection from pests to name a few. When studying the local landscape, pay attention to plant relationships. In the wild, vegetation occurs in layers from groundcovers to taller plants and shrubs and often to a tree canopy above. These layers provide a diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife. Recreating these conditions in even a small part of your site will help to enhance the overall health of the environment around you.

In many instances homeowners will wish to deter certain wildlife species, while attracting others. While it may be possible to discern which plants attract different species in the wild, it may not be as easy to determine which plants will deter them. Local landscapers and plant nurseries will often be able to advise you about this.

Wherever you live and whatever your landscape consists of, a little thought about working with the natural environment and a commitment to organic lawn care practices, will save on maintenance cost and benefit the larger community landscape.

Chip Phelan, a contributing editor for Organic Gardening Review, is an organic gardener living in Rhode Island. He has been gardening organically for 30 years while working as a sculptor and photo imager. He has recently created a research garden to experiment with organic and small scale sustainable gardening techniques.

Organic Gardening Review is a resource center for organic gardening enthusiasts and features his efforts and interests in all aspects of organic gardening. Find us on the web: http://www.organicgardening-review.com

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3 Easy Ways To Create A Spiral Topiary

Writen by David Hoyles

One of the most creative and satisfying centrepieces for your garden is a spiral topiary, guaranteed to attract admiring looks and comments from all that see it. There are easy ways and hard ways to create a spiral. I will describe the easy ways of going about this.

Firstly, you will need to decide upon your choice of plant to use for your topiary.

There are no hard and fast rules here; gardening should be creative and fun and, basically, you can use whatever you want (to an extent)! It might depend on what stock you already have in your garden, or if you have nothing available, it might rest on what your local garden centre or nursery has in stock, combined with your available budget.

It will also depend on how quickly you want the finished article, but bear in mind also that if you choose something that is quick growing you will have to trim it more often. After saying that, the quick growing specimen described below is trimmed only twice a year.

I happened to have a Gold Crest conifer (Cupressus Macrocarpa Gold Crest) growing in my garden. This is a fast growing, lime-green conifer that has a delightful lemon scent that is released when it is cut. It also has a fairly dense habit, so overall it is probably an excellent choice if you want quick results. Also, with it being fast growing it is a pretty cheap conifer. It is a very easy conifer to grow from cuttings, so if you do this it is cheaper still!

This particular specimen was about 1 foot tall when I planted it. Three years later it was 4-5 feet tall. I looked at it one day and thought 'I think I'll turn that into a spiral'. Although it was a little bare initially, 1 year later it was practically perfect due to its quick rate of growth and a bit of trimming.

Usually, conifers of different varieties are used for spiral topiaries as they are the most practical, but other plants and shrubs can also be considered. I'm currently in the process of creating a spiral using Golden Privet (Ligustrum). Green Privet can also be used, of course, and will grow a lot quicker than the golden variety.

I'm creating this spiral using thick, galvanised wire (this is wire that won't rust and is available from your local DIY store). I knocked a stake into the ground and fastened the wire to it by binding it with nylon twine. Depending on how thick the wire is, you might have to bind two pieces of wire to the stake so that you have a double thickness of wire for your frame. The wire was then manipulated into the desired spiral shape. The wire that I used was about 3 feet in length, so it was a case of twisting and binding the pieces of wire together to create sufficient length for the spiral.

As the privet grew, the sides were trimmed but the top was allowed to grow. As it did so, I occasionally tied the shoots loosely to the frame to keep everything in place. Eventually, the wire frame and twine will be covered up with the new growth, resulting in a snake-like spiral emerging from the ground!

So that's one way of making a shrub into a topiary and creating a spiral.

Another way of creating a spiral topiary, as in the Gold Crest example described above, is to wrap a piece of twine, or tape, around the outside of the conifer to create the guideline for the spiral. Then stand back and just make sure that it looks right. Viewed from all angles, is it consistent? When you are sure that it looks alright, start cutting alongside the twine. I used topiary shears to do this but a sharp pair of kitchen scissors will do the job just as well.

Start cutting from the bottom and gradually work your way up to the top. You will be left with a rough outline of your spiral. Keep trimming it on a regular basis to make sure that you don't lose the basic line of the spiral and it will gradually start filling out. Depending on the growth rate of your chosen conifer, you will soon have the perfect spiral.

I usually use a combination of ordinary garden shears and topiary shears when it needs trimming . The only time I would use an electric hedge trimmer with a spiral is at the initial stage, if the chosen conifer was particularly big and I needed to trim it to the basic dimensions. Don't use an electric trimmer on the finished spiral or you're likely to chop something off.

Speaking of which, never under-estimate the dangers involved with using an electric trimmer. Although I'm digressing a bit, I had a particularly nasty accident several years ago when I accidentally cut through the lead and the circuit breaker failed to activate! Now I never touch an electric trimmer unless it's plugged into a reliable circuit breaker and there's a Cable-Protecta fitted to prevent cutting through the lead in the first place. Just a point worth noting.

The third way I created a spiral topiary was by growing a Leylandii (X Cupressocyparis Leylandii) conifer around a circular frame. The frame is about a foot in diameter and it's original purpose was for growing climbing plants against. The Leylandii is extremely quick growing, especially the green variety (3 feet a year when it gets going) so it didn't long to take shape.

In the same way as with the example of the spiral grown against the wire, described above, the leading shoots were allowed to grow and then periodically these shoots were bunched together and tied to the frame. As the side shoots sprouted in due course, they were trimmed to produce a uniform width for the spiral.

It's still growing upwards at a rapid rate and at some stage I need to decide where it's going to stop. It could be quite a big spiral!

So now you know! Decide what type of spiral you want, how quickly you want it to grow, hence what growing stock you will use and get cracking!

David Hoyles reveals further handy gardening tips on his site http://www.privacy-hedge-trees.com and is also the creator of the safety product Cable-Protecta. See his site http://www.cable-protecta.co.uk for more details.

Birdhouses

Writen by Ken Marlborough

Man's destruction of bird habitats has greatly reduced the nesting areas of various birds. To compensate for this loss, birdhouses are built for birds to live in.

People who enjoy the companionship of birds find birdhouses inexpensive and fun to build. All well-built birdhouses should be durable, cool, rainproof and readily accessible for cleaning. The best material for birdhouses is metal. Metals other than aluminum must be avoided as they tend to become extremely hot when exposed to the sun. The roof should be constructed with sufficient pitch to shed water and should have at least three inches of overhang to protect the entrance from driving rain. As some water may seep into the house, a few small holes should be drilled in the floor to allow drainage, and to facilitate ventilation in hot weather, holes should be planned near the top of the box. It is also preferable for the house to be constructed with screws for easy disassembly for cleaning. To assist the young birds in climbing to the opening of the birdhouse, it is better to have the interior walls roughened or grooved.

Make it a point to place the birdhouse in a location that is inaccessible to enemies. It is better to have iron poles placed as mounts for the birdhouse to protect the birds from cats and squirrels climbing to the birdhouse. As birds insist on territorial rights, it is better not to place birdhouses too close together as conflicts may arise in empty birdhouses. Once it is certain that pests can be eliminated and that the birdhouse is satisfactory for the birds, the only thing remaining is the cleaning of the interior of the house periodically. So go ahead and search for the ideal birdhouse!

Birds provides detailed information on Birds, Bird Feeders, Bird Baths, Bird Houses and more. Birds is affiliated with Aquarium Lights.

Teak Planters Accent Your Outdoor Space With One

Writen by Jennifer Akre

Do you want to add something to your outdoor space that will take it from beautiful to breathtaking? Do you have all of the right teak furniture but feel that something is missing, some accent that will truly make your space unique and worthy of only the highest praise? If so, maybe you should accent your outdoor space with teak planters.

Teak planters can be a gorgeous addition to any outdoor space whether it is a formal garden, porch, poolside or entryway because they are beautifully constructed with the highest quality of standards using only the finest Javanese teak.

When selecting furniture and accessories for their outdoor spaces, many people purchase pieces made with teak which is a hard strong durable yellowish-brown wood. Teak is both resistant to the elements and requires little maintenance.

Teak grows in the region of Southeast Asia, mainly in Java, Indonesia, and is harvested from the surrounding forests and teak plantations by the locals and the Indonesian government. The wood of the teak tree is naturally resistant to insects, warping, splintering and the elements, which makes it an ideal wood for creating planters. With teak planters, there is no sealing, no staining, and no finishing.

Teak planters are also a good choice due to the fact that you can choose from several different styles of planters to accent your unique space. No matter what type of space you want to enhance with teak planters, you will be sure to find just what you are looking for when you browse through the selection of teak planters.

Take for instance the Brookside teak planter by Kingsley-Bate. This lightweight planter box is constructed using precise mortise and tenon joinery and is a classic, gorgeous addition to any garden or outdoor space. The simple lines and rich color of this teak planter will surely make it a favorite of yours.

And with a price just a little over $200 and a guarantee to last for decades, the Brookside teak planter is a good buy as well.

Or if you prefer something a little more elegant, the Versailles Trough teak planter box or Versailles teak planter box may be just what you are looking for. These teak planters are designed using elegant, round finials and a raised panel style. The Versailles planter series is also available in small, medium and large sizes.

So if you are looking for that special something that will bring life to your outdoor space, maybe teak planters hold the answer to your outdoor decorating dilemma. Why not take a look? You could be surprised by what the world of teak accessories and teak furniture has to offer.

Jennifer Akre is a successful business owner of numerous furniture websites such as http://www.MoreThanTeak.com. Her sites offer product and information about teak furniture and teak planters and other decor for your home or garden.

Planning Your Flower Garden

Writen by Lisa Sousa

You've wanted a flower garden for such a long time. They just add so much color and interest to your yard. You have waited in anticipation through the winter to start digging a place for a flower bed, purchase and plant your bulbs, seeds or plants, and to reap the many benefits of a well cared for flower garden. But maybe you need some tips and ideas for getting started. Here are some helpful hints for you to get going on that special gardening project.

It is wise to plan out your flower garden before getting your flowers. The fist step is make a sketch of your house, garage, trees, and any other buildings or landscaping on your property. An important consideration is the direction your property is facing as well. You don't want to plant a flower garden, and then find that it doesn't get enough sunlight for the flowers to grow. Flower gardens are also best when planted on a level or gently sloping ground because the water runoff from steep slopes will cause the soil to erode.

Another thing to consider would be the style of flower garden that you would like. Flower gardens can be straight or curved in shape, formal or casual. Your house can be a guide on deciding on your particular style. For example, if you have a traditional house, then a symmetrical, formal design might be for you. If you have a country-style house with gingerbread trim, then a less symmetrical and more casual planting maybe for you.

The next step in planning your garden is to decide what kind of flower beds would be desirable to your yard and you. A flower border is set against a backdrop such as a house, shrubs, or the edge of your patio as well as other places such as property edges. This choice of flower bed is a good option for those with smaller yards. Another type of flower bed which will work well with bigger lawns is called an island bed. An island bed is a flower bed that is planted in the middle of the lawn itself so it will give the effect of a splash of color washed up on the lawn itself. It is best to plant the taller plants in the middle of the island and to have the smaller plants around the them so they will look great on all sides. It is advisable though, to avoid making the island too small and having it made in the middle of the yard when the yard is otherwise empty.

When digging your flower bed, be sure to consider the width of the flower bed, so that it will be wide enough to accommodate the front, middle and back layers, and provides enough room for your plants to grow. As a rule, the longer your flower bed is, the wider it should be as well. Most flowers need well drained soil, so it is advisable to avoid locating your garden where there is standing water after heavy rains or during a spring thaw. The exception to this woud be when plants that can tolerate boggy soil conditions are desired. You should take the sun exposure into consideration as well because this is key to your garden planting. Some plants like full sun while other love shade

After the flower bed is dug up, and the landscaping is in place, the next thing to consider is the plants themselves. Do you want to have color throughout the year or only in certain seasons? Do you leave town in certain times such as the mid summer? If this is often the case, be sure to obtain flowers that are low maintenance during those times, such as mid summer or that bloom in the springtime. Flowers that bloom in late summer, as well as a few shrubs and trees that provide great autumn color can also add beauty to your garden through out the year if year round enjoyment is desired. Light-colored flowers, evening-scented plants, as well as garden lighting, can make your flower garden into a pleasant evening retreat after a long day at work.

Now for the fun part of planning your garden begins. The overall color of your garden is very much based on your own personal tastes. However, there are a few guidelines to follow. It is not a good idea to add too much contrast or too many colors to your flower bed due to the fact that these colors will cancel out each other and will give a visual overload. However, if the contrasts are used in moderation, it can add some spark. Colors can also reflect mood as well as the seasons themselves. Hotter colors such as reds, oranges and yellows work very well in mid summer, while the soothing effects of lighter, pastel colors go well with the springtime of early summer. Or perhaps you would like a single color garden is more to your tastes.

With careful planning and preparation, you can create a spectacular spectrum of color and fragrant scents right outside your door for you and your family to enjoy.

Visit Flower Garden Bulbs to find great deals on flower bulbs to plant, or visit Garden Style Decor to find garden decor accessories.