Lawn Care Basics for New Homeowners

Lawn Care Basics for New Homeowners
By Biddrup Kumar Mollick

Australia is considered one of the largest countries in the world. It's vast land consists of different types of landscapes such as rainforest and mountains but deserts or "outback" covers much of its area. The climate also varies due to its size, where warm temperature is experienced in the northern states pretty much opposite in the southern states. Here, the seasons are defined by groups in the following order.

Spring - September, October and November.
Summer - December, January and February (the three hottest months)
Autumn - March, April and May.
Winter - June, July and August (the three coldest months)

These Season changes should always be considered in maintaining a healthy and greener lawn in your home or backyard. Tell Mom and dad and our green thumbed friends about this simple tip and surely they will get rewarded by having a healthy lawn when the spring season comes.

Autumn or Fall which runs basically from March to May is perhaps the best time of the year to really pay attention to your lawns. During this time of the year grass is more active in absorbing its food such as the moisture coming from the air and minerals from soil in preparation for the winter season. The basic tips below will help old and new homeowners in maintaining their lawns during the fall season.

Hydrate and Trim:

Like human beings, lawns also deserve to have a good haircut while quenching itself with its favorite sip under the shade of the sun. That's right my friends, your lawn should be trim down to its crown so that nutrients form the sunlight will find its way and give your lawn the extra boost during their dormant mood in the winter time. Hydrate them as needed throughout autumn at least once a day preferably 6-10 in the morning or 4 pm-7 pm avoiding the hot afternoon sun where water can be lost as it evaporates quickly during this time of the day. And besides, it's also bad for our skin.

Aerate the Soil

Autumn or fall season is the most ideal time to aerate the soil in your yard. Its the perfect time for the air or oxygen, water and other nutrients that your lawn needs reach its grass roots easily. Aerating is the process of punching small holes in your lawn enabling the grass roots to breathe, ventilating it in a sense and improves water nutrients absorption. If you have a small yard, do it yourself and just improvised spikes then punch those holes at least 4-5 inches apart from each other all across your lawn. But in the case of covering acres of land, pick up the phone and call your landscape contractor for professional help and let them do the work. You just need to sit back on this one and relax, take a breather and enjoy some fresh air also.

Rake, Repair and Eliminate

Let's try to flex those muscles a little and start raking the fallen leaves from your lawn. Aside from it becoming a bed of mess, it also suffocates your lawn preventing it from breathing the air and limiting the passage of the sun rays.

Just before the winter, perhaps it is also the right time for you to fill in the gaps of your lawn. You can always buy in the garden shops and home depot market an all-in-one lawn repair mixture that contains grass seeds, fertilizer, and other organic content. Refer to the manufacturers label on how to use it properly.

Lastly it is time to get even with the weeds that has been taking over your grass lately. They are like pests that drink anything including the water and nutrients that belong to your grass. Eliminate them once and for all by applying herbicide and the weeds won't be back until next autumn.

I am a Creative, well-published, award-winning author. I write original nonfiction and fiction, ghostwriting, blogs, scripts, test-prep passages. Excellent English grammar and punctuation in a variety of writing styles. Also page layout and covers for paper and eBooks.

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Why Should I Think About Backyard Companion Planting?

Why Should I Think About Backyard Companion Planting?
By Moreo Monte

Your backyard is your space, but you share that space with nature! She shares it with you in reality, even though we think we have a hold over it, it is her that is involved in the delight of the garden. So when thinking about your "local" space, why not think how you can enhance it and work with nature to create a wonderful space to live in.

The reason for thinking about companion planting is to adjust how we view that space we have. There is a place for everything in our world, but sometimes we get a little carried away with trying to create a space with only one type of plant.

Gardening is not a battleground of you against nature - You will lose something EVERY TIME.

To think about this on a grand scale, you only need to go to a planted wood that will be used for timber or wood production. The wood is almost silent; nothing grows on the floor of the wood and animals only pass through but eat very little. The soil is turned acid and although the trees are green and tall, there is only one variety that the wildlife can live off and it isn't a healthy form of a diet. In comparison to us it would be the equivalent of only eating crisps every day. At one point we are not going to be too healthy or we will move to a better food source.

Your garden should be thought of in the same way. How does nature care for everything in your space? What can you do to "get along" with it? Gardening is not a battleground of you against nature - You will lose something EVERY TIME. In fact you may even be under the illusion that you are winning, but just test the theory by leaving your garden for a month! You will see who is in control!

It is time to begin companion planting. This is the manner in which you choose plants that work together in your space and how they help each other to be better plants. Think of it as if it was teamwork. Each contributing something to the overall feel of the space they all live in. It soon becomes plain to see how each helps the other improve.

I will draw your attention to the wilds around you. The open spaces, or the dilapidated houses and buildings you see. Nature is at work quite clearly, planting, and sowing her way to ensure a wonderful space. What looks like a jumbled mess is a carefully orchestrated planting process of species of plants working together to ensure the soil is maintained and that life continues. Variety begins to follow, small shrubs begin to grow and finally trees seem to stretch like fingers from the earth to the sky. In a magical way, nature plants in her way and continues to attend to it.

Start thinking about ways in which you can improve your yard and garden for a more harmonious plant balance and give insects variety to live off, give the birds more variety to feed and begin to create a mini balanced eco system right in your local area.

Companion planting is a joy to me and I want to share it with you. Head over to the blog at http://www.companionplantinggardendesign.com to find out more about companion planting and listen to the Planting Guy Podcast on how to work with nature in your "local" area.

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Prepare Your Garden As Summer Approaches

Prepare Your Garden As Summer Approaches
By Bill Camarillo

Hard work in the garden during spring will begin to pay off in June as plants take hold and flowers bloom, but there is still planting that can be done to create a beautiful summer garden.

Thin Fruit: It may be tempting to leave all fruit on trees no matter their size, but thinning excess fruit results in less strain on the tree or vine and makes for better-developed remaining fruit, especially for trees bearing fruit for the first or second time.

Plant Drought Tolerant Herbs: While some gardeners may cut back on vegetable planting this year due to the drought, herbs require little water. Rosemary, English thyme, oregano and sage all do well with minimal watering. Remember, however, as with anything newly planted, regular watering is needed until the roots are established.

Control Weeds Before They Flower: All plants, including weeds, are growing well by now. Pull weeds before they have a chance to flower and spread their seed. Then cover the just-weeded area with mulch to keep weeds from returning.

Caring for Avocado Trees: Although avocado trees are hearty once established, they are susceptible to overwatering during their early years. Plant your avocado trees in well-draining, loose soil. Let the soil around the tree become somewhat dry before watering. Flowers bloom in spring but most will drop off, leaving only the hardiest fruit to grow.

Plant Pumpkin Seeds: Now is the time to plant pumpkin seeds so pumpkins are ready to harvest by Halloween. Seeds will begin to sprout seven to 10 days after planting. Leave room for the plants' vines to spread and develop. The plants' yellow flowers will begin to appear about three weeks after plant growth begins. The flowers will develop into pumpkins after they are pollinated.

Plant Heat-Loving Vegetables: There is still time to plant vegetables that thrive in the summer heat and survive without constant watering once established. These include corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, okra, peppers, tomatoes, yellow squash, melons and zucchini.

Deep Water Mature Trees: Although mature trees have vast root systems, they need watering in drought conditions. If the soil is dry six to eight inches below the surface around the tree's drip line, water slowly so the water reaches deep into the soil. Only water when the soil is dry.

Check Irrigation Systems: Repair broken sprinkler heads and leaks in drip irrigation hoses. Make sure water is reaching the right locations (and not watering unused space or hard landscape). Check your lawn while the sprinklers are on to see if there is water runoff. Make watering time adjustments when necessary.

Bill Camarillo is CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of soil products and the composter for cities throughout Southern California. Each month, Agromin receives more than 30,000 tons of organic material and then uses a safe, natural and sustainable process to transform the material into premium soil products. The results are more vigorous and healthier plants and gardens, and on the conservation side, the opportunity to close the recycling loop, allow more room in landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.agromin.com.

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How to Care for Orchids Indoors

How to Care for Orchids Indoors
By Kovera Artem

It is commonly known that orchid flowers are very beautiful and extremely various. Tropical orchids are cultivated as home plants all over the world, and their popularity is growing constantly.

Orchid biology is often wonderful and tricky in some places. The orchids are so responsive to the care that they may be compared with animals. As only careful parents can manage to grow good children, good plant growing requires careful grower. At the same time looking after orchids such as Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum, Cymbidium and some other species does not require a lot of specific care compared to other flowers growing indoors.

If you are wandering how to care for orchids, firstly you should pay attention to a biology of a particular orchid genus you will grow. All orchids have some similarities, but also there are a lot of differences among different species. For example, many orchids have a rest period, when they should be watered much rarely and kept at lower temperature. Dendrochilums have a rest period from April to September, while other species are resting in autumn or winter. At the same time there are orchid species which don't have any rest period. All of them require uniform watering through all year. Also different indoor orchids grow best at different temperatures. There are "warm", "moderate" and "cool" orchids.

By applying some techniques you can, for example, get an orchid to bloom again. At the same time there are orchids which will be reblooming naturally every season.

Different orchid species have different ways of propagation. Usually orchids can be easily propagated by division, when they are large enough. Other methods of propagation are not so common, and usually require additional care and sometimes even lab equipment.

First people trying to grow orchids had a lot of trouble, because they usually tried to cultivate orchids in pots with a soil. Most of the orchids with beautiful flowers are epiphytic, this means they grow at trees, but they are not parasitic. They only use a tree as a support to grow on it. That is way most house orchids have to be grown not in pots with a soil. They should be grown in pots filled with substances such as a bark and a moss. Different substances have different amount of nutrients, and different capability of water retention, so how often an orchid should be watered and fed depends on a substance.

If you want to know more about how to care for orchids you can visit our website lookingafterorchids.com

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The Secret to Xeriscape Gardening

The Secret to Xeriscape Gardening
By Cheryl L Palmer

The secret to Xeriscape gardening is to select plants that require little water, native plants are good selections, as are plants that require lots of sun, provide plenty of color, and tolerate poor soil quality. Group plants according to water needs, then mulch around the plants to retain water while minimizing evaporation. Mulching also reduces weeds.

Many flowers and plants can be used in xeriscaping landscapes, including the following:

• Maximillian Sunflower provides large yellow flowers, blooming all summer long and entices butterflies. Withstanding summer heat and poor soils, these flowers are beautiful as borders or cut flowers.

• Oleanders are beautiful plants found along many highways in California and Arizona. Although this plant requires very little maintenance, and provides lush foliage and beautiful flowers, it is highly toxic! If you use these plants in your garden area be sure to wear gloves and plant them away from areas where children or any one else may want to handle the flowers and leaves! If part of the plant is swallowed, the poison is strong enough to kill a child!

• Blue Sea Holly provides blue-gray foliage, thrives in dry, sandy, sunny and even salty conditions!

• Daffodils are drought-resistant plants and provide bright yellow and white colors with accents of yellow and pink.

• Purple Lavendar - select lavender that tolerates arid soils.

• California poppies (orange) are self-seeding plants, easy to grow and tolerate poor soil, well-drained conditions.

Combining drought-resistant flowers and plants with decorative sand, mulch or gravel and trees such as myrtles or cacti not only provide a scenic landscape, but minimize water usage. Xeriscaping can save as much water as up to 50 to 75 percent saving households up to 120 gallons of water a day.

Another component of xeriscaping is using correct irrigation methods. A drip irrigation or soaker hose applied to the base of the plant provides the needed water, while preventing run-off and water evaporation.

Adding a raised deck offers an opportunity to decrease xeriscaping and add living space. Provide a conversation grouping, an outdoor firepit for cooler evenings and plenty of shade for those hot summer days - allowing you to enjoy your xeriscaped garden and enjoy the outdoors. In addition, xeriscaping often attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and other wild animals to your garden area!

Drawing interest to your landscaping can be created by elevating gardens with stones, walkways, groupings of plants. Elevating your gardens adds increased benefit of downhill drainage. Xeriscaping does not have to be boring - be creative!

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How To Grow Hotter Peppers

How To Grow Hotter Peppers
By Donnie Perkins

Seeds ought to be sown in light, all around well-drained soil in a warm, sunny nursery (60 degrees least) 6 to 8 weeks prior to they are to be situated out. They ought to be set out when the climate is truly warm and settled. The seeds take 16 to 20 days to grow. Transplant the seedlings, when they are sufficiently substantial to handle, into flats, 2 to 3 inches separated or exclusively in little pots. In either case, utilize all around well-drained soil. The plants should never endure drought or low temperatures. Harden them off steadily before planting them outside.

Understand the planting conditions needed to learn how to grow hot peppers. Moist soil, fertilizer and a full sun make hot pepper plants thrive. Adding compost to the soil at the time of planting will give hot pepper plants a boost to help them grow. Seaweed is also a very good fertilizer for them to become big and spicy. The reason being is its antioxidants are absorbed into the soil and is helping the plant and the peppers grow. Kelp is good, but buy it from the store so it isn't salty but some seaweed from a freshwater lake or pond will do the trick.

You additionally need to get the pepper off of a decent stem. In the event that it is from a weak stem, it might not have gotten enough supplements from the plant itself. A decent time to pick a pepper is around three weeks after the bloom is no more. It relies on upon what sort of soil you have as well. In the event that you have sandy soil at your home, it is somewhat harder to pick the peppers at the perfect time, however in places where the dirt is richer, it may take less, yet it all relies on upon what soil you have. Be mindful of your soil and the way you pick the peppers.

Plant hot peppers at the best time of year for your region to help guarantee the best results. Pepper seeds take quite a while to grow and need to be planted 6 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost. Unless you live in a warm atmosphere, most zones are excessively chilly, making it impossible to begin seeds in the ground and ought to be started in containers indoors. Space the seeds or youthful hot pepper plants 18 to 24 crawls (45.7 to 61.0 cm) separated.

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Garden Designers: Transform the Look of Your Garden

Garden Designers: Transform the Look of Your Garden
By Arron Wilkins

A garden is considered to be an integral part of any house as this space helps in providing relaxation and retreat from the routine busy life. This is a space which rejuvenates your mind and offers relief from stress. Nowadays, people are extremely conscious about the looks of their garden and they want it to look extremely attractive. This is where the importance of garden designers is highlighted.

Job of a Landscaper Designer

Designing a garden is not an easy task as it involves framing and deciding upon the plan and features of this special place. So, a professional is required for this. A garden architect is the perfect person for this job. Some of the tasks which these architects have to perform are mentioned below:

Discussion with Clients

One of the most important jobs of a garden architect is to discuss with the client and know in detail about their requirements and preferences regarding the plants, colors and flowers to be used in the garden.

Visiting the Garden

The next task they have to perform is to visit the garden of the client so that they can plan the design according to the size and shape of this space.

Giving a Rough Estimate

These experts should then show a rough picture of how the end product will look after being designed and they should also give a rough estimate about the cost of designing the garden.

Taking Measurements

Taking measurements of the area is an extremely important step as the design of the garden will be based on this. They should also test if the soil has acidic features, if it has nutrients and if it is suitable for drainage.

Providing Detailed Sketches

A garden architect should also give the detailed sketches of different parts of the garden so that the client can get a perfect picture about how their garden will look once it is designed completely.

Supervising the Work

Choosing the best workers for designing the garden and supervising their work is also an important part of their job. A good architect properly supervises the works of the workers to complete the task nicely within given time and budget.

Providing Maintenance Tips

Only setting up your garden is not enough. It requires proper maintenance too. After the process of designing that is complete, they also provides tips on how to maintain the garden so that it looks attractive in all the seasons.

Since the garden is a space which creates an impression about your house in the minds of your guests, a lot of care and cautiousness should be involved in choosing the expert because they are the ones who will transform the look of your garden. A garden architect should be a person who possesses an impressive knowledge base about horticulture. Another skill which they should own is to be extremely creative and imaginative. Designing and landscaping skills of the garden architect are highly important for owning the perfect garden.

For expert and gardening and landscaping techniques contact TSG Landscapes based in Cambridge. They will guide you with perfect solutions.

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5 Awesome Gardening Tips for Inspiration

5 Awesome Gardening Tips for Inspiration
By Ali Qayyum

Gardening for some is a hobby, for others it's a passion. Either ways, gardening demands patience, carefulness and a positive attitude. But knowing some tips and tricks always comes in handy. If you are a beginner looking for some guidelines or if you're an expert who is trying to figure out where have you been going wrong, this article is for you. We have gathered some expert gardening tips that will help you take your gardening experience to a whole new level.

Prepare the Soil well

Plants grow in soil, the soil is what nourishes and nurtures them and provides support to the roots to grow. Therefore, it is very important that you carefully prepare the soil before planting anything in it. Take into account the demands of your plant and the soil type that it tends to do well in. if your soil is not up to the standard, treat it. Divide the soil among different kind of plants that you are planning to grow according to their requirements. The best kind of compost to feed your soil is leaves. Leaves make for the best fertilizer and are totally natural. Also, they are abundant in any garden, so use them to your advantage.

Plan ahead

It is important to plan ahead of your plants. Take note of their growth period and the maximum size that they can achieve once mature. This is because a plant, planted without planning can lead to size constraints and no one wants to go through the hassle of relocating their plants. Moreover, plan the location of your plants in your garden according to their life cycles. If you are growing vines, plan what you want them to climb; this will increase the symmetry and will add to the beauty of your garden.

Tool cleaning is important

Sharp and clean tools make gardening easier and faster as compared to blunt and dirty ones. Always keep your tools in shape so that they may come in handy in case of a garden emergency. Allocate some time from your gardening time to clean and sharpen your tools regularly.

Regularly check for pest infestations

Pest infestations are always easier to avoid if a gardener is able to identify harmful pests before they have reproduced tremendously in his garden. Therefore, it is important that you schedule regular inspections of your garden. If you notice any signs like wilting plants or eaten leaves, take them into account immediately. Look out for pests that may be causing them and do your research on finding and controlling them.

Keep evolving

You just cannot keep growing the same thing over and over again forever, as a gardener. It will not only bore you out of your socks but will make any extraordinary garden seem dull after a little while. Find new varieties that may interest you. When a plant dies, look out for a replacement that you have never planted before. Try new techniques of planting like grafting. Experiment with your garden. This will not only polish your skills but will keep you motivated to put in more and more effort into gardening.

My Self Ali Qayyum, i love nature, and i love to share the knowledge of Better Home Gardening with all of you.

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How To Grow And Care For A Papaya Tree

How To Grow And Care For A Papaya Tree
By Ashikur T Rahman

A perennial tree, papaya grows best in tropical, as well as subtropical regions, which do not experience freezing temperatures and frost. The fruits of the papaya tree tend to take several different kinds of shapes. Irrespective of the shape that they take, one thing that is certain is that they will always be delicious, so much so that you will find yourself becoming hooked on them.

Generally, growing a papaya tree, or any tree for that matter, tends to come naturally to a number of people. If you are one of these lucky few who can grow this tree where you live. Therefore, you must run down to the store and buy some papaya seeds for yourself.

If you are thinking of growing a tree, then read on to learn more about how to grow a papaya tree.

Growing Papaya Trees

Generally, these trees are cultivated from seeds, which are found inside the fruit. Any papaya fruit bought or otherwise, will do the trick. You can scoop out the seeds and use them.

When sowing these seeds, put in more than a few, to ensure germination. Ensure that the seeds receive sufficient sunlight and, in a matter of a couple of weeks, you will be able to see tiny seedlings emerging. Once these seedlings turn into fully fledged papaya trees, in five or six months, they will begin to flower.

The planting location of the tree is an extremely important factor to consider. Place the tree in your garden where it is protected from the wind, as well as the cold weather. When learning how to grow papaya trees, people tend to forget that they need a great deal of sunlight.

Well-drained soil too is extremely important, since wet conditions cannot be tolerated by them.

Seeds bought from a papaya store will also help in this regard.

Caring for the Papaya Trees

When considering growing a papaya tree, you will need to pay close attention to caring for the tree as well. Learning how to grow papaya trees is just half the battle; the other half is dealing with how to care for them, and making sure that they grow well.

In order to ensure that the young plants thrive in the soil, you should add a fertiliser, once every 14 days. The older ones require less maintenance, with fertiliser needing to be added just once a month.

A papaya store, bought or otherwise, should help satiate your craving for papayas, until delicious ones start growing on your tree. However, nothing will beat the sweet taste of the papayas that you have grown yourself.

If you have beautiful orange-yellow papayas growing on your tree, then you should take them off the tree. In case you have not cut one of these fruits before, and are wondering how to cut a papaya, then check out our site to know more.

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How to Plant and Grow Snap Peas

How to Plant and Grow Snap Peas
By James Draper

Snap peas are also known as sugar snap peas. They differ from snow peas by the fact their pods are more rounded in shape and contain slightly more mature peas. Snap peas are a cross between snow peas and garden peas. The whole pod is eaten and has a crunchy texture and very sweet flavor.

Snap peas are a very rich source of Vitamin C whereby just 100g contains 100% of the recommended daily intake. Furthermore, the vegetable provides a good source of dietary fiber (10% recommended intake), folic acid (10% recommended intake), Vitamin A (22% recommended intake) as well as being a good source of iron, calcium and Vitamin K.

Sowing snaps peas is an easy and rewarding experience, not to mention the luxury of having your very own fresh produce available in your very own backyard. Below is a step by step guide for sowing your snap peas:

Step 1: Soil Preparation

Snap peas can be grown from a wide range of soil types ranging from heavy to light soils, although needs good drainage and a friable well-structured soil. The vegetable prefers a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0 and lime should be added if soils are too acidic. Turn over your soil to aerate it, add some fertilizer, I recommend using horse manure and a slight amount of blood and bone meal.

Step 2: Planting the Seeds

Snap peas have a very delicate root system, therefore it is recommended to direct plant your seeds into the garden as opposed to growing seedlings in trays. Sow at a time to avoid flowering during the frost periods. Prepare flat trenches approximately 15cm (6") wide and 5cm (2") deep. Plant seeds at an interval of 7.5cm (3") and when sowing multiple rows allow 90cm (3.5") between each row. Cover seeds with soil and firm down gently.

Step 3: Water Well

Once sown, water well and keep well watered throughout growing. Since peas are part of the legume family of vegetables they are capable of fixing nitrogen from the air and as such require little fertilizer. Snap peas will need to be trained to go up a trellis or similar support (stay tuned for how to construct your own garden trellis).

Pests:

Birds can be a problem for emerging seedlings. If required, cover rows with bird netting until seedlings are 10cm high. Pests and diseases are minimal, although the most likely to damage pea crops are onion thrips which cause spotting of the pods. Caterpillars may also attack leaves and pods. Mildew and rot is also a common problem, whereby the seedlings are stunted and the vines are an off color. Typically mildew and rot is caused by poor drainage in the soil.

Harvesting:

Snap peas are usually harvested 8-12 weeks after planting and may continue for 8-10 weeks. Typically snap peas are harvested when the pod is still flat and the seeds are just starting to swell. Be sure not to leave the pod on the vine too long well before any etching of the veins show on the surface as it may become stringy.

Storage:

You'll get the best flavor if you eat the peas right away (typically same day as harvesting). Although peas can be kept in the pod in the refrigerator crisper for up to a week (be sure not to wash until ready to eat). Alternatively you can wash thoroughly, remove stems and leave peas whole, blanch for 90 seconds then chill quickly and freeze immediately in an airtight container for up to 12 months.

Enjoy!

James Draper has years of experience growing and maintaining his own backyard garden. James is now sharing his secrets to backyard gardening at http://www.backyardgardening.website. Covering all topics including vegetable growing, garden design and fresh food cooking. Visit http://www.backyardgardening.website today!

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Ground Cover Plants for Hard to Grow Areas

Ground Cover Plants for Hard to Grow Areas
By Cheryl D. Jones

Soil covering plants are highly desirable in the landscape. They can make a plain area into a blooming mat of beauty. They can fill in cracks between stepping-stones, spill over landscape stone, or even replace a high-maintenance lawn. Ground covers for hard to grow areas offer water-saving living mulch and will cut down the amount of weeds that you have to pull, making your gardening job a lot easier.

There are plenty of types of plants that make great covering for the soil, but several are staples that fill needs that are common, and are well-behaved enough to live happily in a well-tended garden.

Here, we'll discuss some of our favorite ground cover plants, ready to enhance your landscape with living green mulch and beautiful low-growing blooms.

Tough ground covers can beautify those areas that seem almost impossible to grow in. One such common area occurs under trees where shade is prevalent, and where the tree saps the surface soil of nutrients and moisture. In shady, dry spots like these, drought tolerant perennials such as vinca vine periwinkle and English ivy are shade loving plants and thrive even in dry areas. These ground hugging plants grow fast, so they work well when you need to cover a lot of space in a shorter amount of time. English ivy will climb up buildings, so some care has to be taken as to where it's planted. Vinca flower in beautiful violet-purple and sometimes white, brightening up dark areas.

In shady spots where you don't need a highly aggressive ground cover, but want coverage that's still hardy and healthy and looks nice, try pachysandra. An evergreen perennial and slow spreading, this long-lived low growing plant is at home in the shade among hostas, ferns, and other shade loving perennials. It won't bully them either, as it's well behaved. Ajuga also known as bugleweed is another well-behaved and hardy perennial plant for shade that blooms beautifully. There are lots of leaf colors of ajuga, making it a varied and interesting ground cover.

In partly shaded areas that receive some sun, coverage choices become wider. Liriope, or "monkey grass", is a very popular. It's related to grape hyacinth, the spring bulb that many enjoy. It blooms in the spring similarly to grape hyacinth, but after that it sports strappy and attractive clumps of foliage that stay neat and tidy. Liriope can withstand partial shade, but appreciates some sun, especially in the morning. Combine with highly variegated hosta plants, and you have a great start to a wonderful partially shaded woodland garden!

In full sun, there are lots of interesting plant choices. Sedum are succulent plants that come in many shapes and sizes; some of the best sedum make great rock garden spreaders, or spilling choices in the front of borders into pathways. Lamb's ear is a beautiful spreading perennial for sunny spots, with its silvery hairy soft leaves. Interplant lamb's ear in the front of the border with brightly colored ice plant for a splash of color that plays well together.

Ground cover plants are necessary and beautiful garden elements that complete landscapes and gardens as well as solve common problems.

Cheryl D. Jones, shares gardening tips and landscape ideas through her blog, newsletters and her nursery's website. Visit http://www.GreenwoodNursery.com/ for a full line of plants including trees, flowering shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and ground cover plants.

Join the Greenwood Gardeners Club free to receive Greenwood Nursery's weekly newsletter, seasonal promotions and 10% off your first order.

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No Fail Perennial Plants for Any Garden

No Fail Perennial Plants for Any Garden
By Cheryl D. Jones

Perennial plants are basics that are essential to landscapes of all kinds. These perennials should be as reliable as they are beautiful. Reliability should come in the form of disease resistance, ability to "play nice" and not become a spreading pest and ecological threat, and add to the natural beauty that exists around and outside of the area the landscape is in. There are so many wonderful perennials today that suit needs just right and make great staples, but there is of course always the cream-of-the-crop that works in every garden, under most conditions, and look great doing it. Here are ten no fail perennial plants for any garden (in no particular order!).

Coreopsis: There are many types of coreopsis. The native Coreopsis lanceolata L. is a prairie native that grows quite large and sports beautiful sunny yellow flowers over silvery and textural foliage. In the wild, this coreopsis grows among tall grasses in windy plains where it's much loved by bees and butterflies when it blooms. Then in the fall when it sets seed, songbirds depend on flowers like coreopsis for meals as they bulk up for winter or make their way down the heart of the continent on migration escaping the cold. The types of coreopsis that one sees in nurseries are developed hybrids from lanceolata and others, with neat growth habits and long blooming periods of sporting many colors that include yellow, orange, red, and multicolored themes.

Favorite cultivars include:

- Moonbeam is an extremely popular cultivar of coreopsis that has very light, almost white blooms over neat mounds that stay nice and short and unobtrusive. The bloom time on moonbeam is almost all season long, with constant repeat blooming, especially if you deadhead, encouraging a new flush of growth mid-season. Ideal for areas that are dry and hot, such as in front of borders that line driveways or walkways along pavement or patios.

- Cranberry Ice is a beautiful and bold red petaled variety with white outer edges. The centers are orange ringed with yellow. The foliage is very fine on Cranberry Ice and the growth height is usually less than a foot. Spreading nicely in neat clumps, it won't take over your garden either. Use Cranberry Ice as a mass bed planting or as an accent point in the garden as its color is so punchy, it would certainly add a lot in small numbers to the design of any landscape. Perfect for the front of a border or in a rock garden.

- Rising Sun is a double bloomed type (meaning there are more than one set of petals giving the flower a fluffier look) that is yellow with some hints of red radiating out of the middle on each petal- beautiful! This Variety grows larger, true to its wild ancestor's size (height topping around 3-4 feet in height and spread) and is a serious butterfly attractor. Plant in the middle of borders or in naturalistic areas. Works well in native plant gardening, in prairie restoration, in rain gardens, and anywhere that a not-so formal setting is desired. Pair with beautiful Buddleia Black Night for dramatic contrast and more butterfly magnet power.

Daylily is a common sight in gardens around the country. Even if you don't know what a daylily is specifically, it's guaranteed you've seen them before and remember what they are without knowing their name. They are everywhere and of course, for excellent reasons. It's so well suited to landscape use with its neat growth habit, interesting strappy foliage, and beautiful (and long lasting) blooms of many colors that it makes its happy home everywhere. Here are some wonderful varieties that fill many needs and design requirements.

- Stella De Oro has been a hit ever since it came onto the garden market scene decades ago and continues to be one of the most sold plants for landscapes in America. Super hardy to frigid cold zone 3 and into warm zones 8 and 9, this daylily never complains about the weather. It grows in neat clumps of a foot wide and sends flower spikes up to about 2 feet in height over a neat mound of strappy graceful foliage. Stella D'Oro blooms in a neat and cheery solid yellow and blooms for a long time through middle of summer until fall. You can eat the blooms! They taste like mild cucumber and are beautiful on salads. Many landscapers plant Stellas in masses in home and commercial landscapes- but this limits the possibility of variation and interest thorough the entire growing season. Use Stellas as PART of a border, or as accents here and there and you'll be able to enjoy them as well as take advantage of other plant's attributes. The foliage is a good contrast to many other types of foliage and of course, it will last a long time in the garden without much care and attention.

- While Stella gets most of the attention, wonderful varieties like the Pumpkin Festival sometimes get overlooked- which is unfortunate! Pumpkin Festival is just as hardy as Stella and has the same growth habit, but the flower on Pumpkin Festival is so lovely! Centers are yellow, with a run of beautiful purple followed by cream where the three inner petals are then scalloped and edged in more lavender. What a perfect contrast to Stella! Try interplanting several Pumpkin Festivals in your landscape with yellow bloomers like Stella De Oro or Coreopsis Moonbeam in front for a beautifully designed look without much fuss.

Echinacea is another North American native like Coreopsis, often hailing from the same habitats. Wild Echinacea is also known as purple coneflower, or just coneflower as it's petals sometimes are held facing down below the center of the flower, giving it a cone shape when open fully. Echinacea is also the basis for many natural medicines- usually given as tinctures or teas and is used to combat colds or prevent sickness. In the wild, Echinacea is a highly valuable plant for pollinators and is essential for bees and butterflies alike. In the landscape trade, Echinacea has taken on beautiful new colors of not only purple, but reds and oranges and yellows and whites. They are wonderful in the landscape and a certain necessity. Here are some favorite varieties of Echinacea.

- PowWow White is an older, tried and true cultivar of Echinacea that blooms in clean and beautiful white. Its small height of around a foot and same spread makes it neat and tidy. It does naturalize well when seed is allowed to fall on the ground and overwinter, which in some areas is a wonderful habit.

- Double Scoop Bubble Gum is a double blooming pink and purple lovely variety that grows larger than the PowWow's, and is much loved by butterflies. It does reach heights of 2-3 feet, so using it as middle of the border filler or in naturalistic areas is recommended. Enjoy its punch of color as the deer avoid eating it and it handles drought well.

- Salsa Red is a super bright red blooming and short growing Echinacea that will certainly make a big impact in the landscape over a long period of bloom time. Try planting Salsa Red among Elijah Blue Fescue grass for a perfect bold pairing.

Nepeta is catmint- and where ever you need some problem solving, spreading and hardy, fragrant plant to fill in gaps among the landscape, nepeta will do the trick. If you have a kitty, even better! You probably know that catmint is kitty heaven, and if you let your cat outside, watch kitty enjoy themselves among the catmint. The blooms of all catmints are very attractive to bees, especially native bumble bees that depend on it for nourishment.

- A favorite cultivar of catmint is Walker's Low, because of its small and spreading habit. It makes a decent ground cover that's well behaved in hot and dry conditions and still sends up spikes of beautiful purple blooms that the bees love.

Perennial Geranium: Also known as cranesbill or bloody cranesbill. It's not like the geranium that's sold in American garden centers as a spring annual. This geranium is perennial. It grows well in sunny forest conditions and is of course, a long lived perennial. The flowers are lovely, and the foliage is an interesting shape and texture. Perfect for growing as a groundcover in areas where morning sun and afternoon shade is prevalent.

- Geranium x Cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' is the 2015 Perennial Plant of the Year. It's an absolutely lovely cranesbill, sporting white or slightly tinged with pink blooms over neatly mounded low foliage ideal for the front of a woody border. Very hardy, deer resistant, and long lived.

Sedum is a very hardy succulent plants group that come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. They are wonderful in borders, in foundation plantings, in large pots, and just about anywhere. They all tolerate drought well and love full hot sun. Their late season blooming is beautifully scented and highly attractive to bees and butterflies. There are lots of wonderful cultivars. Here are some favorites:

- Autumn Fire: A tighter and brighter version of Autumn Joy, Autumn Fire holds its heavy bright red heads of flowers up high and proud without flopping like Autumn Joy. In the fall, the red color is a lovely scene with falling leaves and smells lovely on warm breezes. Growing up to 3 feet tall, Autumn Fire sticks to neat clumps and is a perfect plant in the perennial border. Try planting among fall blooming perennial or annual mums of yellow and orange, and enjoy the blazing color when nothing much else is blooming.

- Japanese Ogon Sedum is hardy in a narrow range, from zones 7-9 (where most residents of the country live!). It's a creeping sedum and does prefer some shade in the very hot afternoons. Spreading and spilling over edges and walls, try planting Ogon over rock walls or terraces.

- Blue Spruce: This sedum does look a little like little branches of Blue Spruce with it's blue-grey cast of its foliage and stems. This sedum is evergreen in warmer areas, but is extremely hardy with a wide range of hardiness (zones 3-9). Blue Spruce grows low and wide and is an excellent groundcover for dry areas and rock gardens, and grows beautifully in landscape stone gaps. Try planting in front of yellow blooming coreopsis like 'Moonbeam' for a lovely combo of disease resistance, deer resistance, and vigor in the landscape.

Russian Sage is a standard in most gardens and landscapes where the gardener enjoys the benefits of long lived, slightly unkempt and wild perennials that live a very long time. Cottage gardens, naturalistic gardens, and borders that come between a yard and a greenbelt or natural scenery are all areas where Russian Sage fits well. 'Little Spire' is a smaller and neatly clumping variety of Russian Sage that tops out at 2 feet in height and spread, and is easily added into the landscape where larger cultivars have to be settled in more specific areas. Topped in purple blooming branched spikes of flowers with foliage of finely-cut silvery grey, this lovely plant resembles an airy version of lavender, and in colder climates can even take its place! Hardy from zones 4-9, there's not much area in the country that 'Little Spire' can't be enjoyed.

Ornamental Grass is often overlooked as a residential landscape plant candidate, but it shouldn't be so! More gardens could use the stately vertical lines and graceful seed heads of large ornamental grasses, and the neat clumping nature of smaller varieties. There are many types of ornamental grass, which are healthy and very well behaved. Consider these lovely cultivars:

- Karl Foerster is a tall, clumping grass that reaches about 5 feet high and holds vertical seed heads from summer through winter. Karl Forester can be planted in modernistic landscapes as well as naturalistic ones.

- Pink Muhly Grass is a medium height grass that has the most lovely pink and wispy seed heads of all the grasses, making them stunning and interesting indeed. Undemanding, easy to love, they offer great color and form in the fall when everything else is just beginning to fade away for the winter.

- Adagio is a very full, medium height (3-4 feet) miscanthus grass with white feathery fall seed heads and a neat strappy and slightly graceful arching habit. Adagio is a wonderful grass for all landscapes, doing well in the heat of summer and retains winter interest with its seeds.

Rudbeckia is another North American native flowering perennial that's tough and lovely. As with Echinacea and coreopsis, Rudbeckia is native to prairies, but also has some varieties in other parts of the country- from the east to the west, to the south. Rudbeckias are adaptable and there's definitely a variety or two perfect for your landscape. Here are some favorites:

- Autumn Colors is a mix of lovely bloom colors in yellow, orange, and red in varying combinations. They are a shorter plant, topping out at around 2 feet in height and enjoy full sun. They are topped from summer to fall with loads of these brightly colored blooms that are large- sometimes 4 inches across!

- Denver Daisy is a yellow with a red brick center rudbeckia with a short height- developed for the 150th anniversary of the city of Denver!

And finally... the Leucanthemum, or Shasta Daisy. Children love the classic white Shasta daisies, as they have long tall stems that are easy to pick, and make wonderful daisy crowns and necklaces. The classics are quite popular and commonly seen in landscapes, but there are some cultivars that are not only just as hardy, but have blooms that are show-stoppers.

- A true show stopper, Victorian Secret is a white to cream colored Shasta with full, marigold-like blooms that are beyond triplicate and quite lovely. A medium sized perennial, they are a perfect size for many applications in the garden such as in the front of middle of borders, perfect for "hell strips" along streets and sidewalks, and wonderful foundation planting additions.

- Crazy Daisy is another Shasta daisy cultivar that's also beyond triplicate in petal form, but the petals are curly! What a different textural sensation these are! Same height and form as Shasta daisies, they look fantastic in drifts and in masses. Their shaggy blooms are a lot of fun, and will have neighbors begging you to know what they are.

While it's been hard to stop at 10, these no fail perennials that are ideal for everyone regardless of gardening experience. They are certainly some of the best suited perennials that are available today. Try a few out in your landscape and enjoy the ease of care and beauty that these wonderful plants have to offer!

Cheryl D. Jones, shares gardening tips and landscape ideas through her blog, newsletters and her nursery's website. Visit http://www.GreenwoodNursery.com/ for a full line of plants including trees, flowering shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and ground covers. Join the Greenwood Gardeners Club free to receive Greenwood Nursery's weekly newsletter, seasonal promotions and 10% off your first order.

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Plant a Butterfly Garden in Containers With Smaller Flowering Shrubs and Perennials

Plant a Butterfly Garden in Containers With Smaller Flowering Shrubs and Perennials
By Cheryl D. Jones

Not all gardeners have an expanse of garden space that they can use to turn into a butterfly oasis- but butterfly gardens are just as doable without it. There are lots of wonderful plants and cultivars that are perfectly happy living in containers. You can easily make a beautiful butterfly garden in containers.

Here are some ideas for plants that would work well in containers, so you, too, can attract butterflies to your garden - no matter where it is or how big it happens to be!

There are some small cultivars of perennial plants that are nothing but beautiful, hardy versions of their larger siblings that grow beautifully in containers. The Chip Buddleia line is a wonderful example. Breeders have developed a compact version of Butterfly Bush that is perfect for small gardens and containers. It's super hardy, and completely non-invasive (they are all seedless!).

Blue Chip Butterfly Bush Lo and Behold: Much like it's larger version, Blue Chip sports beautiful deep purple blooms in abundance over a very long season- the only difference is it tops out at 3 feet in height and not quite as wide. Purple buddleias are a favorite of many butterflies, and when in bloom you're guaranteed to see butterflies on it.

Pink Chip Micro Butterfly Bush: Slightly smaller than Blue Chip, this small buddleia is a wonderful candidate for pot culture. Pink Chip showcases beautiful dark pink cone spikes of blooms in the summer through fall, and is a beautiful non-stop show of color! If you have a small garden, this little cutie also works well in the front of a border or middle of a small border too.

Lilac Chip Dwarf Butterfly Bush: And the last of the Chip Trio (but not the least!), the lilac version is another little beauty. Totally carefree, this beautiful light purple dwarf butterfly bush is at home on a patio in a pot or in the front border of a perennial bed. Drought tolerant and resistant to deer, you can plant this little tiny wonder in a garden and not worry about it too. Never deadhead buddleias again too!

Pineapple Sage: Pineapple sage is an amazing herb that isn't as well-known as it should be. It doesn't smell like the sage that is normally used for cooking. It literally smells like pineapple! So sweet and tropical, and its spikes of beautiful tubular red blooms smell just as good. They are very attractive to butterflies AND hummingbirds! Pineapple Sage is hardy in most areas, but where it's not it can be grown easily in a container and overwintered indoors (in zones colder than USDA zone 7).

Chives: A very hardy perennial herb and much loved culinary staple, green chives belong in every garden- from the large vegetable space to a small container arrangement. Chives grow wonderfully in pots, and offer a great contrast to other leafy container plants. In the spring chives bloom in pink or purple (or sometimes white), and are very fragrant. For the first butterflies of the year, the beautiful balls of blooms that chives grow are essential food sources. The green spikes are of course wonderful in cooking. The blooms can also be eaten, used as a beautiful garnish!

Walker's Low Catmint: People hear the word "mint" and they picture mint that takes over their garden like a weed. Growing mint in a container stops that problem almost instantly. Walker's Low Catmint is also a small catmint that is not only very attractive to butterflies, but it also behaves well in a container (and in the ground interestingly!). It's a better version of mint for all purposes. In larger areas it makes a great ground cover too. And of course, if you've got a kitty, you can spoil them with some dried Walker's Low Catmint leaves too.

There are some common perennials that are typically used in landscaping that also are fine for growing in pots that butterflies absolutely rely on - not just for feeding from but also for laying eggs on. Plant one of these in your container garden or small space and you'll find that butterflies appreciate your garden that much more.

Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow' butterfly weed: This North American native perennial is a butterfly staple Not only do butterflies of all species love feeding on the blooms, but the Monarch butterfly specifically relies on this plant to raise it's young. Planting butterfly weed is important because the areas in North America where butterfly weed naturally occurs is drastically less than native populations, which has directly affected monarch populations. If there's nowhere for monarchs to lay their eggs, they can't make new butterflies. You can help by planting a butterfly weed in your garden. This plant is also available its native orange color, too.

There are other considerations as well. Consider adding some annuals to the spaces in pots, or mixing larger pots with the above selections with smaller pots of annuals in your container butterfly garden for variety. Some annuals are absolutely loved by butterflies and make great container plants. A couple of favorites include:

Zinnias and darker marigolds: There are large zinnias meant for growing in the garden, and there are now smaller types that make nice and neat mounds, excellent for containers. Look for the 'Bedder' series of zinnia to fill containers with. You can usually find both zinnias and marigolds available from seed at the hardware store. They are disease resistant and ideal for potting up.

Coreopsis: Coreopsis is a wonderful low growing plant that is perfect for hot, sunny spots and containers. Butterflies love to feed from coreopsis - it's one of their favorites. Try growing Coreposis Moonbeam in your containers and watch the butterflies flock.

Adding a small fountain to your patio or small garden will also attract butterflies, as they need water to feed from as much as they need nectar to sustain them. Also consider adding a butterfly feeder consisting of a flat surface where you can place slightly over ripe slices of fruit for butterflies. Banana, orange, mango, and papaya are all favorites.

You'd be surprised at how many butterflies live near you, no matter where you live or how much space you have. Attract them by offering plants they love to feed from, and even help sustain populations of butterflies with plants that they lay eggs on. You can do this in a small space and in containers just as easily as any other gardener. Enjoy creating your container or small space butterfly garden. The butterflies certainly will!

Cheryl D. Jones, shares gardening tips and landscape ideas through her blog, newsletters and her nursery's website. Visit http://www.GreenwoodNursery.com/ for a full line of plants including trees, flowering shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and ground covers. Join the Greenwood Gardeners Club free to receive Greenwood Nursery's weekly newsletter, seasonal promotions and 10% off your first order.

Check out dwarf butterfly bush plants at Greenwood Nursery today!

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Gardening Gifts for Men

Gardening Gifts for Men
By Greg O' Sullivan

The more macho male pretends he has no interest in gardening or using gardening equipment. It is, however, a fact that most men do take pride in their gardens and enjoy working with both innovative tools and basic equipment. Gardening gifts for men cover the whole spectrum from the man with green fingers, to the man who just potters in the shed, to those who simply cook on the barbecue. The range of gardening presents for men available in hardware stores, garden centres and on-line can be mind boggling so it is best to choose a gardening gift for a man which is practical, affordable, appropriate to the size of your garden and which will be used by him and not simply left in the shed.

The alternative of course is to choose a gift for him which is decorative or indeed a garden accessory which will complement your garden design. If the man in your life definitely is not green fingered and shows little enthusiasm to help in the garden then perhaps the ideal present for him is a hammock to relax in or a barbecue which he can be in charge of when dining al fresco. If on the other hand he is green fingered, loves the garden and appreciates gifts why not be innovative and give him a one year subscription to a well known and respected garden magazine. These are normally filled with handy tips, informative articles and stories about well known gardens and gardeners. They also display and comment on gardening gifts so perhaps he can tell you which gardening gift he would like for Christmas or his birthday.

The normal range of gardening gifts are easily viewed on-line or visible in your local garden centre.

Let's look however at some more innovative gardening presents for men.

• Solar powered weather station is a great gift for the gardener who likes to track local weather patterns and keep records. Many of these are quite cheap but will give min and max temperatures, humidity, wind speed and direction plus rainfall.

• Birdcam as a gardening gift will give him much pleasure as he watches the birds that live in his garden and those birds who visit the garden. Birds nesting and the chicks being born is always exciting to watch.

• Bin stacking worm composting system into which you firstly add the worms and then the kitchen scrapings on a daily basis.

• Small chipper shredder which will handle garden debris and branches up to 3" in diameter.

• Every man would like a gardening gift of a leaf mulcher as he suddenly thinks he is Mr Action man.

There are of course a whole range of accessories which make wonderful gardening gifts for the man in your life as well as making a statement in your yard. These can be items such as furniture, ornaments, garden lanterns and water features.

One gift for men which is timeless is the bird table. If gardening is his absolute passion why not push the boat out and fund a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show. One thing is clear there are gardening gifts for men to suit all budgets.

If you would like to know more on gardening gift ideas or gardening gifts for men visit my gardening guide for some further insights and information.

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An Insight Into Garden Furniture Sets

An Insight Into Garden Furniture Sets
By Greg O' Sullivan

Garden furniture sets are a type of furniture specifically designed for outdoor use. They are typically made of weather resistant materials which do not rust. Many people's perception of outdoor furniture is simply that of a patio set consisting of a table and chairs and quite frequently a parasol which provides shade from the sun or shelter from rain. The range today, however, is enormous and garden furniture has been adapted to suit all space sizes from large garden spaces to patios to conservatories and foldable tables and chairs are ideal for balconies. Today you can choose from tables, chairs, sofas, arm chairs, loungers, weather proof cushions, parasols and gazebos which now come with UV protection. Usage of garden sets is enhanced by the addition of a patio heater which allows people to sit outside at night or in cold weather.

A garden is often referred to as an outdoor living room so you need to choose outdoor furniture sets wisely so that they enhance and make a statement in your garden without of course dominating it. It is important therefore to take the size of your garden and the space into which you will be putting the furniture into account. How many people will it have to accommodate? Will there be room to move freely when it is in place? Is it for entertaining or simply relaxing in the sun? Perhaps it may simply be for garden decoration? Is it for outdoor dining? The garden furniture you purchase will therefore be influenced by all these factors plus of course price.

The type of material you choose for your outdoor furniture is generally determined on how durable and weather resistant it is plus of course your own personal preference and as mentioned earlier price. It is not practical to constantly have to move garden furniture into a designated storage area or into a conservatory so furniture that is durable, weather resistant and requires minimum maintenance will give you a better return on your money at the end of the day. Garden furniture sets made of rattan are quite popular as it is maintenance free, practical and UV durable so it won't fade over time. Neither does it rust or warp consequently is ideal for outdoor use. Garden furniture made from metal are strong and solid as we all know and by definition quite durable. Those made of aluminium are lightweight and do not rust. Those made from wood are generally quite attractive, easy to clean and maintain and resilient. Garden furniture made of plastic today comes in all shapes and sizes and can bring a touch of colour and indeed style to your garden. If on a tight budget then plastic can be quite suitable.

Prior to purchasing your dream garden furniture check everything out. Will it fit in the space allocated by you? Are you satisfied with the comfort of the chairs or sofas? Is the height of the chairs chosen compatible with the table height? Are the cushions weatherproof? Should you consider purchasing covers for your garden furniture set or are you confident in your ability to keep it in good shape year round? Talk with the supplier or store and get all the necessary maintenance information at time of purchasing.

Finally sit back and relax and enjoy the added value that your garden furniture will bring to you and your family.

To learn more on garden furniture sets please visit my gardening guide for further information.

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A Birdhouse From the Bird's Perspective

A Birdhouse From the Bird's Perspective
By Dana L Aden

Birdhouses are often as much for the person providing the birdhouse as it is for the birds. Humans often choose the whimsical birdhouse. The cuter the better. There is nothing wrong with a decorative birdhouse that enhances your garden or yard but the birds aren't visiting your birdhouse for the d�cor. After all, the reason to provide a birdhouse is to provide shelter for birds often where habitat loss has driven them away from former nesting spaces. If we asked the birds what they wanted in a birdhouse what would they say?

1) The entry hole size is extremely important. A larger hole means predators can access the bird's home. A large hole can allow for possoms or rats to steal the eggs or more aggressive birds such as sparrows to enter. The most common size hole is 1-1/2" in diameter. Some birds can have smaller holes based on the species. If you know the species you are trying to attract you can choose the perfect hole size.

2) Location is crucial as well. If the birdhouse is too low snakes can get inside and pay a visit to our feathery friends. Also, mounting your birdhouses on poles is a great way to protect against unfriendly guests. Many predators find poles difficult to climb.

Although gardens, yards, golf course and cultivated fields are typically good places to place birdhouses be mindful of pesticides and herbicides that are being used. These can be harmful to birds and eliminate insects which is the primary food source for many birds.

3) Secure your birdhouse. We mentioned a pole is a great way to mount your birdhouse also be sure your birdhouse is secure. You need to guard against heavy winds and severe weather.

4) Birds like a spacious residence just like us humans. Of course, birds are a lot smaller than us so their needs compared to ours is minuscule, but they do need enough space to allow their hatchlings to have room to grow. Depending on the species the size varies. For small birds such as chickadees or wrens a 4x4 should suffice. Larger birds will need more space.

5) Don't forget about drainage. Drain holes in the bottom will allow water to get out and help prevent mold and bacteria. Also, an inch or so roof overhang will help prevent rain from getting in the entrance hole. In addition to drainage a clean out hole in the back of the birdhouse is a nice feature to allow for simple access to cleaning.

6) Birds like water. Open water is essential for birds. To assist them in their efforts to find water, place a birdbath near the birdhouse. Not only is this great for the birds but imagine how much fun it will be to watch your new residents fly from their home to their bath.

So, now that we know what our feathery friends would like it's also okay to have a little of what us humans would like as well. There is nothing wrong with having a whimsical, decorative and fun birdhouse. Many of these types of birdhouses provide for all of the birds needs. So, choose to your heart's content but keep in mind what our flying friends need as well.

To find birdhouses that you will love, but more importantly the birds will love visit http://www.smartstockonline.com/garden for all your birdhouse and home garden needs.

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How To Naturally Control Algae: Natural Algae Control and Water Aeration

How To Naturally Control Algae: Natural Algae Control and Water Aeration
By Peter Van Smith

Algae control in ponds is a very taxing process and the major cause of eutrophication is caused by an increase in nutrients. These nutrient rich element contain phosphorous or nitrogen. This inclusion of nutrients in the aquatic ecosystem lead to an increase of algae in the pond. This scenario could also lead to a decline in oxygen levels and depletion of fish and other marine animals and plant life. Hence algae control becomes imperative for these reasons.

In a few cases algal blooms are referred to as "harmful algal blooms" which can be extremely damaging to animals, aquatic plants, and sometimes humans. In worst case scenario, a pond or body of water can become anaerobic and result in evolution of harmful bacteria that produce toxins.

Popular Algae Control Methods: Why They Don't Always Work

Algaecides: The most common method is to restrict the flow of oxygen in the pond. When oxygen is reduced in an aquatic environment, the living creatures in the pond suffers the most. Hence its advised to use it in a limited manner as they can do harm to the aquatic life, than help in controlling the growth of algae. They are also known to affect natural fish reproduction. When used sparingly they are a great option for spot treatment.

Alum: Alum is yet another way to control algae in ponds. This process can leave an aluminum hydroxide on the pond or lake bottom that can interfere with fish reproduction, and beneficial bacteria and insects that naturally feed on lake and pond muck.

One of the best ways to control algae bloom in a pond is to reduce the overabundance of pond nutrients with the help of a water aerator, in combination with beneficial bacteria and enzymes that helps in controlling algae and reduce carbon dioxide and nutrients to low levels. This is one of the most effective and long term ways to control and naturally remove algae.

Aeration: A lot many times aeration is done to naturally control algae. This is again one of the most natural process to control algae and contributes to a healthier pond ecosystem. This method is based on the principle that ponds can restore themselves using their own natural processes. Aeration is the natural process to restore water processes and remove algae.

Remove Debris: Keep your pond free of debris. Remove excess mud and leaves that stick in the pond. Decaying leaves and seeds become feed / nutrients for algae.

Plantation: Induce large amount of bog and marginal plants into the pond. Plants such as cattails and iris consumes large quantities of nutrients leaving few very nutrient for the growth of algae in the pond.

Plant Lilies: Plant lilies to cover the water surface of the pond. Lily pads float on top of the pond, it soaks up sunlight. These lily pads control algae by preventing sunlight from reaching the bottom of the pond.

Add Koi: Adding Koi over 10″ in length will significantly reduce string algae. The Koi will graze on the algae attached to the rocks inside the pond.

One common problem pond owners face each year is Algae control in ponds. The problem can acquire gigantic proportions if not treated in time. Visit our website: http://www.killlakeweeds.com for expert help on how to control algae in pond.

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Removing Pond Weeds and Aquatic Plants in Ponds and Lakes

Removing Pond Weeds and Aquatic Plants in Ponds and Lakes
By Peter Van Smith

Aquatic plants are beneficial for ecosystem as they are a source of food, shelter and oxygen to the wildlife living in the pond. But they spread quickly and can restrict the activities in the Pond. A lot of ponds gets practically ruined by aquatic plants, these ponds literally choke the pond. Some of the common pondweeds that are usually found in ponds are Milfoil, Hydrilla verticillata or Hyrdilla, Vallisneria spiralis or Eel grass, Potamogeton crispus or Curly leaf pondweed, Typha anqustata or Cat-tails. These weeds ruin the aesthetics of the shoreline and make the pond or lake virtually unusable. Therefore, below find some prominent methods of removing pond weeds.

Manual removal of weeds: The first step in this direction is to manually remove the weeds. Though it's very much possible that all the weeds are not removed and some of the weeds are left inside the pond attached to the debris.

Use chemicals: The second step is to use chemicals and aeration techniques as the plants that grow in nutrient rich soil at the bottom of the pond that helps in killing the weeds that stick at the bottom of the lake. It's advised to use both aeration techniques and insertion of natural bacteria which will ensure that the growth of plants is limited.

Weed Rakes & Harvesters: In extreme scenarios and to rid of the weeds fort a longer duration of time is to use proper weed cutter and rake as a harvester will take the work out of the job. Specific tool like Weed Razer weed cutter and used to eradicate tough weeds like milfoil and hydrilla. This tool has a thicker serrated blade on both edges which allow for a push/pull sawing action to be used for weed invasions in ponds.

Other Weed Control Products and Strategies

Other methods like AquaScreen, is yet another effective way of controlling the growth of weeds. It is a screen that is placed on aquatic plants and stops them from growing, that is often thought of as a good way to get rid of aquatic plants.

Another way is to use a screen of landscaping fabric or canvas. It's easy and can be done at home. UV strengthened AquaScreen is also available in case you want to use this as a barrier to control sunlight.

Conclusion: In the above scenario, manual removal is ideal and if a mechanical excavation by shovel or bulldozer isn't feasible then using an aquatic tool like the cutter and rake is most cost effective and environmentally safe procedure.

Pond weeds can become nuisance when they make excessive growth. It's easy to control them in garden ponds, but more difficult in larger ponds and lakes. At Aquacide, we conducts pond weed identification to suggest best Pond Weed Killer. To know more, visit our website: Killlakeweeds.com

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Enjoying Garden Decorations

Enjoying Garden Decorations
By Rodney Freed

When you place a windmill spinner in your garden it will spin whenever the wind is blowing even if it is a slight breeze. When it is spinning, the sunlight will reflected in many directions making it appear that it is actually moving all over. This creates a feeling of being refreshed. Windmill spinners are often taller than most flowers or even many bushes so that they are very noticeable. This enhances the entire area.

Adding a water fountain to the garden or patio area creates an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The sound of the water running is very soothing and relaxing after working hard all day. A good place to situate the fountain is close to where people can sit and relax and enjoy a peaceful time. The sound of a running fountain is attractive to small birds which is a good thing for any garden as many birds eat all kinds of insects. Since the birds eat the insects the surrounding area will have a better chance at producing more beautiful flowers.

By making it more attractive for birds, this will make the birdhouses much more user friendly. This is what you are trying to achieve with a bird house. Since birdhouses come in so many different types, styles, and sizes, used in the same general area as a fountain, many different kinds of birds will be attracted to that area. This makes the entire area much more enjoyable and relaxing. Smaller birds like to use fountains as baths sometimes.

Statues are an excellent way to make a garden or patio have its own distinct mood or atmosphere. By placing them at different places they can enhance the beauty of whatever is nearby. Some statues are also fountains which gives the homeowner or gardener many choices to create something totally unique to that layout. Statues come in all sizes and styles and types. Some look like animals, some look like people, and others are just artwork. The buyer needs to determine what areas they will be placed in, so that the end result is more enjoyable. Some statues can serve as appearing to guard an entrance, while others will serve to brighten up a flower bed, a patio, or walkway.

There are many types and styles of windmill spinners and water fountains available to greatly enhance any garden or patio even some fountains for indoors. Wall mounted fountains are great for large entrance and foyer type areas.

I am Rodney Freed, owner of Garden Decor Unlimited. We offer a wide variety of garden decorations including, fountains, birdhouses, statues, windmill spinners. outdoor furniture and more. Visit our website at http://www.gardendecorunlimited.com, to view our complete line.

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The Garden As Spring Begins

The Garden As Spring Begins
By Tony Squireand Sheila Squire

Prune shrubs that flowered in Winter/Spring as they finish. This includes pruning natives such as callistemons, grevilleas, and even wattles. This not only encourages an attractively shaped dense bush with more flowers next time (and low, where you can see them), but prevents the plant wasting energy on the production on fruit and seeds.

Poinsettiasmay still be showing some colour, so leave those until October if you prefer. Also cut back shrubs like acalypha, plumbago and hibiscus, before new growth starts with the onset of hot weather. Fertilise and mulch after pruning to set them up for the summer. Be sure to use a low-phosphorus formulation for sensitive natives such as grevilleas and banksias. If you have spring-flowering annuals in, keep up the water and give them a quick boost with a soluble fertiliser to keep them going as long as possible. Remove spent flowers to encourage the formation of new ones.

In the vegetable garden September is a peak planting month in South East Queensland, if you want to capitalise on the relatively mild conditions of Spring and early Summer to produce a wide variety of vegetable crops. Things will be more difficult when the punishing Summer weather really arrives. Solanaceous crops, such as tomatoes, eggplant, capsicums, tamarillo. Cucurbits, like, cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelons, rockmelons. The choko is an unusual member of this family, but can be planted at this time, too. Also, try carrots, lettuce, radishes, beetroot, silverbeet, beans, and cucurbits. If you still have space, you can also begin sowings of heat lovers like rosella, okra, snakebeans and sweetcorn.

With the weather warming up, cabbages will be very susceptible to caterpillar attack. If you still want to plant them, be prepared to take precautions. Pests and diseases in general will be proliferating. Keeping on the front foot both with respect to prevention and control measures, as well as attending to the health and vigour of the plants themselves so that they can resist and outgrow attacks, will help protect the investment of time and energy you've already made in establishing crops.

It's tempting to get carried away when confronted with the variety of seeds and seedlings available in the garden centres, much less the many unusual varieties in the catalogues of specialist suppliers. Most vegetables need a constant supply of moisture to do well so do bear in mind your ability to keep the water up to plantings over the coming months.

Pest control is also a major problem during the warm months. Try to minimise population build-ups by being vigilant now newly hatched pests or isolated attacks may be difficult to spot, but if you control infestations early you can help reduce more serious damage later on. For example, protect young tomatoes and other susceptible fruit from fruit fly with appropriate bags or nets and set up fruit fly traps.

Tony and his wife Sheila live on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and have a passion for lawn mowing and gardening. They have left the rat race, exchanged their careers and now own and operate a lawn mowing and gardening business.
STS Mowing is a friendly, reliable and professional mowing business which provides all manner of services including mowing, gardening, weeding, edging, whipper snipping, pruning, hedge trimming, green waste removal, furniture removals and weed spraying. They offer a personal service and competitive prices.
If you are looking for a reliable mowing and gardening service give them a call. You won't be disappointed.
Find STS Mowing today at http://www.stsmowing.com.au.

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Backyard Reading Garden

Backyard Reading Garden
By Jenni Foster

Have you ever wondered how to take your love for reading and combine it with a love for the outdoors and garden? Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a grandparent, or simply have a childlike heart, creating a backyard reading garden may be a perfect weekend project for you!

What Is It?

What is a backyard reading garden, you may ask? It is simply an outdoor space that is designed to include a clever nook used as a reading spot! Reading Gardens can be large or small, simple or elaborate and maybe whatever style you desire. Reading Gardens are a great way to get children involved in reading, while stimulating their interest in the outdoors as well.

Selecting a Location

To begin, select a location in the outdoors of your backyard that brings you or your child peace and happiness. Oftentimes, people like to choose a place that they already enjoy frequenting or that is special to them. Whether sunny, shady, or a mixture of both, be sure that the lighting is sufficient for reading. Having a place that is a quiet, or tranquil, is very helpful as well.

Choosing the Seating

Next, seating needs to be decided on. There are many options available when it comes to picking a place to sit and read in your backyard reading garden. You may decide that you only want seating for one, or perhaps you will choose seating to accommodate multiple readers. If you plan to read with your child, keep this in mind and create child size as well as adults sized seating options. Ideas include: a bench, a swing, a stationary chair or two, a hammock, a chaise lounge, or even an existing natural seat such as a stump or stone. No matter what you decide, be sure that it will be adequate for both short and long reading sessions.

Adding Special Touches

Just as in a traditional garden, a backyard reading garden will often begin as a bit of a blank slate. Make a plan to add or let your children add the finishing touches that are special to them. Ideas that you may want to consider include: colorful flowers or lovely plants, bird feeders or baths, an art station for nature inspired sketches and paintings, a relaxing water feature or even musical additions, such as a wind chime. The sky is truly the limit... literally!

Enjoying the Reading Garden

Once created, the backyard reading garden will become a lovely place for adults and children alike to spend hours inside the pages of their favorite stories. Read alone, with a friend, to your children or as a group. Reflect on your reading and the nature around you by jotting in a journal or with an inspirational art piece. No matter what activities you choose to do incorporate into your backyard reading garden, it is sure to be a delight for all!

Don't forget to reserve your printed copy of Rebecca and the Strangest Garden! It makes a fabulous addition to any backyard reading garden, as you follow a magical and exciting adventure that is sure to delight children of all ages, as well as their grown ups!! You can reserve it here http://thomasvpublishing.com/rebecca-and-the-strangest-garden-by-v-v-thomas/

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Controlling Watermeal Weeds: Tips for Managing Watermeal in Ponds

Controlling Watermeal Weeds: Tips for Managing Watermeal in Ponds
By Peter Van Smith

Many of you would not know that Watermeal holds the unique position as world's smallest flowering plant. It's also the most troublesome pond weed that exist around the world. Watermeal weeds are 1 to 1 1/2 millimeter long, small grain-like plant is commonly found embedded in the pond. These watermeal weeds are so tiny that they are barely visible through the naked eye. You need to rub these weeds on your palms to feel the grainy sensation.

This weed can actually spoil the beauty of your pond. If you are one of the many irritated by the same situation, here are some tips that will help you to get rid of them or at least can control watermeal.

1. Restrict its feed- Eliminate or restrict the diet/ nutrients on which watermeal is fed. Microorganisms such as AquaClear Pellets will consume the nutrients. Insert aquatic creatures to feed upon the weed itself. In case your pond is flooded with watermeal weeds, the best way is to drain the pond and wipe it off completely.

2. Remove debris: It's important to ensure impurities that settle at the bottom of your pond becomes the meal for watermeal. It's important to manage the build-up to prevent the rise of watermeal in the pond that grazes on this sludge. Prevent any kind of fertilizer or agricultural run-off settling into your pond, try to restrict falling of leaves from the tree, and use a surface netting that can help trap leaves, or remove all leaves from the pond, daily with a pool net.

3. Aeration: Another important step in this direction is to add a bubble aerator. Proper aeration will not let the water stagnant or accumulate. This method De-stratifies the water layers and provide uniformity to temperature, provide oxygen from top to bottom for the fish and natural bacteria to consume the organic waste, muck and improve water quality. It's advised to add bacteria in the pond, proper aeration will speed up the cleaning process and remove foul smells and muck in turn controlling the watermeal.

4. Introduce Koi: With the above stated methods, you will largely be able to control watermeal. In order to completely get rid of watermeal, you can also introduce fish that eat this plant, like koi or grass carp. Koi will eat watermeal willingly, while grass carp may eat other plants first and steadily kill watermeal. You can also add few ducks in the pond, these ducks will eat up watermeal and add to the beauty of your pond.

Aquacide Company was formed to produce and market Aquacide Pellets. Our Products will help you to manage your recreational lake or pond. We offer certified products which are approved for use by state agencies. For more information, Please visit: http://www.killlakeweeds.com/

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