Some Favorite Garden Bulbs
By admin | September 20, 2008
Bulbs are a great addition to any garden as they will provide color year after year and can even provide additional flowers to be divided and planted in another part of the garden. Unlike, annuals, bulb flowers do not need to be planted each year.
Bulbs are hardy in nature and there is a color, shape or size that should suit any gardening need. Here’s some favorite garden bulbs and their planting needs.
Crocus
Crocus bulbs are often the fist blooms we see in early spring or at the end of winter. Their tubular shaped flowers range in size from 1
Tags: Bulbs, flowers, garden bulbs, Garden Tips, gardening, landscape, Perennial Bulbs, ShrubsThe Sustainable Landscape & Garden
By admin | April 23, 2008
Visualize a lush, green expanse of lawn surrounded by vibrant beds of flower blossoms anchored by ornamental shrubs. Tall, majestic trees loom overhead. Silent butterflies float and bees buzz happily, gathering nectar and pollinating. Joy filled birds dart from branch to branch, piercing the summer sky.
You don’t have to imagine this scenario. It can be yours through sustainable landscaping. It is a whole system approach which benefits all inhabitants. Communal balance amongst all members is achieved through cooperation. Instead of focusing on manipulating nature, we as humans make a greater effort to work with it. Taking on the role of land steward is not as complex as it may seem.
Sustainable landscaping integrates long term solutions which address and eliminate problems, replacing short term, unnatural treatments that merely mask symptoms. The goal is to develop a healthy, self sustaining landscape that is capable of naturally warding off disease and pest infestation.
Perfection is not the standard here. Weather patterns, wildlife, homeowner lifestyles all affect the landscape; the majority of these conditions are not controllable. However, steps can be taken to prepare and prevent future problems.
An important step to self preservation is through proper nutrition and vitamin and mineral supplementation. The same approach can be utilized in the landscape. An often overlooked part of gardening is the soil test. Prior to planting, you should always establish not only the ph, but the availability of nutrients and degree of organic matter present in the soil. Organic and natural amendments can then be incorporated to improve and condition the soil environment.
Biological diversity is crucial to plant health. Building up your soil with compost will encourage beneficial microbe, fungus and bacterial growth. The resulting soil promotes strong root development in plants and turf. Soil teeming with organic matter and advantageous insect life also requires less watering. As root systems strengthen, plants grow stronger and are able to withstand drought more effectively. Healthier plants naturally resist disease and injurious pests, lessening the need for harmful chemical applications.
In addition to compost application, other approaches to consider include:
mulching all planting beds to suppress weeds, retain moisture, protect root systems and build soil composition
forming “tree rings” around all existing trees in your turf areas and topdressing with compost, then mulching; feeds, and protects by eliminating mechanical damage to the bark and trunk
watering deeply and infrequently; replacing overhead irrigation heads with soaker hoses for your planting beds
using correct pruning methods to revitalize and regenerate your plants
installing healthy plant stock appropriate for your area and/or zone; choosing low maintenance, drought tolerant plants
incorporating correct spacing for your plants; overcrowded plants tend to become misshapen and prone to disease and problem insects; trees planted too close to homes cause structural damage and require intensive maintenance
Cooperation with nature and neighborly encouragement can manifest into profound positive impacts for the global environment. Choose to be the paradigm in your area.
By accepting our symbiotic relationship with the natural world, great achievements can be accomplished in North American backyards.
Over the past century, humans have drastically modified the environment through land grading, construction and building. By reversing the negative impacts we have had on our own properties, we pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable approach to landscaping and gardening.
Floral Garden and Landscape Toupees
By admin | April 13, 2008
English Ivy is a wonderful groundcover and makes a home look lovely, lived in, and comfy. There is a problem, however. Ivy can kill trees and other plants. It can also cause extensive damage to foundations, siding, and chimneys. An alternative is what I call “Landscape Toupees.”
Some people might call fake flowers and foliage an abomination. I call it creative and colorful. They are economical and save time as well. You don’t need to fertilize or water, and they can be reused.
You usually only see silk and plastic trees and flowers for inside usage, and it is true that they will not last quite as long outside as they do inside. But, these delightful faux flowers and artificial vines look beautiful and will probably get you through several seasons.
My Landscape Toupees allow me to sculpt and cover problem areas in an instant. We have down spouts that look cold and ugly, but with plastic ivy strung around them, they take on a great look. One window in our living room looks out onto a downspout. Now, it looks out onto an ivy covered architectural feature that has color and charm.
You can also use fake vines to hide cables and wires. Some vines have small attachments so you can loop them on hooks, or a staple gun can give you fast placement, which reminds me of hair plugs.
We bought some decorative and expensive grass last year that is taking a while to flourish. I purchased some darts of grass leaves and threw them into brown clumps of grass for shocks of healthy green. As the grass matures and takes hold, I will migrate the darts elsewhere. Since people don’t expect plastic in gardens, they take them at face value. They expect them to be real, and so they are real.
Landscape Toupees are a great decorative tool for your yard and garden. You don’t need to be ashamed of using fake foliage. Use it as you need it, and improve the outside of your home quickly, and economically.
Don Doman is a published author, video producer, and corporate trainer. He owns the business training site Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which he says is the home of the no-hassle “free preview” for business training videos. He also owns Simple Home Repair (http://www.simplehomerepair.com), which has a multitude of ideas for home decorating and landscaping.
Tags: decorating, flowers, gardening, home improvement, landscape, landscaping, planting