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So, You Want to Have a Trendy Garden?

August 11, 2015

The healthiest and the best way to relax after a hard-working day is in your own garden. You don’t have to pack your stuff and travel afterwards, like you would when you go to the beach, for example. Just come home, take a shower and simply collapse onto your cozy furniture in your garden.

There are many ways you can arrange your garden. What kind of plants and flowers, furniture, fountain, lake and trees you will use, it is all up to the individual desires. If you can imagine it, you can make it. Here are some of the trends you should have in mind when creating your very own peaceful oasis.

Monochromatic Gardens

When it comes to colors, trends in garden are shifting from colorful flowers and complementary color combos to more corresponding or even a single-color schemes. So, instead of combining yellow and red flowers, choose ones in different shades of orange. Also, the colors used in furnishing and fabrics should be sophisticated and subdued – earthy tones such as gray, forest green and taupe would be a perfect choice.

Green walls

This is not a novelty anymore, and it gains on popularity each day. It may seem very complicated to build at the first glance, but once you get into it, you realize it is not that hard at all. You can find instructions on how to build one anywhere online.

You can choose where to put your green wall, outdoors or even indoors. The best place for it is somewhere you spend the most of your time, so you can fully enjoy it. You can insert plants of any kind, your favorites, as long as they can sustain in your climate. It does not only look beautiful and exotic, but you will also gain many benefits from it, like fresh air, energy saving and even noise reduction.

Echo-chic

As you can guess, it is eco-friendly trend. Even though any garden is eco-friendly, this one takes a step further. It is not only about having plants, but plants and flowers most preferred by birds for their nests, and bees for pollination. Also planting vegetables, and using containers that require less watering. The furniture should be made out of wood and eco-friendly materials. Try to use home-made fertilizers, soil mixes and pest-control products. Simply tend to make everything develop naturally.

Fairy gardening

Fairy gardening is still popular as it was before, if not even more. These are simply adorable, miniature, terrarium-sized gardens. They are filled with miniature plants, statues and rocks, even miniature fountains and lakes in some cases. You can really play around with these and there are numerous things you can buy online related to fairy gardens. It is also up to you where you want to install it. Whether you want it to be the shining star of your outdoor garden, or you want it inside the house, to refresh the air and please everyone’s eyes all the time.

9179436631_b9e4f21d28_o — Image source: www.flickr.com

Well-lit gardens

The time of gardens without the light has passed, and now people tend to build them well-lit. There are, of course, both, up and down sides of this. If you build it well-lit, it allows you to spend even more quality time there, reading at night for example, or simply enjoying various colors of your plants, but also if you want to work on your garden when the sun goes down. The biggest, and probably the only, down side is that the light attracts insects of all kinds.

Gardens in small spaces

This is one of the biggest problems nowadays- too many people live in big cities, in apartments, without proper space for building a garden. If you really want it, there is always a way to make it happen. It can be built in any small space, even small as balcony. All you have to do is to well manage the space you have. You can use all the space for furniture, for example, and find a way to hang your plants and flowers all around you. Green walls, hanging flowerpots and even fairy gardens really come in handy here. It offers an amazing feeling of comfort when you are sitting in a small space surrounded by red gerbers and roses, yellow tulips, purple iris or any of your favorite flowers.

There is a solution for any problem you encounter, all you have to do is put your imagination to work and find it. It does take a lot of patience and time, but once you finish your garden, you can enjoy every detail of it for the rest of your life. You can just add, improve or change things later on.

Garden

Backyard Barbecue Ideas for 2015

August 7, 2015

Zoe Clark

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Whether you decide to build a barbecue in the garden or get any of prefabricated models, it is important to consider the part of the backyard where you will accommodate your barbecue. And in order to maintain the functionality of the space, the dimensions of the grill should be adapted to the size of the yard where it is placed. Besides choosing the appropriate size, as well as various supporting elements, you can choose the visual style of backyard barbecue in order to better fit the ambience.

1. Outdoors Kitchen Design

This is a spectacular outdoor kitchen with character that will turn your garden into a place of art thanks to its modern design. Cast iron grills have an antioxidant treatment for haute cuisine and are designed to the smallest detail. In addition to the barbecue area, this model has an area with granite wash utensils.

2. Design for Large Spaces

This is pretty much the same model as the one before, but it has a towel handle, which many people may find quite useful. Now, isn’t that a cool idea?

3. Ode to the Torch

Now, this shows an innovative and original design. This barbecue evokes the symbolism of the torch and brings it to your backyard. In form and materials, this design is quite aesthetic. It provides excellent conditions for a quality barbecue while incorporating a convenient place to store firewood.

4. Steel Barbecue

Barbecues can be built with different materials, and depending on the material you choose they will be simpler or more complex. The advantage of steel barbecues is that they can be moved from one place to another quickly and easily. In addition, the maintenance of this type of barbecue is usually very easy.

5. Stone Barbecue

When choosing a barbecue model you must take into account several factors: the available space, materials, and of course the budget. In addition, you can choose from wood or charcoal barbecues, gas or electric barbecues. This is a barbecue made of stone. Its rounded roof and the sundial on the fire area make it a very original piece.

6. Barrel Barbecue

Would you like a barrel barbecue? Do you know that barrels can be restored as furniture? You can find abundant raw material suitable for installation, and at a bargain price in any junkyard or even your own garage.

7. Barbecue Plate

You do not have the time required for a barbecue, or enough space to place it? No problem, this version works just as well, it is mounted in no time and fits in anywhere: the barbecue plate.

8. Balcony Barbecue

In case you live in an apartment or simply don’t have enough space in your yard, but still want a relaxing afternoon with your friends around a barbecue, this balcony barbecue can come in handy for an urban summer party.

9. Portable Barbecue

Outdoor kitchen, terrace, garden, or anywhere you want to go, now can become a place for barbecue. This portable barbecue has compact design, it’s cheerful with summery colors, and most importantly, it is very practical.

10. Barbecue Hearth

Sit around a ‘camp’ fire or barbecue yourself some tasty food, it’s all up to you. Every garden needs a lot of work, and you can get the best of both worlds with this barbecue hearth.

The summer may have already started, but it’s never too late to redesign your barbecue space. Choose something that will suit your taste, and enjoy nice weather and good food with your family and friends.

Garden

How to Keep Garden Ants in Check

June 23, 2015

Lana Hawkins

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Ants are on earth for over 100 million years and we can find them almost everywhere on the planet. It is assumed that there are more than 20 000 different ant species, which is why it is called the most successful species on earth. They usually live in large organizational communities.

The problem of ants in the garden is very common. They can lead to the destruction of small plants, or they can make their colonies under the garden paths trail, undermine the sand below, and when you stand on it you can hurt your leg. With this in mind, it is desirable to keep their number under control.

pest free — Source: http://www.ecowise.com/

The most common types of ants

In this sense, we are talking about a number of harmful species of ants, characterized by the fact that they build their colonies outside (in your garden).

Black garden ant (Lasius niger L.) – is a dark-grey colour, length from 3-4 mm. They build their nests (anthills) in dry habitats, the old walls, cracks in buildings, on the balconies, in backyards right next to the house. They are entering homes in search for food.

Lasius fuliginosus – 4-5 mm long, glossy black body and a big head. They usually live in rotten logs and hollows of trees.

Yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus Fabricius) – 2-4 mm long. These ants bite people, and their bite is very painful. They usually build their anthills on the lawns.

Crematogaster scutellaris – they have reddish-orange head, 3.5-5.5 mm long. They build nests in the rafters, beams, and a dead tree, and the dwellings in rural areas.

How can you get rid of them?

ants control products — Source: http://www.lovethegarden.com/

Borax – Borax is a component of laundry detergents that can be mixed with a sugar solution and sprayed around the area where the ants are. This is a very effective product. Ants carry the borax into their nests, and it kills them. Mix one cup of borax and one cup of sugar and sprinkle it over their colony. Ants will not distinguish the difference between borax and sugar.
Vinegar – Another highly effective way to ward off ants is to spray the vinegar on the place where the ants are. Strong smell of vinegar repels them, and ants avoid it. This can be achieved by using a mixture of apple cider and peppermint oil, since ants cannot stand the smell of mint.
Soap – soap ingredients are harmful to ants. Soap breaks wax coating on exoskeleton of the insects and dehydrate them. Mix soap and water, and the mixture pour over the anthill.
Boiling water – Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. When it boils pour the boiling water over the anthill. In this way you will destroy a large number of ants, and their nest will collapse.
Insecticide – There are many types of insecticides to fight the ants on the market. Some are in the form of a gel, the gel is applied along paths on which are ants moving or near their nest. Gel ants workers recognize as tempting foods that contain sugar. So, they eat it and bring it into their nest to feed the other members of the colony, including the queen. Thus, the insecticide is entered the anthill, allowing a total annihilation of the colony.
Other insecticides contain Bifenthrin as the active ingredient. Spray them over your lawn and the spray will also kill other insects.

Have in mind that effective control of ants is only possible by destroying the entire litter or the ant colony; it is especially important to destroy the queen. If you suppress only those worker ants that are out of the anthill in search for food, they will soon be replaced by new ones, and we’re back at the beginning.

Garden

Creating a Gorgeous Rooftop Garden is Easier Than You Think

April 29, 2015

Lillian Connors

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Having a little garden you can call your own is an amazing idea, you must admit. Unfortunately, no matter how much we enjoy gardening, our creativity and wishes are usually limited by little space. But that doesn’t mean you should simply give up on your dreams. If you have always wanted to have a gorgeous garden, you just need to be willing enough to find proper place for it. One of the most amazing ways to do that is to design your own rooftop garden.

Rooftop gardens are a functional and creative solution for every urban dweller. Thanks to them, you won’t have to waste your already little private space, and at the same time, you will achieve a real, vibrant outdoor surroundings. Apart from being space-savers, these gardens also provide the entire building with additional insulation, absorb rain and contribute to aesthetical value by filling usually empty and unnoticed roofs. Creating a rooftop garden is simpler that it seems. However, before you embark on such endeavor, you need to get informed about everything you’re supposed to do. Here are some things you should keep in mind.

Mind gardening laws and ordinances

Before you start designing your rooftop garden, you should get informed about your local gardening laws and ordinances. Believe it or not, some gardening regulations simply forbid rooftop gardens or require special conditions for their creation. For example, there are some ordinances considering special watering requirements, the height of your fence, the length of grass, and so on. Therefore, before you spend both your time and money, you need to make sure whether you’re allowed to set up a garden on your building’s roof.

Hire an architect

Before you create your rooftop garden, you need to check whether your building is designed to withstand the additional weight or not. For instance, many buildings aren’t safe for adding rooftop gardens, while the other ones might bear only limited weight. That’s why you need to hire an architect who will do all the researches necessary and inform you about the weight your building can take.

Use as little weight as possible

Even if your building can withstand the additional weight, you are supposed to use as little weight as possible. For example, instead of paving the area, you could simply look for amazing container gardening tips. Plastic, fiberglass or foam planting containers are easy to maintain, and most importantly, they’re really light. You could also consider using lightweight soilless potting mix instead of ordinary garden dirt.

Install windbreaks

When creating a rooftop garden, you shouldn’t forget about installing a windbreak for such places are usually very windy. That’s why you need to protect your plants by installing a windbreak. There are numerous amazing ways to do that, but most effective one is installing the windbreaks that slow down the wind circulation, rater that completely stopping it. Another amazing solution for a windswept area is growing wind-tolerant and low-maintenance plants that can survive harsh rooftop conditions, during both summer and winter.

Water your garden properly

You should also take the watering of your roof garden into consideration. Firstly, you need to learn how to water plants in containers properly. Secondly, you need to decide how you’re going to do that. If you want to maintain your plants with ease, without carrying extremely heavy buckets and bottles every time you need to water your garden, you should definitely consider having an automatic water system added.

Eventually, creating a gorgeous rooftop garden is pretty simple if you are willing enough to make such idea come true. All you have to do is to get informed ahead of time, come up with numerous possible solutions and get started. Unleash the inner enthusiast in yourself and begin the trip to the world of amazing rooftop gardening ideas. Enjoy!

Beautiful Landscape Design Elements

December 30, 2014

Lucas Bergman

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It is winter outside, but in a couple of months, when the spring sun brings a little bit of warmth into our gardens, we will want to spend all of our time outside. Comfortable chair, warm coffee in our hands and sun shining down upon us is all we need to truly enjoy beautiful morning before we start with our daily schedule, but having a beautiful scenery around will make that free time you spend there more enjoyable. So if you are not that imaginative and talented when redecorating is in question, we have a couple of landscape design tips from world’s top experts on landscaping design on how to create your own little backyard paradise.

Your Own Oasis

First thing you need to think about when deciding how to change your garden is where you are going to place your garden furniture, and then everything else will come naturally.

Right in the center, among all the flowers, hidden behind tall shrubs and trees, you need peaceful and comfortable sun bed where you can spend your days reading books while escaping the reality.

You can always go shopping for the usual garden furniture, like wooden chairs and decks with pillows that cover them, but think a little harder, and consider building a sturdy construction for a big comfortable rocking hammock with a lot of cushions, where even two people can sit together if needed.

Another inevitable thing you need to have for this to truly be your personal oasis is Koi pond.

Those are little ecosystems with plants and fish that require special care and treatment, but it is worth it. They create perfect harmony and balance in your garden, and inside of you, while you are resting with the sound of the water trickling in the light breeze.

Warm Romantic Nights

There have probably been moments in the evening when you wanted to spend some quality time with your better half, sitting somewhere in the meadow, roasting marshmallows, while stargazing.

But the problem of today is that you are usually too tired to sit in your car and drive off, so you really need a cozy corner in your yard where you can put the firewood and light it to keep you warm while you and your dearest talk about the day you had, or simply enjoy the silence of the night.

A bottle of wine and a soft blanket for you two to roll under and cuddle up next to the flickering fire is all you need to create that romantic movie atmosphere.

Masonry Fire Pit — image credit: landscapingnetwork.com

Stonehenge

By now you have probably seen many beautiful garden pathways made of stone and little rocks, but you can be a bit more creative with it, especially if you have larger stones you can use to make yourself a unique sitting area.

They might be a bit heavy to move and work with, so you will need an extra set of hands, but once you pile them up, one by one, you will create a couch like no one else has ever seen.

They could be somewhat uncomfortable, so always carry an extra cushion or a blanket with you to sit on, but what it will be perfect for is a hot summer – simply lay on the cold stone and enjoy the beautiful day.

Stone Couch — image source: amazinginteriordesign.com

Stairway to the Garden of Eden

If your backyard is not a flat surface, and you need a few steps to reach some of its corners, try to be as creative as you can. Make them out of stone, as this natural material will look perfect in combination with the big grass surface that you already take such good care of.

However, if you feel that stone makes your scenery look a bit cold, you can always decorate it with your favorite flowers – leave some space between the blocks, and plant whatever you wish, just do not forget to water it regularly, and be careful not to step on it on your way up.

Garden Stairway — image source: Pinterest

An Old Teapot

Finally, not one garden should be without a fountain, and if you have an old pot that you do not use anymore, but you are emotionally attached to it, there is a way to create an interesting little stream of water.

So if you have always wanted to live in Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, now you can recreate this mystical land with a little DIY project, with an old pot and a water pump, surrounded with colorful flowers.

Old Teapot Fountain — image credit: wonderfuldiy.com

At The End

So in the end you do not really need a designer. Just think carefully what you truly need in your garden to make you feel comfortable while sitting, and pleasing to the eyes.

A lot of flowers, natural materials, some old furniture, and even things that you thought you will not use anymore can do the trick and help you make the back of your home your own paradise on Earth.

Garden

What Is Sustainable Garden Exactly?

December 18, 2014

Lillian Connors

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Our planet has reached its boiling point because of our lack of care and concern for it. The situation is so bad that today we even have to think twice about how we are going grow plants, and that is why sustainable gardening has become so popular lately.

By taking such interest in your garden you are not only keeping you and your family healthier, but your planet in general, by conserving its resources.

You will also know exactly how it was cultivated and what you eat, as only then are you completely sure that it is chemical free.

What Does It Really Mean?

As sustainable is most commonly directly associated with eco-friendly, it implies gardening without causing harm to the Earth. As people started using too much pesticides, there was a necessity for a practice like this one.

However, that does not mean that they are not used at all, just in lesser quantities that are easier to keep under control.

What You Can Do

It might sound difficult to go green when this practice is in question, but sustainable gardening is actually quite manageable.

First rule is, do not use bulldogger if you can do it with your bare hands. It might be more difficult, and your hands will get dirty, but remember every time why you are doing it and who you are doing it for.

Secondly, use rainwater whenever you can, especially for watering your plants. You can collect it by setting up barrels in your yard, or even installing some more complex rainwater conservation systems. Also, be sure to use ground covers so that the water would not evaporate so quickly and you would not have to water it too often.

Another preferable technique is to compost, which is actually a way of recycling. By simply collecting leaves that have fallen this autumn in your garden and placing them in compost bins you are using more natural and organic material for your soil.

That way you do not have to spend money on fertilizers in specialized stores, that are not only expensive, but toxic for the soil too, if used in greater amounts.

Finally, think carefully about the plants that you want to grow. Do your homework, find out what fruit and vegetables you can actually grow in your area, because it is not just about planting what you wish to eat.

You need to know if there are appropriate conditions so that you would not have to use any unnecessary additives. Another thing you should definitely look up is which plant grows in which season, for the same reason that was previously mentioned. Also, check this cheatsheet for dummies, you dummy 🙂

Design

When you decide to have a sustainable garden, there are many other things to think about. You will need paths like aisles to approach those plants without stomping and destroying the soil around it.

Garden Path — image credit: wardslandscape.com

Those paths can be made out of old pieces of concrete that are leftover from some construction works you did on your house, and never knew where to throw them away.

Another thing is that no matter which part of the world you live in, there will always be natural elements like rain, snow or hail that will get in your way from time to time and that is why you will need to build some kind of protective construction. True sustainable gardener will always use recycled material for walls, windows and decks too.

For some vegetables you will need wooden trellis, but do not cut perfectly healthy three to make it, better collect branches that fall on their own. You know that there are always a lot of them just lying around, so do not let them annoy you, use them for good.

So no more trips to the farmer’s market – simply make some room in your garden, buy necessary seeds and start digging.

Help yourself, your family, country and planet by living green and properly caring about your plants, and at the same time your environment.

Garden

So, You Want to Have a Trendy Garden?

Backyard Barbecue Ideas for 2015

1. Outdoors Kitchen Design

2. Design for Large Spaces

3. Ode to the Torch

4. Steel Barbecue

5. Stone Barbecue

6. Barrel Barbecue

7. Barbecue Plate

8. Balcony Barbecue

9. Portable Barbecue

10. Barbecue Hearth

How to Keep Garden Ants in Check

Creating a Gorgeous Rooftop Garden is Easier Than You Think

Beautiful Landscape Design Elements

Your Own Oasis

Warm Romantic Nights

Stonehenge

Stairway to the Garden of Eden

An Old Teapot

At The End

What Is Sustainable Garden Exactly?

What Does It Really Mean?

What You Can Do

Design

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