Tips To Improve Your Garden Decor

Gardens are not just places where one grows plants and vegetables. To complement the amount of effort you put in here, you should try and improve your garden decor so that your garden looks beautiful, even without flowers. Here are some tips to help you work on it:

1) Singular focus

One way to make a difference to your garden decor is to focus on one part of the garden and build the rest around it. This can be done by building a gazebo, an arbor, a rose pillar or any statues or sculptures of interest.

2) A sense of architecture

You can provide an architectural form and a sense of style to your garden decor by adding a bit of iron gate work, elegant metal topiary forms or concrete statuary to the garden. Simple garden ornaments and artful decor contribute tremendously to the aesthetic value to your outdoor living garden spaces.

3) Adding water features – a waterfall or a fountain

Building a waterfall or a fountain can add a lot of value to your garden decor. In fact, most Japanese gardens have a water feature, and the ones without water features have something that represents water, like grey gravel or sand. If you would like to be a little innovative, you can turn your whole garden into a water garden.

4) Collect and scatter

After having collected a variety of art and ornamentation to add to your garden decor, make sure you scatter it throughout the landscape. Some people place topiary, sculpture or tuteur forms in distant small landscaped garden spaces for maximum viewing impact. Try and frame ornamental pieces of art with easy-growing shrubs and low-growing flowers.

5) Correct use of planters and containers

For an elegant garden decor, you may need to carefully choose the planters and containers to hold your plants. Many kinds of containers are available, the popular ones being made of concrete, fibre stone, fibreglass and plastic. For earth tones, you might choose terracotta. Correct use of planters can also add height, shape and life to your garden.

6) Lighting

Lighting up a garden nicely also enhances the garden decor. Other than lighting up the pathway in your garden, you can also light up a specific tree by focusing light beams on it. Make sure you keep safety concerns in mind for lighting options.

7) Define your place – use varieties of height

Garden ornamentation will define garden spaces. Taller garden decor and sculpture can create pleasant and sprawling visual architecture in small spaces. Always try and place taller plantings toward the back of the garden. Try and use varieties of height to beautify your garden.

8) Block what you do not like

Block a part of the garden with climbers like ivy or vines if you do not like the way it looks. A trellis or obelisk can also be combined with the climbers to block the view. It will only end up enhancing your garden decor. You can also add a birdbath to your garden.

9) Temporary additions for special purposes

If you organize parties in your garden, they are some ways to improve on your garden decor. If you are on a shoestring budget, you could light the garden by candles, lanterns or string lighting. Clean up a certain area within the garden to provide a tidy place for your guests. Addition of fragrant containers would fill the garden air with a pleasant smell. Also, do not forget to get comfortable garden chairs for your guests.

Finally, no matter how you wish to decorate your garden, you should make sure that everything is harmonized. Utilizing all your resources with perfect balance can enhance your garden decor and make it your own piece of paradise.

Get all of the latest in gardening know how from the one and only true gardening resource at http://www.gardendesignadvice.com/ Be sure to check out our garden decor pages on our web site.

Author: Peter Finch
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Enliven Your Creativity With Your Garden Designs

Your garden can be a manifestation of your own creativity. It is no longer a place where you plant fruits and vegetables. If you would like to add a little more life and enhance the look of your garden opt for interesting garden designs.

Before you go ahead with some garden designs, you may like to keep some guidelines in mind to for better synchrony of your surroundings:

The Golden Rule

The key to innovative garden designs is a simple rule. THINK BEFORE YOU PLANT. Plan your garden in sync with the look of your house to make a cohesive unit that is in harmony with each other.

Discover The Purpose

Prior to finalizing your garden designs, you may like to consider how the garden would be used. Would you like to enhance the view of the house or would you like to entertain guests? Would little children be comfortable playing in your garden or would senior citizens love taking a walk there? Would your garden occupy private space or would it be in public view? It would really help if you finalized the main purpose of your garden, and then proceeded to design it.

Landscape Matters

Opt for garden designs that compliment the landscape and the house. It is important to remember that the house is the most important part of the landscape and the garden needs to be designed in harmony with the house and the surroundings. Then the different elements of the house and the garden can connect better to provide an interesting style to the house and the landscape.

Choose Your Garden

You have a choice of formal, a semi formal or natural garden designs. A formal garden has the plants and shrubs arranged symmetrically around two axis, which provide a cross with the pool or a gazebo at the center. These gardens are usually adorned with evergreens, hedges or walls and have a hard surface terrace. A semi-formal garden also works on the same axial plan as the formal one; however the garden designs are a little less rigid. In many instances, the hard surface terrace is replaced by grass or evergreen shrubs. Besides, you may also see flowers, vegetables or herbs spilling out of the beds.

Natural garden designs follow the intrinsic landscape. They usually meander around the surroundings and have a casual or softer look. The architectural style of the house, the budget and the personal preference of the owner may eventually decide upon the design of the garden.

Create A Theme

Most garden designs are usually creations of the owners or the gardeners mind, and you have a range of themes to choose from. Let your creativity decide the theme; just make sure that it compliments the overall landscape and the style of the house and garden.

Play With Colors

Colors play a very important role in garden designs. With practice and experimentation you will be able to understand the essence of combining colors. However, you may begin by referring to the color wheel, where colors are arranged according to their relationships with each other. Most color wheels contain 12 colors only, but you may be able to color coordinate the plants and flowers better a violet-red to red to orange-red, in the same order as they appear in the color wheel. Move Around.

Garden designs should be able to accommodate free movement. Designing walkways, pathways or driveways are very important aspects. To make the view of the garden interesting, you can expose vistas that would make a pleasant view. This may encourage visitors to get off the path or driveway and take a closer look at the garden.

Drainage

Drainage is another important factor in garden designs. A sound drainage system will ensure hygiene and maintain overall garden health. On the other hand an unsound drainage system will destroy your garden.

If you are not happy with your existing garden design, follow these guidelines and spice up your view! Add your imagination and creativity to these simple guidelines and create garden designs that will make you proud.

Get all of the latest in garden design know how from the one and only true gardening resource at http://www.gardendesignadvice.com/ Be sure to check out our garden design pages on our web site.

Author: Peter Finch
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Garden Furniture Adds Comfort to Your Garden

One of the most enjoyable places in a home is its garden. People want a garden which is attractive as well as pleasing. With proper design and planning a garden can be made to look marvelous. Garden furniture is useful when a person wants to enjoy and admire the beauty and tranquility of a garden in full bloom. A garden that adds to the charm of a house needs special garden furniture to appreciate the finished effect of a beautiful home and its grounds. With the wide variety of garden furniture available today, it is easy to find furniture that will look great with any style of garden.

A garden contains several kinds of furniture so that people have the flexibility to use their gardens in many different ways. In fact, many gardens contain several types of furniture. There are various materials that are used for the making garden furniture such as wood, iron, wrought iron, as well as plastic. Each of the materials has their own visual effect. The selection of material in garden furniture depends on individual taste and budget. Wood is a costly material while plastic is easily affordable for most people. The garden furniture also depends on their usage – for mere comfort or entertaining luxury.

For garden entertaining plenty of seating arrangements should be made. This includes garden furniture like benches and deck chairs for more flexibility. For alfresco meals a big garden table may do justice or one that has extra leaves so that there is plenty of room for the dishes. A pretty parasol as a canopy in the garden table ensures protection from the sun as well as during less than perfect weather days.

If one wants to avoid the sun but also relax in the garden, a hammock in a shady area is perfect garden furniture. It is not always needed to fasten the hammocks between two trees. Instead the hammock can be fastened to two four by four posts that are cemented into the ground. For a quick and simple solution, one can also choose a hammock that works with a hammock stand.

And if one loves regular sun-bathing then consider adding a sun lounger to the patio or deck. Furnish it well to get the maximize comfort from the patio set up. There are varied styles and types of patio furniture to choose from. A patio heater as a garden furniture extends the use of the garden even in chilly winters.
While wandering through the garden one should ensure that there are comfort zones to linger in. These places are ideal spots for garden furniture like benches or a few chairs and a side table. A decorative garden bench in any corner of the garden is a simple addition without attracting too much attention to detail.

To enjoy the garden from inside the home, one can simply opt for efficient double glazing to keep the home warm. Matching garden furniture with the style of window frames, for example aluminum frames and metal patio furniture is very attractive. No matter what garden furniture one chooses, the important thing is to match it with the overall garden style and landscape design.

Gardening and landscaping are one of life’s simple joys. Learn more about Garden Furniture [http://www.garden-facts.com/] by visiting our Garden Facts [http://www.garden-facts.com/] web site.

Author: Bill McRea
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Companion Planting For Organic Vegetable & Herb Gardens

How does Companion Planting work and what do I plant for which plants?

Companions help each other grow. Tall plants, for example, provide shade for sun-sensitive shorter plants. An example of this was the year the HerbFest sold “Elephant Ears” tropical plants so the heat sensitive French Tarragon, Dill, and Chervil could be planted underneath the large leaves providing shade during the hot part of the day.

Companions use garden space efficiently. Vining plants cover the ground, upright plants grow up. Two plants in one patch. This is double edged use of companion and a short exception to this rule is although a vining plant is intended to “cover the ground” that may only be due to not thinking of using supports such as fencing, lattices, or overhead stringing to direct the “vining” aspect to a vertical aspect.

Example of this is cantaloupes or watermelons and having those plants trellissed up although only practical with certain watermelon varieties since the melons can get pretty heavy!

• Companions prevent pest problems-Plants like onions repel some pests. Some plants repel insects, like marigolds, nasturtium, borage, thyme and oregano. Other plants can lure pests away from more desirable plants.
• African marigold releases a chemical called thiopene which is a nematode repellent and these flowers are extensively used for companion planting. Santolina, also known as green or white lavender cotton, is a good insect repellent, especially for spinach and lettuce.
• Thyme is a good protective border for the vegetable garden and repels fruit moths.
• Keep ants away? Catnip, Mint, Onion, Peppermint, Spearmint, Tansy, Wormwood. Remember though in many situations ants are not harmful to the plants but may be undesirable to the gardener.
• Slug repellent? Artemisia, Fennel, Garlic, Rosemary, Sage (Fennel is harmful to most plants especially beans, cucumbers and tomatoes) Opposite of this would be an attractant such as good ole Bud Light in a saucer. I chose Bud Light cause it’s cheap and I can’t stand it!!!:)
• Geraniums repel cabbage worms, Japanese beetles, and leafhoppers so if you’re planting corn, grapes, peppers or cabbage, geraniums are also beneficial.

Marigolds and Garlic have a reputation for repelling a number of insect pests such as Aphids and Carrot Root Flies. The Mexican Marigold, Tagetes minuta or Muster-John-Henry, is an annual which grows to about 3 feet (that is flower tip, not total plant height ). The roots have an insecticidal effect on nematodes and some effect on keeled slugs. Even better, furry varmints (such as deer, rabbits, woodchucks, voles, and squirrels) find them completely unpalatable, and neither insects nor diseases are a major problem.

Companions attract beneficial insects- The following plants, when sown near tomatoes are beneficial:

• Basil – Probably the most widely used companion for tomatoes, basil attracts bees to aid in pollination, as well as repels whitefly, aphids and spider mites. Basil sprays are also thought to destroy these same pests, while some gardeners also believe that tomatoes grown near basil will also produce tomatoes with a basil tinged flavor. And of course, using basil as a companion also provides plenty of this lovely herb for your kitchen.
• Nasturtiums – Thought to reduce the chances of fungal attack on your tomatoes and to also repel aphids and Green Shield beetles.
• Stinging Nettles – Scientifically proven to dramatically increase the overall yield of tomato plants as well as to deter fungal disease.
• Borage – Attracts beneficial insects.
• Lemon Balm – Attracts beneficial insects.
• Umbilliferae – A family which includes parsley, parsnips, carrots and others that attracts hoverflies which in both mature and larvae form feed on a wide host of tomato pests.
• French Marigolds – Neither nematodes, nor whiteflies like marigolds, which makes them a wonderful companion for tomatoes, as well as others.
• Thyme, Asparagus, Foxglove, Lavender and Garlic are also good companions to be intercropped with tomatoes.

On a final note, Rosemary, Potatoes, Kohlrabi, Fennel, Strawberries, members of the Brassica family (Cabbage, Kale, etc) and Dill should NOT be planted near tomatoes for these plants often attract pests which will attack tomatoes.

Every successful garden needs plants that attract the predators of pests – humans included:).

Bob Johnson is owner/founder of Herbfest along with his wife and kids. He has served on the Board of the International Herb Association and has extensive experience in retailing by educating and informing the customer.

There is a FREE weekly tip sent to subscribers on “Herbal Lore & Legend” at: http://www.herbfest.net/growing-herbs/container-herbs/228-herb-gardening-in-an-urban-environment-such-as-apartments-condos-and-limited-areas

Author: Bob G Johnson
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Garden Design – A Journey Down the Ages

Gardens add beauty and charm to our lifestyle. The tranquil peace and serenity works like a balm over the stress and rush that make up the modern world. Garden designs are on the priority list for both homemakers and home builders more than ever before.

Garden designs have become more unique along with being more utilitarian. The gardens were initially a green plot of the household where the family used to grow edible products. The entire concept was either for commercial or entertainment. The palatial gardens had pompous designs with grand structures and accessories.

The ancient gardens of Babylon; around 600 B.C could be coined among the first famous examples of garden designs which possibly even applied the Archimedes screw for proper drainage. Garden design includes the use of fountains, statues of exotic animals and rare flora.

Influenced by the styles of various periods, the English gardens have had the most dynamic styles and evolution over the ages. After Charles II’s return from exile in France in 1660, the High Baroque style of garden design crept in. It involved planting ranks of trees in straight lines on the avenues. It had a tendency to be enfolded by walls.

This form of garden design was best adopted in Melbourne Hall Gardens, England. It was designed by London and Wise. The typical old Augustan garden design was given a concrete shape by William Kent, a professional designer. Water, wood, glass and the archetypal statues were used for deriving the perfection. The West Wycombe Park, Castle Howard, Chiswick House as well as Riveleaux Terrace and Temples are a few examples where the Roman influenced Augustan style is evident.

The gardens were an integral part of the Mughal architecture. These gardens had luxurious fountains, water cascades, stunning structures and arrangements for relaxing. The Mughal gardens also had an extensive collection of plants and flowers. Moreover, the seasonal variations were complemented the garden design.

During the 18th century, the unbendable, frozen style of earlier garden design gave way to the pleasant designs. These were result of the careful selection of garden materials. The designers preferred using rocks, tarnished timber and earthy blocks ruled the gardens, along with appealing fittings.

The gardens, however, are planned counterparts of their natural entity. There has been a widely popular phase of garden designing which included forest-like gardens by Stephen Switzer. It had massive estates full of trees, caves, lakes and hills to give it a semblance of a stylized forest. The entire concept centered on more of serenity and economy by using the genuine works of nature. The concept’s success lay in the practical idea of having a comfortable garden with the pattern of the ‘cut-through the avenue’ concept.

The Post Modern style of garden design had designers experimenting with primary geometric patterns. Today almost every next garden is technically planned. The expertise of garden designers is recognized and in demand. Before executing the design, the garden designer draws a blue-print of the future garden with the natural and stylized elements available. Garden design is an intrinsic part of the present trend of setting up well-decorated gardens. Garden designers set-up the initial garden design plan, based on the natural flavor of the land, purpose, location as well as budget.

Gardening and landscaping are one of life’s simple joys. Learn more about Garden Design [http://www.garden-facts.com/] by visiting our Garden Facts [http://www.garden-facts.com/] web site.

Author: Bill McRea
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Art of Garden Designing

The difference between a bush, a forest and a garden lies in the layout. That is what separates a garden from a bunch of green trees and plants. Gardens are made to look beautiful and to add to the beauty of the surroundings. The gardens have drawn admiration for years, but a wonderfully inviting garden is the result of careful garden designing.

The entire garden designing procedure should be absolutely functional. Gardens should be designed according the owner of the garden. Do not have racks of a single plant species, just because it is your favorite. It might spoil the entire design of the garden. The available garden space, proper sunlight and effortless cleaning are to be carefully considered. A proper garden layout unfolds some revelation or surprise at every corner.

It could be a fountain, an all way wooden pathway or bunch of bright flowers in contrast to the surroundings. Sometimes walls, trellis or hedges are used as dividers, to lend the designer look. Low walls have minimum maintenance but are a bit expensive to build. The trellis is cheaper and flexible, it is time consuming to maintain. Low hedges in the garden give it a very natural look. It requires regular trimming to keep it neat. The choice of the garden designing expenditure depends on the space and time available at your disposal.

The available shape and size of area are important in garden designing. The flower beds grown on square, rectangular or triangular shapes can be placed at strategic locations, like the corners or the center. It is preferable to enhance an available pond; it works to attract the birds. Garden designing is a personal choice depending on one’s own tastes, so let your creativity flow.

The various styles of garden designing include Asian style, formal, informal, gravel, water garden, cottage style or plain contemporary stylized garden. The effort and time consumed for garden maintenance has to be considered while garden designing. Asian style generally refers to the traditional Japanese or Chinese style of gardening where water bodies were a common feature. The cottage gardens add a pensive touch to the surroundings. It is an informal design, with plants ranging from wild flowers to even vegetables. Contemporary designs have more of a concrete garden than the plants. Formal garden designs are by and large seen in heritage homes. They consist of geometric shapes and patterns, as far as the trees and hedges are concerned.

Garden designing includes the walls and pavements to be colored brightly, instead of bringing them down. It is convenient to grow a garden along the pavement, instead of having to make a pavement along the gardens. Often, it is the carefully nurtured natural, unhindered growth of plants which lends that different look to the garden. Hence, garden designing is not only about getting the design right. It is about applying the right designs for the right homescape.

Gardening and landscaping are one of life’s simple joys. Learn more about Garden Designing [http://www.garden-facts.com/] by visiting our Garden Facts [http://www.garden-facts.com/]web site.

Author: Bill McRea
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A Water Garden Kit Has Everything You Need For A Great Water Garden

You may ask ‘what are water garden kits?’ Let’s just say that this is like Batman’s utility belt for every gardener who has a water pond. With water garden kit, the water gardener has everything he needs.

So the next question is ‘what’s inside a water garden kit?’ Read on so you could take a peek at the water gardener’s utility belt.

To enhance the attractiveness and beauty of their water garden, the kit is necessary for every gardener. Not only will human beings appreciate the view, even wildlife such as birds will come flocking your garden.

1. Some kits contain a one fountain pump that comes with a safety cord. This is for water gardeners who prefer to install their own fountains by themselves.

2. They also contain a 4-pack bird bath cleaner that thoroughly flushes out the organic residue and mineral deposits that build up in bird baths. Made from beneficial enzymes and bacteria, the water gardener’s bird bath will be healthier than ever. These handy dispensers float in the bowl and continuously threat the water for 30 days. Do not worry, these dispenser will not prevent the birds from drinking and bathing on the bath. In getting this, you even provided your flying pets with clean water.

3. No water gardener wants pesticides in his garden. Destroy those pesky mosquitoes even they are in their larvae states. Mosquitoes are so irritating, plus they can be harmful to human beings and animals. Mosquito bites transmit deadly viruses both to people and pets.

Garden kits contain solutions that you can throw into standing water. In only a matter of minutes, you can observe that it dissolves and releases granules that target mosquito larvae. These pests are destroyed way before they buzz around.

4. A main concern for water gardeners is the water that seeps through the entire ecosystem. That is why they have a water garden filter system in the first place to do the job. But for maintenance, water garden kits also include pond water filters that instantly remove the chlorine and chloramines from hose water. Simply by attaching these to your hose, you can fill up your pond and not worry about chlorine getting into the marine ecosystem and creating problems for your fish.

5. You want to feed your fish the best so we recommend that you buy a nutritionally balanced pellet that is also economically productive for everyday feeding of your goldfish. Make sure that it contains crude protein and can easily be digested by your pet fish living in water temperatures ranging from 50F to 65F.

There are some special pellets that combine the high quality required amino acids, digestive enzymes and vegetable proteins. Water gardeners and koi enthusiasts turn to these kinds of pellets for assurance that their pets will be healthy,

Usually, a water garden pond kit contains pond liner, the underlayment for the pond liner, a submersible pump, a filter, pond sterilizer, tubings, fittings and nozzle. Get the easy start pond kit to help you gear up for the water garden pond that you have always wanted.

The most popular garden kits are those that have everything the water gardener needs to have an attractive water garden. From maintaining the ponds to feeding the fish, the items inside the garden kit must be of top quality.

If a pump is included in the water garden kit, make sure that it can suck the water from the pond even with the skimmer flap placed above it. The pump should also filter the water as it passes through skimmers and pushed out to the tubing.

In fact some pumps have steam effect that allows it to make greater water drops (that is if you have a fountain). The good thing about having a water garden kit is that there are accessories that can play up your creativity, especially if you have a water garden fountain in your pond.

Most of the time, water garden kits can be assembled in the sense that it is a complete package deal for those who have water garden ponds with fountains. Considering the fact that it contains most of the tools you need for your hobby.

Lee Dobbins writes for Water Gardens at garden-g8way.com where you can learn more about water gardens and accessories like the water garden kit.

Author: Lee Dobbins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Indoor Garden – Vegetables, Herbs, Containers

An indoor garden, what a wonderful way to decorate your house, bring extra oxygen in, freshen the air, and even provide food for the table! This is a great start to a sustainable lifestyle or a fulfilling hobby.

The first thing one has to consider is what to plant. There are many herbs and vegetables that do very well in an indoor garden. There are also flowers and ornamental plants, but today we’re going to concentrate on herbs and vegetables.

If you’re just starting out you will probably do best with just the basics first. Some of those are bell peppers, eggplant, tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes and carrots. You know what you like so modify the list to whatever suits you. Then there are the basic herbs such as basil, mint, chives, marjoram, nasturtium, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley. There’s also garlic, leeks, onion and radishes to add to the list, all of which do well in an indoor garden.

The next thing would be to decide what kind of pots to use. There are many decorative pots, but just keep in mind that your first priority is the health of the plant.

If you are going to have some plants in or near your kitchen, you may want to use an old soup pot or tea pot or something like that. Whatever you choose, be sure that there is a hole in the bottom so it has proper drainage and good aeration. Containers such as clay pots are porous and are great for this. They do tend to dry out so to help keep them moist you may want to put them in a larger pot filled with sawdust, peat moss or vermiculite. If you have anything that needs high temperatures, wooden containers are best for that.

The size of the container will depend on how large the plant will be when it’s mature. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc. need a larger container with a soil depth of at least 18 inches. Vegetables such as carrots, green beans, radishes, etc. do best in long, narrow containers with a soil depth of at least 8 inches. While choosing planters, keep in mind that plants such as peppers, spinach, beans, etc. should be planted about 4 plants per square foot, while tomatoes, potatoes, etc. need about a square foot. Leaf lettuce and plants like that will do well with as many as 6 plants per square foot. Peas can be planted much closer if they have something to climb on.

Herbs can be grown quite compactly in an indoor garden. You can plant parsley, for instance, directly into a 6 inch pot. A 6 inch pot will support one hardy plant. Each herb should have their own pot, though. Once you start using fresh herbs in your cooking, I’m sure you’ll agree, everything tastes much better. You’ll find that they also keep the air in your house fresh and fragrant.

Author: Nancy J. Lolita
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Creating Japanese Gardens

Japanese gardens create landscapes which resembles nature through the careful placement of trees, shrubs, rocks, sand, artificial hills, ponds, and water. Zen and Shinto traditions have greatly influenced Japanese gardening and as a result the gardens are contemplative and serene spaces. It is essential that all the elements work well together within the garden and that the relationship between rocks, plants and water is well thought out.

The basic landscape elements found in most Japanese gardens include trees, shrubs, rocks, gravel, water, moss, stones and fences. Boulders are often used as centerpieces and provide the garden with a feeling of stability. Gravel is used to imitate the flow of water and other small stones are used to create boundaries and are turned into sculptural lanterns. Water, whether it be in the form of a pond, stream, or waterfall, is an essential part of a Japanese garden. It can be actual water or a symbolic representation, either way, it is vital to the Japanese garden.

In Japanese gardening there are three basic ways to create a landscape scene. The first of these is reduced scale. Reduced scale is the art of taking an actual scene from nature, mountains, rivers, trees, and all, and reproducing it on a smaller scale. Symbolization is abstract and could include using white sand to symbolize water and boulders to symbolize islands. Borrowed views refers to the use of distant a landscapes, such as a mountain, and incorporating it into the garden.

There are several types of Japanese gardens. Zen garden are meant to be viewed rather than entered. They are comprised of a mix of boulders, gravel or sand, moss and a limited number of trees an shrubs. Carefully placed stones symbolize islands while the gravel or sand, raked into interesting patterns, symbolizes water. Zen gardens help clear the mind and aid in contemplation.

Another type of Japanese garden is the tea garden. The tea garden is considered a ceremonial space which consists of an outer garden and an inner garden. Tea gardens are small and are ideal for those gardens with limited space. The outer garden is informal and consists of an entry gate to and a stone path leading toward the inner garden. Another stone path flows through the inner garden, whose plants are more formally placed. The inner path leads to a small building where the actual tea ceremony is performed.

Another garden appropriate for a small space or patio is the courtyard garden. The design of the Japanese courtyard garden is kept simple and is usually built to be observed from inside the house. It could, however, be planned so it is a usable outdoor space. Consisting of a few plants, a small water feature, a dry stream, or other simple elements, the Japanese courtyard garden allows nature and light to flow into your home through large windows and patio doors.

The above examples are just a few Japanese garden styles. Before designing and planting your own garden, look through some garden books and search for photos of Japanese gardens online. Japanese gardens are intended to create a meditative and relaxing experience. A little planning and research will help you design a serene and beautiful landscape which will delight all who visit your garden.

Tim Birch is the owner of GardenLeap, a garden magazine for garden enthusiasts.

Author: Tim Birch
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Gardeners Supplies For Vegetable Gardening

The gardeners of today prefer to grow their own vegetables to keep healthy and to save money during our recession. You can either have a standard vegetable garden which is growing your crop in the ground, or you can make life a little easier by using raised garden beds which will put your vegetable garden at a level that will be easier to maintain.

Many gardeners of today prefer the raised garden bed because they have a more productive use of space which will give them more crops. This version of growing vegetables will eliminate soil compaction, the drainage of the soil is much better and weeding will not be such a chore. A raised bed is much easier on your back and it will have barriers to keep out slugs and snails. The gardening supplies that are needed for this type of gardening are the same as for in ground standard gardening, the only difference being you will not need any long handled tools.

Your gardening tools should be of good quality possibly professional or the heavy duty type but you do not need to spend a great deal of money on them. Below are five gardening tools that are most commonly used for growing vegetables:

A spade is a tool with a long handle used for digging holes and working the soil. It should be just long enough, according to your height, so you will be able to use the foot rest to push the implement into the ground for digging. You will not need a spade if you are using raised beds. A trowel is a short handled tool with a shape similar to a scoop for digging smaller holes. It should be equipped with a sturdy wooden handle and a steel blade. The pruner is also a tool with a short handle and is used for trimming off dead branches.

A weeder can be a long handled or short handled tool that is very sturdy for pulling out the weeds. When working in a raised bed garden you can also use a short handled fork for weeding. Foam kneeling pads are better to use for kneeling on the ground than using an old rag or a section of a cardboard box. Planting your seedlings and hand weeding will be a little easier with these pads or by using a small garden cart with wheels that you can sit on.

These are just some of the basic supplies used by gardeners for growing a vegetable garden. Some other handy supplies that are helpful are: a garden hose, a kit for testing the soil, good quality starter plants and seeds, trellises for the vine crops, stakes for vegetables that climb, fertilizer, pesticides, good vegetable potting soil for raised bed or container growing and some type of fencing for keeping the animals out of the garden.

If you are a vegetable gardener for the first time, do not despair with a little bit of regular care including watering you should end up with a good crop of vegetables to harvest. Your gardening care will go much smoother with good quality tools and supplies. Just remember to enjoy growing your own vegetables, once you have tasted your harvest you will be convinced it was all worth the effort and you will want to do it again next year.

Barbara has looked into gardeners tools and supplies regarding growing crops in the garden. She has several articles on gardening and some on needed accessories on her website Gardeners Garden Supplies. Barbara would like to hear some of your comments and thoughts.

Author: Barbara Volkov
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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