Woodworking Projects - Veggie Garden

The world is swinging back to backyard vegetable production. We are sick and tired of the chemicals etc. that gets poured into our food these days and we are revolting. Back in the old days everyone had a backyard veggie patch and it was considered the norm. Along came all those leisure activities and functions and before long there was no weekend left so the veggie garden became just weeds and our vegetables were all purchased form the local fruit and veggie shop. Even that has almost gone by the wayside as the giant supermarkets take over the fruit and vegetable industry and dictate prices to the growers. However, we are now seeing veggie gardeners returning to that backyard veggie patch in droves.

One of the main objections to growing veggies at home was all that hard work in digging and garden preparation. But that has all gone too and is no longer necessary. If you are a woodworking buff you can easily build some of the new style no-dig garden beds for your veggies. Imagine that, no more garden digging. Put your garden spade on the hook in the shed and leave it there. Check out some of the plans for raised bed gardening and get started on nice healthy vegetables.

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Basically you will make lumber garden beds with lumber 8" to 12' high and peg it and fasten it securely. These beds need to be only 3' to 4' wide so you can garden without standing in the garden itself as this compacts the soil. Fill these beds with good top soil and then cover with several inches of straw mulch. This will stop weeds growing and will keep your soil at a good happy growing temperature as well as keep it moist. When you plant your seedlings just part the straw and plant. As the mulch breaks down into the soil it will only enhance it so add more as it is needed. That is your only maintenance. A little fertilizer and a water now and then and you are producing happy pest free vegetables. And you haven't used a spade or done any digging. Check out the ideas now in some woodworking plans and patterns and you will soon be harvesting your own healthy veggies.

Woodworking Projects - Veggie Garden

Have a look at some woodworking plans for some ideas here.

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Shade Garden Tips - How to Design a Relaxing, Beautiful Shade Garden

Lots of gardeners are more in favor of sunny spots and will avoid placing their gardens in the shade. You see, they think it's too difficult to grow anything there!
I find that to be very sad because they are missing out on a huge benefit of shade gardens: a unique beauty that gives you a refreshing rest from the hot sun.

I want you to have that luxury and that's why I'm going to share some tips on how to design your shade garden.

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The first, most important thing you can do is the same for any garden - shade or not - you need to plan it out!

Start by investigating that shady spot you're thinking of: are there any weeds growing? If not then that's a bad thing - if weeds aren't growing, it's likely nothing else will grow either!

Go ahead and get some graph paper - don't worry, you don't need to be an artist! - but you *do* need to sketch in whatever trees and buildings provide shade and (this part is important so make sure you're paying attention!) make note of what times and how long the sun crosses over that spot!

Remember to consider what time of year it is, since shade could be seasonal! Also make sure you have a water supply that can reach that spot.

Another thing people often forget when designing a shade garden: they forget about light! I recommend placing a dim light around the shady patch

What Type Of Plants To Include In Your Shade Garden

Shade garden plants should have white or pastel flowers... they'll stand out in the dark of the shady areas of your garden!

My favorites are: Foxglove, Daylilies, Primroses, Impatiens, Forget-Me-Nots and Pansy.

For anchor plants make sure to use evergreens or grasses and not just in one place - use them several times in your garden! I like plants with big, coarse leaves and shrubs like viburnum and hydrangea. Perennials like canna and iris work great too!

The bigger plants will cause some visual gaps so you'll want to use smaller shrubs to fill them in. Go ahead and use boxwood and Compacta holly - they work great!

Use Colorful Flowers To Offset All That Green

I like the silver tones of wormwood and bulks like daffodils and grape hyacinth. These do really well in the shade!

I have lots of people ask me: "What if my flowers have difficulty growing in the shade?"

No problem! Just use pots or containers to plant your flowers and place them in your shade garden.

It's Not Just About Plants And Flowers... Make Sure You Don't Forget This Crucial Part

The success of your shady garden is not just about planting the right stuff... you also need to have good soil and proper drainage!

Preparing the soil is nothing fancy or different from "sunny gardens" - use a good organic compost and spread it with mulch.

Healthy Soil Tip: Make sure you test the pH of your soil! (Most woodland plants grow best in soil that's slightly acidic... that's a pH of 6 to 6.5. Others like blueberries or azaleas grow best with a soil pH of about 5.5

Shade Garden Tips - How to Design a Relaxing, Beautiful Shade Garden

Discover more shockingly easy garden tips including little known design secrets that landscaping companies don't want you to know at http://www.OrganicGardenTips.net

Types of Garden Arbors

For centuries, garden arbors have been a fixture in homes and gardens from the most expensive mansions to the most humble villa and everything in between. The garden arbor originated in Italy, but they can be found all over the world bringing fragrant smells and character to any garden area. There are many different types of arbors and trellises to meet every personal taste.

Archway Arbor

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The archway arbor is best used to divide a large lawn by stacking the arbors behind each other in a row to make an arbor tunnel. This line will divide the expanse and allow the archway arbors to give a clean break to plant different plants on either side and make the area cohesive.

Traditional Arbor

The traditional arbor has trellis sides to allow flowering plants or vine vegetables to grow upwards toward the top of the arbor. The design for the traditional arbor has a flat roof and has a clean line for a garden entrance. The traditional garden arbor can also have a wooden seat installed to in the summer afternoon shade.

Metal Arbors

All arbors look amazing when they are first built and installed. But as time and weather take its toll, an alternative to the wooden garden arbor is a metal arbor. Steel, bronze and iron are just a few of the options to make your garden come to life without having the maintenance required for wooden garden arbors.

Vinyl Arbors

If the upkeep of a wooden garden arbor or the heaviness of a metal garden arbor is not the arbor of choice, consider the ultimate maintenance-free garden arbor, vinyl. The vinyl material can give a look of wood and the durability of metal without having to paint and re-paint each season. Vinyl garden arbors come in many colors and styles and are easily installed to make the garden or yard more attractive and add character to a large space.

Garden arbors enhance any garden whether it be a small vegetable garden or a large flower garden. Place a garden arbor for vine plants to crawl up and make a home for many seasons to come.

Types of Garden Arbors

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Proper Care and Handling of Your Garden Tools is Important - Consider a Garden Tool Storage Shed

Money is tight all around. Now it is time for you to buy some garden tools. Even though you have to spend the money, you would also like to look after your expensive garden implements and store them correctly. You should protect your investment the best way that you can. You do not want to take your expensive garden tools and just toss them in the garage. Worse than that would be to leave them outside for extended periods of time. You need a place to put your equipment and help it to last for many years to come. How? You need to purchase a garden tools storage shed and organize it for your needs.

I bet you have seen those sheds at the big home improvements stores. They are normally set up in the parking lot so that you cannot miss them. They are made for you to store your equipment, no matter if that means pool supplies or you need the building for garden implements storage.

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Check out one of those building at the home center, or look through some magazines. You will find the perfect size garden paraphernalia storage for your needs. Look after your expensive tools and store them correctly. You can buy a storage building a little larger than you think you currently need. It is always good to plan on expansion and have room for all the garden tools you plan to buy in the future. Although you might be starting out with a few shovels, a rake or two and a post hole digger, you need to keep them clean and protected.

When you get a new garden tool you might want to also put your name on your implements. That way, in case a neighbor borrows something from you, you might be able to get it back faster! That works both ways, don't forget to return things you borrow from your neighbors.

There are many sizes, colors, styles and prices of garden storage sheds. You can get metal buildings in various sizes and colors. If you live in the hot part of the country, you may prefer a wooden storage shed for your garden tools. They usually have some vents near the ceiling so that the air can circulate and it won't be so warm inside the garden storage building you pick.

There are products on the market that hold your shovels and rakes, but why spend the money. Just nail a long board onto the wall, put a few nails in that will act as rests for your shoves and rakes. That way they are up and out of the way and will stay clean and dry. You can add some wooden shelves to your garden tool storage. Use the shelves for flower pots, seeds, small hand garden tools and nippers and clippers for trimming your plants. That is also a good place to store your unused hoses and sprinklers.

A garden tool storage building will serve you well and it will help you to look after your expensive garden tools and store them correctly.

Proper Care and Handling of Your Garden Tools is Important - Consider a Garden Tool Storage Shed

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Your Efficient Garden Maintenance Checklist

If you are a Hertfordshire resident frustrated with the condition of your garden and no matter how hard you try, your garden maintenance efforts are not succeeding. You might want to consider one of the many gardening firms in Hertfordshire who offer effective and efficient garden maintenance services.

The majority of Hertfordshire based gardening services companies are well versed with the requirements of what it takes to successfully carry out garden maintenance and achieve the result required results. Of course, every garden is different and its important for you to understand your requirements.

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It is a good idea to have a checklist that you can use to assess whether the gardener you are speaking to, is able to offer a full maintenance service that meets your needs. Also, having a checklist removes the emotion from the exercise and will help you to look at it more objectively.

Set out below is a garden maintenance checklist that will help cover off main areas and hopefully make you aware of some others.

Lawn and Turf Care

- Lawn Maintenance
- Grass Cutting
- Lawn Treatments
- Lawn Scarifying
- Lawn Top Dressing
- Lawn Core Aeration
- Turf Replacement and Removal

Maintenance of Flower Beds and Hedges

- Weed Prevention
- Hedge Trimming
- Weeding Planted Areas
- Pest and Disease Control
- Pruning and Planting

Miscellaneous Garden Areas

- Pressure Washing of Paths, Patios & Driveways
- Rubbish removal
- Leaf Clean Up
- Rubbish removal
- Sprinkler Maintenance & Irrigation Systems

If you are a Hertfordshire resident frustrated with the condition of your garden and no matter how hard you try, your garden maintenance efforts are not succeeding. You might want to consider one of the many gardening firms in Hertfordshire who offer effective and efficient garden maintenance services.

The majority of Hertfordshire based gardening services companies are well versed with the requirements of what it takes to successfully carry out garden maintenance and achieve the result required results. Of course, every garden is different and its important for you to understand your requirements.

It is a good idea to have a checklist that you can use to assess whether the gardener you are speaking to, is able to offer a full maintenance service that meets your needs. Also, having a checklist removes the emotion from the exercise and will help you to look at it more objectively.

Set out below is a garden maintenance checklist that will help cover off main areas and hopefully make you aware of some others.

Lawn and Turf Care

- Lawn Maintenance
- Grass Cutting
- Lawn Treatments
- Lawn Scarifying
- Lawn Top Dressing
- Lawn Core Aeration
- Turf Replacement and Removal

Maintenance of Flower Beds and Hedges

- Weed Prevention
- Hedge Trimming
- Weeding Planted Areas
- Pest and Disease Control
- Pruning and Planting

Miscellaneous Garden Areas

- Pressure Washing of Paths, Patios & Driveways
- Rubbish removal
- Leaf Clean Up
- Rubbish removal
- Sprinkler Maintenance & Irrigation Systems
- Fences/Sheds painted and repaired

In addition, an efficient garden care provider should also offer sound horticultural planning services to fit your individual plans. Better still, if they offer hard and soft landscaping services, you can consider their garden design skills for future projects.

Fences/Sheds painted and repaired

In addition, an efficient garden care provider should also offer sound horticultural planning services to fit your individual plans. Better still, if they offer hard and soft landscaping services, you can consider their garden design skills for future projects.

Your Efficient Garden Maintenance Checklist

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A Sprinkler Hose Vs A Regular Garden Hose

If you are looking to buy a new water hose you will quickly learn there are a variety of hoses available. In order to choose the best one for your needs it is good to know a little bit about the different types available. It may be best to have a couple different types, but if you are short on space, or money, you may want to choose the one that will give you the most functionality.

Round Hoses

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A typical garden hose is round and usually 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter. While 1/2 inch is sufficient for watering the garden or using a sprinkler if you need greater water pressure you may want to get one that is larger in diameter.

When it comes to length they are usually anywhere from 25 feet to 100 feet. If you have a small space it is better to go with a shorter one so you don't have to drag the excess around with you. But if you plant to use it for multiple purposes make sure you have enough length to for all of your needs; other than a little extra weight having a little excess is better with this type of hose.

Round hoses are pretty flexible. You can attach a sprinkler to water the garden or lawn. You can add a sprayer attachment to wash the car or the patio. Or you can use it without an attachment.

Flat Hoses

A sprinkler hose is a type of flat hose that has evenly spaced tiny holes on one side of it. It is placed on the ground with the holes facing up, when the pressure of the water is forced through the sprinkler hose it creates a fine spray that works well for newly seeded grass or gardens.

Another type of flat hose is the soaker hose. This type also has tiny holes on one side, but this one is placed with the holes facing down. This allows the water to seep into the ground at a slow but continuous rate. This type is good for dry or windy climates as it helps cut down on water evaporation.

While flat hoses are less versatile they do help fulfill a specific need.

A Sprinkler Hose Vs A Regular Garden Hose

Having the right hose storage is an important part of protecting your new purchase. Learn more about the best types of garden hose storage to lengthen the life of your garden hose.

Build Your Own Garden Sheds in No Time

Garden Sheds As Storage Buildings

A garden shed storage is a structure, very similar to a regular cupboard, that holds all the gardening tools and other garden things in one place. This is an excellent method of organising all of your gardening equipment and making your yard look neater and more pleasant to the eyes (of you and your visitors).

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Garden sheds are a kind of tradition in Australia and New Zealand and also in some other counties too.

There are large number of garden shed storages sold in the market. However, you may also build your own in case you are on a restricted budget. Also, infrequently its better to build your own shed storage so you can customise the dimensions and materials used appropriately.

First delineate shed fringe to identify the precise place and cut down on mistakes. Utilising 3 2x3 stakes, trace right angles and triangles to form impression of 2nd fringe. As a next step, tie strings in the triangle to form four-sided fringe. Please pay attention as the strings must cross over the corners of real fringe.

To concretely block foundation, use concrete slabs. Concrete pillars are raised on at least eight concrete piers buried below frontline. However, concrete slabs are created by making hole and placing plywood and truss beams that is going to lay on the ground.

To build floor systems, floor beams must be organised corresponding with the shed. Two parallel rafters are marked for each twelve inches (this one is very important too). Create right angle patterns using the triangle technique once again. Brackets are attached in the middle and strings as well. Plywood is nailed ( nail gun will be very handy here) to cover whole surface of the flooring.

Construct walls one at a time on the shed floor. Nail studs at both ends. Attach plywood panels to walls. Use short lived braces to hold up the wall until every one of them are joined together. Nail 4 walls with each other.

Construct rafters each 16 inches. Mark rafters where the truss beams will be placed. Cover with orientated strand board. Place the doors next.

As for windows, there are ready-made windows available. Install them next. Then install the roof.

Usually garden sheds use 3 categories of materials: metal, vinyl, and wood.

Metal is often galvanized steel or aluminium lined with baked enamel finish to gain toughness. They come in spread of colours and are straightforward to maintain. In Australia and New Zealand they are mostly produced by BlueScope Steel and named Colorbond (painted steel sheets) and Zincalume for the galvanised finish). These names are trademarks for BlueScope Steel.

Vinyl panels are complicated and come with Steel doors that can be painted. It withstands any type of weather and requires minimal maintenance.

Timber has got normal look of barns. It has solid lumber frames and looks like into a little house.

Some of the most liked accessories utilised in garden sheds are noted below.

Ramps are robust single story structure used to move equipments out and in the garden sheds like the grass mower. It is usually made of wood or metal.

Perspex Windows and skylights are great additions to bring natural light into the garden sheds. Skylights are replacing a roof panel most of the time. It helps save cash and energy. Window screens and window boxes are also available along with the windows. Louvre windows are also popular in Australia.

Studios are made as spaces for mowers. They are basically used as space for larger machinery.

Shelving system can be added to increase practicality and make the best of the storage space.

Tool holders can also help with organising tools in garden sheds.

Roof ventilation is a very handy addition in areas where summer gets very hot.

Work benches are crucial when the garden shed is employed as hobby shop or gardening area.

Build Your Own Garden Sheds in No Time

Clark is passionate about gardening and DIY projects. He finds great pleasure writing about his garden sheds.

Lawn And Garden Detergent, or Garden Soap, or

A few years back I wrote a small piece on the benefits of using detergent as a surfactant or spreader/sticker for herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. Since then I've discovered a few other worthy uses for detergent in lawn and garden.

Before I recap what a surfactant is, I want to make sure you notice that I'm referring to detergent and not soap. There is a difference. Detergents generally have a healthy breakdown, less build up, and have phosphates which are good for your plants.

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A surfactant?

A surfactant is a widely used agricultural agent that, when properly mixed with liquid fertilizers and such, helps the chemical to spread more evenly and thoroughly over the plants. This in turn means that you have to use less chemicals because they're more efficient. The chemicals spread over every part of the entire plant and do their job much better. So you save money and the environment by using less.

Adding a few drops of liquid dish or laundry detergent to your spray fertilizers and such will do the same exact thing for just pennies per application. A quarter to half a teaspoon per gallon of mix. That's all it takes.

More uses of detergent in lawn and garden.

If you've ever tried to wet down dried out peat moss or potting soil that refuses to take on moisture, you'll appreciate this. A drop or two of liquid detergent in your water will do the trick.

Have a hardpan lawn surface that refuses to accept moisture? You guessed it. Except this time, use a about a teaspoon per gallon through a hose end sprayer. The detergent will break the surface tension of the soil allowing water to soak in.

This is just a quick fix that you can repeat as needed. However, a hardpan soil is a sign that your lawn, garden, or soil needs some serious organic attention.

Until my next gardening wisdom discovery.....

Lawn And Garden Detergent, or Garden Soap, or

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free landscaping and gardening advice, visit his site at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/landscapeideasgallery.html

Craigslist's Farm and Garden For Sale Section - What You May Find

If you want to use Craigslist.org, you will find a for sale section. There are many different categories listed under this heading, including one for farm and garden. In that particular section, what are you likely to find?

Farm animals for sale - Common farm animals listed for sale or even for free on Craigslist include horses, cows, goats, chicken, ducks, rabbits, and more. Many times, a current farmer wants to make room for new animals or eliminate them altogether. Buying farm animals on Craigslist.org is a great alternative to attending local auctions. You may also find pet listings for household pets, such as cats, dogs, birds, and fish.

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Farm services extended to the public - It is common for farmers to offer services to the general public. These may include ground tours, summer camps for kids at horse stables, horse boarding, or animal renting. Animal renting is generally reserved for kids. They get an animal to care for on site. They can then use that animal to participate in local 4-H programs and to attend shows. Most services offered to the general public require the payment of a small fee. Ask if a fee is not listed on Craigslist.org.

For sale farm equipment - Unfortunately, many farmers across America are closing down their businesses or decreasing in size. Others regularly update their farm equipment, like John Deere tractors and John Deere lawn mowers. To help offset the cost of a new purchase, they resell the older models. Whether you are a current farm owner or just need equipment, you can find quality equipment and good prices.

For rent farm and garden equipment - Not only can you find equipment for sale, but for rent too. Gardeners regularly need tillers to treat the ground, but only once a year. It isn't worth it to buy the gardening equipment, but it is to rent it for a day or two. Many equipment owners know this, so they list their equipment for rent or even free borrowing on Craigslist.

Whether you are looking to buy or rent farm or garden equipment, buy farm animals, or use services open to the public, you can find what you need on Craigslist.org. To search more than just your local page, but the surrounding area too, download and use a Craigslist search tool to save time and find what you need. Perform multi-city searches with ease.

Craigslist's Farm and Garden For Sale Section - What You May Find

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Vegetable Garden Layout - Choosing Materials and Layouts For Garden Paths

When designing your Vegetable garden layout, it is important to consider what materials you will use in making your garden paths, how wide you will make these paths and where you will position them.

Loose materials for garden paths

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Gravel, scoria, wood-chip, blue metal, leaf mulch, straw
These can be less expensive than bricks or paving stones but after a while, they can allow the weeds through. It is best to line the pathways with weed-mat to hinder this weed growth. These loose material paths must have a solid edging (like timber) to prevent the materials from migrating into your garden beds. Bear in mind too that the organic mulches such as wood-chip, straw, and leaf mulch will eventually break down and will need replacing and that gravel-type materials, once in place, may be very hard to move should you want to rearrange your garden layout especially if they get into the soil.

Growing pathways

Grass, herbs
Grass pathways are a labor-intensive idea. They require regular mowing and weeding, and the grass in them can invade your garden beds. Herbs such as chamomile or creeping thyme may be a slightly better option since they don't need mowing and they can release a wonderful scent when you walk on them. But both herbs and grass can get muddy in the rain and also get worn by too much foot traffic.

Paved garden paths

Bricks, paving stones, concrete blocks
This is a more expensive option. You will need to take into account the size of your bricks when planning the width of your paths to avoid a lot of unnecessary cutting of the bricks to fit the width. You can make some interesting patterns with bricks or paving stones: stack bond, running bond, basket weave or herringbone amongst others.

Width of your garden paths

For ease of access, paths should be a minimum of 2 feet (60cm) wide although if you wish to push a wheelbarrow between your garden beds, 3 feet (90cm) would be a better width. Consider the sort of people and equipment which will be likely to use your paths. Do you need to allow for wheelchair access? A walker? A lawnmower? Two people side by side?

Vegetable garden layout - positioning your garden paths

Because garden paths are semi-permanent features you will need to make a vegetable garden plan to avoid costly (money and time) mistakes.

Vegetable Garden Layout - Choosing Materials and Layouts For Garden Paths

Your vegetable garden layout will determine where your paths will be placed. You may choose a symmetrical layout in which your garden paths will mark out geometrical garden beds (such as a four square garden or potager kitchen garden). Or you may decide on a less formal layout with random raised garden beds. Whatever you decide, it is a good idea to get your design down on paper or on the computer so that you can see if everything will fit.

Happy planning!

How to Erect a Garden Fence

New fencing can do wonders to improve the look of your garden, as well as creating privacy and security. There are several types of fences, but the wooden ones remain the most popular and economical. Here is some advice on planning and erecting a garden fence.

When planning a new or replacement boundary, you should decide if you are going to employ a tradesman or do some DIY yourself. But first, you should talk to your neighbours and establish who is responsible for the boundary. The standard height of most fences is 6 foot, so if you plan on increasing the height of a boundary to more than this, you may need to obtain planning permission and should seek advice from your Local Council or Planning Authority.

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The standard width of panels is 6 feet and posts can vary from 75 mm to 100 mm. When measuring up, deduct 2 inches from each fence post to allow for where the panels slot in. Once you have taken measurements, you can then determine the number of panels and posts required. Where a fence will be resting on soil or grass, it is recommended that a concrete gravel board is used to stop the wood rotting. These are 1 foot high, so 5 foot fencing panels would be required in addition to make a 6 foot fence.

Concrete fencing posts are designed so that the wood panels slot into the edge without any fixings. Timber posts may have the same feature, or they can be a plain wooden post which should be attached to the panels with brackets.

Building a fence could involve digging holes and mixing concrete. However, a simple fence can be created without any of this hard labour! Wooden fence posts may be secured to soft ground with metal spikes or to a hard surface with bolt down post supports. The panels should be secured to the posts with brackets.

Whilst the Do-It-Yourself option could save you money, employing a professional fencing contractor can make life easier. They would remove your old fence and dispose of it, measure accurately and advise on the best type of fence for your needs. As they buy materials in bulk or may make their own panels, you could even find that they are cheaper than buying fencing from a DIY store.

How to Erect a Garden Fence

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7 Garden Decor Tips

Your garden is your own little oasis. Your retreat from the rest of the world. Naturally, you'll want to add your own touches to your garden, to set it apart from everyone else's. You'll want to add your own accents to make your garden truly your own. Here are 7 ideas for little touches that you can add to your garden, to make it your own personal space.

1. Wind-Chimes - You can find wind chimes in many styles and materials. You can find copper and metal chimes, clay and ceramic. They may feature random shapes of metal or ceramic, or they may be tubes, tuned to certain pitches. So, chances are, you'll be able to find a set of wind chimes that suit your style and your budget. If not, you can easily create your own. Just look around at some of the wind chimes that are available, to give yourself an idea on how they are made.

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When you place your wind chimes, look for a place with a slight breeze. Outside, you shouldn't have much trouble finding such a place. Hang the chimes so they'll blow gently in the breeze, creating a relaxing chime. Just don't put them in too strong a breeze, or the relaxing chiming sound will become a harsh, clanging noise.

2. Lighting - Several lighting options are available for your garden or patio. You can use candles for a soft, flickering light, or a string of electric lanterns for a more steady light. If you don't have an outlet available, you can find solar lights, which soak up sunlight during the day, storing the electricity, and then come on at night when the sun goes down. You may want to include a citronella candle or torch in your lighting to keep mosquitoes away.

3. Garden Furniture - These days, you can find a wide selection of outdoor furniture for your garden. I'm not talking about those uncomfortable, aluminum framed, nylon webbed, camping chairs, that trap you as soon as you sit down. You can find comfortable, cushioned chairs and couches, suitable for outdoor use. A hammock strung between a pair of trees can provide a relaxing place to take a bit of a nap on those hot summer afternoons. Several styles of benches are also available to accent the garden, and provide a place to sit and rest under the lilac bushes.

4. Fake Flowers - If you have a spot in your garden where you just can't seem to grow anything, a container of silk flowers can certainly brighten up the area. You may also put in some small planters on the wall or fence, with trouble-free fake flowers.

5. Containers - You can plant flowers in a container, or vegetables and herbs, or you can build a small water garden to show off water lilies and other aquatic plants. A well placed container garden will add a touch of color and texture to a bare corner of your garden or patio. You can re-plant the containers every season to provide some continual color to your garden, year round, and if you don't like the placement of the container, you can simply move it to a more suitable location.

6. Water Features - A water feature can range from a simple container with some water and a few plants up to a large pond, with fish, waterlilies, bridges, and fountains. It all depends on how much time and money you want to spend in creating it, and how much space you have available. Even a small container with a fountain can add the soothing sound of water to your garden, without taking over a lot of space.

7. Rock Gardens - Rock gardens, like container gardens, can provide color throughout the year, if you plan it well. When plants from one season are done blooming, you can remove them, and replace them with others. A rock garden will take a bit of work to build, especially moving the rocks. Make sure that all parts of the garden are accessible for weeding and watering. Try out different rocks and plants until you find a combination that you like.

These are just some ideas for accenting your garden, and making it your own personal space. Sprucing up your garden doesn't have to take a lot of time, or cost a lot of money. You can build a water feature or rock garden, or you can simply add a few inexpensive decor pieces throughout your garden. Either way, you need to make an effort to set your garden apart from everyone else's. You need to take action to make your garden your own.

7 Garden Decor Tips

Visit Garden Style Decor for more garden decor tips and resources.

Recycled Metal Garden Art - Fun, Playful and Eco-Friendly

Avid gardeners are generally very green folk. They like digging in the dirt, recycling and composting, and easily incorporate other people's discards into their outdoor decor. When looking for interesting pieces to decorate their yards, recycled metal garden art is a popular choice.

Recycled metal garden art is a true reflection of the artist's personality and ingenuity. What may be trash to you or me is reborn in the hands of these eco-artists. One artist, Andrew Chase, makes amazing mechanical structures of giraffes, elephants and robots from recycled automobile and plumbing parts. He gets discarded engine and transmission parts from his local auto repair, and by combining these with plumbing pipes and fixtures he is able to create wonderful, moving creatures.

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Old oil tanks and drums are quite commonly used to make metal garden art. Painted oil tanks that once supplied fuel to cottagers are cut down into brightly colored critters, including dogs with bones, dancing sheep or moose, lurking alligators and climbing frogs. For something a little different you can even add a diva or a devil!

In Haiti a growing crafts community is creating wonderful metal wall sculptures from flattened drums which were once used to transport oil or other products. After removing the ends these drums are flattened and then carved by hand into exotic works of art. Using only hammers, chisels and other simple tools, the artists carve elaborate, decorative designs out of the steel. Haitian drum art is world renowned and spreading in popularity. It makes a striking piece of wall art for inside the house or in the garden.

Saving bicycles from untimely graves a new breed of artists are using recycled bikes parts to create their art. Bike art has become so popular it is a genre of its own. With gears and wheels, nuts and bolts, spokes and bars, a bicycle is the perfect raw material for recycled metal art.

Part of the appeal of recycled metal garden art is the weathered and often rusted look of some of the pieces. Rusted metal has a natural, earthy feel to it and blends with the garden rather than making a loud statement. For this reason a lot of gardeners seek out pre-rusted metal art.

The ingenuity of artists working with recycled metal never ceases to amaze me. Add some recycled metal art to your yard and add instant character and charm.

Recycled Metal Garden Art - Fun, Playful and Eco-Friendly

Ann Wallis is a long-time gardener and lover of beautiful things for her garden. All year round she pores through gardening magazines and websites looking for colorful perennials to fill the holes in her garden and fun, whimsical garden art to add life and character to her yard.

Ann's favorite metal creations can be found at http://metal-garden-art.com

Wooden Garden Benches

Garden benches are nowadays an accessory that practically all gardens have. There are garden benches of various materials available like metal garden benches, plastic garden benches and wooden garden benches.

The wooden garden benches are available in various types of wood, like sheesam, bamboo, oak, teak, pine and other types of wood. Whatever the type of wood used for the garden bench, if the bench is made of tropical wood like teak and mahogany, make sure to ask if the wood used for the bench is plantation grown. This is because wood harvested from endangered rain forests cause a great environmental impact due to its usage. Plantation grown woods are raised specially for the use of furniture, and exert less of an environmental impact. Heirloom benches are available, and are found in various styles of varying designs, finishes, colors and shapes. The main difference that can be seen here is in the shape of the back, arms and legs.

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There are basically two types of benches available, the benches that have backs and the backless benches. Whatever the type of wooden bench you venture to buy, make sure to check out the construction before buying it. This is because; there is a basic rule in garden benches that say that the fewer screws and bolts that are used in the construction of the bench, the better the quality of the bench. Instead of screws and bolts, you should see mostly mortise and tenon joinery in the benches. Check out the wood too; because pine doesn't last long outdoors. The better choices for garden benches are cedar, redwood or cypress, with teak being the best and most expensive of the lot!

Choosing the best wooden garden bench is up to you and your requirements. Buy one keeping your requirements and budget in mind, and you'll have a furniture piece worth investing in!

Wooden Garden Benches

Garden Bench [http://www.e-GardenBench.com] provides detailed information about garden benches, discount garden benches, how to build a garden bench, metal garden benches and more. Garden Bench is the sister site of Lattice Patio Covers.

What You Should Know About A Garden Hose Container

If you are tired of seeing your garden hose laying around or wrapped around a reel, consider getting yourself a garden hose container. Not sure of what these containers are all about? Let's take a quick look at how they can make storing your garden hose a snap.

We all know how important it is to keep the hose from laying all over the yard and picked up. And while that can be a pain at times, having a garden hose container helps to make things a little easier.

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A hose container can be made from wood or plastic and comes with a storage base and removable lid that may include a lock. In fact, I would recommend having a container with a lock in order to keep it staying there at all times.

You can find a garden hose container online in many different price ranges. On average you can find them in the - 0 range depending on construction and size.

One thing to keep in mind is the fact that these hose containers are well built and will last for years. You will not be having to replace them every year. They will also help lengthen the life of any garden hose as well. Keeping the hose out of the elements or from being run over will help to keep it in great shape for years to come.

So, if you are looking for a solution to keeping the hose picked up you may want to take a closer look at a garden hose container.

What You Should Know About A Garden Hose Container

By the way, you can find out more about a Garden Hose Container as well as much more information on all types of garden hoses and garden hose accessories at http://www.GardenHosesA-Z.com

Shade Loving Perennial Garden Flowers

Perennial garden flowers can add beautiful elements of color to shady areas of your garden and landscape. Many perennial flowers are shade tolerant, and some even prefer shady areas, but you must be sure that the flower you are planting is appropriate for the amount of shade your garden is receiving.

There are essentially four different shade categories that are suitable for different plants and flowers:

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• Light shade (also known as "filtered shade" or "thin shade") generally refers to areas that receive two to three hours of shade daily.
• Medium shade (also called "partial shade," "half shade" or "semi-shade") is an area that has four or five hours a day without direct sunlight.
• Full shade is an area where there is no direct sunlight at all during the day, although there is indirect or reflected sunlight available to plants.
• Deep shade (also known as "heavy shade" and "dense shade") are regions where there is no direct or indirect sunlight during the day.

Once you know what kind of shade you are gardening in, you should be able to select the appropriate shade loving perennial flowers for that area. Here are some suggestions of some of the best shade perennial flowers for light, medium and full shade conditions.

Light Shade Perennial Flowers

Daffodils/Narcissus (Narcissus). From fall planted bulbs you will have beautiful orange, yellow, or white flowers that do well in light shade.

Foxglove (Digitalis).  A tall light-shade, perennial flower, the Foxglove blooms in late summer, sending up spires of flowers that can easily reach four feet in height.

Columbine (Aquilegia). Native to the woodlands, columbines can grow up to three feet tall and come in a wide variety of colors.  They generally bloom in May and June, and thrive in areas with light shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Medium Shade Perennial Flowers

Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis). There are many varieties of begonias that grow in tropical climates, but this hardy, medium shade loving variety is an excellent choice for Northern gardeners up to zone six. Their beautiful flowers generally bloom in the fall.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) - This beautiful plant has heart shaped flowers that bloom in May and June. Bleeding heart plants range in height from just over a foot to nearly three feet tall and prefer medium shade conditions. The plants are poisonous, however, so care needs to be taken to ensure they are not planted in areas frequented by children or pets.

Daylily (Hemerocallis) - Beautiful bright orange flowers that thrive in medium shade and can be propagated easily. In some areas they are classified as a noxious weed because of their quick, spreading habit.

Full Shade Perennial Flowers

Hosta (Plantain lilies).  Although hostas are often grown for their wonderful foliage, most hostas also produce beautiful lilylike white and lavender flowers that bloom in late spring until late summer.

Foam Flower (Tiarella). This wildflower has white flowers that grown up to 12 inches tall and are very tolerant of shady conditions. They can be easily naturalized in shady and moist areas (such as along stream banks) or planted in mass to create a beautiful ground cover.

Shade Loving Perennial Garden Flowers

Michelle Day is an avid gardener currently living in the Pacific Northwest. She has written extensively about perennial flowers and perennial shade gardens.

Flower Garden Designs

Gardening has been a popular hobby and art form for ages. Many people go to great lengths to create attractive gardens and sometimes pay top dollar to accomplish such a task. There are several things to consider before one gets started, as gardens take planning, special care and dedication to flourish.

The most important thing to remember when creating flower garden designs is to consider the seasons. Different flowers bloom at different times each year and keeping this in mind is very important when constructing a garden. Before you start your design, take a little bit of time to do some research on the blooming cycle of the flowers you are considering including in your garden. Choose a variety that will allow your garden to be in bloom year round, alternating the different flower species as necessary to keep your garden looking its best.

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Flower garden designs take time and effort on behalf of the gardener to prosper and appear aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Consider the landscape you are working with before diving in. Border designs tend to look nice if there are walkways in the middle, which can be lined with flowers. It may be possible to include vines, or hanging flowerbeds if there are trees, fences or ledges to work with. Considering the layout of the land you are placing the garden is important before designing. Also, be mindful to the climate in which you are placing your garden. If you place a flower whose needs your climate is ill-suited to support, the time and money you put in will be wasted, as it will more than likely die.

As touched upon earlier, it is important to consider the blooming cycle of your flowers before designing your garden. You should also consider the color scheme and the pattern the colors will appear as well when constructing flower garden designs. The different colors, shapes and heights should be carefully considered and you should choose flowers that will blend these aspects nicely. Consider the odor that each flower emits as well. Certain scents may not mesh or blend nicely with other flowers and an effort should be made to avoid this unpleasantness. After all, your flower garden is made to be pleasing to the observer, as well as you, the gardener. So choose flowers whose scents compliment one another.

Flower garden designs take work, dedication and require the appropriate amount of time and effort be put in. If you choose to embark on gardening and feel up to the task, then you are in for a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Creating a superb garden not only increases your lawn's beauty, but can also be a very relaxing hobby for the gardener.

Flower Garden Designs

Katie Appleby is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about flower garden designs [http://coolgardeningideassite.info/flower-garden-designs], please visit Cool Gardening Ideas Site [http://coolgardeningideassite.info] for current articles and discussions.

Learn How to Make a Rock Garden

There's nothing quite so beautiful and unique to add to your property, then a rock garden. Rock gardens provide a unique texture and visual interest, especially if you're in a North American setting. It evokes images of something you would find over in Europe, as opposed to something in a western landscape. While in natural rock garden's the view can be sparse and somewhat drab, that doesn't have to be the case when you create your own. It's a perfect opportunity to let your own green thumb creativity take center stage. You can pick plants and colors for your rock garden, that enhance or contrast your existing landscaping efforts.

The first key to a successful rock garden, is preparation and good planning. Proper excavation of the planning site is also an important component to be considered as well. Picture the space you have to work in, and that any weeds, or superfluous plants are removed. Otherwise they could interfere with the desired effect you're going for.

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You're also going to need to ensure, that the soil is adequate for the plant life you plan on using. That's assuming of course, you plan on having new vegetation for your rock garden. Some experts would suggest, that once excavation is completed you wait an entire growing season before beginning your garden. If you're the impatient type (like me), that's just not going to work out.

Let's assume, that at this point your soil is good to go, and the area is excavated, and ready for the placement of your rocks. This is where the fun begins. It's time to shop for rocks. It's nice to have a common theme throughout your garden, but it's also nice to include some diversity in terms of texture and size. Keep in mind such concepts as scale, contrasts, aesthetics, and flow while laying out your rock choices.

Additionally, don't forget to leave space for any plants and foliage in between the rocks. And, not just space for the plants you see, but for the root system below the ground as well.

It's not absolutely necessary, that the area you picked for your rocks to be graded totally flat. It's a little more interesting actually if there are variances in height and slope for your garden. Give some thought though to water runoff. Think about where water may collect in or around your rocks, and what type of erosion could take place.

Once all your rocks are placed, and the soil has settled, it's time to include plants. As with any kind of planting, it's important pay attention to seasonal advantages. Depending on the plan, Spring or Fall, are likely to most advantageous times to do your planting. Good luck, and happy rock gardening!

Learn How to Make a Rock Garden

If you enjoyed this article on rock gardens, don't miss out on the latest news on rock gardens as it happens.

Vegetable Garden Plans - 7 Types Of Vegetable Gardens

Are you considering making a vegetable garden? If so, you should check into some vegetable garden plans. Garden plans inspire new, creative ideas even as they allow you to plan things out in advance before you do the "real" work of moving things around and planting and transplanting. It's always best to have a plan on paper first before you do the harder-to-correct work of actually putting things in order and planting things. Having garden plans in advance will save you time, money, and frustration.

Vegetable garden plans should be designed around factors such as personal taste, where you live geographically, and how much space you have for planting. Let's consider some garden plans that you may want to implement.

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1. Patio vegetable garden. Make a compact and easily tended garden on your deck or patio. Use two small soil beds and have a dense, synergistic mixture of herbs, vegetables, and flowers in each one.
2. Colorful vegetable gardens. Use harmonious but contrasting colors in your choice of things you plant. These are interesting gardens. They also tend to be very healthy for you, since it's recommended that you get a "mixture of colors" in your veggies and fruits for optimal health.
3. Heritage vegetable garden. Now, what's this mean? It means make it full of heirloom varieties of veggies. Again, this is diverse to the end of good health while at once being interesting and artistically inspired to create.
4. The Asian vegetable garden. You might have to look online for some (or most) of the veggies you would grow in this garden. But it would yield different tastes than what you may be used to. Furthermore, Asian vegetables tend to need less space for growing than what could be found in Farmer MacGregor's garden.
5. The Italian garden. We all know that the Italians make incredibly tasty food. Imagine having the tomatoes and herbs and other ingredients you need to make your own spaghetti or pizza sauce among other Mediterranean dishes.
6. The All-American veggie garden. Hey, who says Americans just make hot dogs, burgers, fries, and take-out pizza? Research American veggie varieties and put together a garden that you'd be proud to "drag" a Chicago-style hot dog through.
7. Autumn yield garden. What's better than still harvesting fresh produce on crisp mornings or evenings, just before the Winter sets in? Lay up your stores for the months of plant dormancy.

Now you've seen some very interesting and creative garden plans. To learn even more about vegetable garden plans that you can use, just follow the link below.

Vegetable Garden Plans - 7 Types Of Vegetable Gardens

Absolutely everything you need to know to set up a garden that produces many times more than a traditional vegetable garden that only requires 8 hours of light easy effort per year at http://www.foods4wealth.info/

How Do I Go About Starting An Organic Garden

1. Choosing the location.

It is vital that when choosing the location for your organic garden that it is in a place where it gets the sun for at least half of the day, but it also has easy access for watering. Also it is important that you make sure that the ground drains well or you may have to build raised bed gardens instead.

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2. Removing the Weeds.

Now you have chosen the location for your organic garden you now need to mow, pull and dig out all the weeds that are there. Then you need to till the land (either by hand using a fork or by using a tiller, but this will depend on how big your garden is going to be). Then you need to remove any further debris by raking the soil over. Now you need to wait a few days and then remove any more weeds that sprout up.

3. Testing the Soil.

Before you begin planting you need to test the soil and then starting building it up using organic matter. You can add compost, bone meal or rock phosphate to the soil. But only add those that are of an organic nature. Also when sowing any plants you should add compost to it about 2 to 4 weeks prior to planting. This gives the compost time to integrate and stabilize itself within the soil.

4. Fertilizers

Now you can start to till and dig in fertilizers and leave it for about a month in order for the nutrients to take a hold.

5. Preparing a Compost Pile

When starting an organic garden it is a good idea to start your compost pile at the same time. You can place in it leaves, grass clippings (so every time you mow the lawn do not forget to add them to the pile), coffee grounds, eggshells and other organic kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peelings etc). As it slowly breaks down the compost becomes a great organic fertilizer for your garden. So no longer will you need to search your local garden center for organic fertilizer, as you will always have some close at hand.

Now that we have shown you how to start an organic garden you can go and choose a spot in your garden and get started. Soon you will be on the way to producing all your own lovely organic products.

How Do I Go About Starting An Organic Garden

For more information on growing an organic garden of your own try visiting http://www.onegardens.com/ where you will find tips, advice and resources about topics such as how to grow an organic garden.

Types of Garden Fountains

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You can choose from many different types of garden fountains while looking for something to add to the beauty of your garden. You can pick your fountains from ones made of stone, marble, granite, metals, ceramic, terracotta, fiberglass and more. They can be as small or large as you want. And they are cheap, easy to maintain, and can magically change the appearance of the garden or lawn.

Based On Materials

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Garden fountains are made of many different types of materials. They are listed below:-

• Stone: Stone is durable and can weather extreme temperatures, rain, and snow. The stones used include granite, slate, and even marble. Marble, however, suffers under pollution and acid rain.
• Resin: Resin can be molded into many shapes, creating spectacular effects. You must be careful to buy good quality, as painted resins do not last long in harsh weather.
• Fiberglass: Fiberglass fountains are among the most popular, for indoor as well as outdoor use. If you are looking for compact, modern fountains for your patio or garden, this is a good option.
• Concrete: Concrete fountains go well with any kind of garden setting. They are available in small as well as large sizes.
• Metal: Metals such as bronze and copper are also used for making small garden fountains. Their use is restricted though, because metal corrodes easily due to moisture and pollution.

Based On Design

Garden fountains are available in many designs and styles. Some of the basic categories are listed below:-

• Natural: These fountains are made of natural materials such as stone and shell. Some stones are used as the decorative figurine without any finishing touches, adding to the natural charm of the setting.
• Ornamental: These fountains stand out, thanks to their showy attractiveness. Ornamental fountains can be used as a standalone piece in your garden, or add to the beauty of a garden pool.
• Pot Fountains: Pot fountains are one of the simplest yet most attractive designs. Pots of various shapes and colors are used for creating a playful water feature. Alternatively, you can even use bowls of ceramic to create a tiered look on a small scale. These fountains are easy to maintain and cost effective.
• Wall fountains: If your garden has a stone or concrete structure, you can use a wall fountain to touch up the bare wall. These wall fountains are compact and easy to maintain. They are also safe as they are out of the reach of children once mounted high on a wall.
• Tiered fountains: Go for this design if you have a large garden. Tiered fountains take up more space than simple statuary fountains. The steps create a ripple effect of water and look best in the center of the garden.

Garden fountains should be able to stand climatic extremes and add to the natural beauty of the garden. The types of garden fountains that you select must depend on a number of factors such as surroundings, plants, safety, maintenance and price.

Types of Garden Fountains

Apurva writes for Ethan Paul Fountains, a leading retailer of garden fountains and wall mounted fountains. For more information about different types of fountains visit www.soothingwalls.com.

Use of Garden Tractor For Small areas

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Decide Use of Garden Tractors Or Lawn Tractors

When you have a small garden the question of using the garden tractor seems like a waste of money. When a smaller lawn tractor will do your work equally well, why spend more money in buying the garden tractor? Well, there are some points in favor of both the ideas and we will take look at both sides of the coin.

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Garden Tractor Vs Lawn Tractors

Lawn tractors: Smaller gardens with an area of less than 2 to 3 acres can make do with smaller tractors better known as lawn tractors. Essentially these are used for lawn mowing and no other work. If your garden is small and has only the lawn, you may continue to use the lawn tractor. Small lawn tractors have a capacity of about 4 to 6 HP.

However, if you do some gardening and have some agricultural produce, it makes sense to buy a garden tractor. The agricultural work involves loading and unloading of the agricultural inputs and outputs and it is difficult for lawn tractors to handle such loads. The attachments that can be attached to a lawn tractor are limited and it cannot definitely take the front end loader attachment that can be required for leveling the ground or flattening it.

The garden tractors are also useful to you in saving time for the other work. With lawn tractor, the time required for the same work will be much higher than the time required for equivalent work for a garden tractor. Since agricultural work is not the main business of a small landholder, it makes sense to have a tractor that can do the work quickly and get on with other jobs that you have in hand.

With a garden tractor, you can do many things that are impossible for the lawn mower to do with or without attachments. For example, you cannot use your lawn tractor for aerating the field, leveling the driveway, or hauling the firewood from far corners of your garden.

With a larger machine like a garden tractor, you can do many things that are unthinkable with small lawn tractors. The removal of stones in your garden or shifting of the stones for beautification of the garden are impossible to be done with small lawn tractor but it can be easily done with a small garden tractor and you can save lot of money in doing this.

Granted that the lawn tractor costs less money for purchase, but think of other jobs that you will be outsourcing in developing your garden and if you buy the garden tractor right at the start of your work, it will be economical to you in the longer run. If later you find it not being used completely, remember that it has saved you enough money to pay for itself and is still saving your time. Remember the wise old saying that 'time is money' and now you can save time and utilize it in higher yield business that you are in now.

The idle investment garden tractor can also make money for you if you rent it. If you are not the kind of person, who likes to rent his/her equipments, just remember that the garden tractor has done its work for you during the development stage of your garden and allow the garden tractor the well earned rest in your garden

So in the final analysis you will agree that using the tractor in a garden is a wise decision.

Use of Garden Tractor For Small areas

The writer Andrew Caxton publishes quite often new articles to [http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com], an online magazine specialized in lawn tractors and lawnmowers. Andrew helps people to find the best solutions for different types of gardens. Reach further information on garden tractors [http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com/garden-tractors.html]

3 Secrets to Stop Snails From Eating Your Garden Naturally

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Snails are one of the worst pests that can live through your garden! They can ravage all your vegetables and they can destroy a lot of your plants! Snails are also very messy and slimy. When your garden is infested with a lot of snails, they make your garden have lines of booger all over! If left unchecked, snails can cause severe environmental damage. Here are 3 secret ways to stop snails from eating your entire garden!

1. Add salt around the perimeter of your garden

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Snails hate salt. If you put salt on a snail, it will shrivel up and die! This is because salt reduces the moisture content in snail's body. For snails to travel, they need a slime to push them along. Salt will stop them immediately in their tracks once they touch them. It is an effective and easy way to stop and kill snails from stepping into your garden!

2. Buy a lizard

Lizards love snails as food. Lizards also don't destroy your garden and can also help get rid of other pests like cockroaches and crickets! They also make a great pet also and are very easy to tame. You don't need to maintain them and will leave your garden snail free!

3. Add a high fence around your garden

A simple high fence around your garden can stop snails from getting into your garden very easy! Make sure your fence is at least 6 foot high and hole proof. Snails need a lot of energy to climb over these fences and will give up trying to climb it. It is one of the most effective and simple ways to get rid of snails in your garden!

3 Secrets to Stop Snails From Eating Your Garden Naturally

Tito King is an Author living in Sydney, Australia. He is interested in reading and creating websites. His latest website is about achilles tendon and finding the best ruptured achilles tendon on the web today.

Flower Garden Layouts

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The home flower garden is one of the best ways to spruce up your home and to lend it a bit of "curb appeal" It is used by those who dress up homes for sale. The flower garden layouts that you use will depend a great deal on the size of your yard, and how much room you can dedicate to flowers or flowering herbs. It's not common sense of course to cover the lawn with errant blooms; however settling them into niches or small areas that will enhance the overall look of your home is smart thinking. Each small flower can be part of the overall look that you are trying to achieve if planned out well.

Your flower garden, depending on the size of your yard and the style of your home, may not only enhance the home atmosphere, making it seem far more warm and welcoming but may in fact increase the value of your home by making it more desirable to potential buyers. Therefore taking the time to develop a good plan of attack when it comes to settling on flower garden layouts will be time well spent.

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Your perfect flower garden layout will ideally begin in winter time and may be done if you like using some of the many different types of software that are out there to help you plan things such as variations in color, texture and height for your garden.

There are, as well as software to assist you in your home garden layouts, also several sites online which will offer example garden layouts, and help you to select plants and colors for your own garden to make the most of the space that you have available to you.

The flower garden layout that you use will be with you for most of the summer and perhaps several years so making sure that it's something you want to live with long term is in order. For this reason it is quite often a better idea to use a means of design that will let you view what the garden is going to look like when the plants are in full growth and bloom, and will give you some insight into whets in store for you with this type plant.

Too, decide on the plants that you will house their carefully, choosing them on not just colors and textures but also on the level of care that they will require, since if you're inordinately busy, you probably don't want to plant something that requires daily care to flourish.

You may select to use containers or raised beds to give you more bang for your buck when it comes to choosing the garden layouts, or to make smaller beds work for you.

Flower Garden Layouts

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about flower garden layouts [http://bestsustainablegardening.info/flower-garden-layouts], please visit Best Sustainable Gardening [http://bestsustainablegardening.info] for current articles and discussions.

How to Start an Organic Garden - Easy Tips That Lead to the Garden of Your Dreams

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It's almost funny how so many people tell me they're "organic" gardeners but after talking for 2 minutes it's obvious that they're not and they had no idea what it means in the first place!

Now I'm not saying that's you but I think it's important we start off on the same page! :)

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The Absolute *Only* Definition Of Organic Gardening You Should Ever Listen To

Organic gardening means you don't use any chemical or synthetic fertilizers or pesticides in your garden. (Simple, right?!)

Of course, chemicals do make the job a bit easier but they come at a heavy price: your vegetables and plants will grow unnaturally and - this one's a biggie - your vegetables will *not* taste nearly as good!

There are great organic fertilizers made from vegetable or animal by-products and plenty of creative, natural ways to keep pests away from your garden!

Not Only Does The Food Taste *Way* Better But Organic Veggies Help Fight Cancer (!!!)

Here's the deal: Organic vegetables are much higher in essential vitamins and nutrients. These play a huge role in fighting disease and even cancers!

Plus, if you care at all about the environment we live in, compost usage (which is a really effective key to organic gardening) nourishes your soil instead of depleting it.

It really is "win-win" - you get better tasting, natural food and your garden gets healthier!

The Best Way To Plan Your Organic Garden

Here's the time to really let your creativity go wild. You just need to keep some things in mind if you really want your garden to thrive!

Fool Proof Way To Pick The *Best* Location Every Time

Pick a patch of ground you're interested in and then watch it for a couple days... look at where the sun hits it and how long it shines on that spot.

Sunlight plays a huge part in thriving plants... I know that sounds so 'common sense' these days but seriously, so few people ever do it right!

Decide What To Plant *Beforehand*

After you pick a nice, sunny spot for your garden do not run in and cultivate it... you have to know what you're planting first.

Why? Because different plants require different amounts of sun and even if you think that spot gets "great sun" it might not be right for what you really want to plant!

This is where people say to me: "OK, fine... so how do I find out the sunlight needs of plants?"

And my answer is always the same... "It says so on the seed packets, silly!"... :)

Seed packets will have 3 answers that indicate amount of sunlight: "sun", "shade" and "partial sun".

"sun" means the plant needs at least 8 hours sunlight every day. "shade" means less than 4 hours and "partial sun" means somewhere between 4 and 6 hours.

And Now For The Most *Important* Key To Organic Gardening

Healthy soil is the single most important key to a successful garden.

If you had everything else right - the best location, optimum sunlight and the correct plants but poor quality soil your garden would still suffer!

What Kind Of Plants You Should Choose

Native plants are great choices because they already know how to "live" (and thrive!) in your local climate.

Perennials are big time savers because they come back year after year... no need to replant!

Did You Know That Certain Neighboring Plants Can "Help" Each Other?

Companion planting is when 2 plant types do better when planted near each other....

Here's something you probably didn't know: For instance, when you plant carrots and onions near each other they will repel pests!

How To Attract The "Good" Bugs

Not all insects are bad -- some should actually be welcomed guests in your garden!

Lady beetles are a great example. (If you plant sunflowers and lupine you'll probably see them in your garden!)

You see, lady beetles eat aphids... if you've been gardening for any amount of time you'll know that aphids cause enormous headaches for your garden!

Honestly though, garden design can be as simple or complicated as you make it. You might be the "spontaneous" type of gardener who plants flowers and greenery at a whim and them decides how it looks. (Just don't say I didn't warn you!)

Others will get out a pencil and graph paper to plan out their garden and consider things like plant height, color combination, scent and even soil needs!

How to Start an Organic Garden - Easy Tips That Lead to the Garden of Your Dreams

Discover more shockingly easy organic garden tips including easy ways to keep your garden healthy and thriving at http://www.OrganicGardenTips.net

Garden Arches Can Enhance Your Garden's Design

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Garden Arches are perfect for growing climbing plants such as roses or clematis up and over. An arch is a really useful piece of outdoor furniture that can add the wow factor to your gardens entrance or across a pathway. Designers often use a garden arch to separate one area of a garden from another, as you step through the arch you are leaving one area and entering another.

Location
When deciding where to place an arch in your garden you might want to consider using it at the entry point, patio or decking area. The arch will allow you to create a wonderful entrance that will look beautiful covered in blossoming climbing plants. An arch can also add a beautiful focal point to a path or walkway. Alternatively you may wish to consider placing an arch in a secluded area of your garden with a seat beneath so that you can sit and relax in a peaceful place sheltered from the weather. If you are considering using an arch to cover a seat or bench you may want to consider purchasing an arbour instead as this type of outdoor furniture is a sheltered garden seat.

Garden

Climbing plants
By growing climbing plants up and around a garden arch you can enhance your garden vertically. A garden arch also gives you the opportunity to try growing wonderful plants such as vines and climbing roses which will look glorious when in bloom. There are garden arches available with planters included in their structure meaning that you can place your arch anywhere in the garden and be able to grow climbing plants successfully.

Alternatively you can grow climbing fruit and vegetables up and around your garden arch such as grapes or beans. An arch is a great solid structure that can support a whole variety of plants.

My top tip - Don't put your garden arch in the shade if you are planning to grow climbing plants.

Materials
Garden arches are available in metal or timber. Metal arches can be either contemporary or classic in design depending on the style you prefer and are made from iron or coated steel. Metal garden arches are extremely durable and require little/no maintenance.

Wooden garden arches are more traditional and blend easily into your gardens backdrop as they are made from natural products. If you are planning to buy a wooden garden arch I advise you to purchase one that has been made from pressure treated timber.

Garden Arches Can Enhance Your Garden's Design

Vicki Copp write articles for Jacks Garden Store offering gardening advice and tips at Jacks Blog You will also find a great range of gardening products including garden sheds, greenhouses, summerhouses and garden arches at Jacks Garden Store