Today’s Garden Ideas

Lighting is an effect that you can add to your garden no matter what season it is. With the right placement and planning, the effect of lighting can transform your garden from a landscape design into a haven of paradise. The right lighting can turn your garden into the most magical place in your home and change the entire character of your garden. Paint your garden with light in the winter months, and pick up the mood from the colder temps by bringing everything back to life with light. (more…)

If you are thinking of starting a rock garden, you will need to do your research and ensure you have the proper materials. If you end up using the wrong kinds of rock, your end result will not be as effective as you originally planned. It is ideal to use rocks that are obtained locally due to the fact that rocks that exist in your current habitat will function best in their natural environment in your garden. What kinds of rocks should you consider? (more…)

Many gardeners go through some sort of outdoor withdrawal when the temperatures start to drop, and gardener’s depression is very common. What can you do with your hands and your love for plants when it’s no longer official ‘gardening season’. Well, the first thing you need to do is get it out of your head that gardening season begins and ends. It doesn’t. Yes, you CAN garden all year round, and one way you can do that when it starts to get cold is to begin an indoor garden. (more…)

When it comes to creating good feng shui for the home, most of its practitioners agree that manipulating the surroundings of the house is far more decisive than whatever is done inside.
In last month’s article, I shared strategies on designing an outdoor living space for your home, based on aesthetic appreciation. Today’s article will focus on designing to achieve a sense of balance and harmony. (more…)

Of course we all know that plants need two things for life: sun and water. But there are some garden areas, especially in heavily wooded locations that just can’t escape having some areas of shade. Just because you have shade in your garden however, does not mean that it should be wasted space. There are many plants that do very well in shade and some in fact, that will only thrive in shaded areas. You just need to determine what kind of shade you have and then pick out your favorite shady plants! (more…)

Tired of having to trim the grass along your fence line where your mower can’t quite reach? How about planting a fence garden instead? Not only will it add beauty to your yard but by planting a few climbing plants you can break up the monotony of the fence line. (more…)

If you are thinking about growing a wildflower garden do not be fooled by all those seed companies promoting wildflowers in a can or roll. Chances are you will not be very successful going this rout. Nor, can you just simply scatter wildflower seeds and believe you will end up with a wildflower meadow. (more…)

The Evergreen Garden or Conifer Garden as it is also known is an easy and effective way to beautify a rather plain landscaped area. These evergreen plants thrive in just about any hardiness zone and in all types of sunlight. In addition, most of them have low water requirements and are generally low maintenance in regards to pruning and general care. (more…)

If you live on a hill one of your greatest worries is erosion. The rain falling on your hillside causes mudslides, washing away topsoil, and perhaps most frustrating, the inability to grow anything in that hilly area. Plants cannot grow in this type of landscape because the water travels so quickly it does not have time to become absorbed by the soil hence roots get no water. Over watering to compensate for such quick water loss can cause subsurface erosion. This happens when the soil under the surface becomes saturated with so much water it becomes slippery and causes a mudslide. There is a solution. (more…)

Garden borders can be of various designs. Some are made with border fence or stone. Others are of an organic nature using ground cover, flowers, and ornamental grasses. But, if you want a very colorful border with no tedious up keep, you might want to consider a flowering shrub border garden. (more…)