Dream YardWritten by http://www.home-and-garden-decor.net
Do you ever dream about what your yard could look like some day? As you look through garden catalogs filled with beautiful trees, shrubs, flowers and pictures of beautifully landscaped yards--complete with ponds and garden sculptures--the choices seem endless. Before ordering hundreds of plants or giving up because you cannot decide what you really want, here are a few things to consider.A common issue in landscaping is creating a peaceful, private environment. While fencing can provide immediate privacy, consider a buffer strip of shrubbery between your yard and one next door. Many shrubs will grow quickly--within a couple of years--and act as a screen while providing habitat for a variety of birds. Consider planting native shrubs because they are usually well adapted to local conditions and may provide best habitat for local wildlife. Other considerations: whether plants have special characteristics such as flowers or fruits, how large they will eventually become, and how much maintenance they require to remain healthy and in scale with your yard. Check with a local nursery or garden center for recommended species. If you always thought it would be fun to have a pond, try it. With variety of materials now on market, anyone can have a garden pond, regardless of size of yard. If you have a lot of space, you can build one right in ground. You can purchase a pre-formed mold or dig a hole and line it with a plastic pond liner. A simple type of pond consists of a plastic lined barrel or tub. Just add water, plants, a pump, and even fish--and you have a pond for your patio. Be sure to consider sources of electricity if you intend to add a pump. Also, make sure you use caution and take security measures if small children have access to your yard and pond. Another factor to consider is maintenance. A pond can require a lot of effort to keep it clear of algae, leaves, and debris.
| | Choosing Garden FurnitureWritten by Matthew Anthony
No matter how pleasant a garden is, it is not being enjoyed to its full extent if there is no where for visitors to sit and admire beauty of garden. Luckily, few gardeners are willing to sacrifice design for comfort and with wide choice of garden furniture available today, it is rare to find gardens bereft of furniture. Garden furniture will if anything look great with just about any style of garden. Indeed, many gardens will provide several different items of furniture so that people have flexibility to enjoy garden from a variety of positions. So how does gardener decide which of these many types of furniture you should be added and to which parts of garden ? Firstly, they should decide how garden will be used - formally or informally. Some people entertain a great deal and would use their patios or decks as an extra room for entertaining, while others just want to enjoy peace and quiet of their gardens. Alternatively garden may double up as an play area for excitable children. In order to entertain properly, guest should not be crowded and so plenty of seating is required. If you entertain frequently, you should consider garden benches and deck chairs for more flexibility. Also should you be lucky enough with climate to serve meals to your guests without leaving your beautiful gardens, then consider a large garden table and chairs so that you have plenty of room. Additionally you will probably need a decent parasol to your garden table so that you can entertain with protection from sun (or rain).
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