her gardening blog

Archive for the ‘Landscape’ Category

While most people would pay a lot of attention towards protecting their home from outside threat, few would think of protecting the perimeter of the house- i.e outside the house that includes the garden and porch area.  Protecting the garden is a very important consideration too. If the garden and outside space provides easy access to a burglar, they can quite easily break in into the home, thus compromising its safety and probably your own safety as well.

 

A garden or shed that provides easy access to an outsider could mean that the burglar could easily rob your garden accessories, any plants or even tools! So, what could you do to make sure you protect your garden as well? Here are some points to remember:

1. Ensure that you have a garden fence and a garden gate that is locked or at least kept closed at all times.
2. Install surveillance equipment like a CCTV camera if you have valuable possessions in your garden
3. Install good lighting around your garden- a lighted area can be a big deterrent for potential burglary attempts
4. Consider keeping expensive gardening equipment like the mower, ladder etc in a garden shed if they are kept in the open.
   1. If your garden has any external doors going into the house, make sure that you it is locked at all times when you are not in the house. Also secure all opening windows with key locks, or a wire mesh.

This post has been sponsored by Darfen Durafencing, a security fencing company specialising in the b2b industry.

Popularity: 2% [?]

At first this might seem contradictory. That is because schools generally consider
cutting costs before spending more money on major land developments. However,
schools that spend a small amount to have their yards reconstructed with
artificial grass will help save them financially in the future, and here are a
few ways these fake lawns can help.

First of all having an artificial turf installed in one’s school will save them on maintenance costs year round. This is because artificial grass does not require any maintenance. There is no need to water, soil, or reseed the lawn.

There is also no need for fungus or pest control. Schools have high maintenance costs due to the large number of people who attend! With people constantly using their property, schools to quickly develop problems with pest control, mold, and fungus. These can be detrimental to a child’s health.  However, having an artificial lawn installed will help reduce the chances of bug infestation ruing any chance for further fungal development out in the school yard.

Finding artificial turf is easy online, and there are a variety of websites that provide wholesale artificial turf to their larger consumers. Also buying this fake grass in bulk can further save schools money, and they might even be able to provide further discounts for public schools in need.

It is thanks to these long term savings on maintenance costs and hazard preventions that can really help a financially struggling school and that can help preserve the jobs of staff members and teachers alike.!  Therefore, having artificial grass is not only a need! for schools, but a must for all who attend!

Popularity: 6% [?]

Fake turf doesn’t look so fake anymore.  In fact, more and more people are using a fake! lawn as grass for their backyards!

How can that be?  Isn’t artificial grass expensive?

It doesn’t have to be!

Artificial grass offers a ton of benefits, but the biggest one is price.  Whether you have a small yard or a giant park to worry about, artificial grass can fit into your budget.

And, it’s not like real grass is free.  After all, when you consider watering, mowing, and fertilizing, real grass can be awfully expensive!

However, artificial grass is a one-time cost.  Sure, you will have to pay for the materials and installation.  But once your artificial grass is in, the expense ! is done.  You never have to maintain it, so you never have to spring for a professional landscaping company, lawn tools, or even the money it would take to water it!

Guest Posting by Bobby Quill

Popularity: 7% [?]

Guest Posting by Bobby Quill

While many academic institutions across the country have already embraced artificial turf, others are discussing the idea and looking into artificial grass prices. The Journal reports that Plattsmouth Board of Education members heard advice from coaches and community members last month regarding a notion to install artificial turf on the Plattsmouth High School football field.

The group’s monthly workshop last month was attended by mostly members who approved the idea of replacing the field’s natural grass surface with artificial grass. According to the article, the board has spent the last few months collecting data and input from local citizens and researching artificial turf manufacturers.

 “The benefits of something like AstroTurf would be astronomical for our band program,” the PHS band instructor Zac Konrad told the paper. “I wanted to come here to tell you that this isn’t just an athletics issue. I’m really excited about the possibilities if this happens. It would help our marching band a lot to have a field to practice on every day.”

Just like residential artificial grass, the new surface would help the school save money on water and maintenance bills.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Does your mind ever go to weird places?  Do you ever find inspiration for your home and garden in the most unusual places?  Some times I do.

As I was walking to the mailbox  the other day I was thinking of all the unique mailboxes I have seen over the years and how some of these might be used to decorate my garden.  There are house mail boxes  and cow mail boxes, I even saw one once that was shaped like a baseball hat.

What kind of mail box design could you use in your garden this spring?  I did some looking online and do you know that besides the standard half oval residential mailboxes residential mailboxes that come in hundreds maybe even thousands of shapes, sizes and colors there are more then a ton of them that looking nothing like a mailbox at first glance.  As I was looking through these a storm of ideas came to mind for ways I could use them to decorate my home and garden and even use them for a organizing things here in my office.  You could use small square wall mount to keep your keys in.  You could use and extra wide stainless steel one for locking documents in.  The possibilities are endless.  Heck you might even just decide to replace your existing mailbox.

Even if your neighborhood or house already has a mailbox provided, do not fret take a look at some of the more interesting shapes and designs for the mailbox and I think you will agree that maybe there is more to the mail box then just mail.

Popularity: 6% [?]

We have almost made it through.  Soon the sun will be shining, the birds will be singing and it will be spring again.  There is something magical about birds calling our yard their home, but if we really want to enjoy them and our garden we need to create a living space for these creatures so they are welcome guests rather then welcome pests.

The first thing we would do with any company is make sure we feed them.  When looking at a bird feeder we need to spend a little time finding out what birds are local to our area.  Although the design of many bird feeders is similar the way these flying friends eat and what they eat is as diverse as the possible cuisine in your neighborhood.  There is nothing more disappointing then buying a bird feeder and looking forward to seeing a certain type of bird only to find out that particular bird never comes around our house, would never eat out of that type of feeder or doesn’t eat the food we served.  Just like being sure we are aware of the dietary needs of our children’s friend when they come over we need to make sure first we understand the bird feeder needs of our feather visitors.

Once we start feeding the birds and word gets out we have the food they are looking for the birds will flock (pun intended) to our house.  If we want them to do more then just stop buy for a bite we need to provide the birds a nice bird house to live.  Since we now know what kind of birds we will have we can use that information to also determine what kind of bird house they need.  We can get birdhouses in sizes, shapes, colors, and styles so that the house will make the birds want to nest there as well as become a compliment to décor of our yard and garden.

What bird sanctuary back yard would be complete without a bird bath.  As you can imagine a refreshing break from flying around is a nice clean bath to splash in and relax in.  Besides pedestal style bird baths we all think of there are bird baths that can be mounted to a deck railing, ones that can be integrated into our garden pond and many other styles to choose from.  There are even bird baths that come with heaters and de-icers so that your back yard tenants can use them all year round to get a nice drink and keep themselves clean.

If you are lucky enough to life in an area where the are my favorite is the hummingbird.  As we know these speedy little creatures never stop flapping, even to eat.  Of course there is a special hummingbird feeder  just to meet their needs.  If hummingbirds live in your area I would encourage you to get some feeders for them.  It is an exciting treat to watch this beautiful little creature flit around our yard and drink from the feeder.  You won’t regret it.

No matter what kind of birds you end up with in your yard this year make them feel welcome with these few special things you can do to make your world inviting to our avian friends.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Welcome to the November 26, 2008 edition of a gardening carnival.

Condo Blues presents Three Easy, Natural, and Free Fall Centerpieces posted at Condo Blues.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Yard Yarns (Limerick and Haiku Prompt) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

flowers

GrrlScientist presents Lotus Blossom posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “Lotus blossom. Photographed at Attwater, Texas.”

Laurie Bluedorn presents Trivium Pursuit » Blog Archive » Flowers posted at Laurie Bluedorn, saying, “Here is a tour of our garden as it was in August.”

gardening

Sarah presents Guide to Buying Sprinklers | Winter Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “A guide to buying the right sprinklers for your lawn.”

Machione presents GREEN ACRES Is The Place To Be… posted at Fear And Loathing – The Gonzo Papers, saying, “This summer a vegetable garden popped up in The Writer’s Refuge.”

Kilroy_60 presents I Took Time For Myself… posted at The Lives and Times… of Anthony McCune, saying, “Yesterday I made a point of taking time for myself. I shot photos of the lamb’s ear my mate planted in the garden.”

Hortois presents What Ornamental Grasses to Grow posted at The Compost Heap, saying, “Top grasses and bamboos”

Rachel Kayne presents An RKayne Garden: Northwest Garden Show posted at An RKayne Garden, saying, “organics, water gardening, indoors and out, container, I do it all (oh, and bonsai!).”

Wilfrid presents Time Saving Gardening Techniques posted at Gardening Tips For Beginners, saying, “A few techniques that can go a long way when it comes to making your gardening more efficient”

house plants

Hortoris presents Conservatory Plants posted at The Compost Heap, saying, “Indoor plants see also http://gardenerstips.co.uk/blog/flowers/hibiscus-senensis/”

Dereck presents Gardening in the Winter posted at I Will Not Die.

landscape

GrrlScientist presents Manhattan in Autumn at the Anne Loftus Playground posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “The Anne Loftus playground, which is located in the northeast corner of Fort Tryon Park in Inwood (Manhattan), was named in honor of Anne Loftus (1925-1989), who was a businesswoman and a neighborhood administrator. The park itself, which covers 67 acres, was named for Sir William Tryon, who was a Major General and the last British governor of colonial New York.”

Lauren Rose presents Choosing the Best Plants for your Garden posted at Own Home Style .com, saying, “How to choose the best plants for your garden”

organic gardening

Karen Shanley presents Author Mom with Dogs » Blog Archive » Zucchinis or Squashes Setting Small Fruit? Absence of Bees May Require Hand Pollinating posted at Karen Shanley.

vegetables

Woman Tribune presents Top 10 Produce You Should Buy Organic posted at Woman Tribune.

Kathy Hester (GeekyPoet) presents Grow Your Own Lettuce posted at Walk a Greener Path.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on December 24, 2008.

Technorati tags: a gardening carnival, blog carnival.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Welcome to the October 29, 2008 edition of a gardening carnival.

Sharontpc presents Who Knew? My Clematis turned into Morning Glories. posted at Psychic Cottage, saying, “Not sure if you do funny gardening stuff.”

Lauren Rose presents THE CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES | Own Home Style .com posted at Own Home Style .com, saying, “Nowadays due to the introduction of new hybrid varieties in vegetables, which are susceptible to pest and diseases, there is demand for more plant protection, usually with toxic chemicals.”

GrrlScientist presents Honeycomb posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “A picture of a honeybee honeycomb, photographed at Russ Pittman Park, Texas.”

flowers

GrrlScientist presents Seattle Visit: University of Washington’s GreenHouse, Part One posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “Part one of my two-part photoessay about my visit to the biology department’s greenhouse on Seattle’s University of Washington campus. lots of gorgeous images!”

Condo Blues presents Condo Blues: Drying Fresh Lavender posted at Condo Blues.

gardening

Kristen McCarthy presents Community Gardens: Transform Urban Spaces posted at this-sustainable-life.com, saying, “Traditionally, community gardens emerge in the most unlikely spaces: from dispossessed parking lots and abandoned railway lines, to hubcap strewn parks and needle plagued back alleys, to the sagging rooftops that overlook laundry lines stretched out across the cityscape in multifarious patterns. In these areas rejected and wasted from human-made decay, urban gardens are birthed.”

Sarah presents Ridding Your Lawn of Gophers, Moles and Other Rodents | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “How to get rid of pesky lawn creatures.”

Bobbie Whitehead presents Garlic Onion Time posted at Bobbie Whitehead.

nichole halsey presents Growing Garlic at Home – Planting it? posted at Bad Human! Don’t take chemicals from strangers!, saying, “Easy fall planting”

house plants

Annette Berlin presents How To Grow Hydroponic Herbs posted at Craft Stew, saying, “I’m not much of a gardener. I’m too afraid of snakes and spiders to enjoy playing in the mud. The one exception to my purple thumb is hydroponic herbs. Growing hydroponic herbs is so easy, even I can do it. It’s a no-brainer.”

Sarah presents Why Is Proper Lawn Clipping Height So Important? | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Some reasons why it’s really important to clip your lawn correctly.”

John Rhodes presents Lawn Care Success or Failure, ProGardenBiz Magazine V1 Issue 3 posted at Lawn Care, saying, “Some things that will determine whether your lawn business is successful or not”

landscape

Giorgina Devereaux presents Outdoor Decorating Ideas posted at Home Decor Blog.

organic gardening

Jamie McIntosh presents Save Money with Organic Gardening posted at Jamie’s Blog, saying, “Everyone knows that green living techniques can save money by saving energy in the household. Earth-friendly organic gardens can also help you save money.”

GrrlScientist presents Seattle Visit: The Montlake Fill (UBNA) posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “This photoessay describes my visit to one of the finest small- to medium-sized urban birding areas on the west coast of North America, the Montlake Fill. This is a reclaimed wetland that was formerly a city dump.”

vegetables

Bobbie Whitehead presents Cole Crops Ready posted at Bobbie Whitehead.

KimberlyKA presents Vegatable Garden Planting Guide posted at Food Talk 101.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on November 26, 2008.

Technorati tags: a gardening carnival, blog carnival.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Welcome to the September 26, 2008 edition of a gardening carnival.

flowers

GrrlScientist presents Visiting Darwin’s Home, Part 2: The Gardens posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “[photoessay] After touring Darwin’s Down House near London, England, I next toured the Gardens and photographed some of Darwin’s experiments. Includes information and lots of photographs.”

gardening

Melinda presents VIDEO!! Gardening 101: How To Hand-Pollinate Tomatoes & Peppers posted at One Green Generation.

Deanna Caswell presents Add PVC Hoops To Raised Beds posted at Little House in the Suburbs.

Piedro Molinero presents More About Butterfly Gardening posted at DIY Gardening Tips.

Deanna Caswell presents Build a Garden Cubby posted at Little House in the Suburbs, saying, “Thank you!”

P.L. Frederick presents Why I Hate Flies posted at Small and Big, saying, “Not sure if this is appropriate for your carnival but just in case. It’s a short, fun read!”

landscape

Jendi presents Problem Solved posted at Garden Vines.

organic gardening

Jamie McIntosh presents Sawdust in the Organic Garden posted at Jamie’s Blog, saying, “Put wood shavings to work in your compost bin or garden storage area.”

Marilyn Zink presents Benefits of Organic Herbs vs. Non-Organic Herbs posted at Herbal Collective, saying, “How organic herbs help improve skin care, bedding, cosmetics and shampoo, particularly for children.”

roses

Piedro Molinero presents Rose Gardening posted at DIY Gardening Tips.

vegetables

AdmirableIndia.com presents Pearl Valley or Muthyala Maduvu, Karnataka posted at AdmirableIndia.com, saying, “Cauliflower”

Chris Hinkelman presents What do you do with the mid-season glut? posted at Borage for Courage, saying, “One of my absolutely favorite recipes for using your fresh garden ingredients.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on October 29, 2008.

Technorati tags: a gardening carnival, blog carnival.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Welcome to the July 30, 2008 edition of a gardening carnival.

flowers

AdmirableIndia.com presents Trip to Ooty: Day 2: Part 1: Ooty Lake – Boat House and Thread garden, Ooty posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

gardening

Jason Isbell presents Needs for a Butterfly Garden posted at Tired Garden.

Amy L. presents Four Secrets to Growing Indoor Miniature Roses posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Every year, thousands of people purchase miniature roses, only to have them die in a few months.”

Ty Cee presents Pinoy Horticulture posted at Pinoy Horticulture, saying, “Pinoy Horticulutre provides information about the activities of horticulture societies and plant enthusiasts in the Philippines”

Laura Williams presents Around the Homestead Today… posted at Laura Williams’ Musings, saying, “Gardening and Canning. We grow and herb garden in addition to a grapes, cherry trees, blueberry bushes, and a traditional garden. We stil have 6 cranberry bushes, 7 plum trees, and 2 fig trees to plant this season.”

Louise Manning presents Woodland birds under threat posted at The Human Imprint.

valereee presents No dirt under your nails? No tomatoes for you! posted at Cincinnati Locavore, saying, “Don’t like to garden? Hire a gardener!”

Jdebosdari presents Dead and Dying Yew Trees and Hedges posted at Ashridge Trees, saying, “Yew (taxus) hedging sometimes causes trouble in the summer after it is planted. Here are a few reasons why and suggestions as to how to help it establish”

Alison presents Help! Tomato 911! posted at Green Me, saying, “Hello experienced tomato gardeners! I need your help pronto or I may have complete crop failure!”

Deanna Caswell presents How to Compost posted at Little House in the Suburbs.

herbs

Gwen Mangelson presents Calendula HERB OF THE YEAR 2008~ posted at Paper Expressions.

lawn care

Sarah presents Caring for Your Lawn in the Winter | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Even though your grass doesn’t need much attention during the winter, it’s still important to follow some basic seasonal lawn care guidelines ”

Sarah presents Diagnosing and Managing Brown Spots on Your Lawn | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “If there are brown spots on your lawn, repairing them and preventing them from returning can be an exercise in frustration.”

organic gardening

Jamie McIntosh presents Control Carpenter Bees posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “No one likes carpenter bees drilling into their decks and homes. However, these insects have an important role in your organic garden.”

Candice Brokenshire presents Harry Hopkins – Motivational Landscaper posted at The Red Barn Cooperative.

Teri presents My Work as an Environmental Biologist posted at Teri’s Organic Garden, saying, “My work as an environmental biologist working with 2 amazing grants – the Public Seed Initiative and the Organic Seed Partnership – both grants involve organic vegetable farming issues and ways to solve them.”

Fiona Lohrenz presents Going Organic…Why We Should! posted at Child Care Only.

vegetables

Chris presents 3 Steps to the Perfect Vegetable Garden (Part Two) posted at Smith Family Garden.

:: Suzanne :: presents works for me? tomato posted at :: adventures in daily living ::.

Dave Trenholm presents Growing Potatoes In Straw posted at Alberta Home Gardening.

valereee presents Garlic Mustard Dill Pickle Relish posted at Cincinnati Locavore, saying, “Those first early cukes are perfect for pickle relish!”

Condo Blues presents How to Grow Upside Down Tomato Plants posted at Condo Blues, saying, “How to plant an upsidedown tomato planter.”

Katrina Cain presents Did You Know That Raw Runner Beans Are Toxic? posted at Were You Wondering….

Miscellaneous

Matt DiChiara presents Alleviating Sick Building Syndrome with Plants in Your Apartment | MyNewPlace Blog posted at MyNewPlace Blog.

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Treating And Preventing Mosquito Bites posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Ahh, summer. The sun is warm, the water is cool, the flowers are blooming, and unfortunately, the bugs are biting. The worst offender of them all is the mosquito, carrier of pain, itching and possible diseases like West Nile. Here’s how to treat and further prevent bites”

AdmirableIndia.com presents Bangalore to Mysore on Bike: Day 1: Part 2: Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Brindavan gardens and Krishnarajasagara or KRS dam posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

GrannyJ presents Deadly symmetry posted at Walking Prescott, saying, “Because I live in the dry Southwest on the side of a hill, most of my in-the-ground plants tend to be wildflowers. sometimes they are not the easiest to get growing!”

Sean presents JAPANESE GARDENS – KILDARE – IRELAND posted at MY SECRET IRELAND, saying, “One of the most beautiful places in Ireland for the Gardening community.”

GrrlScientist presents Introduced Parasite Suspected of Killing Wild Bumblebees in Canada posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “A mysterious decline in North American bumblebee populations is apparently the result of “spillover” of pathogen-infected commercial bumblebees, Bombus species, from agricultural greenhouses where tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are commonly grown in huge quantities. Includes images and data.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on August 27, 2008.

Technorati tags: a gardening carnival, blog carnival

Popularity: 22% [?]