her gardening blog

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

A large, sun drenched back yard may be the ideal place to plant a garden but millions of people living in urban areas across the world a back yard, even a small one, just isn’t an option. Luckily, even a space as small as a fire escape can be used by anyone with a green thumb to plant a modest but tasty or aesthetically pleasing garden.

One of the best ways to take advantage of limited space is by container gardening. You can find plants and containers to fit almost any area. Also, with container gardening you can utilize your vertical space by building shelves and stacking your plants or hang containers from the ceiling. If one of your plants is infected with pests or disease you can isolate that container from the rest of the plants. As a result spider mite control, as well as pest treatment in general, is fairly easy.

When choosing your container you may want to consider a few guidelines. Plastic pots may deteriorate in UV light while wooden containers can rot. Glazed ceramic pots will need holes for drainage. If you are living in a warm climate you should use light-colored containers to help lessen heat absorption. Clay pots should be monitored for moisture loss since clay is porous and water may be lost from the sides of the container.

Rooftop Gardening is another option for city dwellers. One advantage of rooftop gardening is that it helps reduce energy costs. The greenery covering the roof will help reduce that roof’s temperature. Also, rooftop gardens retain rainwater and thus help to prevent flooding. If multiple people are gardening on a single roof this may also help build a sense of community among tenants.

Just because someone lives in the concrete jungle doesn’t mean they can’t have their own garden. With a little ingenuity and proper planning any space, like a roof or fire escape or even a closet, can be transformed into a thriving garden.

Popularity: 21% [?]

When you buy artificial turf for your home lawn, you are making a commitment to environmental responsibility in many ways. Installing a synthetic lawn at your home to replace an existing natural grass lawn reduces the use of gasoline and other fossil fuels needed to maintain a lawn, since fake lawn grass is virtually maintenance-free. In addition, artificial grass doesn’t require watering, allowing you to stop wasting precious water to keep your lawn from dying.

An artificial turf lawn is also an environmentally smart decision because it gives the option to recycle your lawn when it is time to be replaced. Artificial lawns will eventually need to be replaced — although that won’t happen in decades. But when you do need to replace a synthetic surface, the vast majority of the material can be recycled, meaning that you won’t need to worry about your lawn taking up space in a garbage landfill when you are done with it.

Some types of artificial grass are specifically made with blends of natural and synthetic elements to make them easier to recycle, and many manufacturers attempt to use as many pre-used materials in constructing their grass fibers as possible.

Popularity: 5% [?]

As I sit here staring at my gas fireplace, my thoughts go to an outdoor gas logs firepit. I love being outside. I love being in the hot tub on a crisp day. I tend to use my hot tub long after most people have shut theirs down for the season. What I have always wanted was a glassed in room overlooking the garden with a hot tub and a nice gas fireplace. Now don’t get me wrong wood burning fireplaces are great but once you have had a gas fireplace it is really hard to go go back to wood. With a wood fireplace you have to want to buy wood or pellets for them constantly. You have to keep adding wood or pellets to them while they are running to keep them working. Not to mention having to clean ash out of them and so on. It is so wonderful when you can just flip the switch and have a nice, warm fire in minutes. Gas logs are SO much easier to use and much more convenient.

So lets talk about what we will need to have a gas logs fireplace. First we need to determine what is the area our fireplace is going to be like; Is it indoors or is it outdoors? Can we use a ventless gas log or do we need a vent? Then, of course, we need to know what company would make us a great deal on all our gas log needs? One company I know of is Hansen Wholesale. Hansen is an exclusive dealer for R. H. Peterson Real Fyre Gas Logs. They guarantee the lowest price, which is a tough claim to make these days on the internet, but they make it. Hansen Wholesale has been making this guarantee since they opening in 1994. Perhaps the best news of all is that Hansen Wholesale is currently running a $75 additional discount AND no sales tax AND FREE shipping!!! – Now how is THAT for a heck of a deal.

The shocking part of the whole gas logs fireplace decision isn’t the price, it is how many different types, styles, and options there is to choose from. That is why I love the Gas Log FAQ which helps you determine not only what there is available, but what you are looking for, how things work, why they work that way and what will work best for you.

So why not; let’s have a gas logs firepit in our backyard or screen porch area and enjoy the outdoors even more. Think of how much longer (maybe even all year long) we can enjoy the outdoors if we have a nice, blazing fire to cuddle up to while we watch the sunset.

Popularity: 8% [?]

What is the brightest flower in our garden?

The only thing more beautiful in our garden then our favorite plant is seeing our daughter in pretty new dress smelling the flowers and beginning to develop a love for gardening like we have.

I am sure that like so many of us, when you take pictures of your children, especially one of those beautiful new girls dresses your daughter just got, you love to pose them in your garden. Though sun and rain may make our garden grow, though we may have spent countless unnoticed hours weeding, trimming, pruning and even designing and planning there is nothing that makes the flowers in our garden bloom like that bright smiling face standing next to our prize rose bush. It is as if the rose bush itself feels more alive just having the shine bright energy next to it.

I know make you want go shopping then make all the rain and/or snow stop so you can run those little cherubs outside and take a thousand pictures of them to post on Facebook. And of course if we take just a little pride in how nice our garden looks, well that’s just a personal bonus.

Popularity: 3% [?]

The beauty of our garden always makes us happy, but if our roof is leaking or we can’t sit under the gazebo during a nice warm summer rain and enjoy watching our plants then we have a problem. In Austin Texas there is a simple solution Austin Roofing Repair.

If you are looking for Roof Repair in Austin, TX then look no further. As experts in roofing since 1999 Austin Roof Repair is there to meet your roofing needs. Whether you need to fix the roof in on your garden gazebo or your whole house need a new roof Austin Roofing Repair is the name to trust in Austin Texas for Roofing Contractors.

To enjoy your garden you must feel comfortable and enjoy your home. Don’t let a small leak become a big problem choose a company who believes in long term quality and high value in every project they take on. No matter the roofing problem in Austin Texas the solution, Austin Roofing Contractor.

Popularity: 1% [?]

One of my favorite quotes from TV come from “Bones” where the psychiatrist Gordon Gordon tells Booth he wants to partake of that most American of traditions “preparing meat in the garden”. I don’t know about you, but I love to grill. I think there is nothing better then fresh barbequed steak or chicken. Now is the perfect time to be thinking about and purchasing your grill, and well all of your outdoor accessories. Prices are great (usually on sale). There is plenty of time to order online. Your grill has plenty of time to arrive and even be assembled or installed before grilling season starts. Whether you are looking for a high end permanently installed grill or a portable charcoal grill to take camping here is a great guide to help decide which grill to buy.

And while you are thinking about your grill you should also be thinking about those barbeque utensils and tools that make grilling outdoors so much easier. There are of course tongs and a spatula, but what about other utensils? Do you need a fork or a long handled knife to cut with? Does your grill have a working thermometer? There are so many other things you can choose from:
- Grill baskets
- Skewers
- Wood chips to add that nice, rich, smoky flavor
- A light for your grill so you can better see how things are cooking
- Pots and pans for your grill
- And so much more
After choosing all of that don’t forget things like grill covers and a grill brush to keep your grill nice and clean.

Once you are all set with the perfect grill and the utensils to cook all of your favorite foods outside, what about your outdoor furniture. How many people will be eating? Do you replace the patio furniture annually or are you looking for something that will last for a few seasons? What kind of weather does the furniture need to endure? All of these questions and so many more can be answered so that you truly get the outdoor furniture you are looking for.

Take some time now while you can to make a plan for your outdoor dining experience. Make this years outdoor cooking something you will remember for years to come.

Popularity: 2% [?]