Garden Decor Ideas

Archive for the ‘How To Tips’ Category

You need an appropriate outdoor space in which to store your outdoor items.

Some of the same decorating rules that apply to your indoor spaces also apply to your outdoor spaces. One such rule is “a place for everything and everything in its place.” You need an appropriate outdoor space in which to store your outdoor items.

Inside, you need a cabinet to store your lotions, cotton swabs, and other personal care items. Outside, you need a place to store your garden hoses. What happens if you don’t? They are in the way, cluttering up the area. If you have a neat space for them, you can avoid the clutter, and your outdoor space will be more inviting.

You might spend a lot of money to have a feng shui expert to assess your living space only to receive the advice, “Wash your dirty dishes.” Whether indoors or outdoors, order is essential to the usefulness of your space as well as to your psychological health. “Wash your dirty dishes” could be the equivalent of “put your garden hoses away.” Before you can admire the fancy sink or the beautiful garden, you have to do something with the clutter. The marble statue and rose bushes might not be noticeable until you wind up the garden hose and put it away. Tuck it into a holder and store your sprinkler and bags of fertilizer out of sight.

If you’re watching birds in your own garden, you won’t even need binoculars, especially if you have a bird bath.

Bird Watching
Bird watching is an inexpensive, rewarding hobby. A field guide with pictures and descriptions of birds native to your area is all you need. A pair of binoculars is handy for close-up views, or if you plan to go on outings to open spaces. But if you’re watching birds in your own garden, you won’t even need binoculars, especially if you have a bird bath.

Watching birds and other animals at play in your own garden is highly entertaining. Sunday breakfasts with your family watching birds, deer, squirrels, and other creatures cavorting in the back yard rivals TV! You can take a break from the hectic environment of work and freeways and deadlines by simply sitting in your own garden and being with nature. Enjoying your garden to the fullest is what having a garden is all about.

Bird Baths

A bird bath garden decoration can make your garden a showplace for guests. While some people enjoy entertaining guests in the dining room, garden lovers might choose the garden as the showpiece and entertainment center of the home.

Why not enjoy a glass of wine or lemonade with your guests in the garden before dinner? You have worked hard to have a beautiful garden and you are proud of it. If you have a bird bath, you can entertain your guests with the antiques of feathered visitors as well as the smell of fragrant flowers and artistically arranged garden ornaments. If you have a bird feeder as well, chances increase that you will be able to especially delight your guests with unique wildlife experiences.

By having several different seating areas or walking paths you can create a serene environment that can be enjoyed many different ways.

You can organize your garden into different spaces for different activities in much the same way that an indoor room might be organized. For example, a living room might have different spaces for conversing, playing board games, snacking, and watching TV. The furniture arrangement supports each activity. In your garden, you might have one area just for sitting quietly, another for play, with perhaps a swing, and yet another with a table for dining out.

A garden need not only be admired only through a widow as a visual experience. Sitting in your garden listening to the melodious sound of an angel fountain and smelling the fragrant flowers can be a profoundly relaxing experience of sound and scent. The sound of running water is one of the most soothing and peaceful sounds in the world.
By having several different seating areas or walking paths you can create a serene environment that can be enjoyed many different ways.

When preparing your soil you are attempting to get the perfect combination of silt, sand, and clay. The best mixture will consist of 40 percent each of silt and sand and only 20 percent clay. You can figure out your soils composition by using one of several tests available to gardeners. One easy test is to compress a bit of soil within your hand. Soil that crumbles without any pressure being placed on it most likely has too high a sand content. Soil that will not fall apart even when poked with your finger most likely contains too much clay.

If that test is not enough to tell you the content of your soil you can use the following method to separate each of the different components. Place a cup or so of your soil into a jar of water. Shake the bottle thoroughly until the soil is dispersed throughout the water. As the soil settles you will see three separate layers form. The bottom layer will be comprised of sand, the middle layer silt, and the top layer clay. You will get a good idea of the composition of your soil and any steps that may need to be taken to correct it.

Soil that appears to be out of balance when it is tested should be corrected prior to planting your new garden. It is a good idea to add peat moss if you have soil with excess sand or silt. A mixture of peat moss and sand will most likely do the trick if you are low on clay. Any ingredients that are added to the soil will be better absorbed once the peat moss has been moistened. Those struggling to find the proper mixture on their own should be able to get all the help they need at their local gardening center.

Another important thing to check when preparing for a new garden is the water content. Your plants could end up drowning if your garden is at the bottom of a slope where lots of water tends to flow. It is a good idea to elevate your garden at least four to five inches above the surrounding ground to aid with water drainage and avoid excessive saturation.

Almost all urban soils are almost completely void of nutrients so you will want to add these as well. A decent amount of fertilizer should be added to your garden approximately one to two weeks prior to planting. The fertilizer should be given time to sit after it has been mixed into the soil thoroughly. After completing these steps your soil will be ready for new plants.

You can not forget about your soil entirely after planting your seeds. In order to sprout into a plant your seeds are taking all the nutrients that you have carefully placed in the soil out of it. You will need to add more fertilizer about a week after planting your seeds. You will want to continue adding fertilizer to your soil; however you will not need to repeat the process as often. You can get by just adding a little bit every couple of weeks or so.

There are four main steps to proper soil preparation and care: check and repair the soil composition, check for and ensure proper drainage, fertilize heavily prior to and just after planting, and lightly fertilize on a regular basis. You should have healthy and beautiful plants in no time if you follow these simple steps. You should be able to get plenty of advice at your local nursery if you run into any problems along the way.

And that is just the beginning of the hard work that is needed to make your dream garden a reality. Your first big step after the above choices are made should be choosing the type of barriers that will surround your garden. What type of materials will you use to set your garden off from everything else? The decorations and supports for your plants are your next big choices. You will often need some type of mesh metal to support your plants. You will also need to decide the amount of soil and fertilizer that you will need and the arrangement of your plants within the garden space you have selected.

One of the most important parts of getting your garden started is choosing the border. While it has almost no impact on the health of your plants it can make a big difference in the look of your garden. Metal and wood are the two main options here. You can achieve a cozy cabin look by stacking up boards around your garden perimeter. Those who prefer a more modern look will probably want to opt of metal lining which can be picked up fairly inexpensively at your local home improvement center.

It can be challenging to find something that will support your plants and is also aesthetically pleasing. While some plants can get by with a short metal pole others, such as tomatoes, will require a wire mesh. Most garden and home improvement centers will carry these in pre-shaped cones specifically designed to support your plants. Some plants will need the support of the wire mesh while they are growing, but will be able to support themselves on their own once they are large enough.

The amount of soil that you will need is actually an easier task. You will want to find the ideal soil depth for your plants. You can then figure out the exact cubic feet by digging that amount of soil out of your garden and measuring it. It is a good idea to purchase a few additional bags in case it compresses. You don’t want to run out when you are almost finished. Those in areas with poor soil quality may choose to add a couple more inches of depth using the store bought soil.

The success of your garden will depend in large part on the arrangement of your plants. Look at the watering requirements of your plants, as some will need lots of water while others thrive with dryer soil. Plants with longer roots will soak up the water more aggressively than those with shallow roots. When these two plants are placed next to each other those with longer roots can actually steal all the water and kill the other plant.

There are many important aspects of planning your garden, including plant placement. While some of the choices may not seam important initially, a closer look will show how they are essential to your gardens success. It is a good idea to do some research when planning your garden, using the resources of the internet, your local library, and friends with beautiful gardens.

It was not until the 17th century that mathematicians were able to create a sundial that would accurately tell the time of day regardless of the season.

The sundial, an ancient device thousands of years old, is a classic garden ornament. It was not until the 17th century that mathematicians were able to create a sundial that would accurately tell the time of day regardless of the season. Today, a well-made sundial is often more accurate than a public clock.

Not only are they beautiful but fascinating to guests and children. Children will be especially intrigued by sundials and want to know how they work. They are amazed by this magical technology that existed before the digital clock. You can give them a wonderful history lesson on timekeeping and technology.

Cast Aluminum Sundials

It’s important to buy a sundial made of quality materials. Your sundial will be outdoors for years in the rain, snow, sun, and wind. Exposed to the elements, a sundial needs to be durable like all your other garden decorations such as benches, tables, bird houses, water fountains, and statues, to retain their beauty.

Sundials made of cast aluminum are the best. They can be finished in bronze for an ageless, beautiful look. Heavy items should be made of fiberstone, which is an amalgam of fiberglass, stones, and sand and is stronger and more durable than concrete. Wooden items are best made of cedar or cypress, which resist decay. Details on objects should be in verdigris, copper, or hand-cast aluminum with a bronze finish.

You can also place a sundial in your patio; they aren’t just for the garden. You can be creative with your garden decorations! You can put a sundial on your front porch. Twin sundials can be placed to flank the driveway, front entrance, a walkway, or the path to the garden.

In areas with harsher climates there is a much reduced selection of plants that can grow naturally. Growing a wide selection of plants in these climates can be quite a challenge for even the best gardeners.

Some people try to use just about every type of fertilizer and chemical enhancement to solve the problems created by nature in their location. While many people have found this a workable solution, it is not the right answer for those looking for a natural solution to the problem. Many people are especially wary about using chemicals and man made fertilizers when it comes to growing fruits and vegetables.

A good option for those looking for a more natural solution is to create a micro climate for each type of plant you will be using. Each plant will require its own combination of sunlight, water, wind factors, and shade. While it is sometimes challenging to control all these factors when done right it can make a plant feel as if it is growing in the perfect environment. Different techniques can be used to create these micro climates including shading umbrellas, wind barriers, varying amounts of compost, and the amount of moisture added to the soil.

You should create a detailed plan prior to beginning your work with micro climates. Your first step is to locate a good shade tree or bush that will grow quickly in your climate. One way to find the perfect tree or bush it to see what type of plants just pop up on their own in undeveloped areas. This will give you a key to which plants will not require much care on your part.

Those people with fences around their yard already have large areas of shade available. You can create the perfect shading micro climate by combining the shade of the fence with a nice bush strategically planted to shade the plant during the time of day when the fence does not provide shade. Fragile plants will also benefit from the wind protection provided by fences.

By creating this shaded area you have just created your first micro climate. You can now find a plant that will benefit from the shade provided. From there you can select even more delicate plants that are known to thrive in cooler climates. You will have a lot more choices now that you have created the ideal environment.

You can give this new plant added moisture by installing a small pond or water fixture. The process of evaporation will naturally ensure that the plant next to the water gets more moisture. While installing a water feature may seem like a waste of water, the water is really being put to good use providing extra moisture for your plant. Think of it as indirect watering. Most water features will also be a nice aesthetic addition to your garden landscape.

The set up for each garden will need to be determined by the individual goals of that gardener. Ideally each type of plant you would like in your garden should be researched so you know what type of micro climate to provide. Find out what climate zone it thrives in and think about how you could make that happen in your garden. While it will take some careful planning, you will almost always be able to create the perfect climate for that plant.