The Beautiful Vines And Your Garden

A great way to decorate your garden is the use of vines. They are very low maintenance and look good on almost anything. If you've got a fence or separator that really stands out in the field of green that is your garden, then growing a vine over it can be a quick and aesthetically pleasing solution. However, there are many types of vines for different situations, whether you are trying to grow it up the side of a house, along the ground, or up a tree.

Many different ground vines are available. These types grow fast and strong, and just inch their ways along the ground. They are very easy to direct, so they can make a border around your garden, or just weave in and out of the plants. I suggest using these as a hardy ground cover if you just want some green on your dirt or mulch. Usually you can find a variety that is resistant to being stepped on. It's like a leafy, nice alternative to grass. Even if you have kids and a dog, it should have no problems staying alive.

Another type of vine that is available is a "twining" vine. This refers to their method of climbing. Twining vines require a lattice or equally porous surface to climb up, since they are not sticky at all. They just climb by sending out small tendrils to loop around whatever is nearby. I suggest using this type of vine for climbing up trees, or any type of mesh. Usually you have to guide them a lot more during their early stages, and after that they will go wherever you want them to.

Vines not only look good on the ground or on lattices, you can blend them in to the very architecture of your house. This is usually achieved through the use of vines with small tendrils that have adhesive tips. They extend from the vine and attach themselves to almost any surface. If your garden is adjacent to your house and you want something to camouflage the big unsightly wall, it's a great idea to start out a few vines near the base. If you have a vine like the Virginia Creeper growing, then your entire wall will be covered in a matter of months. However I have seen situations where the vine got out of control. After that, you have no choice but to watch the vine take over your entire house.

One of the vines that you would probably recognize is Ivy. You see it around a lot, generally because it is so adaptable. Out of the types I mentioned above (ground, twining, and sticky pads), Ivy can fill in for pretty much anything. It makes a great ground cover, and will grow up about any surface you put it on. Although it grows quick and strong, I wouldn't suggest growing it up your house. This is because recently, buildings which have had ivy for many years have found that it has been deteriorating the building.

So no matter what you want to do with a vine, you should have no problem getting it to grow. You should always do your research beforehand and find out about any negative qualities the vine has (such as its ability to destroy buildings, in Ivy's case.)

By: Josiah Smart

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Learn about gardenia facts and hydrangea facts at the Plants And Flowers site.

10 Amazing Uses For A Garden Building

Got some space in your garden and a bit of spare cash for something a little different?

Here's ten amazing things you could use a garden building for...

1.Create your very own super chic, garden room drinks bar - complete with cocktail shakers, icebuckets, glasses and paper umbrellas. Fantastic for garden parties and barbecues and a great place to escape to after work.

2.Pamper yourself in your own personal garden room spa. A whirlpool bath, massage chair, fabulous skin care products and a chic flic on a wide screen TV. Absolutely perfect for a girl's night in.

3.Build the ultimate model railway room and never have to clear it all away before guests arrive. Lay track all around the garden and watch the trains from the warmth of your own garden signal box.

4.Make room in your life for relaxation in a custom made garden chill out room. Lay on cool music and comfy chairs, turn the heat up high and sounds down low then lie back and unwind.

5.Get creative in a custom built garden room photographic studio. Lights camera and plenty of action will give you a whole range of images for business and pleasure. Add a top flight digital printer and just think of the money you could make!

6.Set up your own garden room brewery. Barrels, boilers, bottles, a glass fronted fridge and a nice comfy area for quality control could give you hours of pleasure. Okay, so you might not remember too much about it but...

7.Take up wood turning and fill your garden room with shavings. The possibilities are endless from giant pepper mills to lace making bobbins but best of all you get the satisfaction of doing something practical and making something beautiful.

8.If your house is crammed to the loft with children's toys then put together a purpose built garden playroom complete with closed circuit TV, intercom, cushioned floor and walls and loads of easy to access toy storage space. Special space for the rugrats means less Lego between the toes for you.

9.Communications can give you a whole new perspective on the world. A garden based CB Radio shack complete with a monster aerial could get you eyeballing all kinds of people you might never otherwise meet. Now that's a big 10-4 good buddy!

10.A garden building can easily have a glass roof so how about your own personal observatory complete with state of the art reclining chair, star gazer's telescope, star charts and a map of Mars. Out of this world!

By:

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Graham Baylis is as busy a business man as you can be and he knows that it's a well known fact that people need space to think, and what better space is there than a peaceful spot in your own back garden. This is just the thinking behind Garden Escape's unique range of Garden Buildings. Of course you can also use such space for business or pleasure, this list covering the FUN area. See www.thegardenescape.co.uk

Rustic Garden - Design It Yourself

A person that has just started their adventure with gardening and garden decor, and is about to arrange the garden by themselves might not be so enthusiastic at first. Many people ask friends and family for advice, read books, articles and magazines about garden decorating. But many are forgetting that it's their own garden and it should be designed for their own needs.

The garden is our own special place, and that's why we should start by analyzing our needs and expectations. We have to think early about how we use our garden. It's worth taking a piece of paper, writing all the suggestions and drawing the elements that already exist in the garden.

The next step is to give a sample of soil to a laboratory and then create a base of plants with a short description about all of them. It's worth dividing the plants into groups like grass, herbs, trees, flowers or even into more specified groups. From a list like this we can choose only the plants that we want to use in our garden.

When designing the garden it is important to think also about the style of it. Many designers are inspired by the latest fashion and forget all about the old trends in garden decorating. That's why most of contemporary gardens look very similar - have a small pond, rocks, grass, regular greenhouses and a few plants that can be bought from online catalogues.

Their similar looks give us very little to think about. When living in a big city the garden might be the only space that connects us with nature and a peaceful time. It's also the place where we can go back to the traditional elements, for example plants - not the exotic types. It's even more worthwhile because - such plants are easier to take care of, are often cheaper and widely accessible.

These traditional gardens are known as rustic gardens. The character that best describes it is homely. Gardens that are arranged in this style are usually surrounded by wooden fences or a border made from solid rock that emphasises its natural character.

Most important in style of rustic gardens is to buy...very common flowers that can be found everywhere. In rustic gardens there are plenty of colorful flowers. We can also find small corners to spend a quiet and peaceful time with the person we love. This all serves to create a space that brings us back the times where everything was simpler and natural.

It's worth making a space like this in our surroundings so that we can spend relaxing times there.

By: michal costaminnego

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

If you like gardening and are interested in garden design see those garden buildings and luxury gazebos and read the Liveoutside.co.uk Blog.

Balconies – spring and summer arrangements

You would like to see spring as beautiful as it can be? There is nothing easier! With a little effort we can change an ordinary looking balcony into a garden almost at our home.

At the balcony we can plant a different kind of flowers. The most important is to decide which site is sunny and how much time do we want to spend on taking care of our plants. We can plant roses in the boxes – the small types need more time to take care of them but the variety of colors can amaze not only fans of roses. Roses are feeling the best when they are covered against the strong wind and are not in a very sunny place and not too dark either.

An interesting choice might be also fuchsia , which is having its own big coming back right now. It has been forgotten for a little time but now people are still fond of it. This really beautiful flower has almost 200 hundred different species in colors that you can even imagine – from pink, violet, to something similar of mixing them. There are smaller and bigger species – and it is not hard to make it how we want the plant to look like cause it can be easily changed, formed and cut. The flowers of fuchsia are very original and decorative, that it can be planted in a small, ordinary pot and that's it. This plant like watering and a little bit of shade.

If we don't want to have flowers in our home we can decide on having herbs at the balcony. There are not only beautiful but very practical and can be used in every kitchen. If we want to make an interesting composition we should focus on the colors of leaves and their shapes. Basil looks especially beautiful in the pots. The most decorative one has a violet leaves and is called "Magic Mountain". Almost as beautiful as basil is pepper mint (as it is sometimes called Variegata) with spotted leaves. We can set it with lavender and add a little bit of thyme that grows at low pillows. The whole composition might be completed be a species of high dill. Melissa would be also perfect because of its wonderful smell.

Of course we have to plant those flowers somewhere. We have a great selection of small and big pots. It’s worth to decide on one style and be consequent. The best choice is having pots that would match our home décor. Contemporary pots are mostly wooden and those one are most fashionable ones. They don’t have to be new or painted. Setting them with natural beauty of flowers will make the perfect match – even if the pot is a little bit old. We can also use watering-can to make a great décor and useful pot. It would be very original to have that kind of pot at our balcony. Other decorative elements might be stones or decorative glass that putted in the pot can make a wonderful ornament. They are in many colors, to find in every gardening shop.

As we can see our own balcony doesn’t have to be boring and traditional. We can design it as we would design our own garden. So let’s make it a happy place for us, our plants and the people that would pass by our balcony in amazement of its beauty.

Hot Tub Gazebos Give You The Privacy You Need!

When you install your hot tub on the deck and start to enjoy it, it is then you realize that you need to have a gazebo or an enclosure to give you privacy from prying eye when you are inside. Hot tub gazebos come in a wide range of designs and will give you this element of privacy that you need.

Not only does such a structure prevent others from seeing you relaxing in the jacuzzi or hot tub, but the sound of the swim spa and the conversation will be muffled. A simple lattice frame covered with greenery will accomplish this so it doesn’t need to be very expensive.

When you look at the many designs of hot tub gazebos, you should consider the size and location of the hot tub and the exterior design of your home and garden when deciding which one you would like to have. For example, if the exterior of your home is brick, you can have a brick gazebo.

If your deck is constructed from pine or cedar, use the same wood in the construction of the hot tub enclosure. You will find many plans for this construction online and in magazines. Many of the plans you find online and free and you only have to download them along with the instructions.

You can also purchase kits for hot tub gazebos that contain all the materials you need. You do need to have the correct measurements if you plan to use one of these kits for building a swim spa or hot tub enclosure with a hot tub cover because all the materials are pre cut to the lengths that you need for the size of gazebo you choose.

When browsing the many kits available, think of how you want to use the hot tub. If this will be a place where you want to entertain guests, you can look at designs that include benches, bar tables and of course, a built-in bar. You will also need to have storage places for towels and hooks for hanging towels and clothing.

Would you like to see the stars when you are in the hot tub at night? This is entirely possible in the designs of hot tub gazebos that do not have a roof. However, there are also disadvantages with such a design because the heat of the sun will be bearing down on you during the day and there is the increased possibility of dirt and debris blowing into the water of the tub. This will give you more work in cleaning the hot tub more than is usually required.

One thing that you do have to consider when choosing the hot tub gazebo, swim spa, or sauna of your dreams is that you have to leave room for getting at the pump and the other components of the hot tub whenever the need arises. You cannot assume that you will not encounter any problems once you have it in place.

Like all other water features you have in your home and your bathroom, there will be an occasion when you have problems with the hot tub and need to have access to the components in order to do the necessary repairs. Get ideas for hot tub gazebos and helpful advice for the construction process by doing a search online. The Internet is a valuable source of information about hot tubs, enclosures, and gazebos.

By: Allison Ryan

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Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA specializing in home improvement and installing and remodeling spa and bathroom features. For the ideal swim spa or hot tub for your home or backyard, please visit www.mybath.biz/.

What To Look For When Buying A Gazebo

When people decide to purchase a gazebo, they often strive to achieve a certain viewpoint in the yard, either from the inside looking out or the outside looking in. Whether a poolside retreat or a garden centerpiece, a gazebo may also fulfill a longtime desire to revisit childhood memories many people growing up in the south have said they wish to relive.

The three most common materials gazebos are made of include wood, metal, and vinyl. Wood that lasts like metal and vinyl is the most requested. Unlike patio covers that are mostly overhead and exposed to the weather, thus making metal and vinyl the best choice, a gazebo is to be felt all around you, and the feel of wood cannot be duplicated. That is probably why they repaint wood at Disneyland every night after closing instead of using anything other than wood.

While pine or redwood gazebos are less costly than weather resistant woods such as pressure treated and others, they will not last a long time in moisture-laden areas. Whether at the beach, the mountains, near the golf course, or the swimming pool, wood deteriorates over time. If this happens, the entire structure is compromised and soon has to be replaced. When is the last time you saw a telephone pole be replaced because it rotted from moisture? Even though they are put directly in the soil, they last for a very long time. They last because they are pressure treated.

As for the roof of a gazebo, solid composition, wood shingle, or metal will allow the gazebo to stay the cleanest and less likely to need repainting. These are usually decided upon by the need to match the home roof or surrounding yard setting, and the same goes for the color of the roofing. For the open slatted roof, painted wood can be used but will require maintenance, while metal or vinyl have the advantage of longevity in the weather, and can be used without completely losing the feel of wood down below.

The majority of gazebos are painted white to stand out from their surroundings, but can be painted or stained almost any color. Most of the major brands of paint have transitioned from oil to water base over the years and offer 25-year guarantees of endurance. With a good primer it should only be necessary to repaint due to fading or wear in the coming years, and the second coat even lasts longer since a certain amount of the first coat is absorbed into the raw wood.

Now as far as whom to buy your gazebo from, all the tried and true rules apply. References and character go hand in hand. Most thieves don’t care to uphold their name over time. They want your money fast and the consequences they’ll deal with later. The most incredible scenario that is seen time and time again is how customers will settle on the first gazebo merchant that seems reasonable and amicable, and in their haste they settle without comparing between other companies. This will come home to roost in about 4-5 years when it becomes evident the gazebo will not last very much longer, from lack of quality materials. Even the cheapest materials used on a gazebo look great and are hard to detect from the ones that will last, when first installed. And you can bet the builder will not be able to do anything for you when you realize your mistake.

Most gazebo builders have a magnifying glass on their competitors, and while all is not to be believed by one source, you can start seeing a pattern when the same opinion is shared by two or more sources. The lack of customer comparison allows many seemingly reasonable, but actually uncaring companies to continue, no matter how many customers find out the truth too late. As with any product or system, a checks and balance makes it possible for the weeds to be separated from the good, and the customer ends up with the gazebo they imagined they would receive.

By: Chris Murphy -

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Chris Murphy is an independent, freelance writer who enjoys writing about informative topics of interest to readers. For more information on this article, please visit www.gazebosnow.com

Exotic plants at winter time

Image by suchitra prints via Flickr

Winter is quite a rough time - for us and for our garden plants. It's cold and we aren’t in the mood for anything. Our plants are feeling bad too. How to make them feel good? Which plants are more likely to survive at this time of the year?

A winter garden is one of the best places to grow flowers, especially the exotic ones. We can also have vegetables, lemons and oranges there.

The most popular winter-garden plants are climbers and hanging type plants (for example ivy), high species (i.e. Chinese roses, oranges) and low species (winter begonia). You can also use your greenhouse to grow forced vegetables for example paprika or tomatoes.

In the winter garden we have to take care of the plants and the conditions that they are in more carefully than in summer time. The most important conditions are the temperature, lighting and air humidity. There are sometimes situations when people grow very demanding plants in their gardens like Chinese Gooseberry (well known as kiwifruit), or passion fruits. Having winter gardens can bring us a lot of benefits.

We can put the plants that we grew earlier in the greenhouse into our home and they will increase the quality of our air, and bring an original look to our interior. The smell of leaves and flowers have a positive impact on our mood and thanks to them we feel calmer.

We will only achieve these results when we treat our plants well. Mistakes made in growing may end up badly. Not seldom we have situations of damaging the flowers or even death. The main course for blame for this is bad conditions or choice of wrong place. Symptoms that should worry us are spots on the leaves and their strange colour.

It depends on us, our imagination and needs, what we will do with our winter garden and what plants we will have there. But it's worth thinking about when we are at the planning stage of designing our garden.