Garden Fence – for everything in your garden

If you have a look around the shopping malls you will see that there are lots of advertisements for gifts for your Valentine. The question is which one do you buy?

How well do you know your Valentine? Have you been together days, weeks, months or years? What you spend your money on may be dependent on the length of your relationship.

I admit that I am a bit of a romantic. I like to spoil my husband at opportune moments. I have cooked him 3 course gourmet meals, massaged him after a weary day at work and we have been known to share a bubble bath complete with a nice cold glass of white wine. I have put together my list of romantic gift ideas for you and your loved one to make Valentines Day a special occasion for you both.

Flowers always get received well. But, you do not have to spend a small fortune on a dozen red roses:-

*A single red rose is just as welcome and some women feel that it is also very romantic. If you feel like spending a little bit more why not team it with a
cute teddy bear, box of chocolates or even her favorite perfume.

*As an alternative to the red rose why not buy a potted plant;

*Seeds or bulbs. You can plant these in the garden together and enjoy the color when they flower.

*Artificial Flowers are a good alternative, particularly if your Valentine has an allergic reaction to pollen!

*Make up a gardening hamper with a book on gardening, some seeds and bulbs,a pair of gloves and maybe a voucher offering your services.

A vacation or a weekend away is an excellent idea. But, you may need to discuss it with your partner first as they may have work or family commitments that cannot be rearranged. You also need to check that they are fine with the sleeping arrangements, particularly if you have not been together long. They may not wish to share a room with you so early on in the relationship.

Can you afford the trip? If you invite your Valentine away then he/she may assume that you are paying. Make sure that you make it clear to them what you are expecting them to pay towards, if anything. I am sure that they would not be happy if you took them away to a secluded island which cost a lot of money and you expected them to pay half!

Let Food Be The Language of Love.

*Book a table at your favorite restaurant but be aware that you may have to book several weeks in advance for popular restaurants and make sure that your date will like the food.

*Cook a meal at home. It does not have to be something extravagant, just something that you will both enjoy. Perhaps you could cook it together. A few candles and some soft music will make your evening even more romantic.

*Have food delivered to your door and watch a movie. No cooking or tidying away dirty plates afterwards; more time to spend with each other. Fill a basket with a DVD of their favorite movie, popcorn and a bottle of wine, dim the lights and settle down for a cozy night in together.

*Picnic down by the river. If the weather turns cold or it starts to rain gather up your hamper and go back to your place to eat. Tip: make sure that you have tidied up before you go out!

A day out at a sporting event or concert. If you do not already know ask your Valentine if there is a particular sporting event or concert that they are interested in? Purchase tickets in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.

A trip to the theater/cinema or opera. Ask your Valentine if there is anything at the theatre or cinema that they would like to see and purchase tickets. Perhaps you could go for dinner after the show.

Hot Air Balloon/Helicopter Ride. A hot air balloon or helicopter ride is an expensive gift so make sure that your Valentine does not mind heights! You could take him/her on a scenic trip over the city that you live in or perhaps over the countryside and then cozy up afterwards and discuss it over coffee.

A day at a health spa or pampering session. What a nice way to make your Valentine feel special. Take some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and have some relaxing time together at a health spa. This will need to be planned ahead particularly if you have children, you will need to find someone to look after them for you. If you do not have the time to spend a full day at a health spa you could arrange for a couple of pampering treatments. Some beauty parlors let you pay for treatments in advance and may even provide you with a voucher to present to your Valentine on Valentines Day.

If you are on a tight budget or you would like to give your Valentine something unique you could try one of the following:

Homemade candles. Kits can be bought from the craft shop and you make your own, choosing the color and scent if you wish.

Journal or Scrapbook. Write a journal of the time that you have been together; include photographs of the two of you, postcards of places that you have visited and poems. You can both sit down and read it and reminisce about the times that you have shared.

Compile a CD with your favorite music on. If there are some love songs that remind you of special moments that you have shared why not compile a CD with them on. You could also design a cover which will make it even more unique.

Whatever you decide to do I am sure that your Valentine will feel that they are the most special person in your life on the most romantic day in the year.

Dawn Robertshaw
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/ideas-for-valentines-day-gifts-102359.html

Sometimes you just get stuck for ideas. Your mind is a blank. It makes it even harder to come up with the goods if your present or future business rests on your ideas. A little help and inspiration for a new article, a new product, or a completely new business wouldn’t go amiss in these circumstances.

The purpose of the ideas in this article is to get your brain thinking. The ideas may seem a bit crazy and unrealistic – almost too simple. But…. the intention is for these ideas to act as a trigger, making you say something like: “That idea’s ridiculous, but if I change it around a bit I could…” So, use one or more of these ideas as your starting point and brainstorm your way to a new opportunity.

1. Produce Christmas cards which are printed on the front with, for example, “Happy Christmas from the Smith Family”. Or, instead of the name “Smith”, pick one of the dozens of other popular surnames. Sell packs of these cards by direct mail to people listed in telephone directories.

2. Make money from renting out expensive children’s toys. The toys you rent out will include remote control models and computerised games. Use a little van to deliver the toys to customers. The van should have a toy town colour scheme, sirens and flashing lights. Call the van a toy-mobile.

3. Introduce to your region a service which mounts maps for businesses. Keep a stock of local, national and international maps. Mount these maps in a professional manner to suit the wall space available at offices. Send out leaflets about your service to office managers.

4. Bring out a regular publication for ambitious, amateur musicians. This publication might include ads from: i) employers seeking musicians; ii) retailers selling equipment, accessories and supplies; (iii) people selling used equipment. Also print interesting editorial.

5. Design and manufacture kits for making models with cocktail sticks. For example, model churches, castles, windmills, houses, etc. Buy the cocktail sticks in unpacked form in bulk from a manufacturer. Sell your kits by mail order from ads in craft magazines or distribute to model shops.

6. Produce a directory of products no longer made. This directory might include sections on toys, novelties and household goods. Design the directory for business people and inventors who want to know both what has been made before and what ideas might be revived or modified.

7. Make cotton gloves specially designed for coin collectors. The gloves prevent the acidic grease and moisture on fingers from getting on to coins. Package the gloves and sell from ads in coin collecting magazines or distribute to shops which sell collectible coins.

8. Bring out a correspondence course about how to write cookery books. The course might include information about: how to devise recipes; how to present them in written form and what makes a successful cookery book. Produce a prospectus and advertise in women’s magazine.

9. Begin a business which rents out large and expensive astronomical telescopes to householders who want to develop their interest in astronomy. Publicise your service at the local astronomy society and use local advertising to attract clients. Link up with a telescope supplier and get a 10% finder’s fee for those people who go on to buy their own telescope.

10. Set up a company which produces a compendium of strip games, for example: strip poker, strip snakes and ladders, strip lotto, strip snap and strip ludo. Sell the compendiums of games by mail order from ads in x-rated magazines.

11. Paint attractive art on rocks to make souvenir paperweights and doorstops. The art might take the form of abstract patterns, traditional pictures or tourist scenery. Call your rocks ‘designer rocks’. Add a rubber base to paperweights and a rubber edge to doorstops.

12. Create a mail order business which specialises in selling products which help people sleep. The products you sell might include: sleep inducing cassettes, special bedtime clothing, herbal pillows and how to sleep well booklets. Company names might be something like ‘Sleepwell’, ‘Sleeptight’ etc.

13. Paint on wood, stylish house numbers and names. These painted numbers and names will be an attractive alternative to the traditional names burned into sliced logs. Get your work stocked at shops which sell garden products or household goods.

14. Start a venture which promotes the art and hobby of window painting. On coloured acetate paper have outlines printed for painting pictures by numbers. These acetate sheets are stuck to one side of a window and anyone can paint a picture on the other side of the window.

15. Select one seashell which would be suitable for use as an ashtray, another for a pip tray and a third for a paper clip tray. Put these shells into a single packet and sell as a set of useful household seashell trays. Find shops to stock your packets of seashell trays.

16. Devise and produce a board game which simulates the experience of starting a mail order business. The usual problem of bringing out a board game is the difficulty of getting it stocked at shops. However, a game about mail order can be sold by mail order to business opportunity seekers.

17. Make an income from selling lucky charms door-to-door. Sell, for example: rabbits’ feet, horseshoes and four-leaf clovers. Start this enterprise by tracking down trade sources of these lucky charms.

18. Begin a business which buys and sells oil paintings. Buy new paintings from artists and old paintings from collectors and householders. Sell the paintings from: home, a roadside site, a stall at craft fairs, or hire halls for exhibiting all the paintings you have for sale.

19. Start a manufacturing business which is devoted to making doorstops. The doorstops you make might range from humble wooden wedges to the exotic and unusual. Package the doorstops in polythene bags, staple on a printed card and get them stocked at hardware or gift shops.

20. Decorate everyday objects with pressed flowers. Add an inlaid design of pressed flowers to trays, coasters, jewellery boxes, paperweights, picture frames, wall hangings, desk sets and table tops.

21. Set up a home improvement business which modifies the exterior of houses to give them a Tudor appearance. Your service will include: fitting ornamental oak beams, giving exterior walls a white covering and adding a metal grid to windows.

22. Make wooden ’strip noughts and crosses’ games (an item of clothing is taken off by the loser of a game). Drill 9 holes into a small square block and paint on a grid. Next, make 10 pegs and paint on each peg an ‘0′ or ‘X’. Put the grid and pegs into a clear bag and staple on a product name card. Sell to sex shops and mail order.

23. Bring together a range of brass ware ornaments so you can have a stall at craft fairs, antique markets and Sunday markets.

24. Publish a newsletter which has a title like ‘Ambitious Person’s Way to Wealth’ or ‘Clever People Don’t Work Hard’. The contents of your newsletter might be in a vein similar to Joe Karbo’s ‘The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches’.

25. Set up and run a school of window dressing. Organise one-day or two-day courses or seminars for established shopkeepers who want to learn more about this aspect of their business. Also provide courses for those who would like to take up a career as a window dresser. (Tip: You can run a profitable seminar on anything without knowing the first thing about the subject yourself. You merely pay a percentage of the seminar fee, say 15%, to an expert speaker.)

26. Write and publish a manual about how to make money from property. In the manual include chapters on: buying and selling land; buying properties for conversion and renovation; investing in property, etc. Use direct mail and mail order to sell copies of this manual to opportunity seekers.

27. Found and run a school of investment. Give tuition to solo students and groups about different types of investments such as shares, gilt-edged securities, unit trusts, USM, antiques, stamps, art, etc. For each area of investment prepare lesson plans and follow these closely.

28. Make a selection of children’s prayer plaques: wooden wall plaques which feature popular prayers. The prayers might be painted on, or burned into, the wood.

29. Start a craft business which uses interesting foreign coins to make jewellery. Incorporate coins into pendants, bracelets, brooches, necklaces and earrings. Alternatively, make jewellery which features reproduction coins from the ancient world.

30. Use small seashells strung together to make necklaces. Find a trade source of small seashells and either set up your own production line, or employ home workers. Sell the finished necklaces from a market stall or get them stocked at suitable retail outlets.

Nick Summers
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/30-business-brainstorming-ideas-part-1-132820.html

Everyone wants to have a beautiful garden but to achieve this there are many considerations including plants, flowers, water system, soil characteristic, sun exposure and many more.

All these will contribute to the overall impact of your beautified garden but one important element that should also include is ornamental grasses.

Ornamental grasses are very popular now among homemakers and gardeners. This is a very efficient and effective way to ensure a beautiful garden minus the hassle of high maintenance requirements.

These ornamental grasses can come in various colors that will definitely fit any scheme or motif that is aimed for in the garden.

There are landscape considerations where ornamental grasses can surely fit the scheme.

For example, a fall landscape can maximize the form and texture provided by the adorning grasses. The grasses can also last until the winter months, therefore extending the use of your ornaments.

Here are some of the ornamental grasses and their particular characteristics that you can consider to include in your garden.

Pampas Grass

This is a tall grass that grows up to three meters in height. The leaves are long and slender that may come in colors of evergreen, bluish green or even silvery grey.

They are perfect for ornamental displays but extra caution is needed for their sharp edges.

Blue Oat Grass

The blue oat grass creates dense foliage of blue leaves and they tend to retain this characteristic throughout the year. The blue oat grass also grows pleasant flowers from the months of June to August.

This ornamental grass requires very low maintenance. You can water them weekly or once in every two weeks, depending on the climate of your home environment.

Feather Reed Grass

Feather reed grasses grow wonderfully at the average of three to five feet in height. This is a favorite choice among households who aim for a fall landscape.

They grow well in almost any type of environment. They can withstand too much sun or too much moisture but they tend to have a stunted growth in the warmer areas.

Feather reeds also grow flowers during the summertime in white or red.

Tips in Growing Ornamental Grasses in Your Garden

There are things to be wary of to ensure a longer life on your ornamental grasses. Here are some considerations to take into account in installing and tending the ornamental grasses.

1. Soil and Temperature Consideration

Most of the ornamental grasses can thrive in any type of soil. They are not very choosy in the environment. They can also manage ordinary temperature changes.

However, for those people who live in locations with extreme climate conditions like extremely cold or extremely warm, then a few researches will not harm.

This is to ensure that you pick an ornamental grass that can last long in your home environment.

2. Landscape Design

There are certain characteristics that will make one ornamental grass desirable over another. However, you cannot simply pick everything and put them in your garden.

Maximize the aesthetic effects of the shape, sizes and texture of each type of ornamental grass you find.

Try consulting a landscape artist for this endeavor. You can also try to read on some landscaping ideas and innovate from what you will get.

3. Color Coordination

Ornamental grasses also come in different colors. This aspect will best complement any color scheme or motif you aim to achieve in your garden.

4. Insects and Pests

Make sure that you know any possible tendency of inviting insects and pests in the grass that you choose. This way, you can prevent this problem later on.

If you cannot make resort to other types of grasses, then you can at least prepare the environment of the garden to repel these pests.

Conclusion

Coming up with a beautiful garden is possible with these ornamental grasses. Just take these considerations above seriously and you will surely achieve the best aesthetics you are eyeing for.

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-create-beautiful-gardens-with-ornamental-grasses-92338.html

In order to landscape a backyard in such a way that no money or time will be wasted, it’s necessary to do the proper research before hand, as I explain in this article.

If you’d like to do some landscaping in your backyard, it’s not enough for you to just go to a local garden store and pick up a few plants and a few tools, and then get to work. You have to put in a little bit of thought and planning first.

The reason is simple – you’re going to be working with living things and living things thrive best in the correct soil and in the correct sunlight. If you don’t know the ph balance of your soil, or which spots of your backyard get the most sun and which parts get the most shade, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice when it comes to the landscaping, as you may find that your expensive plants don’t flourish as you’d hoped, and then you’ll have to do it all over again.

And then there’s the question of drainage. Are there soft spots in your lawn where the water automatically goes after a rainstorm? Is that where you want those soft spots to be? Does the ground have a slope that you’ll have to contend with? If you don’t have a fence surrounding your backyard…is there a view you’d like to emphasize and a view you’d like to de-emphasize?

It is only after you know all these things that you should actually begin planning your landscaping.

If you feel you don’t have the time to learn all the intricacies of ph balance and the best kinds of grass to use for your lawn, you can always hire a professional landscaper to do it all for you. You’ll find plenty of companies in the phonebook, but even here you’ll have to do your research. Make sure you hire a company that has been in the business for a long time and know what they’re doing. Check with the Better Business Bureau to ensure they have no complaints lodged against them. Ask for and check their references. They’ll probably have a website, which will make it easy for you to go online and compare different companies’ products and services, as well.

But part of the fun of working with your backyard is doing it all yourself!

So, you’ve researched and learned all the facts about your backyard that you need to know. You know which kind of grass will be best for your climate and which will stand up best to the hard use of kids running up and down, for example. You know where the shady spots are and the spots of sunshine. You know the drainage patterns and if there are any soft spots that you have to contend with. You know which currently existing trees you are going to keep, and which ones you are going to remove, if any. You know the best place to put the new trees you’re going to get…and what kind they’ll be.

So now all you have to do is design the landscaping.

Get yourself a three-ring binder, so that you can keep all your planning ideas in one spot. And then…plan. Start out with a list of all the goals you have for your landscaping – from grading the lawns to purchasing flowers and plants to erecting a conservatory – whatever you think of that you’d like, write it down. But don’t do anything yet.

Walk around the block, and talk to your neighbors and friends. Discuss your landscaping ideas with them. But this isn’t a case of keeping up with the Joneses! Don’t decide to build yourself a conservatory just because your neighbor wants one – your reasoning will be obvious. Unless you get along well with your neighbor and have no qualms about saying, “Yes, I loved his so much that I just had to get one of my own.” That type of good-natured respect between friends and neighbors is all to the good.

But more often than not you should design the landscaping around your likes and desires, and not what is “flavor of the month.”

Walk around your neighborhood, then, and see what your neighbors have done with their yards. Drive around other neighborhoods and see what’s happening there. You’ll be sure to get plenty of good ideas that you can adapt to your own yard. And then of course there’s the internet. If walking around your neighborhood gives you a few ideas, think how many ideas you can get from surfing the infinite reaches of the web.

There are plenty of print magazines that will give you tips on landscaping, from 101 Tips on Landscaping to Landscape Architecture to Horticulture to Fine Gardening.

But you’re still not ready to go out and buy those plants and tools. The next thing you need to do is make a plan of your landscaping, preferably to scale. You can do this on your own using graph paper, or you can purchase software that will enable you to make three-dimensional landscapes, all without lifting a shovel.

It is only after you have your landscape completely designed on paper that you should then transfer it to your backyard. And then you’ll have a masterpiece to enjoy.

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/plan-your-landscaping-down-to-the-last-detail-130133.html

When planning your spring garden, create a design that will provide hours of enjoyment by attracting birds and butterflies. There are specific shrubs, flowers and design principles that can be used to make your garden a magnet for our feathered friends.

Add Plants Wisely – Whether you’re creating a new garden or adding to an existing one, be sure to include plants that attract birds and butterflies. Some good examples are Purple Coneflower, Sedum, Iris, Butterfly Weed (Monarch’s love this), Butterfly Bush, Asters, and Bee Balm (always a hummingbird favorite). Many of these plants are also late summer bloomers and will keep your garden shining all summer.

Make a Prairie Habitat – Native plants are not only easy to maintain, but they attract birds and create habitats for other wildlife. Effective prairie plants include False Blue Indigo, Wild Petunia, Prairie Blazing Star and Indian Grasses.

Create a Bird Rest Stop – Design a large area that give birds a place to rest, nest and feast. Include at least one shade tree, a source of water, Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans, ornamental grass and some small fruit producing shrubs.

Add Some Fragrance – Not only humans are attracted by fragrant flowers. Bees and butterflies are also drawn to the sweet scent of Dianthus, Phlox, Russian Sage, Catmint, Lavender, and Nicotiana.

Location, Location, Location – Plan the location of your garden based on your viewing platforms. If you want to view visiting birds out your front windows, then these gardens need to be located in your front yard. If you want to sit on your back patio, then surround this area with plants that birds love, sources of water and shade trees.

Give Your Birdhouse a Boost – If you have a bird house perched on a tall pole, make sure the the birds are attracted to it by planting a circle of bird and butterfly loving plants around the bottom. It also provides a pretty border that will save you some weed whacking.

Take It to the Water – You’re certain to attract birds and other types of wildlife with a source of water. The bigger your water source, the bigger the wildlife. A pond surrounded by water plants and perennials make a nice spot for birds and a peaceful setting for a quick retreat.

Bees & Hummingbirds – Adding nectar-rich plants will surely attract big fat honeybees and delightful hummingbirds. Some of these include Phlox Paniculata, Penstemon, Bee Balm, Butterfly Bush, Coreopsis, Sedum, and Daisy.

Wildlife Garden in a Container – Sometimes for the sake of convenience it’s easier to create your bird garden out of a container. This fits easily on a deck or under that special window and is easy to maintain. Some plant ideas include Black Eyed Susan, Russian Sage, Pink Verbena, and Purple Coneflower.

Give Me Shelter – These plants are designed to provide habitats and shelter for our feathered friends: Fat Albert Blue Spruce (it’s compact and bushy), Pyramidal Arborvitae, Saybrook Gold Juniper, Vernal Witchhazel, Chinese Lilac, Dark Knight Bluebeard, Dwarf Arctic Blue Leaf Willow, and Catmint.

Mike Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/gardens-sure-to-attract-feathered-friends-701393.html

So you have decided to build a garden pond? Congratulations! With a little bit of time, effort, and money you can build a pond that is both beautiful and functional. Below you will find a checklist of what needs to be done to construct a garden pond in your backyard, as well as a list of additional things that you will want to consider when designing your pond.

The Basics

Step 1: Design/Plan your dream pond. This step in the process is not one to be taken lightly. You need to decide the best place to put your pond, how big you want it to be, the shape/depth, whether you want fish or not, and many other details. Changing your plan mid-construction will likely cost you both time and money. Write down all of your ideas and create a list of the things that you want your pond to have, and what you could do without.

Step 2: Outlining your pond. You will want to use a garden hose, or twine and stakes to outline the general shape of your pond. Double check to make sure that it isn’t in the way of power or water lines, and is away from overhanging trees or other environmental hazards.

Step 3: Start Digging. This is the most labor intensive part of the process. You can either dig the pond yourself, or hire someone to do it for you.

Step 4: Line your pond. Depending on the type of liner that you choose, this can be a simple or a complex procedure. If you use a PVC liner, it is simply a matter of getting the liner in place and smoothing out bubbles to make it conform to the shape of your pond. Fiberglass and concrete linings (which are more durable and long lasting) require more prep work.

Step 5: Finish up the liner. If you are using PVC lining, you will want to leave a couple of inches around the edge of your pond for rocks and edging. If you choose fiberglass or cement, you will want to make sure that the application was completed properly, and your system is flushed ready for water.

Step 6: Decorate! Small and large rocks strategically placed around the outer rim of your pond will help conceal the liner and make it appear more natural. You can be as creative as you want with this process.

Step 7: Stock your pond. If you plan to put plants or fish in your pond, this is the time to do it. You will likely want to wait a while before introducing fish, and test the water often to make sure that the water levels are acceptable for supporting life.

Additional Items to Think About

If you follow the steps above you will have a simple garden pond to enjoy for many years to come! If you plan on having any fish or want to design a medium to large pond, you will also want to read up on filtration systems, waterfalls, and the various types of plant and animal life for your pond.

Michele Miller
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/constructing-your-garden-pond-basic-pond-building-steps-53074.html

Have you cut out and collected pictures of great landscaping ideas, but now wonder how to actually put them onto your own property? Have you wanted to capture the vision of a stately French mansion on your property in Houston, Texas? Would you like to know whether the plants you’ve admired in European and New England countryside estates will grow on the Texas coastal plains?

If so, you need the services of an experienced residential landscape design professional. A competent landscape designer or landscape architect takes you through the entire design development process, which includes: consultation and program development, analysis of the existing site, conceptual landscaping design, construction documentation and permitting. And then on towards turning the vision in your mind from virtual reality to actual reality.

Landscape design and Analysis of the Site

An essential part of the initial consultation with your landscape designer or landscape architect is a walk around your property. Here is where you get to share your overall vision, detail your wants and needs and desires. It should be a free-flowing discussion about aesthetics, which includes your likes and dislikes of materials, preferences on arrangements-all the “wouldn’t it be nice if…” things you’ve been considering.

Try to be as specific as you can. For example, you may want a deck to seat a party of ten people or a large lawn area on which your three- and five-year-old can play with your Labrador retriever. This detailed information will be brought together by your residential landscape designer or landscape architect to create a program of uses. The program organizes uses by their relationship to one another, much like the inside flow of your home. In fact, the architecture and flow of your home should relate to the architecture and flow of your landscaping. Understanding these relationships and interpreting them well separates the artist-architectural designer from a landscape horticulturalist-contractor.

Residential Landscaping Design

The next step in the design process develops out of the meeting notes, site analysis, program of uses, and the design professional’s experience. At this conceptual level, the landscape designer or landscape architect conveys the overall design intent, such as the general use areas and their sizes, swimming pools and other hardscapes, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fountains, lawn areas, and plantings. This phase will also be the time when it is determined which wish list items are possible on the site and which are not. An overall cost study is developed from the conceptual landscaping design as well.

Moving Forward with you Landscape Design:

Once you have agreed on the overall design intent, sizes of use areas, general material selections and their applications, you are ready to begin the landscaping design development and construction phase. The documentation for this phase can be broken down into three groups: 1) landscaping design drawings for permitting. 2) landscaping design drawings to convey final design intent and material selections for you and the installation contractor 3) landscaping design drawings, called construction documents, with specifications for materials, specifications for their installation and installation methods.

These drawings may be accompanied by a full package of additional drawings to include an existing site survey, tree disposition and elevation plan, tree preservation plan, demolition plan, swimming pool plan, landscape drainage systems, irrigation systems, hardscape plan including outdoor kitchen and outdoor water fountains, landscape planting plan, landscape lighting plan, and construction details for the above plans.

As for permits, each city has its own unique requirements for landscape plan approvals. The norm is a submittal of the entire permitting package to be approved or rejected by a committee board. For this reason, it is important to hire a landscaping company that is fluent in these areas, one who knows what vital information to include, such as lot coverage ratios, engineered drainage plans, pool fencing layout and specifications. It is equally important to omit unnecessary information that could create confusion or send up a red flag that would keep the project from getting approved. A knowledgeable residential landscape designer or landscape architect helps win approval as quickly as possible.

Garden Design and the End Results

Whether your project is a simple landscaping design that only encompasses landscape planting or is a complex construction package, it is vital that you hire a landscape designer or landscape architect that is competent in the skill sets detailed here. For your satisfaction, it is also important to distinguish between off-the-shelf landscaping design and a designer who can reflect your unique style. Always ask to see a portfolio and visit the website to determine if the landscaping company under consideration has the sense of style you appreciate and is one who can design a landscape that complements your home and lifestyle.

Additionally, it is highly recommended that you utilize a landscaping design company that not only does the design work, but also performs project management and landscaping installation. There is a world of difference between someone who has great ideas and another person with great ideas who also knows the availability and best use of local materials, local contractors and their methods of construction, overall cost and budget development, and can then maintain the finished product. In short, you want a landscape designer or landscape architect who can deliver a landscape design solution that flourishes in the Houston climate over the long term.

Jeff Halper
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/landscape-design-for-homes-in-houston-texas-669685.html

“Are you looking for peace and harmony on the Internet? Enter Seiwa-en where you can experience such quietude. This garden is a project of the Missouri Botanical Gardens, designed by ‘Koichi Kawana, M.F.A, Ph.D., a native of Japan and Principal Architecture Associate and lecturer in Japanese art, architecture and landscape design at the University of California, Los Angeles. Kawana Sensei not only designed Seiwa-en but also supervised its construction and development until his death in 1990. Here’s your opportunity to experience this ‘wet strolling garden’ in the solitude of your home and maybe even develop a few ideas of your own for recreating a similar masterpiece in your own backyard!”

Seiwa-en, a Japanese garden of pure, clear harmony and peace

Did I go to the garden? Of course. It’s beautiful.

It also made me sad and glad at the same time. Why does there need to be a garden of serenity on the Internet? Do we lack our own “real” gardens? Do we spend so much time in virtual reality that an Internet garden is preferable to one in the backyard?

Zen gardens have a serenity that plenty of regular earth gardens do not. They borrow scenery, they show us imperfections, they exemplify nature.

What I began to wonder was if we need, in addition, to summon, build, create, maintain and nourish a place of pure, clear harmony and peace within ourselves so that we are able to find peace in any scenario? There is a Greek word that I’ve loved for a long time: temenos. It means sanctuary.

This week I offer you temenos. Sanctuary. On the Internet in a virtual sense, and on offer from within yourself at any moment you make that choice.

Dr. Susan Corso

As with any project, to do a landscaping job properly you need to have a detailed knowledge of the ground the way it is, and the way you want it to be. Only then can you bring your landscaping ideas to fruition.

Think of your house as a jewel. If the setting in which it stands isn’t right, it spoils the effect of the house itself. The setting, in this case, is your front and back yards. Most people, of course, will only see your front yard – casual passers-by or the casual visitor. Your backyard, however, can be your own inner sanctum, the place where you go to retreat and reflect on life, the universe, and everything. So your landscaping can consist of an integrated design for both front and back yards, or two distinctively different designs, depending on what you want to accomplish.

It’s important to remember that your yards – the trees, the grass, the plants and flowers – are living things – and that you can bend them to your will in many ways, but if they do not have the right kind of soil and are not properly cared for, they will die.

So before you actually dig your hands into the rich earth and start planting anything, make sure that you have a detailed plan of what you want to do – and that you follow that plan.

Before you decide which flowers, grasses and plants your going to use in your landscaping, you must pay attention to the ground in which you’re going to put them. Spend a week or so tracking the sunlight and shade and how it plays across every square inch of your yard. The amount of sunlight an area receives will determine what types of flowers or plants you want to place there.

But don’t forget to track the ground’s reaction to rain, either. Are there any areas that remain soft for a long time after a rain? Are there any areas where the water has pooled? Again this will effect what you do with those areas of ground.

What about trees? Are there currently any trees in your yard and if so, do you plan to keep them all? After a couple of years spent raking leaves during the fall you might consider getting rid of those trees and replacing them with evergreens. Evergreens present their own challenges, of course, as its sometimes difficult for grass to grow right up amongst the roots of the tree.

Do some soil tests, as well. These are done easily with a kit you can buy from any local garden store, or even the bigger supermarkets. You need to check for the pH balance of your soil. If it is too alkaline or too acidic, plants won’t grow properly, and you’ll have to add fertilizer to help put the pH balance back to even.

Make a physical plan
Get yourself some graph paper, and some tracing paper to put over it. Draw a scale-model drawing of each yard on a piece of graph paper, blocking out all important areas such trees and other features that are to remain, and features that will be removed. Then use the tracing paper to sketch in various ideas for flower beds and ornamental design. If you want to get fancy, you can also buy software which will enable you to make these plans in three dimensions.

Where to get ideas
While you’re tracking the private life of the ground, you can also be on the lookout for ideas you’d like to implement. There are dozens of magazines on landscaping and gardening, and innumerable books available from your local library or bookstore. The Home and Gardening Channel will be a fount of ideas as well.

The right equipment
Depending on the size of your yards, you might not want to buy all the equipment you’ll need to do your landscaping, as you’ll probably only need garden rollers and aerators once a year. This equipment can usually be rented from your local garden store.

The right crew
Depending on what you’re going to be putting into your landscape – fountains, ponds, heavy statuary, make sure you have the right crew for the job. Don’t try to move a heavy statue yourself, for example, and if you have absolutely no technical experience, it’s always best to hire a professional to install a pond or fountain.

With all the right stuff, your home will shine like a jewel in its proper setting.

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/planning-your-landscape-is-essential-126987.html

 I still remember times when I was fascinated by the stories of sea wolves, their adventures and long and dangerous cruises. I always wanted to be a captain leading a ship through all the storms to a safe harbour. I had to do something to make my dreams come true.

When I was 12 I was spending my summer holidays with my family in Reading. They had a beautiful little cottage just off the shore of Thames. One day I asked my cousin Matt (who was my idol then) to take me on a trip by boat. He agreed. His mate, Paul, joined us in our escapade. They were rowing and I was staring, admiring how strong they were, dreaming about my career on sea. Suddenly the weather changed, grey clouds appeared and strong wind was blowing from all around.

Boys panicked and started to row in opposite directions. They shouted at each other, waved with rows and suddenly a boat listed, and I felt the river taking me down into its depth. I tried to stick out but something was keeping me in place, below the water. The slimy bunch of water grass or something tried to hold me tight. I waved my hands and in meantime I saw my whole short life passing in pictures in my head. Then I felt someone’s hands grabing my arms and taking up.

I saw Matt. He was like a saviour. I was terrified, shaking and all I wanted was to put my feet back on the ground, and even better – lay in bed.

After this trip I changed my mind – becoming a captain wasn’t my priority anymore. 10 year had to pass before I went to the water again.

Now I am a cab driver. I live in Clapham in a cosy house with a beautiful large garden. My family loves to spend time there. But after all these years I realised I still liked the idea of being a captain. Maybe it seems stupid but I couldn’t do anything about it. This thought was so strong and importunate that I couldn’t get rid of it. But a bright idea appeared in my mind – my kids loved Pirates of the Caribbean. Maybe I could do something for them then and on the same occasion… And my neighbour mentioned something about his plans to clear his garden. Although my garden was quite clean – it had grass all over the area and few plants in a flower bed in the corner – it lacked something. My dreams started to surface from the fog. Along with my neighbour we started to do a research on gardening ideas, landscaping and design. Clapham Gardeners came, took measurements, listened carefully to my unusual ideas and gave me some hints. Decking – it was the answer! And after few weeks I became a Captain. You may ask – how, why, what it has in common with decking? Am I dreaming? Yes, I’m dreaming my childhood dream now. They built a raised three level decking for me, shaped it properly, fitted balustrades. They also erected a quarter deck. I provided a steering wheel and some ropes. It was amazing! A real quite big boat appeared in my garden! A new beautifully shaped and gravelled space became our island. My kids were so happy – jumping and shouting all the time. They eagerly became my crew and I put my cap on and we started our cruise. My neighbour stared at me with a hint of concern about my psychic capabilities but I didn’t care. He had cleared garden with his traditional decking space with a table, chairs and small leds in it. And I had my own deck and adventures ahead.

http://www.claphamgardeners.co.uk

Jo Harris
http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/on-my-own-deck-how-the-decking-adventure-began-754298.html