Saturday, March 8, 2014
ORGANIZATION OF THE KIDS ROOM
Modern kids room design
Modern nursery room ideas
For your child to be organized, it is essential that your entire house can be arranged. If you have lying areas at home, do not expect a positive, active involvement of your children. Remember - actions speak ten times louder than words. The modern nursery room is one of the most important places for organizing the home.
Modern Green Nursery room ideas
Never attempt to reorganize the nursery room without permission and active involvement of the child. No "surprise" child or young person in the organization of the nursery room instead. They are under your roof, but privacy must be respected - both yours and theirs. Child to learn at an early age to keep his nursery room clean and tidy is the foundation upon which many subsequent forming habits in later years. As educate the child to be organized, will actually save you much time.
Modern Kids room ideas
You will not hear all the time: "Mom, where are my f. ..?" I forgot my homework, "I have team practice today." Organizing begins in infancy and the first step is to acclimatise your child to take back the toys after ended the game with them. And in order to acclimatise the child to be organized, the nursery room should be: fun and creative, with plenty of room for improvements and additions, as children grow, supportive environment that motivates them to be displayed and to spend time there; colorful - it can attach lots of ideas.
Modern Nursery room ideas
The usual battle in every home begins with a cry: Clean your nursery room! Holidays and birthdays or the commencement of the new school year many families thrown into panic. Battlefield is the nursery room. The first condition, to help your child to arrange the nursery room for maximum comfort ourselves, is to look in his eyes. See space, furniture, fittings and wardrobes. The view may surprise you.
Modern Childs room ideas
Simple nursery room furniture for the child are not well translated into the language of furniture for adults - the drawers in the closet of adults are not easily managed by small hands, folding doors of a dressing can easily pinch the fingers of a curious little guy out or to cause the entire system due to pressure from the nest bottom, wardrobe rails are not easily reached, and clothes hangers for adults do not fit children s clothing. To better organize your childs room, solutions must meet the children s needs - Adjust furniture for his efforts. Many of the furniture for children are not available to them and why they come in their place furniture that they can access everything they need.
Modern Kids room ideas
Kids room Wardrobe cupboards and other enclosed areas are devoted to the preservation of property. These shelves, to which children must have access to are those on which it is stored: Casual clothes, shoes, books, sports equipment, using, and toys that play. These things must be placed at eye level. The youngest do not need much space for hanging clothes, so spend this space in the closet with shelves in the kids room, drawers and storage boxes of stuff.
Modern Kids room ideas
Modern Kids room ideas
Shelves in the closet that are inaccessible to children, may preserve - seasonal clothing, seasonal sports accessories, toys or objects, which are not grown enough, and rarely used items. For younger children can fully remove the doors of lockers. Cornices clothing must be low, and coat racks are children. Low shelves, put boxes with toys, open plastic storage boxes of socks and underwear.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Garden Bloggers Bloom Day December 2011
 |
| Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo) berries |
 |
| Picea pungens Montgomery Globe Spruce |
 |
| Chamaecyparis pisifera Gold Mop |
 |
| Ajuga Burgundy Glow (Left) and Golden Sedge (Right) |
Seen here is the Burgundy Glow Ajuga that I just planted this year next to Golden Sedge. Ajuga has been stubborn in my gardens in the past but this year it has really taken off. I finally found the perfect spot for it in dappled shade and with northeastern exposure.
 |
Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar with Barberry (Right) and Gold Mop Cypress (Left) |
Here is the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar that has had much growth this summer. In the backdrop is Cryptomeria japonica Angelica along with Gold Mop Cypress (left) and Barberry Rosy Glow (right). The Barberry is starting to form some of its vibrant red berries that look beautiful throughout winter.
 |
| Berries on Upright Japanese Holly Chesapeake |
At this time of year the Chesapeake hollies produce clusters of plump black berries. I really enjoy this added December interest in the garden...so much fun! The vibrant red berries of Nandina domestica (photo above) are also a sight to behold!
 |
| Crape Myrtle Seed Heads |
This Crape Myrtle is one of my favorite trees in the garden. It even draws interest in winter with its spent blooms and interesting seed heads. When the blossoms fade clusters of greenish berries darken as they dry out. These seed heads attract birds to the winter landscape and provide a welcomed food source for our feathered friends.
 |
| Stachys (Lambs Ear) |
The Lambs Ear is still looking good even in December.This plant is just amazing in that its foliage really adds interest for many months throughout the year.
These are the moss rock boulders that I added for some impact last summer. I am really enjoying the dimension that they add to the garden. Soon the winter snow will cover them to add some additional interest.
 |
| Dwarf Mugo Pine Against Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and Moss Rock |
 |
| Blue Atlas Cedar |
 |
| December Sky |
I hope you enjoyed the tour of my December garden. Please visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens for more December blooms around the world.
"Nature has undoubtedly mastered the art of winter gardening and even the most experienced gardener can learn from the unrestrained beauty around them." ~Vincent A. Simeone ("Wonders of the Winter Landscape")
"The gardening season officially begins on January 1st, and ends on December 31."
- Marie Huston As Always... Happy Gardening and a Happy GBBD!
Author: Lee @A Guide To Northeastern Gardening Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.
The Delight of a Courtyard Landscape Design
Court Yard. The very word stirs the imagination. What comes to mind when you think of a courtyard? Is it a royal garden? A secret place? A sanctuary? Even an outdoor sitting room or retreat might be imagined. If your garden or the architecture of your home includes a courtyard take advantage of this delightful feature. The Landscape Design details of your courtyard garden lend themselves to a bit more punch than the rest of your garden.
Designing a courtyard Landscape is as easy as a-b-c: Develop a Design, Designate a focal point and fill in the spaces with plants according to the scale of the garden.
Because the courtyard is such a special feature of your Landscape, the Design aspect is the most important step in your Landscape Design. Even before making Design choices it is important to research appropriate plants for your area, Designs that complement your architecture, and ideas that stem from your imagination and desire for your courtyard use. Even if you plan to install the Landscape yourself, you might want to consult a professional Landscape Designer for this phase. Unlike the rest of your garden, a courtyard must be a little more permanent, so carefully plan your courtyard Landscape Design.
Move on to the next step, Designating a focal point only after the Design has been carefully planned. When choosing the focal point for a courtyard Landscape Design, you have much more choices than simply plants. True, a beautiful fruit tree with a circular border, or a flowering weeping cherry might be exactly what your Design needs. However, you could also choose from a number of other plant Designs such as an herb garden or a mossy path leading to a quiet but beautiful sitting area. Perhaps a water feature; either a reflecting pool or a fountain, will provide the atmosphere you desire. Even a formal or informal sitting area, a grill or a comfy hammock could provide an inviting focal point. It might be a good idea to allow the expert Designer who is helping you with your plan give you suggestions about the focal point, helping you coordinate the mood of your courtyard and the scale of the space.
The final step, choosing and installing the right plants and other details to fill in the rest of the space is actually the most rewarding. It is exciting to watch everything come together and see your dream courtyard come alive. A courtyard Landscape Design provides ample opportunity to add small details or features that will coordinate, yet provide the unexpected. Perhaps a strawberry border to the edge of a flower bed, or a small bronze sculpture, or even a rock garden tucked into a corner will deliver that extra touch that makes the Design. When choosing the fill in elements of the courtyard Design, remember to select the largest plants first to anchor the Design, and then fill in with smaller. The focal point and the large plants should be carefully selected for their permanent home, but the smaller plants can be changed or moved seasonally. Dont forget to include some container plants as well that can be transported to different areas of the courtyard for different uses.
If you are a do-it-yourselfer, and you plan to accomplish a lot of the digging and planting securing the help of the Landscape Designer will save you time and trouble in the long run. They will help you make sound decisions based on their training, knowledge and expertise, eliminating the risk of having to re do the work in the near future. To save money, you might even consider sharing the responsibility of your courtyard Landscape Design with a professional Landscape Designer. Whether you do the entire job yourself, or you hire a Designer, a court yard Landscape Design will bring you pleasure for many years to come.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
pictures of front yard landscaping
 |
| pictures of front yard landscaping |
Before planning any panorama it is necessary which you take a look from the designs specifically created by specialist designers. Most people around us all want theyve a good as well as well maintained grass which when provided artificial seem still looks natural. So its advisable to take a look at the models. The people who design and style these models have enough understanding of landscaping.
The Creating Instinct
Those who have correct information about landscaping architects have the ability to style too, however, you should also incorporate some aesthetic feeling for the art work. For setup of your appearance you need to examine pictures about the landscaping this will provide you with an insight try to find landscaping and give you notion for planning plants and various constructions. Therefore its important to study the particular professional strategies before applying your work this will likely reduce the potential for mistakes.
It doesnt mean that if youve sense of layout you can apply you applying for grants anything you like, knowning that whether the farmville farm is suitable while using combination a great so on. Items other than crops, is that you have to know is water to supply the region whether it is a substantial patch or perhaps a bigger a single. Some buyers want to have a new fountain or even things like that will to be put into their location. But before doing this you should begin to see the landscaping pictures for how wouldnt it look like when youve got installed this sort of structure as it can give a congested or a pushed look and this must be noted. So review before rendering is needed within this specific job.
Making a Photo in Your Mind
Its also possible to install different of buildings such as summer-house and also other things related. Not only these products can give an excellent look nonetheless they will suit your customer to view how they opt for other things about area such as the plants. Houses like this may be build along with help of contractors or you can purchase them ready made coming from stores.
 |
| pictures of front yard landscaping ideas |
 |
| pictures of front yard landscaping design |
Spring Inspirations What I’m Planting this Year
Last year, my wife and I began smothering large sections of lawn in the house we moved into. We decided to create two very different garden zones on each side of the house. On one side, we’d have a traditional perennial border—an area we could constantly fuss and change. On the other side of the house, we are planning a native garden inspired by a woodland opening. The two gardens will be a kind of yin/yang—one fussy, self-conscious, and highly maintained; the other simple and evocative of particular moment in nature.
So while the future native garden is being smothered, we are busily adjusting the border. For perennial borders, my formula for creating them has gotten simpler over the years. First, I start with a handful of simple base plants (typically filler plants like grasses and reliable perennials) and then add accents plants with annuals, bulbs, and ephemerals. What I like about this formula is that I don’t have to replace the entire border to do something new. But with annuals and bulbs, I can change enough of the accents so that the border looks entirely different from year to year.
This year, I’m adding a mix of annuals and perennials to punch up color and texture (two areas it was decidedly weak last year). I’m inspired to be more romantic: Old fashioned Bearded Irises, umbels like Bronze Fennel and Bishop’s Weed, and striking foliage plants like Eucomis and Orach. I’m going with a mauve/pink/burgundy theme that works with some of the base plants like Shenandoah Switchgrass, Persicaria ‘Firetail’, and some dark Penstemons that are already in the border. Here’s what I’m adding this spring. Almost all of the additions are from seeds or bulbs.
Border additions:
1. Iris ‘Persian Berry’, Bearded Iris: After seeing Andy Sturgeon’s striking Bearded Irises in is Best in Shown 2010 Chelsea garden, I can’t get them out of my head. After about 80 hours of surfing on Iris Farms’ website, I settled on a couple of pinky-mauve Irises. Image above from Senor Ambrosia, Flicker.
2. Atriplex hortensis var. rubra, Red Orach: This plant has been on my list for years. Nancy Ondra has used Red Orach to great effect in her garden, and I’ve seen many British gardeners use it well. I also love the fact that Orach is quite edible. In fact, Thomas Jefferson had it in his garden in Monticello. Available from Annies Annuals.
3. Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’, Pineapple Lily: One of my big horticultural crushes this year is the design firm Mosaic Gardens in Eugene, Oregon. I love their collage-like arrangements of foliage and texture. It’s so different from the way I design, yet so appealing. I’ve spent hours scrutinizing their brilliant designs. One of the mainstays of their gardens is this striking vertical burgundy plant, that I assumed was Phormium (which is not hardy in the mid-Atlantic). Until I read on their blog that the plant I’ve lusted over for years is actually a Pineapple Lily. Which is hardy here! I about popped a vein I was so excited. So I’ve ordered a bunch from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs. Image courtesy of Mosaic Gardens.
4. Ammi majus, Bishop’s Flower: I’ve already documented that I’m rather umbel-crazy lately and Ammi majus is one of the classic lacy annual umbels for the garden. It’s remarkably similar to Queen Anne’s Lace, though a bit shorter and perhaps more floriferous. Available from Swallowtail Garden.
5. Iris ‘Fashionably Late’, Bearded Iris: The color on this Iris is so spectacular; I get chest pains just thinking about it. Mine is just about to bloom and I think I may take off work and sleep outside in the border for the entire time it blooms. Image above from http://www.cubits.org/
6. Trifolium rubens, Ornamental Clover: Oudolf has turned me on to using clovers mixed in low ornamental grasses. Gorgeous and nitrifying (hmm, that would be a great pick up line—ha!). I’m adding this clover around a mass of Nasella tenuissima I have in the garden.
7. Dierama pulcherrimum, Dark Cerise: I’ve seen Noel Kingsbury and other Brits use Cerise to great effect. I have no clue how it will do in the mid-Atlantic, but I’m giving it a shot. Seeds are available from Swallowtail Gardens. Image courtesy of Swallowtail Garden Seeds.
8. Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’, Bronze Fennel: Another umbel I’m crazy about, less for its flower than its foliage. Bronze Fennel is the ideal filler plant around pinks and purples. It reminds me of the Smoke Monster in the ABC show Lost. But in a pretty way.
9. Pennisetum glaucum, Ornamental Millet: This plant always makes its appearance in the fall harvest season along with pumpkins and gourds. But I’m trying it mixed in tall perennials this summer. Hopefully balanced with a lot of other pinks and mauves, it won’t read too autumnal, but it may. I’ll let you know how it goes. Image courtesy of Swallowtail Garden Seeds where the seed is available.
Note: I received no compensation to list the nurseries Ive list above. I just like their products and thought Id share.
What does N P K stand for and is it a four letter word
Im asked this often, so here is the short answer:
N : Nitrogen (Good for growth of foliage)
P : Phosphorous (Good for roots and flowers)
K : Pottasium (Good for fruit & general health of the plant)
Four-letter word?: Yes & No
The numbers (e.g. 3:1:5 or 2:3:2) that you see on a bag of fertilizer represent the proportion of these 3 elements - N:P:K.
Some quick facts:
The problem with this particular type of fertilizer has resulted from its over-use, and mis-use. Chemical fertilizers are sometimes applied in larger quantities than can be absorbed by the plants or held by the soil, they then leach down into the groundwater and rivers, and can result in the death of fish amongst other things.
It is also believed that in large quantities over time, they can actually poison the soil and kill off the natural organisms that are essential for plants and organisms in the soil.
My personal opinion is that chemical fertilizers should always be just a very small portion of the food that we provide for our soil and plants. Because the elements are in their basic form, and therefore easily absorbed, they are often great as a short term solution.
But organic fertilizers, such as composts and manures, provide a whole host of other macro and micro nutrients, as well as improving the structure of the soil. For these reasons, they are always better in the long run.
Read More..
N : Nitrogen (Good for growth of foliage)
P : Phosphorous (Good for roots and flowers)
K : Pottasium (Good for fruit & general health of the plant)
Four-letter word?: Yes & No
The numbers (e.g. 3:1:5 or 2:3:2) that you see on a bag of fertilizer represent the proportion of these 3 elements - N:P:K.
Some quick facts:
- A lack of Nitrogen is usually quite apparent when the green foliage of your lawn or plants becomes pale. (Although this is not the only reason for pale leaves)
- Phosphorous does not move through the soil, so it should only be added in small amounts near the roots of plants, so that it can be absorbed easily.
- Potassium deficiency shows up when the edges of leaves and the area between the veins start to go yellow. Potassium helps plants handle changes in temperature.
- Generally speaking, unless the fertiliser is slow release (it will have (SR) after the N:P:K) you should always water your plants straight after applying in order to prevent any burning of the plants, and to help them to absorb the nutrients easily. Wash your hands immediately for the same reason.
- The plant family Fabaceae (e.g. Peas, Beans, Acacia, Indigofera, Crotalaria) has a symbiotic relationship with bacteria which actually helps add Nitrogen to the soil naturally.
The problem with this particular type of fertilizer has resulted from its over-use, and mis-use. Chemical fertilizers are sometimes applied in larger quantities than can be absorbed by the plants or held by the soil, they then leach down into the groundwater and rivers, and can result in the death of fish amongst other things.
It is also believed that in large quantities over time, they can actually poison the soil and kill off the natural organisms that are essential for plants and organisms in the soil.
My personal opinion is that chemical fertilizers should always be just a very small portion of the food that we provide for our soil and plants. Because the elements are in their basic form, and therefore easily absorbed, they are often great as a short term solution.
But organic fertilizers, such as composts and manures, provide a whole host of other macro and micro nutrients, as well as improving the structure of the soil. For these reasons, they are always better in the long run.
The Landscape Design Process
The shows on television where the complete planning, design and implementation of a major landscape project happen in one weekend are quite unreal. It is purely for the sake of cramming the entire process into a quick one-hour segment, but in reality the process one is viewing really took weeks to even months to complete. These shows are great for showing the "process" but one must emphasize-the "process" does take time and does not happen overnight!
The Design Process:
Site Analysis:
The design process begins with an initial meeting with the client. The property is walked viewing the areas to be designed discussing factors such as desired function of the site, hardscape, existing plantings, lighting, watering, slope and location of utilities. The client can view samples of work so that the designer can get an idea for the style of landscape desired whether it is formal, informal, cottage style, contemporary or perhaps a combination of styles for different areas. After careful consideration of wants and needs for the location, digital photographs and careful measurements are taken of the site. The designer then gathers all the information needed for the plan through several site visits and creates a conceptual plan.
The designer will meet with you to review the conceptual plan. This plan will provide an overview of the project and will include a layout of functional areas, planting areas and hardscape. At this time you can further discuss any ideas you may have with your designer.
Master Plan:
Upon approval of the conceptual plan, the designer will then prepare a scaled to size master plan (or blueprint) that will show the layout of plantings and hardscape as well as a listing of plant material, sizes and quantities and specifications. Computer rendered imaging of your design may also be supplied so that you can see what your installed landscape will look like beforehand.
Implementation:
At this point you may proceed with installing your project. You may decide to hire out all or some of the elements of your project and your designer can help you with this. The master plan will show you the overall picture so that there is no guesswork when you decide to proceed with your project.
Home improvements should be a fun and enjoyable experience and planning ahead can take the stress out of your project. While every designer may not follow these exact steps this article will hopefully help to give an explanation of how the process works and what one can expect. The better the communication between you and your designer the smoother and more enjoyable your project will flow. Enjoy planning and happy gardening!
Lee@ A Guide To Northeastern Gardening Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Landscape design ideas for the novice landscaper
If time, effort and money spent to get the Landscape your garden, you might also enjoy the charm of it, both at night and during the day. With the right type and amount of special outdoor lighting can help your garden at night.
The funny part is that the Landscape may look clearly at night it lights up the production felt twice as much visual appeal. You will be ableThank you for your efforts in a whole new way at night. Plus with confidence to help types of outdoor lighting can add a level of safety and security to your home.
Landscape lighting for the atmosphere
If properly selected and installed Landscape lighting should report to emphasize the beauty of your home to your loved trees and flowers, with extra features like a waterfall or pond and take a relaxing atmosphere for your enjoyment.
Landscaping is a way of charm and elegance in your garden view. But the practice is often taken into consideration in fashioning a new look for your garden. Some things to keep in mind are ways of sustainability, efficiency and ease to maintain as long as you do not come away from the plan that would reach into words. These are some useful features that accommodate a building site, and we hope this report serves toas food for your creative spirit.
Every gardener or a homeowner to come to clean up a yard will agree that the seemingly simple task of pulling weeds or trees can clip to a long and tiring experience. Choosing the most suitable plant, in collaboration with the different climate and Landscape of Tucson, Arizona, is often more difficult than expected. Considering the nature of the care of plants and shrubs required is a good way to limit the selection. ToExample: Selecting a tree that can survive a lot of shadows to be put out small amounts of rainfall as a Mesquite tree can provide an excellent addition to your garden and Landscape to make.
Supply of natural shade improves the efficiency of your home and is a great way to give back a little on cooling costs during the hot summer months. Having personally experienced the tragedy to simple neglect the maintenance of the garden for over a year, "clean my backyard", the task has become synonymouswith removal of a rainforest with a butter knife. I advise you not to spend so much time without it some kind of maintenance, if you try to discourage Scout knocking at the door. Because of the increase over the trees and vegetation, my house was a constant refrain from the additional cooler in the shade of my laziness. The proliferation of the Landscape can be maintained even with a little really neat job every month and not in design, will hinderhave created.
Give your garden a watering system drift of the ideas that water falling rain or a garden hose, where it is most probably one of the innovations most useful and necessary to the sentence the judge. Let your garden, the nutrients they need to win in a natural way is the best way to improve your self-sufficiency sustainability yards. Recycled rainwater is still someone elses way to your feet to improve the efficiency and sustainability. Facilities for rainwater harvesting or installing a rain collectorways to get back on the water bill and save having to pay to water your garden. This means less time for maintenance, which means more time to watch Americas Next Top Model, playing football or in my case, sleep.
How do you think of ways to improve your garden, you should be prominent all options will be informed. Whether you hire a do-it-yourself-er or looking for the person to turn your Landscape design ideas for you, it is important to sell what you wantand if your property is supported in a position to change this. Remember, there is still much more to your garden, then that can only see his eyes.
Before the start of a project is to investigate prominent global, what should I do now, as in the life of each major project. Its never fun when 5 of 10 in a phase of the project to find out that the levels were 2, 3 and 4, completed incorrectly. To save time, money, dissatisfaction and the Drang skydiving without trialParachute with a mild strain of study. You will not regret.
Joseph J. Cox calls every relation of ideas or products on your next home improvement project http://mylocalhomeshow.com where we meet to do more for your home visit, and get more for your money. Keep an eye out for other Tucson Landscaping 101 topics!
Visit http://www.mylocalhomeshow.com/home-gardendirectory/landscaping.html for some practical examples of ideas of Landscape design.
http://blogspot.com/
Basic Principles of Landscape Design And Style
While landscape design may seem like a primarily aesthetic aspect of design, you will find particular architectural principles that guide the concepts that guide the field. As a matter of fact, being a good landscape designer requires up a lot time and energy, each in the procedure of carrying out the tasks involve and in taking up the essential courses that will prepare one for this field of expertise. Thankfully, you, as a homeowner, dont have to take up years of studying to be able to prepare yourself to carry out your own design projects. Listed here are the fundamental principles of landscape design that you might use to improve and upgrade your personal home.
One of the most essential principles of landscape architecture is unity. This refers to the unifying theme that brings together the different plants and trees that you simply will use to design the region. Designers use various schemes to pick out the best components, and itll do you nicely in the event you brush up on them also.
For example, you can attempt sticking to components that have comparable lines, shapes, and patterns. In the event you wish, you may also stick to plants and trees which have comparable colors and hues. Utilizing components which have comparable appearances wont only help you accomplish a polished look, but it will also allow you to come up with an aesthetically pleasing output. However, one ought to be guarded about keeping his design too unified. Throw inside a couple of uncharacteristic elements to break the monotony.
You should also attempt to maintain the over-all lay-out as balanced as feasible. Balance refers to the design characteristic that maintains an even "weight" throughout the entire region of the design. This indicates that an equal number of attention ought to be drawn by the different areas. This can be done by equally distributing the different elements amongst the various components of the over-all architecture. Balance might also be accomplished by maintaining an even really feel all through the entire style.
Its also crucial that you simply choose the appropriate quantity of focal points for the area that you simply wish to overhaul. Pick out a few key architectural pieces and make certain that they are placed on the very best portion of the design. Use crucial lighting and back grounding to create it the focus of the over-all architecture.
Finally, make sure that you maintain a particular level of movement inside your style. This means that the interest of the on-lookers should be directed from one region to another. This can be done merely by ensuring certain levels of variation all through different elements that you have used. Choose plants and trees that have varying sizes to be able to make the over-all style much more interesting. You may also choose to differ the lighting from one area to an additional, to be able to hold peoples attention longer.
These concepts are simple enough to understand and to implement. Nevertheless, if you find that coming up with an optimally pleasing design is too challenging for you, then make sure that you simply employ the help of a professional.
http://blogspot.com/
Sun Rose
A genus of small, shrubby perennials that are part of the Cistaceae family which includes the Cistus - Rock Roses.
* photo of unknown internet source
Helianthemum alpestre
A semi-evergreen, small, shrubby perennial, reaching a maximum size of 4 inches x 1 foot. It is native to central and southern Europe.
The leaves are tiny, up to 0.3 inches in length.
The profuse flowers, up to 0.8 inches across, are pale yellow. The flowers are borne during early to mid summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun.
Helianthemum lunulatum
A small, cushion-forming, woody perenial, reaching a maximum size of 8 inches x 1 foot.
The leaves, up to 0.6 inches in length, are gray-green.
The flowers, up to 0.3 inches across, are vivid golden-yellow with an orange center.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun.
Helianthemum nummularium ( Sun Rose )
A moderate growing, deep rooted, evergreen, mat forming, shrubby perennials, reaching a maximum size of 2 x 4 feet though rarely over 1 foot in height.
The Sun Roses are highly useful for the front of landscape borders, walls, rock gardens and containers.
The lance-shaped to narrow oval leaves are up to 2 inches in length. The foliage is deep green to silvery-gray depending upon variety.
The flowers, up to 1.3 inches across, are borne in clusters up to 12.
The bloom season varies depending upon variety but may last from early summer to early autumn.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 ( some varieties even hardy to zone 2 with protection ) in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil that is not too wet during winter ( prone to rot with excessive wetness ). Drought, lime and clay tolerant but does not like excessive heat and humidity and will likely not survive a Georgia summer. It is recommended to throw some evergreen boughs over the plants during winter in harsh climates to prevent the foliage from scorching.
Lightly shear plants back by about 1/3 after the first flush of blooming is over, to encourage fresh growth and repeat bloom.
Propagation is from division or cuttings.
* photo of unknown internet source
Annabel
Bushy in habit, with green foliage and double, pale pink flowers.
Apricot
A groundcover shrub, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with small, glossy green foliage and intense orange flowers during spring.
Ben Afflick
Flowers are orange with a bronzed center.
Among the hardier cultivars, it is known to even thrive in Alberta, Canada.
Ben Heckla
Flowers are bronzy-gold.
Ben More
Reaches up to 4 x 15 inches, with mid-green foliage topped by intense deep orange flowers.
Ben Nevis
Bushy in habit, reaching a maximum size of 14 inches x 4 feet, with orange-gold flowers.
Among the hardier cultivars, it is known to even thrive in Alberta, Canada.
Brown Gold
Reaches a maximum size of 8 inches x 4 feet, with brownish-yellow flowers borne during late spring into early summer.
Burgundy Dazzler
Reaches up to 6 inches x 1.5 feet, with glossy deep green foliage and showy, deep red flowers.
Cerise Queen
Neat in habit, reaching a maximum size of 8 inches x 4 feet, with intense red, double flowers.
Double Apricot
A groundcover shrub, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with small, glossy green foliage and peach-orange, double flowers during spring.
Fireball
Low growing, reaching a maximum height of 6 inches, with green foliage and double red flowers borne during early summer.
Firedragon
Bushy in habit, reaching a maximum size of 1.5 x 2 feet, with gray-green foliage and intense orange-red to scarlet-red, single flowers.
Henfield Brilliant
Gray foliage and large, single, deep orange-red flowers.
Jubilee
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 1.5 feet, with deep green foliage and double, pale yellow flowers.
Raspberry Ripple
Reaches up to 15 inches with silvery evergreen foliage. The deep pink-red to red striped with white flowers borne over a period lasting up to 3 months during late spring to early summer.
Rose Glory
Vigorous and mounding in habit, reaching up to 6 inches x 1.5 feet, with profuse, large, rose-pink blooms during late spring. The foliage is glossy green.
Rose Queen
Reaches up to 8 inches in height, with green foliage and rosey-pink flowers.
Single Yellow
Reaches up to 9 inches x 1.5 feet, with green foliage and very profuse, large, bright yellow flowers.
Hardy zones 4 to 9, among the hardiest cultivars.
St Marys
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with green foliage and large, single white flowers.
The Bride
Silvery foliage and large flowers that are single and white with a golden-yellow eye.
Watergate Rose
Gray-green foliage and flowers that are deep rose-red with an orange tinged center.
Wisley Pink
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet with gray foliage and large, pale pink ( with orangish center ), single flowers.
Wisley Primrose
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with silvery-gray foliage. The pale yellow, single flowers borne over a period lasting up to 3 months during early to mid summer.
Read More..
* photo of unknown internet source
Helianthemum alpestre
A semi-evergreen, small, shrubby perennial, reaching a maximum size of 4 inches x 1 foot. It is native to central and southern Europe.
The leaves are tiny, up to 0.3 inches in length.
The profuse flowers, up to 0.8 inches across, are pale yellow. The flowers are borne during early to mid summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun.
Helianthemum lunulatum
A small, cushion-forming, woody perenial, reaching a maximum size of 8 inches x 1 foot.
The leaves, up to 0.6 inches in length, are gray-green.
The flowers, up to 0.3 inches across, are vivid golden-yellow with an orange center.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun.
Helianthemum nummularium ( Sun Rose )
A moderate growing, deep rooted, evergreen, mat forming, shrubby perennials, reaching a maximum size of 2 x 4 feet though rarely over 1 foot in height.
The Sun Roses are highly useful for the front of landscape borders, walls, rock gardens and containers.
The lance-shaped to narrow oval leaves are up to 2 inches in length. The foliage is deep green to silvery-gray depending upon variety.
The flowers, up to 1.3 inches across, are borne in clusters up to 12.
The bloom season varies depending upon variety but may last from early summer to early autumn.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 ( some varieties even hardy to zone 2 with protection ) in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil that is not too wet during winter ( prone to rot with excessive wetness ). Drought, lime and clay tolerant but does not like excessive heat and humidity and will likely not survive a Georgia summer. It is recommended to throw some evergreen boughs over the plants during winter in harsh climates to prevent the foliage from scorching.
Lightly shear plants back by about 1/3 after the first flush of blooming is over, to encourage fresh growth and repeat bloom.
Propagation is from division or cuttings.
* photo of unknown internet source
Annabel
Bushy in habit, with green foliage and double, pale pink flowers.
Apricot
A groundcover shrub, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with small, glossy green foliage and intense orange flowers during spring.
Ben Afflick
Flowers are orange with a bronzed center.
Among the hardier cultivars, it is known to even thrive in Alberta, Canada.
Ben Heckla
Flowers are bronzy-gold.
Ben More
Reaches up to 4 x 15 inches, with mid-green foliage topped by intense deep orange flowers.
Ben Nevis
Bushy in habit, reaching a maximum size of 14 inches x 4 feet, with orange-gold flowers.
Among the hardier cultivars, it is known to even thrive in Alberta, Canada.
Brown Gold
Reaches a maximum size of 8 inches x 4 feet, with brownish-yellow flowers borne during late spring into early summer.
Burgundy Dazzler
Reaches up to 6 inches x 1.5 feet, with glossy deep green foliage and showy, deep red flowers.
Cerise Queen
Neat in habit, reaching a maximum size of 8 inches x 4 feet, with intense red, double flowers.
Double Apricot
A groundcover shrub, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with small, glossy green foliage and peach-orange, double flowers during spring.
Fireball
Low growing, reaching a maximum height of 6 inches, with green foliage and double red flowers borne during early summer.
Firedragon
Bushy in habit, reaching a maximum size of 1.5 x 2 feet, with gray-green foliage and intense orange-red to scarlet-red, single flowers.
Henfield Brilliant
Gray foliage and large, single, deep orange-red flowers.
Jubilee
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 1.5 feet, with deep green foliage and double, pale yellow flowers.
Raspberry Ripple
Reaches up to 15 inches with silvery evergreen foliage. The deep pink-red to red striped with white flowers borne over a period lasting up to 3 months during late spring to early summer.
Rose Glory
Vigorous and mounding in habit, reaching up to 6 inches x 1.5 feet, with profuse, large, rose-pink blooms during late spring. The foliage is glossy green.
Rose Queen
Reaches up to 8 inches in height, with green foliage and rosey-pink flowers.
Single Yellow
Reaches up to 9 inches x 1.5 feet, with green foliage and very profuse, large, bright yellow flowers.
Hardy zones 4 to 9, among the hardiest cultivars.
St Marys
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with green foliage and large, single white flowers.
The Bride
Silvery foliage and large flowers that are single and white with a golden-yellow eye.
Watergate Rose
Gray-green foliage and flowers that are deep rose-red with an orange tinged center.
Wisley Pink
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet with gray foliage and large, pale pink ( with orangish center ), single flowers.
Wisley Primrose
Reaches a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, with silvery-gray foliage. The pale yellow, single flowers borne over a period lasting up to 3 months during early to mid summer.
Are things Black White or Shades Of Green
As I said in a previous post I was admiring how green the grass on the artificial side is. But according to a book that I picked up today - Shades of green by Paul Waddington, in his chapter on grass, he says about artificial grass:
...it will need replacing after as little as fifteen years; its made from fossil-fuel-derived products and it performs none of the CO2 absorption, water purification, pollution absorption or wildlife habitat services that a real lawn will provide. Wont smell nice, either. So artificial grasss status as a big sheet of dead stuff in the middle of your garden condemns it to the least green spot.His assessment of the greenness of grass was that a Wildflower meadow would be regarded as Deep Green, while a home grown, infrequently mown, unwatered lawn would be Dark Green.
If youre striving for a perfect lawn, you would be considered pale green.
The book had an interesting perspective - looking at the topic of how green various things are; from cars to bananas to the internet.
It was written in a light humorous way, but I wasnt sure how factual all his assessments were. I also thought having a chapter explaining which drugs were and were not green friendly was a little irresponsible.
There were a couple of surprises though. Apparently, green-blogging is an oxymoron? The use of the internet left a quite large carbon footprint, especially compared to TV or newspapers.
It did leave me thinking that awareness and balance, are most important. I may never be a dark greeny, but then maybe thats not so bad?
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Warming Trends Patio Home Improvement Design Team Up
Warming Trends and Patio Home Improvement Design have teamed up on several projects over the years and we wanted to show off some of the great home improvements we have completed.
If you click on THIS LINK, you can see examples of Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces that Damon DAmico, owner of Patio Home Improvements Design, and Ray Stone, owner of Warming Trends have worked on together.
These projects include overhanging decks, custom kitchens complete with built in grills, food preparation areas, bars, refrigeration units, outdoor fireplaces with seating areas, stone finished columns, beautiful pergolas, custom fire pits and more.
Damon DAmico appeared on HGTVs show, Design Star in Season Three as a master craftsman as his team landed in the final three contestants on the show.
For all of your home improvement and patio needs, be sure to check out more examples of projects we have worked on together as well.
Read More..
If you click on THIS LINK, you can see examples of Outdoor Kitchens and Fireplaces that Damon DAmico, owner of Patio Home Improvements Design, and Ray Stone, owner of Warming Trends have worked on together.
These projects include overhanging decks, custom kitchens complete with built in grills, food preparation areas, bars, refrigeration units, outdoor fireplaces with seating areas, stone finished columns, beautiful pergolas, custom fire pits and more.
Damon DAmico appeared on HGTVs show, Design Star in Season Three as a master craftsman as his team landed in the final three contestants on the show.
For all of your home improvement and patio needs, be sure to check out more examples of projects we have worked on together as well.
Cleaning Up The Garden
Pope Gregory XIII must have lived in Durban at some point when he invented the modern day calendar and assigned only 28 days to February. In Durban its the hottest, most humid month and thankfully there are only 28 days to get through! Unfortunately, for obvious reasons its also the busiest time of the year for us gardeners - the combination of the heat and rain means that you can almost literally watch the plants grow. Its also the time of the year when I appreciate how important good garden maintenance is to the success of any landscape project.
Its quite demoralizing coming back to a garden years later to find that the basic garden care hasnt been done and even in some cases finding that weeds have totally usurped the planting. Often, branches have grown out further than they should have, and the grass below has died. Regular composting has been neglected. The real value of the garden has all but been lost.
Garden Care has been on my mind a lot lately because we are in the process of turning over a new leaf in our business (please excuse the lame but apt pun).
For years, my focus has been on the landscaping aspect of our business. Creating gardens has always been my real passion and unfortunately, like a garden thats been left untended, the Garden Care aspect of the business hasnt had the attention it deserves.
For the last few months, Ive been trying to revitalize the Garden Care component of our business. Like a real garden though, its been a difficult process. There have been some things we have had to prune right back, and still other areas weve had to replant entirely. Ive been confronted with my limitations and insecurities - all good but painful realisations.
I have finally appointed a Manager to oversee all the maintenance functions of the business - someone who has all the skills and abilities I dont. Whod have thought cleaning up, and letting go of the things you dont do well would be such a hard thing to do? Or maybe Im just dense...
Its amazing though, how much better you feel when you clean things up. Im looking forward to being more focused on the things I do well, and letting go of the things I dont. Its time to wear less hats around here. Talking of which, I better put my hat on and get back into the heat...
Read More..
 |
| Sometimes a little wildness is good - a garden we did about 12 years ago reflecting off the pool |
Garden Care has been on my mind a lot lately because we are in the process of turning over a new leaf in our business (please excuse the lame but apt pun).
For years, my focus has been on the landscaping aspect of our business. Creating gardens has always been my real passion and unfortunately, like a garden thats been left untended, the Garden Care aspect of the business hasnt had the attention it deserves.
For the last few months, Ive been trying to revitalize the Garden Care component of our business. Like a real garden though, its been a difficult process. There have been some things we have had to prune right back, and still other areas weve had to replant entirely. Ive been confronted with my limitations and insecurities - all good but painful realisations.
I have finally appointed a Manager to oversee all the maintenance functions of the business - someone who has all the skills and abilities I dont. Whod have thought cleaning up, and letting go of the things you dont do well would be such a hard thing to do? Or maybe Im just dense...
Its amazing though, how much better you feel when you clean things up. Im looking forward to being more focused on the things I do well, and letting go of the things I dont. Its time to wear less hats around here. Talking of which, I better put my hat on and get back into the heat...
Fun Front Yard Landscaping Facts
After a swift uneventful mowing chore my Front Yard Landscaping was looking good. So I sat back in my lawn chair, cold beer in hand and admired my newly mowed lawn. There is nothing more sweeter than the smell of a freshly mowed lawn.
At that moment my Front Yard Landscaping glow was interrupted by my neighbor, Bob. He came over for a beer, borrow my mower and to vent about his wife. Usually Bob just staggers over for a beer.... and wife belittling.
"You know how sarcastic my wife can be," he began. "Well yesterday I came home from work to find Helen in the Front Yard cutting the lawn with mustache scissors. She was trying to make a point."
"Mustache scissors?" I foolishly had to ask.
"Those tiny little scissors," Bob continued. "So what I did was go into the house and got a basting brush, came out and gave it to her."
"Whats this for?" she asked. So I told her, "For sweeping the sidewalk when you are done," Bob concluded chuckling into his beer at his own wit. I shook my head in disbelief as chuckling Bob walked away with my mower and over my new Front Yard Landscaping yet.
Front Yard Landscaping History:
Alone, sitting in my lawn chair admiring my Front Yard I started thinking about this Landscaping phenomenon and how did it all begin. It ends up that Front Yard Landscaping has been around since the late Middle Ages. This crazy fad started with a rich English nobleman probably gone away from his castle on a nice Sunday drive in his horse and buggy and came across a beautiful lush, green, grazing meadow.
"How can I obtain this as my Front Yard?" the nobleman thought. Thinking further of grass seeds or digging up this pasture and delivering it to his estate. Were not totally sure which method he chose but apparently some sheep herder got rich and moved to a little castle of his own away from his worthless piece of sandy land. Not realizing it, this rich English nobleman just developed the first Front Yard Landscaping company.
After some time of trial and error the lawn had fully grown in. A problem arose that even with the grazing sheep, the grass was still growing out of control. So this nobleman brought in rabbits, horses and goats. The lawn was trimmed nicely and fertilized well, but now his Front Yard was looking like a farm instead of the lush green lea he was hoping for.
The Scythe:
Distraught about the lawn-farm situation the nobleman one day was looking out at his wheat field and noticed his workers reaping his crop with scythes. Scythes have been around since 500BC. Those clever Romans. Suddenly a candle lit above his head and he called the workers over. Thats around when the scythe was introduced for lawn care.
The Front Yard lawn care providers had to be good with lots of finesse in using a scythe. The grass blades had to be at a strict two inch length. How else are the rich going to entertain their guests with lawn bowling(1190), tennis(1500) and croquet(1856).
The Push Reel Mower:
The push reel mower came to the rescue from the tedious scythe in 1830. This mower was invented by Edwin Beard Budding, an English engineer who in a fabric factory saw a machine that could be adapted for cutting grass. The environmentally friendly push reel mower is still highly used and sold in present day.
Rotary Mowers:
Unsuccessfully many inventors experimented with rotary mowers in the late 1920s and early 1930s. This Front Yard Landscaping tool was not commercially produced until 1952 where finally a small and powerful enough mowing product was found.
Conclusion:
Sitting back in my lawn chair I started thinking on how much I love the sweet smell of a freshly cut grass and of putting a water fountain in the middle of my Front Yard. One with a cherub urinating into the pool. Also thinking of when I get to tell Bob that this is the way you do proper Front Yard Landscaping.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Monday, March 3, 2014
Pleasure Garden
Thoughts about our garden.
“We desire,” the Emporer dictated, “that in the garden there should be all kinds of plants.” Charlemagne the Great
I do a lot of writing about gardens, but our own personal garden has never been the subject of this blog. Our garden is always a backdrop to my thinking about gardens and gardening—a sort of character in my story whose face is never revealed. There are many reasons for this: first, our garden is just in the process of being established; I’m a terrible photographer and our garden is surrounded on three sides by unattractive roads and on one side by our unattractive house; and mostly because the act of gardening feels profoundly personal to me. It was designed for us, for our own pleasure, so the idea of opening for public consumption is a bit terrifying to me.
 |
| BEFORE: The garden area when we bought the house. |
But I love other blogs that openly share their own gardens. James Golden’s View from Federal Twist is a brilliant blog about two wonderful gardens. That James bears his own soul through the garden is a source of endless inspiration to me. I’m just not that brave. And Scott Weber’s Rhone Street Garden is another fantastic blog. Scott transforms his small garden into and endless expanse through the lens of his camera. Through his images, I see and enjoy Scott’s garden much in the way he probably does.
 |
| Nasella tenuissima and Salvia Caradonna |
So in homage to other bloggers who bravely open their own gardens to public scrutiny, I am adding a few images of our own “in-process” garden. This spring marks two full years since I began smothering a triangular wedge of lawn in our sunny side yard. This area was too small to be a usable lawn, and too close to the road to be an enjoyable outdoor use area, so it seemed like a practical area for a garden.
 |
| The sipping terrace which my brother-in-law calls the "duck blind" in late summer |
The house we bought was a neglected mid-century ranch which we essentially gutted, so my wife and I have poured our resources and time into renovating the house room by room. The only way to afford the renovation was to do everything ourselves, so that has left little time and money for the garden. The assembly of plants—and assembly is a much more accurate term than design—is a result of what we could get cheaply, what we could divide, what was available, and what would survive the mid-summer heat and humidity. This approach is probably entirely familiar to most gardeners, yet entirely problematic from my point of view as a designer. The garden becomes a product of impulse purchases and ad hoc decisions, not careful planning.
 |
| Kniphofia Salleys Comet with Pleioblastus viridistriatus, Nepeta "Walkers Low and Eschscholzia californica |
But I’ve decided to embrace this non-designed approach. Design has its limitations, too. Any designer who has ever installed a garden, walked away, and then visited that garden five years later learns that design is not a singular vision set to paper; design is a thousand of little decisions and actions made through the life of the garden.
 |
| Iris Persian Berry, one of the most exquisite colors Ive ever seen |
With no real design to speak of, the garden has only a sort of guiding philosophy: plant only that which gives us pleasure. To use an admittedly pretentious term, our garden is a sort of “pleasaunce” by default, an archaic term for pleasure-garden. The concept of a pleasure garden is a bit antiquated these days. We are now much more likely to call non-food bearing gardens ornamental gardens. But “ornamental” is such a poor descriptive phrase. Who picks plants like they would pick wallpaper? To match their exterior trim? The worst gardens are those that aim to be merely decorative. No, we pick plants to live with us because they give us pleasure. I was recently re-acquainted with the idea of pleasure gardens when I re-read one of my favorite garden books, Rose Standish Nichols’ English Pleasure Gardens. It is a book I often pick up, read a chapter, and then put it away for a while. This century-old book is a compelling story of the English garden as viewed through three centuries of garden history. Throughout the book, one theme keeps emerging throughout the millennia: gardens exist for our pleasure.
Christopher Lloyd’s writings have also been an inspiration of late. Perhaps I’ve spent too many years designing gardens, too many years of balancing client’s desires with safe plant selections. I love the almost garish quality of Dixter’s Long Border. The way it thumbs its nose at “tasteful” gray, pink, and blue color harmonies. The way it mixes tropicals, shrubs, perennials into one boisterous expression. Like Dixter, I would love a garden dedicated to nothing but horticultural craftsmanship. Beware of harboring too many plants in your garden of which the adjectives graceful and charming perpetually spring to your besotted lips, Lloyd warns as he clutches a black-leafed Canna. I love that. Dixter’s great triumph (and perhaps its downfall) is that it employs every tool in the planter’s toolkit all at once. The result is a hot mess, but one of the purest expressions of horticultural exuberance I’ve ever known. And what a joy that is.
 |
| Cotinus Royal Purple center (coppiced yearly), Savlia sclarea, Miscanthus Morning Light and Alliums |
Perhaps all gardening is an attempt to re-create Eden, but our garden has absolutely no paradisiacal qualities. As a result of its placement next to an ugly house and an ugly road, we’ve adopted a more postlapsarian style. In the border, we have an ecumenical selection of wetland plants, desert grasses, South African bulbs, native forbs, and color foliage shrubs. Anything goes as long as it goes. The other side of our yard, we are beginning another more restrained garden evocative of a woodland edge. But in the border, there is no room for restraint, only more and more plants.
 |
| Nasella tenuissima, Salvia Caradonna and Allium Purple Sensation |
In this blog, I am often guilty of heaping too much meaning on gardens, burying a simple act under too many metaphors. Perhaps it is an effort to justify my own profession, to add more significance to my calling than actually exists. If a garden exists simply for our own pleasure, what then? Perhaps that is enough. All I know is that gardening is hard work that reveals many agonies and few ecstasies. So despite the garden’s many flaws and failings, when the afternoon sun hits a patch of Feather grass and silhouettes the violet stems of Salvia ‘Caradonna’, it is enough for me. For now, I am pleased.
 |
| Phlomis tuberosa and Hibiscus Fantasia |
 |
| The ever ubiquitious, but entirely useful Spiraea Goldflamme with Zahara Zinnias |
 |
| Our native-ish garden, planted this srping. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)