My Home Garden

At 23 degrees Celsius, the heat was bearable - just. The trees around the house are full. It is mid- summer and leaves are sprouting on trees all around. There is thick undergrowth below trees surrounding my house. For me, fresh new growth is always welcome. The shade provided much needed comfort in hot climate. The garden - it took years of work and caring. I feel more than rewarded for the effort.

At the approach of my house, there's the pathway. Normally, the pathway starts from the entrance and is sparsely covered with grass and weed. But my backyard is a different proposal. The center is occupied by an apple tree, which has started bearing fruit, medium sized - not as red, neither as sweet. And just short of the fence are the hibiscus, short, stout and sturdy plants. Lined up straight and with a display of discipline. The rest of the space, not much of it left though, is covered in thick grass.

Near my garage, there is a maple tree standing at 20 feet. It's trunk bruised by my utility vehicle as I tried to backup the car into my garage some years back. It's still majestic and stands tall. The maple - it survived. This incident made me think about how nature heals without any human intervention or help. I am more careful driving around my house and on the road. The garden made me a careful driver. You get to learn from environment around you and also from the most unexpected corners.

The trees around my house are the gift of nature. They grew not of my own choice, they are there simply out of nature's design that they should be in the place they are right now. Other trees have been planted with hope that they may survive and flourish and give me the joy of watching their beauty. Such satisfaction comes with time.

I can not claim to be an expert at gardening, or to be down right honest, even an ordinary gardener. I am at most, a novice - an enthusiast with a substantial amount of interest in plants. Ignorant as I am, as I was way back in time, unable to name many of the the flora and fauna residing in my very own garden. As a hobby, gardening gives us more than what we give to the garden. Gardening makes one appreciate nature. The nurturing of a speechless species one can admire in a lifetime. It is a humble hobby that pays one back with shade, scent and beauty.

Ornamental Grasses for Your Home Garden

Ornamental grasses are fairly popular and they are extensively used in landscaping and designing home gardens and farms. Ornamental grasses and sedges happen to be quite versatile because they have the capability of adding more texture, color and movement to your garden.

Ornamental grasses can adapt to most soils. They require less- maintenance which makes them ideal for any home garden. The best part is that you can use your imagination and plant them with your perennials or other plants so that they complement each other. They will blend in well and give a wonderful effect to your garden.

You can grow ornamental grasses in your garden to add a vertical presence. They come in many varieties and can be bought from a nursery. Some of them are meant for dry conditions and some of them thrive well in moist or wet conditions. You can choose the one that suits your landscape and makes it more appealing. Most of the grasses can be grown from seeds and they produce tiny and colorful flowers during spring season. Some of them can also be propagated by division once they are mature.

Most of the these grasses are native and wild which makes them less susceptible to pests and diseases. If they get their share of ample sunlight and nutrients from the soil, they will thrive and add to the beauty of your garden. Even the slightest breeze makes them move and sway which adds movement to the landscape. You can also attract birds, bees and butterflies to your garden by planting them. Some of the common ones that are used in home gardens are Pink crystals, Tender fountain grass, Lemongrass, Dwarf pampas grass, Ribbon grass, Velvet grass, Blue grama and June grass.

You can plant the ornamental grasses in the spring season so that they grow and develop a healthy root system by the time winter arrives. They can also be planted in fall during August or September month. Provide enough moisture and fertilization so that the plants grow well and become strong. Mulching is required during winter season to protect the plants from frost and cold so you will have to cover the ground with mulch before winter approaches. Most of the ornamental grasses can tolerate drought conditions once they are fully grown and established so you would not really have to worry a lot about care and maintenance.

Tips For Growing Plants in a Home Garden

When you buy a house you want to have a wonderful garden where your kids can have fun and you can relax in. A garden is one place where we feel we are one with nature and enjoy the small pleasures of life. A home garden is incomplete without potted plants and flowering plants. Before you choose the plants to grow in your home garden, take a tour of your neighborhood and see what types of plants are being planted. That will give you an idea of what grows in your area.

A trip to the nursery and a quick word with the gardener will also help in deciding on the type of plants you will grow in your home garden. Flowering plants like roses are an all time favorite with everyone. Sunflower looks bright and lends a cheerful look to your home garden. Flowering houseplants, like Clivia or Kaffir Lily add vibrancy and a touch of the exotic. The most popular exotic house plant and garden favorite, Sambac, brings the most wonderful aroma into your home garden. Cacti are one tropical plant that doesn't need any special care. It can grow in any weather and is easy to maintain.

If you are an avid gardener then you can have a patch in your garden for vegetables. Grow tomatoes, broccoli, luscious rutabaga and green vegetables in your home garden. Greens and lettuce, cumin plant and mint can also be grown as an herbal patch in your garden. If you are living in an apartment then have a few pots on your window sill of mint, tulsi, bamboo, aloe vera and curry leaves. These are herbal plants that have medicinal value also.

If you wish to plant trees that can give out fragrance then silk mimosa will be an ideal choice. This fast growing tree has attractive fragrance and its pink flowers add beauty to its fern like leaves that are shaped like a dome. Bamboo is another tree that can be grown in your garden. The Chinese believe that bamboo is a sacred plant that can attract wealth and prosperity to the grower. Who wouldn't wish to have these?

A garden needs good soil and plenty of water for plants, flowers and trees to grow. To go organic is the safe and tested way. One of the most important secrets in organic gardening is tending to the soil. Soil is the main key to growth. If soil is rich in manure then anything which grows in it will be rich and abundant. When chemicals are added to the soil the soil looses its fertility after a while. Natural ways to tend soil is to allow some insects like earthworms to be present in the soil. These worms while moving around, 'till' the soil that allows air to enter beneath and allow the soil to remain fertile. Organic pesticides can enrich the soil and help your plants to be pest free. Adding dead leaves, grass and plant material will enhance the richness of the soil. This is called mulching. Manure that is rich in soil nutrients is cow dung. It is widely used in agriculture.

While watering your garden, see to it that it is evenly spread. Drip irrigation is one of the most important aspects of watering a garden. Nature balances itself beautifully. It is our duty to keep nature intact so that it can help us to lead a healthy and joyful life on this planet earth.

Matthew has been gardening for many year and has a few different types of gardens. For more information about figuring out your garden [http://www.figuringoutmygarden.com] and planting advice [http://www.mygardeningstory.com], visit Matt's websites.

Tips For Creative Home Garden Landscaping

If you're looking for a way to make significant changes to the look of your outside space you want to first look at the bigger picture of the area with which you have to work and consider the factors that you need to take into account such as things that you can/ cannot change and do/don't want to change. Factors would include geographical location, buildings, large trees or bushes, rocks, water placement, shape and gradient of the outdoor space, etc.

Once you armed with this information you can work out what you need to do to bring about the look and feel you want to achieve. You might not always need to carry out major landscaping changes. Minor changes can give you stunning effects.

Adding an outdoor water feature to your garden area can give your home a whole new look and feel. There are water features that will fit any size area and installation limitations with which you may be faced. It may be a modest or prominent outdoor water feature but either will add a whole new dimension to the space and although moving water might be needed for some outdoor water landscape designs, it's not required in all instances.

Fountains are a good choice in water features if you are looking for something that will require minimal work, Fountains come in a variety of themes, shapes, sizes and complexities. You can select something simple for a small patio space but if you have the space you can position a large complex piece to create a focal point in the center of a large garden. Fountain and pond installation is relatively simple if you already have water connected and running to the spot. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions to build the fountain and attach the water supply. Not all fountain kits come with extra hose or connectors which may be required to attach the fountain to your water source. These connections would probably differ according to your water supply.

If you already have a body of water such as pond on your property, you can just add a fountain kit to it to change its look.

Ponds are simple to add to your property whether you have a small odd sized outdoor space or an acre of garden. All you need for a small area is a basic pond kit, some stones and a small plastic pond from the home improvement store. For larger ponds you might need to excavate the space with a backhoe.

In a typical small space like a home garden, features like whether the garden is flat or on an incline, its layout and the position of the house and outdoor buildings can affect the whole feel of the garden. Additional factors to consider would be climate and availability of water or whether you are trying to recreate a garden theme that is outside the norm for the area (which will be a lot of work) such as an English style garden in the desert or a cactus garden where there can be ice and snow. For more practical and less radical garden recreation your garden space can be enhanced with strategically placed planters, garden stairs, and a water element.

Around the outside border of your patio area place planters to give the feel of a boundary between it and the great outdoors beyond! Consider creating a concrete, stone or other sturdy patio structure if you do not have an outdoor living area and position planters strategically around the edge. Collect and use interesting and unusual containers such as wine barrels or more conventional concrete, terracotta or glazed ceramic planters. Arrange them in decorative clusters at the edge of the patio. Grow decorative grasses, ferns, peace lilies and other lush, bushy plants to bestow a more natural feel to your patio and give it a soft border.

A steep grade is a challenge in any home garden but it can also be an opportunity for stunning visual landscape. Put in a twisting narrow stairway down the hill surrounded by terrace garden beds that are separated by retaining walls. Select plants and stagger your planting to create the impression of descending from a hill or mountain top into a lush forest. Plant flowers and low hedges in planters near the top of the hill. The advantage of planters here is that if they can moved for a "holiday" when they are in their off season and replaced with plants that are in full growth and flower. Follow these with plants that increase in size, such as hedges, fruit trees, and bamboo. At the bottom, install large trees that are appropriately sized to your home garden space.

Gardening is one of the most popular pastimes everywhere in the world. There seems to be a very special magic that is woven by daily puttering in their yards, expressing their creative colorful outdoor home garden landscape. For those with limited space, there may be restraints that you need to overcome but beautiful outdoor spaces can be created on even on the smallest balconies. You do not need complexity to landscaping a small outdoor space for it to be beautiful. The simplest effects can look stunning.

Plant border plants around your garden beds or use some landscaping feature like a rock wall or planters. Use stone, small evergreens or ground cover perennials that you can train into the desired shape. English thyme is a useful fragrant low-level ground cover that can create beautiful borders. Creating borders give a more formal feel but also gives a feeling of "difference" between inside the area and out. Even if the garden itself isn't planned, the border creates a simple and easy landscape feature.

At the end of the day, landscaping your garden is going to depend on your preferences and availability of materials. If I can give you only one tip it is this: Once you have taken stock of the land and its features, Plan. Come up with a theme for your garden before you plant. Unless you have enough space for clearly defined garden "rooms" have an overall theme. Maybe you would like a garden featuring mainly plants with yellow flowers or leaves, for example. Other theme ideas include a butterfly garden, a knot garden and a herb garden. None of these require much space, Plan them on paper first so that your garden goes in correctly the first time and you don't have wasted materials and plants, or time.

My Home Garden Decor

When decorating a garden area, you should first choose a garden theme. There are several garden themes to choose from, some of which include formal, English or cottage, Japanese or oriental, and Mediterranean. After choosing the garden theme, you can then choose the proper flowers and other plants to fit with the theme of the garden. With proper planning and care, your home garden can be a very welcoming outdoor living area. In addition to the plants and flowers in your garden, there are many other home garden décor items, such as ornaments, accessories, fountains, bird feeders, pots, vases, and garden statues that you can add to your garden.

One of the most important additions to a garden is seating. Having a garden bench, swing, and/or comfortable chairs will allow you, your family, and your visitors to relax and enjoy the garden. A decorative garden bench will provide a perfect place to unwind after an especially stressful day. You may also want to consider adding an outdoor eating area to your garden.

Focal points, such as fountains, bird baths, and other water features, can provide beauty along with the calming effects of the trickling water. Water will also cool the air and perhaps bring in some birds or other visitors from nature.

Arches, trellises and arbors will provide support for plants and also add a nice architectural feature to the garden. You may also want to add a garden sculpture or sculptures. There are many to choose from. You may want to choose sculptures that go with your garden theme or maybe some elegant or even some funny or whimsical ones.

Lighting is another thing that you may want to consider for your garden. There are several choices of lighting appropriate for gardens at home improvement stores. Lighting in the garden will allow you and your family to enjoy your garden any time of the day or night. There are also outdoor heaters such as chimineas or outdoor clay fireplaces and outdoor wood burning fire pits.

Creating a home garden does not have to be expensive. There are many garden décor items that you can make yourself, such as fountains and other water features, stepping stones, etc. By comparison shopping, you can find the best deals on garden décor items. With careful planning and care, your home garden can provide the perfect place for you and your family to relax and enjoy nature.