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Take a "staycation" and improve your home andgardens instead of lining the pockets of some far distant city'scoffers. After you have made some garden improvements, with alittle flair for the exotic, you will be able to keep that feelingall year, returning to your "staycation" environs each eveningafter a hectic day of work. Listening to the sounds of wind chimesas breezes blowing through your own backyard bringing the windchimes to life relieves daily stress and tensions.Spend time improving some of the areas of your back yard, hangyour wind chimes and exotic paper lanterns, and you can enjoy themfor months to come. Pick an area such as your patio where gardenpots can be tucked into the corner filled with some tropicalplants.First of all you need to have some shade. If you don't have apatio cover of any sort then invest in some nice size marketumbrellas. They come with a stand or you can center them in a goodpicnic table with matching or fun random chairs. A green umbrellais universally complimentary for any garden space but they areavailable in a variety of colors. Go with your own color sensebecause now you are going to get creative. Hang wind chimes, miniChristmas lights, or red chili pepper lights under the umbrellas.Wind chimes will give musical accompaniment anytime there is abreeze and the mini lights will create a festive air.Next pick out some great pots at the flea market. Great terracottapots or glazed Asian pots will star with the parade of flowers thatyou will fill them with. Geraniums come in colors from soft pink,hot pink, bright red to orange red. Plant upright geraniums thatfill the pot with color or hanging geraniums in ground pots andflowers will spill onto the ground. Let a crane gazing ball live ina couple of pots for good luck.Pots with filled with tropical greenery will give you the feel ofHawaii, Jamaica or Bali in your own back yard. Ferns and bamboo,cannas and spikey aloes all do well in pots. Balinese bell windchimes add exotic flavor.Hang colorful fabric on rods along the edge of a patio cover andtie them back in loose folds with hemp or jute rope to give amysterious, fun feeling.Set out some rattan furniture from Ikea with colorful cushions andset lanterns on the tables with a small potted fern forfocus.You can stain concrete to a warm tawny sandstone in less than halfan hour. Add a few large colorful outdoor rugs and you will tie itall together.In this process you will increase the pleasures of staying at homeand in the end spend far less than that summer vacation away. Whenit is over you still have more to show for it than some photos andmemories. At the end of a day of exploring local sights or justwandering in your nearest downtown district as though you were atourist, afterward hanging windchimes you've discovered in a localgarden shop on a singing windchimes display, you return to yourvery own garden to enjoy the rejuvenated backyard that you workedso hard to create.There are many gardeners who yearn for the perfect hollyhock,the largest sweet potato or a window box of petunias grown fromseed. Some want to build greenhouses in the backyard and otherschoice to go organic and even make their own compost. Althoughthere are many different types of gardeners there is only one placethat offers information on everything that grows under the sun. TheNational Home Gardening Club garden clubs is a members-only clubwith exclusive information, magazine articles and communityinteraction for green thumb enthusiasts.Find the perfect garden decorating idea for the holidays orenter into a photo contest the site has plenty of options to occupya gardener during even the longest winter season. Members also postmonthly tips which feature great secrets such as the best ways tokeep a garden journal tracking produce reports as well as colorschemes year after year.

Did you know that you can buy a log home kit?They can be found on the Internet and are cheaper than building atraditional handcrafted log home. Those handcrafted homes are madeone log at a time and the logs are shaped using special tools. Thelog home kit won't take that long or be that tedious.When looking for a log home kit there are a few options that cancontrol the price of the kit. You want to make sure there are nohidden surprises so plan that the final price includes the price ofthe log home kit, the land and site work costs. Make sure yourbudgeted amount is above that final price.Generally larger log homes will cost more to build. Also it willcost more to furnish, heat, maintain and pay in property taxes. Ifyou want the most affordable price, then don't go for a large loghome. Keep it moderate or smaller to really maximize yourcosts.To get a handle on the real final price, find out if the builderwill throw in extra charges for various things such as difficultyin reaching the location, crane needed, is electricity available orwill it have to be brought in, are there utilities or will a septictank need to be dug and installed? These are the kinds of questionsthat you need to ask. You don't want any special surprises to showup later that kill your budget.I'm sure you know that the more architectural finesses you have,the more the log home will cost to build. Pick a log home kitdesign that doesn't drive the cost way up. Some examples of costlyto build designs are cathedral ceilings, dormers, many windows,more than a plain roof.A two story log home kit will cost less than a large singlestory log home of the same square footage. Why? Because the largefirst floor requires more below ground work and more of a roof. Theheating and cooling costs will also be higher.To control the costs of your log home kits, pay attention toeverything mentioned above. Have fun planning your dream log homesthough, they are a true joy to own.If ever you are of the mind to own your own home, a log cabinhome, log homes kits are the best thing to come around since slicedbread. Now, allow me to dispel a misconception here... by the soundof it, the concept of building a log home from a kit sounds almostlike there would be a resulting many of the same design homesdotting the landscape, as though they were all popped out of molds,or a log cabin cookie cutter, if you will. I'm here to tell youthat this just simply could not be any farther from the truth.There are countless designs to choose from, and all have room forchanges to be made to each one, allowing great space and room forindividuality from home to home. The "kit" part of this wholeconcept lies in something else entirelyThe concept of log homes kits does not mean uniformity of houseplans or designs. There is a sense of uniformity, but it all liesin the cut of the logs, how they fit together, and in their abilityto be custom created to fit according to the individual designs ofeach log cabin. This is not only to provide ease of construction,but also to reduce by inordinate amounts the time it takes tocomplete the construction of a log-built structure. Basically, whenyou receive a kit, you get a complete package of all of the partsneeded to build your log home - the logs themselves, the flooring,all windows and doors, and if not gotten separately, even all the"built-ins", such as kitchen cabinetry, for example. All parts aremarked for proper placement and in the order they are to beconstructed in.Now, imagine building a log home not from a kit, but fromscratch, with an amount of logs to be shaped and fitted on-site.This represents a huge amount of labor and time consumption. To laydown the first set of logs, and then to cut and shape the next logsto conform to the contours of the previously laid ones, all one logat a time in succession, would make the building of your home takeup to many months to complete.

If you are looking for a place to squirrelaway all your gardening tools for a proper and secure place, whynot look for a beautiful shed design? Garden sheds will not onlynotch up the beauty of your garden, you will also have a permanentorganized place for your very-useful gardening tools.Garden sheds are easy to construct and there are hundreds ofonline sites and software available that will help you customizeand build your dream garden shed. The shed can be shaped in variousdesigns like colonial, gable and Grenoble are depending upon yourshed plan.The size of the garden shed depends upon its usage. If you usethe shed frequently, it is better to lay more paving, alleyway andwork space than otherwise required. Decide a convenient place forthe shed - either at the center of the garden or close to thehouse. The conventional potting shed is usually for the committedgardeners. Also, if you are an active gardener put the shed closeto a greenhouse, vegetable or flower plot. Tough surfacing isnecessary all around the storage are to deal with the regularusage. But if you aim to use your shed only for storage purpose,hardening the surfaces is not much of a use. Wood shed plans can bedesigned in various ways depending on the purpose.Hiding shedsFor all those who want to keep your sheds discreet, there arenumerous options. The trend for green roofs has modified theconception of the garden shed. Wrapping the roof withlow-maintenance floras boosts biodiversity and keeps the sheds coolduring summer and warm in winters.If you want for your garden shed less conspicuous, paint it witha dark color and it will camouflage into the background. Trellisscreens also create a fake boundary, behind which you can hide yourshed along with other items.Attractive shedsIf you want to highlight your garden shed, then opt for anaesthetically beautiful and architecturally strong structure.Varieties of garden shed designs are available online as well as onthe market, and the majority of these sheds can be effectively usedas storage sheds as well. Ornamental timber work, painted walls andfurnished windows can convert these worn out sheds into gorgeousarchitecture.Modern garden sheds are equipped with blond wood panels, glossyand sharp steel or aluminum adornments to match up with the stylishgarden areas in the cities.In garden areas where space is restricted, covered boxes orshelved cupboards are used for storing garden utilities. Made fromfiberglass material, these shelves or boxes are large enough totake most garden tools, except lawn-mowers.Did you know that garden sheds make excellent play houses? Theyare also wonderful for organizing your gardening tools. Many peopleuse garden sheds as elegant greenhouses to showcase their favoriteplants and bushes. There are many different uses for garden shedsincluding a family area for games and fun without having to leavehome. You will find these buildings being used for more than justgardening!Today, there is a larger selection of materials for yourbuildings than in the past. Technology and science have made itpossible now to order buildings that are not simply made out ofwood anymore. There are now garden sheds that are available inmetal. The great advantage to metal buildings is that they are bothsturdy and tough.Many a gardener has used garden sheds to create fantasticgreenhouses. Traditionally, greenhouses were made from heavy lumberto protect the plants from extreme temperatures and inclementweather. The roof would be some form of glass to allow sunlight toenter. Garden sheds today that are wonderful for greenhouses areconstructed from lightweight aluminum materials which offer glazedpanels. These glazed panels are built from polycarbonate to belighter weight than traditional glass panels used in the past.Additionally, glazed panels offer safety features and providegreater amounts of thermal conductivity.

Our charming decorative outdoor gnomes havefound a place in the heart of most Western cultures. We can findthe first stories of gnomes showing up in European folklore. Thesemystical creatures were understood to be creatures of goodwill.Under the cover of darkness they would reward the efforts andenterprise of farmers, merchant traders and wives through lendingassistance in the garden fields, stores and in home gardens.Ceramic gnomes were first crafted in the countryside of Germany.Their creator was Phillip Griebel and gnomes first came into beingin the mid-nineteenth century. The gnomes were purchased forsuperstitious and metaphysical reasons as they were believed tofend off thieves from grain and vegetable supplies.Gnomes were brought into England by Sir Charles Isham and thishappened in 1847. Isham was wanting to spice up his garden with aburst of color and he found that the gnome was the ideal way to goabout it. One of Isham's surviving gnomes is valued at over twomillion pounds sterling.Griebel was originally only making statuary in the form of deerand fairies. When he began manufacturing the gnomes, demandskyrocketed. Demand exceeded supply and the gnomes were a hitamongst the German customer base.Manufacturing the humble gnomes continued until the start ofWorld War I. The ability to maintain production was affected by theGerman war efforts but production resumed in the mid 1940s.Communist police had suspicions that the garden gnomes were beingused as conduits for smugglers but the gnomes went on to become theleading export of Eastern Germany.The fall of Communism lead to the market becoming flooded bycheap imported Czech and Polish imitation garden gnomes. The legacyof Griebel's original garden gnome design continues on today withthe family's original manufacturing plant still standing in CentralGermany.Garden gnomes today can be found frozen in many positions suchas riding a motorcycle, wearing roller skates or even holding solarlights. They have been completely revamped to suit the variety ofpeoples' modern day interests and hobbies.They are wonderful displays that would truly add feeling to youryard.Step #1: First, you need to settle on what kind of garden gnomeswould reflect your personality, interest and preferences. Like anyother garden decorations, gnomes also come in wide variety ofthemes and designs such as the fish, golf, write, play, music,dance, and a lot more. Some are happy but some are sad. As anowner, you will be the one to pick and just go for themes thatwould perfectly fit you and your garden.Step #2: Picking is not always based in style and appearance; itshould also include the kind of material. In choosing gardengnomes, select those that are made with weather-resistant materialso that they can be durable enough. If you don't have any idea ofany purchasing stores to go to, check on nurseries, garden centersand home improvement stores for they can surely offer these kindsof decorative items at vast collections.Step #3: You need to arrange well your personal garden gnomes.Select them according to size, color, and even pick them by sets,for less. Organize them accordingly so they will be nicer to lookat and your garden will appear more organize. If you like to addsome pairing or combinations, make sure to choose good combination,one that is visually appealing.Step #4: If you are already done with your arrangement ideas,you can already start placing the garden gnomes. Search first forthe right spot wherein they can be look at as some naturaldisplays, as if the gnomes live in there. Some recommendations willbe putting them below green bushes, next to wonderful flowers orhave them out behind trees. These are only some suggestions you cantry but if you don't agree with the idea, you can think of yourown. Group them as multiples and create an appealing theme that isjust perfect.

There is a lot of misinformation and foolishmyths regarding insulated mobile home skirting. People have told methat they have heard that it will promote mold growth and that theunderside of the home has to breath. Others have told me that theyhave heard insulated skirting doesn't offer any advantages such asprevention of frozen pipes. I can comfortably and confidently tellyou that if done properly, these myths are false.Insulated skirting can be one of the best additions to yourhome. People who have struggled with frozen pipes year after yearhave stopped struggling after they installed insulated skirting.There are a few different types of skirting on the market but theyall behave the same way and these principles are universal.Ventilation: Your home needs adequate ventilation during thewarmer months so the underside can breathe. This is the only timeof the year, when it is above 50 degress fahrenheit, that you needventilation. Automatic vents that open and close are the bestmaintenance free option. The minimum required ventilation for ahome that does not have a ground cover is not less than 1 squarefoot of vent per 150 square feet of floor space. If you have aground cover, 6 mil poly plastic, you can reduce the requirement to1 square foot to 1500 square feet of floor space. Please note:installation of the ground cover needs to be installed to a localbuilding code and should be done properly.Insulating Strength - Whatever material you choose to use, makesure that the R Value meets at least a value of 8. You also want tomake sure the outer material is weather resistant. A pre-madeinsulated skirting product is usually the best bet. It will be themost cost effective way to complete the product.Thermal Envelope - When installing an insulated product you needto make sure that the material goes all the way around the home. Ifyou have a porch, deck, or addition attached to the house, makecertain you install adequate material behind the structures tomaintain a thermal envelope. You are capturing the warmth of theground which is a constant 53 degrees all year round, and with outa complete installation, you will not capture it. If you stoppedshort of a porch, the warmth would escape to the outside. This iswhy your pipes will not freeze with a properly installedsystem.Durability - Insulated systems are typically 2 inches thick andare very strong. You will not suffer from wind blow outs like youmay have encountered with non-insulated systems. Keeping crittersout from under your home is also an important goal. The strengthand durability of an insulated system will keep them out.When done properly, mobile home insulated skirting will end yourfrozen pipe woes, cut down on utility bills, and offer a muchlonger lasting skirting compared to non-insulated systems.Owning a mobile home has many advantages in that they arelow-cost, flexible and stress-free when it comes to having to paymortgages or rent. Maintaining your mobile home, however, is anessential part of being a responsible owner. Carrying out regularwork on your home and keeping up with the following jobs willensure you keep your home in top shape:Firstly, make sure your home is leveled as you will experience amultitude of problems if it is not set right. If you have cracks inyour ceiling or walls or you can hear the floor creak when youwalks then you are lily to need to address an unleveled home.The skirting on your mobile home will need to be checked toensure that there is adequate ventilation so you need to check onit regularly. If you see any dents, holes or cracks you need to fixstraight away and if it looks severely damaged you will need toinvest in new mobile home skirting. Poor skirting can also lead tovermin which can really do a lot of damage to your home.Regular cleaning of both the interior and the exterior of yourmobile home will keep it in overall good condition.

You've been gardening for a year or two nowand have discovered that this is one hobby that you want tocontinue. Gardening not only brings you personal fulfillment but,your home and yard has never looked better. The only problem is themore you garden the more tools and equipment you accumulate. Thetime has come for you to provide your tools and equipment with ahome of their own. A garden shed is the perfect place to keep allthose gardening essentials in one place and you are thinking aboutbuilding your own shed. You have been looking at plans for woodengarden sheds and there are so many to choose from you are not quitesure how to go about choosing the right garden shed plans for you.While different gardeners have different needs, here are 5things every gardener wants in their garden sheds:SpaceWhile the amount of space you are going to want in your shed isgoing to depend a great deal on what equipment you have or plan tohave in future, you are going to want to make sure that your woodengarden sheds have enough space to accommodate everything you havenow plus enough additional space for any tools or equipment youwill be adding in the future. A good rule of thumb is to build yourwooden garden sheds 1/3 larger than your present needs. That wayyou will have the extra space you need for anything you forgot toconsider or simply for future additions to your gardeningarsenal.ConvenienceYou are also going to want to arrange the items in your woodengardening sheds in a way that they are convenient to get and sothat the shed itself is convenient to use. This means you are goingto want to choose a plan for your gardening shed that hasdirections for building such things as shelves, racks for hangingtools such as rakes, hoes, weed whips and other tools that youdon't want to just pile in the corner. You may also want toconsider such conveniences as a full side opening door to get thegarden tractors in and out of the wooden garden sheds easier andperhaps potting and resting benches. You might even want toconsider adding a porch to your shed so that you can rest out ofthe sun while working in your garden.StyleHaving the right style of wooden garden sheds are another thingmost gardeners want. No one who spends time making their yard andgarden beautiful wants a shed that is an eyesore. So, choosing ashed that is the right style to match your surroundings and theexisting buildings on your property is a must for most gardeners.There are many different styles of sheds to choose from such assaltbox, barn, gingerbread and even colonial.LooksNot only do most gardeners want the right style of wooden gardensheds, they want their shed to have the right look about it. Addingwindows or the right roof or trim to your shed can help it to blendin and enhance it's surroundings. It also helps to create a betterimpression of your entire property as well which is important togardeners who take pride in the appearance of their home.Ease Of BuildingMost gardeners who build their own wooden garden sheds want ashed that is simple and easy to build allowing for a professionalfinished looking project. Not everyone is a skilled carpenter andmost Do it yourselfers need plans that offer simple step by stepdirections that are easy to follow and results in a great lookingbuilding when assembled. Luckily, with so many shed plans to choosefrom finding a shed plan that matches your building skills shouldbe a simple matter of doing a little research. Finding the rightplans for wooden garden sheds that meet all your needs and givesyou everything you want in a garden shed will make your enjoymentof caring for your yard and garden all the more pleasurable. Youjust may find that it is the best investment you ever made.

So you have landscaped your garden andfulfilled a carefully crafted planting plan. Whether the effect iscontemporary or traditional your garden won't be a finished projectwithout some kind of enhancement or decoration in the form ofgarden ornaments. A garden ornament can be almost anything, from abird table to a large sculpture. However, there are a fewconsiderations to take account of when choosing an ornament foryour garden.The most obvious consideration is to make sure that whatevergarden ornament you choose compliments the overall style of yourgarden. For instance, a contemporary design with lots of hardlandscaping and formal planting might better suit a more modernsculpture such as spherical shapes in concrete or elaborate wroughtiron shapes. A more traditional design such as a cottage gardenmight be enhanced by a stone sundial or bird bath. The nextdecision is the effect your ornament is to have - whether it is toadd beauty with a statue or a taste of whimsy with a garden gnome.The choice of garden ornaments is often where you can add a littleof your own personality to a garden.Placing your chosen ornament is also important. A small animalstatue is going to get lost in the middle of a flower border. Alarge statue on a plinth in a small garden will simply dwarfeverything around it. Try and think of garden ornaments asenhancements either for a particular plant or planting scheme, as afocal point or to decorate something otherwise unappealing such afence or side of a building.Garden ornaments don't have to be expensive. Often using naturalfinds can have the same effect as something that has beenmanufactured. For instance, pieces of driftwood collected from abeach can look stunning displayed in a gravel garden. Large stonesor boulders can transform a rock garden or provide a focal point ina border. More unusual ornaments I have come across are things thathave been recycled into decorative pieces such as old walking bootsplanted up, pieces of broken china wired together and suspendedfrom a tree to make a wind chime, porcelain toilets used asplanters.The choice of what to use to enhance your garden is endless.Cast stone columns, statues and animals; fountains, pagodas, potsand urns. Lighting is also an important ornament, from modernelectric lights embedded in a wall to decorative iron lanternsfilled with flickering candles. Plants can also be garden ornaments- topiary or large specimen plants provide both enhancement andfocal points.Have you ever been to a garden party and looked around at allthe decorations and decor that make the environment inviting andappealing to guests? Perhaps upon returning home you felt that yourown yard or garden was inadequate for such purposes and would liketo add garden ornaments to your own lawn to make it more invitingso that you can entertain outdoors on a beautiful evening. Whatsort of garden decor can you add that will make your lawn moreattractive and welcoming to a group of friends and neighborsgetting together for a barbecue or pool party?First of all, understand that home garden ornaments have theirplaces but should not be over emphasized. In other words, don't usetoo many different pieces in your design. This can cause the areato feel crowded and bizarre, with guests feeling uncomfortableroaming freely in the yard for fear of damaging or breakingsomething. However, a single garden ornament may not be enoughbecause it would then seem out of place in the entire spectrum ofthings.If you would like to add garden ornaments for the purpose ofconversation pieces over cocktails or simply to create a morecomfortable, homelike atmosphere, you should be sure to chooseitems that are tasteful to visitors and pleasing to you. If youdon't like the design or the style of certain garden decor, it'sokay to shy away.

Every home owner wants to ensure that theirhome and garden looks fabulous. For this they ensure that theirhome and garden are well maintained and also use accent pieces todecorate the space.ThemesThe accent pieces chosen to highlight and decorate the home andgarden should have the same theme as the general design of the homeand garden. For instance, homes and gardens designed incontemporary styles should have accent pieces and décor that arestylized and contemporary. The furniture and furnishings usedshould also match the same theme. On the other hand a home designedto look like a rustic farm house or seaside cottage should utilizehome and garden décor items that reflect this theme.Individual RoomsApart from using home and garden décor items that reflect thegeneral style and theme of the house and garden, individual roomsshould have accent pieces that reflect the function of the room orprovide a unified decorating theme. For instance, kitchens in acontemporary styled home can use chrome or steel stylized utensilsas décor items while a seaside cottage styled living room can usebookends and other décor items made of driftwood or seashells.On the other hand, décor items for a bedroom should be moresoothing and induce relaxation. Additionally, bedroom décor can bemore whimsical and experimental, as they need to satisfy onlypersonal tastes and are not meant for public viewing.Conversations Starters and InterestsDepending on the general purpose of the room as well as thestyle of the home or garden décor items can also be used asconversation starters or to indicate the interests of theresidents. For example, handcrafted, rustic, garden décor such asbird houses can be used to indicate a preference for recycling or alove of nature. They can also make excellent conversation startersor points of interest when guests are being entertained.BudgetsWhile those who can afford it can opt for expensive décor itemsto give their home an individual and unique appearance, others canopt for handmade and artisan items that are less expensive to puttogether a special look that lends character to their home andgarden. This can be done by blending a special theme withindividual ideas and color schemes. One can also gradually enhancethe appearance of a room or garden by deciding on the basic themeand keeping a look out for the ideal décor pieces that willcomplement it.There are lots of articles and even "how to" videos aroundregarding home and garden design tips. A recurring theme is to tiethe patio décor with the colors and textures of the inside of thehouse. Of course, you will not put a second expensive living roomcouch outdoors... perhaps get a rattan piece in a similar color anddesign for the patio. Theme lanterns that project a pattern canreflect interior décor. You get the idea.But, what do you do with a yard that is not necessarily flat ordoes not fit the traditional shape and size dimensions that are inthe magazines???Give it some character. Of course, tie it to the home interiorwith colors, woods, and materials as much as is practical. However,creating a terrace -or a series of them- can take a nightmare yardand turn it into something exclusively yours.Elevating and leveling areas with various materials such as wooddecking, concrete, or paver stones will give your patio area acharacter all its own. A series of steps up to a seating area withcomfortable patio furniture surrounding a fire pit is one idea.Embedding lighting on the path and steps will keep everyonesafe.A structurally sound terrace can hold an outdoor spa and aprivacy wall with weather protection can hold a big screen TV andoutdoor stereo system. If your spa area is already above the levelof the patio or entry you can add a level in between to dry off andease the trek back to the patio.

Whether you need fencing for your garden oryour patio, there are various types of fencing panels to choosefrom. They serve a variety of purposes as well. The most importantadvantage of having fencing panels around your yard is security.Apart from security, they can be decorative and ornamental as well.The best type of fencing can be provided with the metal fencepanels. They are available in different patterns, styles andtextures.Most of the metal fence panels are made of different metals likealuminum, steel or wrought iron. Another popular style of this isthe chain link panels which provide maximum security without beingmuch decorative. It requires only minimum maintenance. Since themetal panels are always exposed to all kinds of weather, theyusually have a coating to prevent rust and other damages.Chain link fences make use of rubber coating. This coating isavailable in different colors which are good for camouflage. Themost durable of these panels is the wrought iron panels. Thoughthey are expensive they look very attractive and impart adecorative aspect to the whole structure. While installing wroughtiron panels you will also have additional expenses on laboretc.The most inexpensive panels to use is the chain link. It lastslong as well. Another popular type of panels used is made of steel.You can find it in different kinds of patterns and shapes. Thebiggest advantages of using metal panels are their added security,customizable shapes and patterns and durability. You can find theseat both the local stores and online.While choosing these metal fence panels you need to check theclimate of the locality because this will affect the kind of panelsyou are going to use. Sometimes, you may also need to check withthe homeowners association to see if they have any rules regardingthe usage of these panels which could affect the neighbors.Fences are usually made up of segments, or fence panels, ratherthan a single piece that runs along the entire perimeter. Fencingpanels can be made of wood, metal, vinyl, concrete, or some othercomposite material. Each panel has vertical or horizontal boards onthe outer face, and two or more cross members holding themtogether. Having fences split up into multiple, separately soldcomponents (or sets) offers a greater degree of flexibility duringinstallation.A typical fence panel is 5 to 8 feet in length. To determine thenumber of panels needed, you first need to settle on a standardpanel length. Then you would measure the number of feet of theperimeter being enclosed, and divide this by the the length of eachpanel. Posts are installed in intervals of the panels' length (e.g.one post every 8 feet), and each post is centered between thepanels, which are usually fastened with lag screws - though somemetal posts are prepunched for easier mounting.Fence panels for residential use are typically made from sometype of wood, vinyl or metal. Wood fencing panels are a frequentchoice. They're not only economical for purchasing prefabricated,but also idea for assembling from scratch. Spruce, redwood andcedar tend to be most weather resistant of woods for this purpose.Wood is an ideal choice for garden fencing. Vinyl, while slightlymore expensive up front, has much lower maintenance costs, since itdoesn't warp, chip or weather with exposure to rain. Vinyl fencepanels can also be purchased in a variety of colors that don'trequire any additional painting.For metal residential fences, aluminum and wrought iron fencepanels are the main choices. Aluminum is cheaper and lighter thanwrought iron, yet offers much of the same look and weatherresistance due to the power coating that most manufacturers applyto them. Aluminum fence panels are most frequently used for pools,and general purpose decorative ornamental fencing.

Craftsman Home Plans usually call for at leastone if not several fireplaces. In the design stages of planningyour new home - you will need to know the recommended measurementsfor chimney, flue and mantel.In the construction of the masonry for any craftsman homefireplace or chimney it is important that the foundation start fromsolid ground and as far down as the lowest part of the foundationwall of the house itself.All woodwork must be excluded from inside the chimney and thebeams should be framed around the brick work. A fireproof hearthshould be constructed with a distance of 12 inches or more from theface of the chimney wherever there is to be an open fireplace.The best placement for the opening for the fireplace is in thecenter of the chimney. If a flue passes up on only one side thenbalance to the chimney can be made by running up studs on the otherside to give an equal width without a waste of brick work.Designing The FlueIt is a safe rule to make the height of the fireplace ratherless than the width of the opening and the depth should be at leastone-half the height. The average size of fireplaces is made 30 in.wide, 30 in. high, 12 in. deep in the rough brickwork. To this isadded the mantel facing giving a depth of about 15 inches.The smoke flue, in cross section, should be about 1/2 the areaof the fireplace opening. That would for the above mentioned size,give a cross section of about 75 sq. in. and for this the flue isusually built about 8in. x 8in.The flue itself should be uniform in size from the throat offireplace to the extreme top of chimney and sharp turns andunnecessary bends should be avoided.It is desirable to use terra cotta flue lining as they insure asmooth surface in the flue and also give protection againstpossibility of a spark going through an open joint of the firebrickwork.The flue linings should be carried a little above the top of thechimney so as to permit a beveled shoulder of cement to run down tomeet the brick work. This also leaves a nice clean look to theexterior chimney top.Make sure that the flue lining is sufficient so that you willhave eight inches of brick around the chimney. Around the openfireplaces there should be at least 12 inches of brick work, or 8inches of brick work with 4 inches of air space, between the fireand any woodwork.What Is A Chimney Throat?The space immediately above the fireplace is termed the "throat"and the sides of a chimney throat should run at an angle of about45 degrees starting at the sides of the fireplace and meeting theflue directly over the center of the fireplace.The very best option is to build in an iron throat damper. Thishas the right shape to insure good draft and has the advantage thatthe damper can be closed when the fireplace is not in use or whenthe draft of the fire is too strong.We often see plastering on the inside of a flue as the chimneyis being built. It does insure a smooth surface while the work isnew, but is not desirable because the plaster will eventuallyloosen and fall. When it drops out, it pulls some of the mortarfrom between the bricks and this will make the surface even rougherthan it would be if the brick work has not been plastered in thefirst place.You must always take precautions to prevent any pulling onmortar between the brick - because loose or missing mortar makes itpossible for a spark to pass from the flue to the surroundingwoodwork. If you cannot get terra cotta flue linings, have eightinches of the brick work built, but not plastered inside.Should You Use Wood For A Mantel?Wood mantels if properly made can be used with entire safetywhere you have open fireplaces or regular open grates in yourCraftsman Style Home. In Colonial times when houses were heatedopen fireplaces, wood mantels were used almost exclusively andthere are many fine examples of these mantels still in existence,without any suggestion of wear or scorching.

Residential elevators, though formerlyconsidered a luxury, are now widely accepted as an easy to use andconvenient accessibility option in homes. Modern home elevators aredesigned in keeping with prescribed industry codes and standards toensure the elderly and individuals with physically difficultiessafe and comfortable travel between floors. The equipment goes along way in ensuring them an independent and active lifestyle.Range of Models to Select FromApart from being a safe accessibility option, elevators forhomes add convenience to your lifestyle as well as help to increasethe value of your home. The remarkable advancements in technologyhave resulted in elegantly designed and stylish models ofresidential elevators that can be installed easily in existing, aswell as new homes without the need for major structural alteration.Moreover, modern elevators are compact and do not take up muchspace in residential buildings. Many residential home elevatormodels do not need a pit or a hoistway, and can be configured toblend with the interior décor. Some of the popular modelsspecifically designed for home use include LEV, Rise, Minivator,Volant, Signet, Windsor, Panorama, Renaissance, Infinity luxuryelevator, Telecab, Eclipse, and so on.User-friendly Controls and High-end Safety FeaturesResidential elevators come with simple controls that can beeasily operated by the user, young or old. To ensure safe andcomfortable travel through different floor levels, home elevatorsalso have high-end features and advanced safety options suchas:• Emergency stop button• Automatic swing door openers• Non-skid platform• Emergency alarm and light• Electro mechanical door lock• Digital floor position indicator• Overspeed governor• Slack chain safety device• Final limit switch• Telephone system• Battery lowering device: manage power outages• Under-panel sensor to stop the lift if it encounters anobstruction in its path• Pressure relief valve to prevent platform overload• Lockable control panel• Fully automatic operation• Open door sensor• Key locks to prevent unauthorized accessHigh-end home elevators offer a choice of attractive wall panelfinishes such as veneer, raised wood, melamine, inset wood, andmore.Advantages of Installing Residential ElevatorsThe important advantage of home elevators is that they help themobility impaired and the elderly move between different floorlevels comfortably. Having the device installed in a home offersthem a great deal of confidence and independence. They can accessall levels of their residence without worrying about slips orfalls. Moreover, residential elevators can also help transportgrocery, furniture, laundry and other heavy stuff from one floor toanother.Points to Consider Before the PurchaseWhile planning to purchase a residential home elevator unit foryour residence, it is essential to undertake a thorough evaluationof your specific accessibility requirements and the structuraldesign of your building. Then consider various aspects of themodels in the market - their technical specifications, features,power consumption, warranty options and price. This would help youfind a model that suits your requirements.A home elevator system featuring advanced technology andconfigurations can definitely enhance your home's value.Specifically designed for home use, residential elevators ensureeasy and safe access to the various floor levels of your home, andenable you to follow a comfortable lifestyle.Innovative Residential Elevators Enhance Your Lifestyle andHome's ValueResidential elevators designed according to the prescribed codesand standards will greatly improve the functionality and luxury ofyour home. Installing a home elevator in your residence will ensuremore convenience and safety as well as make your home easilyaccessible, which in turn will increase its resale value.

Bamboo gardening involves a little bit of carein the beginning, but the rewards are definitely worth it. Althoughyou have to investigate what species is native to your local area,bamboo tends to be a very low maintenance plant that can weathermany hard conditions.Adding bamboo to your garden can give it an air of exoticnessand serenity. Many people are scared of the rumors they have heardabout the roots spreading wildly and even causing neighbor disputesover property lines. This can all be avoided by doing a smallamount of research a head of time before planting.Two things to check for are:1) Are the bamboo plants you want in your garden native to yourarea or able to survive in your zone?2) Is the bamboo a clumping type or spreading type of bamboo?Obviously clumping types are easier to deal with, as they tendto stay bunched together. However, even spreading bamboo can becontrolled. By either partially or fully surrounding the bamboowith a thick piece of plastic you can direct the spreading of thebamboo roots.Bamboo roots tend to stay more toward the top, so going downabout 2 feet should suffice. Having the bamboo area slightly raisedwith a ledge will allow you to see the roots extending each yearand easily trim the back.Bamboo are very durable and low maintenance, but they do need alittle attention once or twice a year. Thinning the leaves once ayear will also bring them back to life, so to speak. The leavestend to get quite full and you loose the natural lines of thestems. Clipping and sculpting as you go, bring out the beauty ofthe plant.Overall, the easiest way to do bamboo gardening is to plant thebamboo in a pot, paying special attention not to disturb the buds,and then burying the whole pot in the ground. In Japan this can beoften be seen in many small gardens.Using a nicely colored pot like a royal blue or some other colorthat blends with any flowers around will add a bit of art to youbamboo garden. Let a good 3 inches stick out of the ground todisplay both the bamboo and the pot.Bamboo gardening can be a fun way to add something unique toyour garden, whether you are going for a full Japanese gardeneffect, or merely want to add something different to your design.Trying to plant and lay the barrier yourself can be a great DIYproject if you are one for details.There are as many types of bamboo plants to choose from for yourgarden as there are uses for the plant itself. Over 1000 species ofbamboo in 90 genera have been described and named and there maywell be varieties waiting to be discovered. Bamboo plants grow atvarious heights in various ways with various leaf lengths andshapes. Variety should not come as a surprise considering how manyareas of the planet in which they've evolved. Bamboo spans theglobe from the United States to Asia to Australia and can now be abeautiful addition to your own home.There are several factors to consider when choosing a bambooplant:* Purpose - The uses of the bamboo plant are endless. It can bea striking stand-alone, a low variegated border, a groundcover oran accent plant. It holds prominent placement in creating stunningJapanese gardens. By far it's most popular use is as a fast-growingprivacy screen. Since bamboo is one of the fastest growing plantson the planet, a screen or hedge can be created more quickly andinexpensively than hardwood trees or fencing.* Temperature - It is best to select plants that will toleratetemperatures well below the lowest ones you've experienced in thelast few years.* Sunlight - Choose a species based on the number of hours ofdirect sunlight they will receive and what part of the day theywill be in the sun. A.M. sun is cooler and P.M. sun may beharsher.* Height and diameter - Affected by all aspects of the climate,most plants have a known reference point based on their climate oforigin.

One of those great items that should beavailable are garden canopies because they provide the perfectshade for that summer birthday party, graduation, anniversarybarbeque, or the outdoor wedding party. They are decorative andcome in many colors including almond, blue, green, or white, andthey even include insect netting to help keep those pesky flies andmosquitoes outside the area. Everyone can enjoy the party in thecool shade, or even have a covered shelter to run into for thatsudden, unexpected spring or fall shower. Regardless of whether thestyle is modern or traditional, these provide that perfect accentto the event.In addition to getting a stylish look in these backyard gardencanopies, they are also made to last a long time. Because of thepowder coated 20 gauge steel frame and the fire retardant polyestertop covering, (which has an ultraviolet rating to protect from theharmful summer sun), these outdoor shade canopies are durable,affordable, and attractive. The scalloped edging gives the canopytent a "finished" look that provides a great touch to even a moreformal garden party. Since they are made from durable materials,they won't fade in the harshest sun, or tear in those unexpectedwind gusts.One of the best benefits to owning these garden canopies is thatthey are easily set up in just a few moments time. They range insize from 10' by 10 foot to 13' by 13' and have a center height ofaround 9.5 feet with an edge height of just over six feet. Thismakes them the perfect structure for just about any outdoorgathering. When looking for a backyard garden canopy tent, for avariety of summer party needs, these are the perfect solution forwhatever the purpose is for the gathering.Fortunately, these products aren't just limited to backyardparties, when these beautiful garden canopies are brought along onthe weekend trip to the mountains or the beach, are easilytransported in the cases that are provided for all the components.Since they are easy to set up, they make a terrific "patio" for themotor home, and even for those who prefer tents, they are still agreat idea for setting up the "dining area" so that everyone can beprotected from the mosquitoes, enjoy the meal, and still see thatgreat sunset. They are one of those necessities for the weekendexcursion.Finally, when summertime rolls around, and everyone is havingoutdoor parties, barbeques, and weekend trips to the beach ormountains, these garden canopies make the perfect addition to theaccessories. Setting them up in a few minutes is a breeze, andthere's plenty of shelter from bugs and storms.The first thing we might think of when we hear the word 'canopy'is the leaves of tall trees which make a heavy cover overhead, notallowing the sun to touch the heavy undergrowth in dense forests.In modern times, 'canopy' has a different meaning. Canopies, oroutdoor canopies, are temporary coverings used in open outsidespace.However, there are a number of varieties of canopies, and onehas the opportunity to choose from hundreds of canopies that areeasily available at retail shops and online as well.A few types of canopies are outdoor shade canopies, outdoorcanopy tents, garden canopies, pop-up canopies, KD canopies and soon. Canopies are not only meant for taking rest in the outdoors,but are also concerned with the protection of your valuable outdoorassets.Usually, the canopies are attractive and sturdy. They serve ascover, shade and shelter for your patio, greenhouse, party, fleamarket, parking space, nursery, plants, flowers, camping area,garden area, pet, storage, deck, pool, barbeque, dog kennel,outdoor event or construction area.Not only this, a canopy can also give shelter and protection toone's car, truck, recreational vehicle, boat, Jet Ski and othersuch things. These fancy and multi-functional canopies can also beused as a free-standing carport, dock house, gazebo, garage andvirtually any other cover.

Are you planning to buy a home for your familyand want to make sure that they are not only happy with the outsidebut the interior as well? Or are you thinking of giving yourpresent home a new look in a room or a total makeover? If youanswer yes to either of these questions, what you need to knowabout home interior design.Unlike home interior decorating that concentrates on finishessuch as paint, window coverings, wallpapers and furnishing, homeinterior design is the very process of shaping the interior spaceof your home according to your lifestyle and the various lifestylesof your family. Interior design is integrated toward thearchitecture of the home and is involved in the room layout,cabinet designs, windows and door placements, and so on.Home interior designing depends largely on the types and sizesof your many rooms. Basic rooms include the living room, kitchen,deck, bedroom, bathroom and sometimes a home office. These roomscan also be further subdivided into a guest room, dining room,kids' room and adult's room, among others. The different aspectsinvolved in home interior design such as cabinet making, roomlayout, window placement, appliance selection and tile and floorselection should aptly fit the room since each room has a differentpurpose.So, if you are planning to do some home interior designing,decide what rooms need improvement and incorporate the sevenelements of home interior design -- form, mass, shape, line, color,texture and pattern.Why would you approach an interior designer? The normal purposewould be to have a plan made to give the finishing touches to thehome you just bought from a builder or perhaps giving your existinghome renovated anew. In both cases, you have to take into accountmany factors and the interior design company that you choose shouldalso factor in these aspects to provide you a desirable design forthe interiors of your home. What are these factors?The Interior Designing Must Take a Holistic ApproachWhen you seek the help of a home interior design expert, youshould be able to impress upon him the need to view the assignmentwhich has to consider all the aspects of the home, the size,location, living space available, the people occupying the houseand the way to connect all the utilities. Then there would be atossup between the aesthetic appearances of the interior versus theusefulness of a particular part of the design.The interior design company has to assure you that whatever theyare recommending for your home will not contravene any localregulations and will also conform to the environment withoutcausing any pollution or greenhouse gases.Coordination with the Contractor Executing the WorkMany times, the interior designer would give you a plan, but thecontractor who is selected by you to execute the work in your homemight not agree with a few recommendations. If you are not veryfamiliar with the work of the interior, you could be put toinconvenience in this difference of opinion between the two. Toavoid this, you might want to make them sit together and come outwith a commonly acceptable plan of action so that the work could bedone smoothly.Have You Included the Furniture as well?If you have given an assignment to the home interior designexpert, along with the suggestions and choices for the furniture,then you might wish to share your own preferences with him/her.This way, the final outcome will reflect your individualpersonality as much as the creative ideas put forth by thedesigner. In the case of specific areas in the household, like thekitchen, for example, the interior designer has to come up with theideas to make the kitchen a modern one with the modular storage andthe smoke hood provisions and so on. However, at this stage can youoverlook the comfort and functionality. Things have to be storedand retrieved during the daily use of the kitchen by you and yourspouse and you should not be put to any discomfort.

Metal garden furniture is available in avariety of styles, designs and finishes these days, making it verydifficult to choose. It's not all about the practicalities - makingsure metal is anti-rust treated, furniture is warrantied and theprice is right, you want get the perfect style. The design has tobe attractive and match in with existing landscaping and decor.Here's our guide to help you decide which type of metalfurniture best suits you and your garden, with lots of tips onchoosing style, color and finish. We've selected 6 popular gardendesigns, explaining how to buy furniture to match.ContemporaryModern garden furniture has certain characteristics that give it21st century appeal. Minimalism is a defining modern day gardendesign, the furniture should be simple and sleek so stay away fromornate, over-elaborate pieces. Go for bold, clean lines with apractical tempered glass table top.TraditionalFor your traditional English country garden you need to go backto advent of metal garden furniture. The Victorians enjoyedelaborate wrought iron designs in their gardens, when theIndustrial Revolution allowed for its mass production. Frenchcurled and curved styles were made popular in this period. Go for atraditional formal, black wrought iron style with an antiquefinish.MediterraneanIf you're trying to create a garden to transport you to Tuscanyor send you to Seville, a relaxed furniture style will complementthe relaxed way of life on the Continent. Wrought iron styles workwell reminiscent of French Shabby Chic or elegant Spanish Colonial.Although, you could go contemporary chic with laser cut patternsand detailing. Mediterranean designs are influenced by differentcultures and historical periods; Spanish, French, Italian, Greekand Arabian so you'll have plenty to think about!PrettyTo create a pretty, romantic, feminine style garden, you'll needfurniture to match. The key to this is choosing a more delicatemetal framework, rather than chunky, block designs. White or creamcolored metal is the perfect look for a pretty garden, rather thanharsh black or grey. Try to find furniture with soft, flowing linesthat will blend seamlessly into the landscape.Shabby ChicThis style is quite difficult to define. It is often thought ofas something that's old or made to look old. Therefore choosingtraditional metal garden furniture with a patina finish is perfect.The shabby chic movement was heavily influenced by French Countrystyle; typically white or cream farmhouse-style furniture. So,depending on your existing landscaping, you could go for white orcream with a colored patina finish such as pink, green or blue.ColourfulThe beauty of choosing metal garden furniture is that frameworkcan be painted in many bright colors. This can give your garden areally modern edge, lime green is a key trend for this season.Colored furniture is a great way to inject a pop of color into adull landscape and create a bright fun space. If you find the rightretailer or manufacturer, you'll have the opportunity to choosefrom a variety of vibrant shades. Search for a company who offersbespoke metal furniture and you might even be able to specify theexact color.Before you buy a metal patio set, make sure you accuratelymeasure your designated space. You'll want about 90cm (3ft) ofspace around the table to accommodate chairs and people. This willallow people to walk around the table even when others areseated.Consider how you intend to use your metal garden furniture. Howmany people do you need it to seat? Do you do lots of entertaining?Square tables are more practical and will fit neatly into yourspace. Round require a lot more room and can look odd in an unevenshaped area. However, they are much better for entertaining,everyone can see each other.

Country home decorating ideas are meant forthose who love the country and are completely different from thecity apartment or suburban home. But with punishing schedules atthe workplace these days you may not have the luxury to take toomany holidays for lazing away at your country home getaway. Totransform or do up your city neighborhood in country style is thebest way to get a feel of nature and the country after you returnfrom a hard day's work. It would add the much needed mood that weall crave for but cannot get much of it these days. Countrydecoration is no big deal.Country home decoration ideas can come in readily if you preferto do up the interior that would ultimately reflect yourpersonality, your mood and the type of things that you love havingaround you. Colors should also reflect your very own personaltastes and preferences without seeing them clash and change theatmosphere and the mood. While entertaining guests you would beelated if they admire your decorations as there is a craving forcountry home decor. More and more people are replicating the looksof the country in their city homes.You could use braided rugs in rooms and keep the dinnerware inopen wrought iron shelves. Country home decoration ideas areincomplete without baskets, moose, snowmen, and Gingerbread men,wooden boxes stacked with yarn balls, candles, lanterns, driedflowers, twigs and Berry garlands. Themed prints on fabric andfurnishing should be scenic and reflect the country charm andidyll. Country style curtains should be ideally homespun in plaidor ruffles to add to the coziness. For your country style kitchenor dining room pie safes and jelly cabinets could be ideal.The idea of a country side decor is not to make it look eclecticor very modern but to keep the latent rusticity while toying withcountry home decorating ideas. You should also match the colors andsee they blend well and you could choose form a variety like red,burgundy, and wine, blue green black antique or just plain white.Ottoman or chairs with matching colors that bring in the addedcountry feel are great to have around.Country home decorating is usually referred to as a "rustic"decorating style and can be created whether you live in a cottagestyle home, a mountain retreat home or a modern urban apartment.Your home is your castle and you can create the look and style ofcountry homes no matter where you live.Cottage style homes are often made of stone or log and offer acomfortable "down-home" feeling and is usually simple, charming andunfussy in its decorating style. You'll want to incorporate the useof stone and natural woods, like pine that may be unfinished, aged,weathered and hand-painted with designs such as birds, animals,country scenery, flowers or leaves..Rustic country decor is about handcrafted objects andfurnishings that connect back to nature. Rustic country décor canstart in the kitchen with a large rectangular pine table, aged andweathered, partnered with ladderback chairs. Vintage wrought-ironor metal chandeliers above the table is appropriate for rusticdécor lighting as well as hurricane and oil or kerosene lamps.Vintage hardware in wrought-iron or metal is a great countryhome decorating idea and is available in many different styles andfinishes. Use hutches and cupboards with open shelves and plateracks for displaying colored plates and dinnerware collections inearth tones, bone white, or blues and greens, glazed earthenwareand glass jars.Add a rustic butcher-block island and pots and pans made ofcopper or cast iron and simple in lines. Another popular countryhome idea is stenciling decorating themes such as roosters,chickens, apples or cows on antiqued wooden shelves, the border onthe wall, or a rocking chair in the corner of the room. Use lots ofbaskets for storing logs for the fire, pine cones andneedlework.

The best thing that you can do for yourself isto find out, first of all, what size bridge you want. This willdepend on the budget you have and the size of garden you have. Mostof all the type of bridge you get depends on the theme you willhave in your back or front yard. Will you have a pond under it?Will you have running water under it with fish swimming in? Will itbe in the sun for long times, so you will have to know if you willbe installing a cover in the yard the bridge will be going. Thereare many different types of garden bridges that you could choosefrom, there are wood bridges, wooden footbridges, landscapingbridges, pond bridges, foot bridges, wooden garden bridges,Japanese garden bridges, Japanese bridges, red wood garden bridges,curved rail bridges, short post bridges and so much more that youcan choose from. If you are looking for a garden bridge it is veryeasy to get confused as to what you want to choose.When you are looking to install a redwood bridge in your gardenthere are many things that you will have to take into account, likethe weather for instance. Does it rain in your area a lot? Does thesun shine a lot? Will it be damp most of the time because you havea water feature in your back yard or even a running stream pond?Will you have a cover? This all answers how our wood will betreated. So before you make that first step to buying your gardenfoot bridge, you will have to do a lot of thinkingThere is something about having a great garden. These days youwill find that many gardens in the country keep getting smaller andsmaller. The newer the house the smaller the garden, it is a factin the real estate industry. If you want a big garden when you by ahouse it is most important that you by a house built years ago.There are many reasons for a person to have a big garden and thereare many reason for a person to want a big garden. It is all goodfor all of us to want a big garden, but it depends on where yourhouse is situated and what you paid for the house when you boughtit. If you where one of the unlucky ones and bought a house with asmall garden then there is really nothing you can do to make itbigger, unless you want to buy the plot next to yours and breakdown the wall separating the two plots, or if you want to make yourhouse smaller so you can have a bigger garden. The choice is yours,though it is advised that you look for a house with a big garden tobegin with, this way you will be able to fit your garden bridgeright where you would like it.For example, if you have elders living with you or pays a visit,will they have difficulty getting across without a handrail? Orwhat about your children running and playing all over your bridge,and even jumping into the gorge beneath it? How will thesequestions affect you decision with purchasing the new decor?Most garden bridges that are seen in the market usually do notcome with hand rails, making you rather weary about creating alandscape that will justify putting up one in the first place. Ifthe garden bridge you want does not come with some of the safetyfeatures required, they are always available to be added with alittle know how, and some research wouldn't hurt.So if you are thinking about purchasing a redwood bridge,consider how wide you need it to be in order for it to be effectivefor your guests. This will ensure that all of your guests will beable to enjoy this new feature with ease. Also, consider themaximum weight load that your bridge is capable of handling.Depending on the materials that it will be made of, it will becapable of holding different maximum weights. Also, think about anyadded apparatuses that you may want to install, since this too willadd extra weight, which might put your guests at risk if you buythe wrong bridge not capable of handling such weight.Then, determine what your garden bridge is made out of. Mostgarden bridges are made out of some sort of lumber material.

A country style design of the house bringsmakes it more cozy. It gives a rustic, simple and conventional feelto your lovely home. As your guests enter your household, they willsee that it's very welcoming, friendly, surreal and unpretentious.You can have it country from your gate to the kitchen and backyard.The kitchen would require you much time and effort to design itbecause it is the heart of every home. You can add one or twoFrench door refrigerators. Your counter tops can be placed withceramic tiles, slate or marble. You could even choose some handpainted tiles.The dining room can be one of the most frequented parts of thehouse that people gather. It is where you get to have your familydinner. You get to enjoy a good meal with added long talks andlaughter. You can even entertain your guests here. Try opting for alarge rectangular table. This table can be made of the sturdiestwood in the market. It could be made of mahogany, pine, walnut andoak. Your chairs and benches could also be made of the samematerial as that of your table. In order for your dining area notto look blunt, you can put a corner cupboard or better yet, a platerack or sideboard. This will not only be for aesthetic purpose butfor storage purposes as well.As for your bathroom, it should have neutral colors and tones. Acolor beige or mint green would be perfect. Go for antique lookinglighting. A pin light with a color yellow tint would be nice. Youcan head to a flea market and purchase an antique reproductioncabinet. It would be elegant for your bathroom.There may be a lot of costly appliances and furniture you haveto buy. Some of which would be the French door refrigerators, clawfoot tubs, sofa, beds with a good cushion and more wooden cabinets.Pulling off this look may be costly but definitely a goodinvestment.Interior decor may seem trivial in comparison to career pathsand family finances; however, theories such as feng shui suggestthat a home's aesthetic details may have significant influences onevery aspect of your life. While this belief may be on the extremeside, a home's decor should nevertheless not be neglected. Humanbeings are sensitive creatures, and environmental factors such asweather, wall colors and lighting do in fact impact emotions andproductivity.Besides the obvious functional benefits, your home should be areflection of your lifestyle and personal interests. Like life,interior decorating should not remain static. Rather, as individualpursuits and passions change, so too should the aesthetic of yourhome. Individuality is important in interior decorating, but a homeshould also be welcoming to all.Design themes such as "contemporary" and "Victorian" can befollowed strictly or simply used as inspiration. Country home styleis one popular example of design that can easily incorporate hintsof many different fashions. The country style includes the old andthe new, the rustic and the refined. Perhaps because of its blendedcharacteristic, a country home expresses comfort and warmth that isappealing to all.When designing around a country theme, there are several keyfeatures to keep in mind: color scheme, lighting, accents andflooring. Neutral colors are typically chosen for the base designfeatures of a country home. This means wall coloring and largeaccessories such as couches should reflect soft, earthy tones.Along these same lines, harsh lighting should be avoided. Instead,natural light from windows should be accentuated as much aspossible, and warm light fixtures should be placed wherenecessary.Accents are your chance to incorporate individual flare, colorand interesting accessories. Here you can also integrate featuresthat have complementary styles. Hints of contemporary design andsplashes of strong colors can transform a country style room into atruly unique interior decor concept.

There are various techniques for interiordecoration, from simply hanging baskets with plants to the mountingof frames on the wall where plants are embedded. Installation of avertical garden is convenient and cost-effective, but aside fromthese advantages, your home will also transform into a more uniqueand interesting living space.A vertical garden, also called the green wall, can be customizedaccording to your preferences and personality. To give yourbackyard or indoor garden the splendor of flowing water and to addchic, then you can add a fountain. And with our modern technology,one can select from a wide range of elegant designs that cancomplement the setting of your garden. Also, the aquatic soundshave soothing effects so you can relax after a day's work or justanytime you want.Moreover, one of the finest innovations related to verticalgardens is the addition of an aquarium. The concept is verysymbiotic since the plants in the vertical garden, as well as theaquatic creatures in the aquarium can benefit from the set-up thefish provide the garden plants with natural fertilizer throughtheir poop and at the same time, the garden filters the water forthe fish.Vertical gardens are definitely practical add-ons to homes. Oneof its advantages is that you can grow and harvest your own fruits,vegetables, herbs and crops. It is a lot safer too since you canensure proper handling of the plants by avoiding use of chemicals.You can also save yourself from the stress and be able to set asidesome money since fresh produce can be found right in yourgarden.Well, this type of gardening is very flexible. Aside from freshproduce, you can also grow some flowers and enjoy the beauty andcolors of blossoms. So, whenever you need to give your loved one apresent, then some flowers from your garden can do. And the bestpart is that you need not go to a flower shop.Setting up a vertical garden is definitely a good idea for asidefrom its aesthetic appeal, it also promotes environmental wellness.The plants filter pollutants from the air, which means that the airone breathes is purified, thus, it is healthier. Vertical gardensalso promote water conservation since they usually utilize dripirrigation in distributing water to the plants. The wastewater isthen collected at the base of the garden and it can be reused forthe plants. This means that there is very minimal waste.Vertical gardening is a fun way to have a year round garden bygrowing the plants in pots up a wall rather than in the ground.Space often makes it difficult to have a garden for someone wantingfresh vegetables or herbs in an urban area. The other kind ofvertical growing is a living wall, it is where lush plants aresuspended and nurtured to provide a beautiful appearance and totake advantage of the power of nature to purify the air. In thisarticle, we will be focusing on vertical gardening; how to buildand care for maintaining one for in your urban dwelling. Here arefive points to keep in mind.1) In order to stay healthy, all plants require water, sunlight,oxygen, nutrients and well controlled. It is actually easier tomaintain these requirements with vertical gardening because you donot have the typical problems (such as washing away of nutrientsdue to heavy rains). You can easily give your vertical garden theright amount of sunlight by placing your garden board close to asunny area and slanting slightly (around 30 degrees). The amount ofwater that you need to routinely consistently care for your plantscan be done on a per-programmed schedule a drippier system or otherforms irrigation method. This is far less time consuming and doesnot leave the same sort of mess.2) Buying or building a vertical garden may be easier than youthink. If you want to build the garden outdoors a fence can provideenough support to begin arranging your plants. A wall facing to thesouth will provide the most sun for your plants.

If an overall plan has been made forlandscaping the front and back yard, certain areas are excellentcandidates for modern garden paving. There are a variety ofselections available from recycled materials, stone and colored ornatural cement. There are many shapes that can be made with formsthat are available at home improvement stores like Home Depot orLowe's.The preparation of the area is critical to the successfulcompletion of the project. If an area is not dug out properly andpacked, all of the work that has been put into the project willhave to be redone. Prep work is tedious to say the least. But ifyou take the time to do it right the first time, it will pay offlater.Forms for cement can be used and the design laid out after thearea to be paved has been packed and sanded for a base. Some formscan be interconnected while others are stand alone. The ones thatare stand alone require a bit measuring but allow for a bit morefree style in design.Stone and recycled materials also are great for free styledesign. But again, prep work is extremely important. With the manydifferent sizes of stone, a pattern needs to be laid out over asmall area. Work can then be expanded from the starting point..After the design is fully in place, then the pavers can be packedand filled in with sand.Filling in the area around the pavers is important for thestability of the paved area. Various types of fillers can be used.Consult your local home improvement store for the recommendedfiller for the type of pavers to be used.Prices vary from budget to expensive paving systems. Doing a bitof shopping in advance and watching to sales will benefit in bothquality and quantity of paving materials. Check newspaper insertsand online sales. Weight is an issue with pavers and it is probablymore cost efficient if they are purchased locally.These are just a few of the options in modern garden paving.You can create a garden that looks like a perfect picture or afairy tale scene. There are endless possibilities on how todecorate your garden with the right paving stone. Your perfectgarden can be created by selecting the best paving stones that willfit not only your garden but your pocket too. Decorating a gardencan both be easy and fun if you plan it correctly beforehand.Planning is essential since there are many ways to adapt agarden.Paving stones vary in colour, size, shape, and weight. Theoptions available include cobblestones, flagstones, cladding andcopings. When paving your garden ensure that you have the correctequipment and tools. If you aren't able to do it yourself, then geta professional brick layer or a landscaper to assist you.There are many paving stone designs available for your driveway,walkway or pathway. For this application, paving tiles are ideal asthey are large squares that can be placed along the walkway ordriveway. Grooming all pathways in the garden with paving tileswill create a smooth walkway for you and your guests.If you have a small garden and would like to make it a cosyarea, you could use cobblestones. Cobblestone ideas include a stoneage design and a simulated rock design. The stone age designcreates a cosy and romantic ambience which takes you back to thedays of horse drawn carriages. It gives your garden a warm andinviting feeling which can make any one feel welcome in yourgarden.The flagstone is handmade and is perfect for areas close to thebraai or next to a bed of roses. It can be used indoors or outdoorsor vice versa for a smooth but steady stay. These paving stones aredurable and easy to clean so it is ideal if you aren't able to tendto your garden often.Cladding is used on partitioning walls in the garden. You cancreate a modern stone rock theme in your garden. Adding claddingmends dull or bland walls and uplifts the look of your garden.

If you are a dog owner, it is important todecide carefully on how your pet's house would look like. There arevarious dog house designs available from which you can choose from.There are literally hundreds or even thousands of blogs, designcontractors and companies that can help you decide on the home ofyour beloved dog's home.A lot of people would most likely pick a plain, simple, andtraditional design. However, some are more willing to experiment sothey follow modern celebrity trends. Some well-off dog owners wouldeven come up with a grand design. Some designs are Hacienda-like orcolonial in nature.Dog houses can either be indoor or outdoor. Therefore, thedesigns should be customized as well depending on your area.For dog owners who live inside townhouses or condominiums, it isexpected that there is a little space available where the dog housecan be placed. There are different topnotch and classy dog housedesigns that can actually fit inside your home. You can beresourceful and creative by turning end and coffee tables into agetaway for your pet. You can build custom cupboard and sofas thatcan allow your dog to have its privacy, which is quite important inavoiding sources of stress.On the other hand, outdoor designs are almost limitless.Perhaps, you are already familiar with the traditional design.Meanwhile, some are more than willing to invest on full-blown fancydesigns.Specifically, a barn-style or farmhouse style is a good optionthat is best for an outdoor setting. Such designs can be custommade or ready-made. Usually, they come in affordable price tags,mainly due to the stiff competition among pet accessory stores andmanufacturers these days.Lots of designs of dog house can be made with interestingdesigns such as mock chimneys, self-retracting doors, and windows.If you plan to come up with your own, you need to make sure youhave concrete plans on how you will go about building it up. Youroption is to look for someone who is already experienced in such atask so you can have someone to help you out. As for the design foryour dog's would-be house, you can browse some designs postedonline or printed on different pet care magazines.There are a limitless amount of dog house designs available todog owners. Hundreds of online blogs, design companies, andcontractors have websites geared toward getting your dog in totheir (or your) dream dog home. Most people will likely want to gofor a simple and traditional pet house styles; while others maywish to follow modern celebrity trends and provide your pooch withan over-the-top designer dog house like a "Hacienda" or "Colonial"house design.Indoor Dog HomesPeople who live in condominiums or townhouses with little or noyard space also have options available. There are many top-notch,classy dog house designs that fit right in with the decor in yourhome. These can range from coffee and end tables that double as aquiet getaway for your dog, so custom built sofas or cupboards thatallow your dog a place of their own to claim some privacy.Outdoor Design ChoicesYou may not want to go with a basic traditional, or full-blownfancy designs: Perhaps a farmhouse, or barn-style doghouse wouldbetter compliment your property and buildings. Custom made, orready-made solutions are available for a very affordable price, dueto the competition among pet accessory manufacturers thesedays.Most house designs come fully insulated with a variety ofeye-catching elements like: mock chimneys, windows, self-retractingdoors, etc. If you plan to make your own: Make sure you get a setof plans in front of you and/or have someone with buildingexperience on hand for help. Just because a pet house isn't as bigas a house doesn't mean the chance of making errors is smaller -- Adog house is a house on a smaller scale, without plumbing orelectricity (though some people include both in their dog housedesigns).

Contemporary home decor has been around for awhile, but, as with anything, there are trends within this decortheme. Trends can go in and out of style but the main idea behindcontemporary home decor still stands strong. The theme ofcontemporary home decor is clean strong lines on the furniture,minimal decorations, and neutral colors mixed with bold accents.The types of accents and furnishings used are what may changebecause these things are always expanding and improving. Thequestion that stands before you now is "what are the latest trendsin contemporary home decor?"Since the look of contemporary home decor offers fabulouslytextured fabrics, bold but elegant art work, and strong lines thereis plenty of room to focus on one of the latest trends incontemporary home decor. This particular trend is in the lightingof a contemporary room. Lighting can be one of the most importantelements in a contemporary home decor themed room. Lighting can addstructure, highlight focal points, and bring balance or harmony toa room. Some of the must have lighting for a contemporary homedecor themed room is track or recessed lighting and accent lampsmade from woods and metals.Furniture is another big thing in a contemporary home decorthemed room. The most popular furniture is made either of oak,cherry, or birch, but bamboo and rattan are becoming more and morepopular. Another trend in contemporary home decor furnishings inmetal framed furniture. One less trendy, but still popular form ofcontemporary furniture is upholstered furniture with abstractdesigns using wools, cotton, and leather. Armani once said thatcontemporary home decor furnishings are "a subtle richness, not anobvious beauty".Contemporary home decor also focuses on the bedrooms in a home,especially the master bedroom. One fabulous contemporary bedroomdecor item to have is a platform bed. A platform bed does not havea foot board and the box spring is already built in, these featureskeep with the clean strong lines of contemporary home decor. Add ablack and white or a beige comfort with a bold colored sheet andyou have the latest trend in contemporary home decor in yourbedroom.Bathrooms are another hot commodity when it comes to acontemporary home decor theme. Visitors will end up seeing one ofyour bathrooms, so why not follow the latest trends and make it acontemporary one. Contemporary bathroom trends focus on stainlesssteel, glass, and acrylic made into clean cut lines. You might evenfind a black and white or stainless steel toilet. Hot things tohave for a contemporary home decor bathroom is a vessel sink withthe faucet/spout in the wall and not on the sink.Contemporary home decor trends will always change and it is notnecessary to keep up with them. The important thing to do whenusing a contemporary home decor theme is stick with clean lines,neutral colors with bold accents, and minimal decorations. Focus onthese features, while personalizing the space will give you acontemporary home decor.The basic theme of a contemporary home decor is simple, cleanlines with a modern twist. Contemporary home decor can be achievedby minimal decorations and clean cut furnishings. Creating acontemporary home decor is actually very easy, especially if youknow what to buy or focus your theme on. Contemporary home decorcan make any room in your house look modern, refreshed, and clean.A very good example of contemporary home decor would be an Asiantheme. Asian themes also use simple, clean lines and minimaldecorations.To create a contemporary home decor you will need to focus onsome simple rules of the contemporary style. The first things youshould focus on are color, space, and shape. By focusing on thesethree basic elements of contemporary home decor, you will be ableto achieve it. Simple is always better with a contemporary homedecor theme.

There are lots of options when putting up agarden fence. Is the fence strictly to add beauty to your yard orare you trying to keep out wandering animals? One unique type offencing is a bamboo garden fence. Bamboo garden fences are made indifferent designs and come in many sizes. They come premade asfence panels or you can create your own from rolled or splitbamboo. Either way will produce outstanding results.If you're feeling creative and have some extra time you may wantto build your own fence. There are a few things that can make iteasier. When building a bamboo garden fence, it's best to usepressure treated posts to sink into the ground. These have a longerlife than cedar posts, so your bamboo fence will last a lotlonger.When it comes time to attach the bamboo, use a fine bladedhacksaw to make any necessary cuts on the bamboo canes. Other typesof saws can cause splitting. When you cut a bamboo cane, always cutabove the joint and at an angle, rather than straight across. Thatway the membrane can protect against water collecting.When attaching the bamboo to the posts, use a drill to make ahole slightly bigger than the nail. This reduces the chance of thebamboo cracking or being crushed.One important fact about bamboo is that it is a grass and notwood. Therefore it shouldn't come into direct contact with theground or it will deteriorate. You can avoid this from occurring byputting a piece of wood along the lower edge of your garden fencewith the bamboo above it.Bamboo fencing can easily last years when it's built and caredfor properly. Just like you need to treat a wooden fence with apreservative to keep it in good shape, a bamboo fence is nodifferent. Use a preservative that has UV protection for bestresults. After a few years you may notice that the bamboo ischanging color and even cracking, due to weather conditions andharsh sunlight. Wood fences are affected as well. Continuing toapply preservative regularly will help limit this damage.You are making a good decision when you build a bamboo gardenfence. Since bamboo is considered a renewable resource, by usingbamboo rather than another material, you are helping theenvironment. And you will end up with a truly unique and beautifulfence around your garden.A bamboo garden fence is a fantastic addition to any gardenarea. It can be used in creating a boundary between your garden andthe rest of your yard space. Unless your yard is very large,chances are that your garden is very visible. Bamboo garden fencescan block out messy weeds or compost piles from plain view, as wellas keeping four legged visitors out.Although there are lots of possibilities when it comes to gardenfences, bamboo is probably the most inexpensive option as well asbeing the easiest to erect. Despite its appearance, bamboo isactually quite strong and durable. It stands up well to the sun andweather so is a good choice for any garden.As with any natural products, bamboo will deteriorate over timeand so will require some care. Applying a treatment suitable foryour area and weather conditions, to your bamboo garden fence, willreduce damage.If you want to separate your garden from the rest of your yard,bamboo garden fences will work well and be aesthetically pleasing.It can be easily installed onto an existing fence or attached to awooden frame using galvanized wire or heavy duty staples.If you are looking to simply screen off an area, a movable fenceis a good alternative. In this case bamboo fence panels areprobably your best option. With bamboo, you can easily build, moveand then dismantle the fence when it's time for a clean-up.If the reason for having a fence is mainly to keep animals outof your garden, you will want to install the bamboo fence panelsonto a wood frame. That way you cam keep the bamboo from touchingthe ground. Although bamboo is a tough, durable material it doesn'tdo well with direct contact with the ground.

Classical Chinese gardens and fountains aremore than collections of beautiful plants, trees and water. Theyare representations of nature, providing insight into thephilosophical and spiritual mind of past Chinese artisans andhigh-ranking citizens.The principles of classical Chinese gardening can be useful andinsightful to garden lovers living anywhere in the world. Chinesedesign objectives can inspire American home gardeners to trysomething new such as a garden fountain and encourage theexpression of culture and philosophy through gardening.In the 2,000 years since the imperial family first set asidenatural areas for hunting, traditional gardens in China havedeveloped into an art form equal in rank to painting, calligraphyand poetry. Several of the finest gardens, built during the Mingand Qing Dynasties, have survived the ravages of time andpolitics.Suzhou, about 50 miles west of Shanghai, is known as "the cityof gardens." For generations, rich officials, merchants,landowners, scholars, garden designers and garden crafters settledin Suzhou to enhance its fame. The principles of classical Chinesegardens were well represented in their gardens. Visitors come tolearn their secrets and experience their magic.These gardens provide insight into the traditional Chinese viewof nature, which includes the role human's play in the naturalorder. The gardens hold clues to the ancient Chinese mind throughthe winding paths, the use of symbolism and the selection ofplants. In the traditional Chinese view of nature, humans wereequals with everything in the natural world. As the philosopher LaoTsu wrote in the Tao Te Ching, "Man follows the earth. Earthfollows heaven. Heaven follows the Tao. Tao follows what isnatural." Traditionally, Chinese people assisted in the expressionof nature but did not impose their will upon it.Chinese gardens were originally designed to symbolize a livingentity: rocks formed the skeleton, water and fountains functionedas the blood, while plants provided the clothing. To portray theinfluence of human beings in nature, architectural constructions(bridges, pavilions, halls, courtyards, gateways, windows, doorsand pavings) were integrated into a garden's design. Their purposewas to illustrate the ideal interaction of humans with nature.Together, these elements made up all that is natural on Earth:vegetation, mountains, and bodies of water with gently flowingChinese fountains as well as human influence. The way they wereintegrated into the garden expressed the relationships they have innature.Gardeners in the West may be unable to mimic the grandeur withwhich the ancient Chinese gardeners represented nature, but theycan include parts of each element. The goal is to create a sense ofwholeness within the limitations of the site and to consider allthese elements as integral parts of the garden.Just as a garden's main elements are symbolic of the parts of aliving whole, symbols that make up the culture's beliefs arescattered throughout Chinese gardens and integrated in theirdesign. For example, bad spirits were believed to travel instraight lines so pathways were seldom designed straight or flat.It was believed that the many changes in levels and directions madeit difficult for these spirits to infect the people enjoying thegarden. Dragons, symbols of strength, change and goodness,frequently adorn Chinese fountain walls and roofs of gardenstructures.Suitability -- The most appropriate location for every featureof a garden must be found. Seasonal changes in weather and plantsas well as the physical requirements of the garden site areconsidered. In addition to finding the most suitable site for eachgarden element (plants, rocks, water fountains and architecturalconstructions, details such as the size, shape, color and placementof railings, windows and doors in a building, for example, are alsoconsidered to ensure complete harmony of the surroundings.

A backyard flower garden can add a relaxingdimension to your home's outdoor space. One way to add interest toa specific area or to separate your flower beds from your lawn isto install a border. Bamboo borders are one of the more populartypes of garden borders in use today.Keeping the weeds under control is hard enough without having todeal with grass creeping over into the flower beds. Probably thebest way to prevent this from occurring is by installing a gardenborder.For best results, the border should be sunk into the ground. Ifthe border just sits on top of the earth it won't be long beforeroots spread under the barrier and grass begins to grow on theother side as well.Borders keep flowers and lawn separated but it also makescutting the grass and trimming a lot easier. If you have a border,you don't have the worry of damaging plants with the mower ordestroying plant shoots with the trimmer. It's so simple to justkeep the mower or trimmer running along tight to the gardenborder.A bamboo border can be used to separate different flower beds ortypes of foliage, but they can also be used to accent variouselements in your outdoor paradise.For example, you might want to have a path meandering throughyour backyard. Maybe there will be a rock garden here and a pondover there with a bench to relax on. A bamboo border can nicelyseparate while at the same time providing definition to eachindividual section. And in doing that help you to get the feel andthe look you envision.Bamboo borders are constructed out of short bamboo poles. Theyare pre-assembled in staggered heights and different lengths soit's quite easy to move them around and to arrange them indifferent ways until you decide on a design.An interesting use of bamboo border edging is inside the home.You can use bamboo as window coverings, or even on walls. Bambooborders can also divide areas within a room or accent a plantdisplay.Whether for inside or outdoors, using bamboo borders is anenvironmentally friendly choice. Bamboo is a type of fast growinggrass and so is considered a sustainable product.There are lots of options when putting up a garden fence. Is thefence strictly to add beauty to your yard or are you trying to keepout wandering animals? One unique type of fencing is a bamboogarden fence. Bamboo garden fences are made in different designsand come in many sizes. They come premade as fence panels or youcan create your own from rolled or split bamboo. Either way willproduce outstanding results.If you're feeling creative and have some extra time you may wantto build your own fence. There are a few things that can make iteasier. When building a bamboo garden fence, it's best to usepressure treated posts to sink into the ground. These have a longerlife than cedar posts, so your bamboo fence will last a lotlonger.When it comes time to attach the bamboo, use a fine bladedhacksaw to make any necessary cuts on the bamboo canes. Other typesof saws can cause splitting. When you cut a bamboo cane, always cutabove the joint and at an angle, rather than straight across. Thatway the membrane can protect against water collecting.When attaching the bamboo to the posts, use a drill to make ahole slightly bigger than the nail. This reduces the chance of thebamboo cracking or being crushed.One important fact about bamboo is that it is a grass and notwood. Therefore it shouldn't come into direct contact with theground or it will deteriorate. You can avoid this from occurring byputting a piece of wood along the lower edge of your garden fencewith the bamboo above it.Bamboo fencing can easily last years when it's built and caredfor properly. Just like you need to treat a wooden fence with apreservative to keep it in good shape, a bamboo fence is nodifferent. Use a preservative that has UV protection for bestresults.

Why Take Garden Photos?Record KeepingTaking pictures of your flower and vegetable gardens can help youkeep records of what you grew and where you grew it. Many gardenerspractice some form of crop rotation, being especially careful notto plant the same vegetables in the same location year after year.A photo or two can be a big help in keeping track of where youplanted your tomatoes the previous season. Digital photos areespecially helpful, since you can store them on your computer,label them, and click on the photo's "properties" to see exactlywhen the photo was taken. A photo might also be a good remindernext year if you planted some things too close together thisyear.ID that Bug or DiseaseThe old cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words iscertainly true when it comes to identifying pests, damage frompests, or disease symptoms in the garden. One or two good photoscan be compared to photos online to identify the pest ordisease.Send Photos to FriendsSerious gardeners enjoy sharing their garden experiences with theirgardening friends and extended family. Today's digital technologymakes it easy to capture the wonder and beauty of your garden andemail or text it to a special friend.Garden Photographs as ArtPhotos help us preserve the beauty of our gardens. Roses will fade,sunflowers will wither, and the visiting monarch butterfly will flyaway... but great photos from the garden can last a lifetime.Digital photography enables us to take lots of pictures, edit andcrop them, and print them on our computers or have them printed byprofessionals... at a fraction of the cost than we used to spendwhen all cameras had film!Garden Photographs as GiftsA great photo from your garden or from a friend's garden can make awonderful gift, too. Online companies can help you turn a photointo a wonderful print for framing, or your shot can be used todecorate a tee shirt or a coffee mug. With a little help fromonline companies, a collection of garden photos can be used to makea very personalized calendar. Personal computer software also makesit possible for you to make your own greeting cards from gardenphotos.Digital Slide ShowsIf you've had the opportunity to visit one of the great publicgardens in the USA, you probably took a lot of pictures. You canpost them on one of the photo-sharing websites and invite others tosee them, or you can make your own digital slide show by loadingthe images onto your personal computer, tablet, or onto a digitalpicture frame. With additional equipment, like Apple TV, you canplay the slide show through your TV.How to Take Better Garden PhotosEquipmentBy far, the two most convenient types of cameras for gardenphotography are compact digital cameras and smartphone cameras.They're easy to have on hand for that spontaneous opportunity, andyou can take multiple shots without worrying about wasting film.Digital photos are also relatively easy to edit and crop, andthey're very easy - and affordable - to share.If you have a digital camera with interchangeable lenses, youcan be even more creative and can expand your garden photoopportunities considerably. Telephoto lenses allow you to getclose-up photos of birds and bees without scaring them away. And,telephoto lenses will allow you to narrow the depth of field ofyour photograph so that a single bloom or piece of fruit will moreclearly be highlighted.CompositionBy far, composition is the most important consideration when takinga photograph for any artistic use. Composition - the design of yourphoto - determines how the subject is framed and how other elementscan be reduced or eliminated to avoid any distraction. Many of uscan improve the composition of our photos by merely moving incloser to the central subject.With a little practice, you can learn to compose interestingphotos by focusing on smaller elements or interesting patterns thatyou may have overlooked in the past.

The tools and accessories used for fightingplant pests and weeds are of two kinds. The first is the equipmentneeded to afford physical safeguards for your flowers and vegetableplants and the second are those designed to apply pesticides andherbicides.Protecting Your Garden Plants From The ColdOf the first one of the most helpful among gardening implementsis the covered frame. This frame is usually made up of a timberbox, some eighteen inches to two feet square and approximatelyeight inches high, covered with glass, protective cloth, mosquitonetting or insect wire. The first two coverings have, naturally,the further benefit of preserving heat and safe guarding yourbackyard garden plants from the cold.Protecting your plants from freezing is a benefit that willenable you to plant sooner rather than later. You can use eitherglass or protective cloth extensively in getting an extra early andsafe start with cucumbers, melons as well as zucchini andeggplant.Simpler and easier devices for safeguarding newly-set fruits andvegetables, like tomatoes or cabbage, from the cut-worm, are stiff,tin, cardboard or tar paper collars, which are made several incheshigh and wide enough to be placed around the base and tall enoughto be buried an inch or so in to the ground.Protecting Your Backyard Garden From Weeds And PestsFor the purpose of applying poison powders, the backyardgardener may consider purchasing a powder gun. Though if you haveto be restricted to a single tool, it will probably be better toacquire one of your hand-powered, compressed-air sprayers.Compressed-air sprayers are designed for applying wet sprays,and at least one of the several types of mist-making nozzles willbe included. The non-cloggable automatic model of compressed-airsprayer is the most effective. For further extensive work, a barrelpump, attached to wheels, is advisable, but any one of the above isgoing to do plenty of work in a short amount of time.Extension rods to use in treating bushes and vines may beacquired for either the barrel pump or compressed air-sprayer. Forthe purpose of backyard gardening on a small scale, a sturdyhand-syringe can be employed, but as a general rule it will likelybe best to spend a few dollars more and get yourself a compact tanksprayer.Tank sprayers throw a consistent steady flow of spray and hold aconsiderably larger amount of the spraying solution. Whether youchoose to buy a hand-syringe or tank sprayer, consider buying abrass one. Brass syringes and sprayers consistently out-wear thosemade up from more cost-effective metal. Such lower quality syringesand sprayers often succumb quickly to the corroding action of thepowerful toxic compounds and chemical products used in them.Other Backyard Gardening Tools To ConsiderOf tools used for the purpose of harvesting, including thespade, prong-hoe and spading-fork, there are only a few being usedin the small backyard garden, as most backyard gardeners do notneed to plow long rows for being inexpensively used. The onionharvester accessory for the dual wheel hoe can be considered.The onion harvester can also be used along with the benefit ofloosening onions, beets, turnips, etc., within the garden soil forcutting spinach. Working your hand-plow tight on both sides ofcarrots, parsnips as well as other deep-growing veggies willcertainly help extensively in getting all of them harvested.For the purpose of fruit picking, with extra tall trees, yourwire-fingered fruit-picker, attached to the end of any extendedhandle, will be of superb assistance, but with the present daytechnique of using low-headed trees it shouldn't be needed.A different class of gardening tool are the type used forpruning but only where this is attended to properly in the firstplace. A very good, sharp jack-knife and a set of pruning shearswill effortlessly tackle all of the trimming and pruning worknecessary.

The Japanese Koi, a variation of the commoncarp, originating from China is one of the most beautifully coloredfish. The Japanese began breeding this fish in the 1820's and havedeveloped some amazingly brilliant colors. The Japanese are stillcontinuing in the process of evolving more variations of patternsand colors.They are known to live for over two centuries and can grow inlength to up to twenty four inches. The Koi are ornamental fish andare kept in large ponds due to their size. Japanese Koi Gardenshave to be maintained properly so that they can retain theiraesthetic appeal and also provide for a good environment for thefish to breed.Since Koi fish can grow quite large, one has to make sure thatthe pond is big enough so that the fish can feed, breed, grow andmove around freely. A crowded pond cannot be very nice for thefish. Another aspect you have to be very careful about is where toplace the Koi pond in your garden. It is not advisable to place thepond directly under the sunlight as this may be harmful for theKoi. It is better to choose a more shady area, like near a tree forexample. If you have the pond near a tree, you may have to spendmore time cleaning it because it is possible that leaves and otherdebris might fall into the pond.A lot of people who have gardens around the pond tend to usepesticides and other harmful sprays that may be detrimental to theKoi's health. This should be avoided completely.It is said that Koi fish, being omnivorous, feed on plants aswell. So when choosing plants for the pond one has to be careful topick a variety that can survive the Koi fish. Plants that are notsuited for a Koi pond will die soon and will have to be replacedcausing more dirt to cloud up the water. It is said that watercressis a good option for a Koi fish pond because they can withstand thefish. Also, when placing plants in the pond, it is a good idea tohave their roots ploughed down with heavy pebbles so that the fishcannot uproot and kill them.There are a lot of embellishments one can put into a Koi garden.However, to add to the beauty of a Koi pond one should not risk thehealth of the fish. It makes sense to do some more research andperhaps get a professional to help when setting up a Koi garden forthe first time before you get to be an expert yourself.The very thought of having Japanese water gardens reflectstranquil moments. Perhaps you already have your Japanese Garden inplace and now you are ready to add some finishing touches to it.There is no better way to do this then to introduce thosemagnificent and beautiful Koi fish to it. Many believe Koi tosymbolize good luck which make adding the Koi fish to your JapaneseGarden a big plus. The Japanese also understand the Koi Fish to bea symbol of friendship and love.Koi fish have never been bred for the purpose of becoming a foodstaple. They are very much like a carp on a much smaller scale.Although the Japanese are well known as breeders of Koi, there arealso magnificent Koi species being breed throughout various partsof Asia.If you are wondering about the exquisite color patterns of theKoi you can thank the care that is taken during the breedingprocess. For Koi breeding is not something new on the horizon andactually dates back to the 1800's.It's a great decision, to have Koi added to your Japanese watergarden. In doing so though you have to realize that there is careand maintenance involved in this. Koi demand a clean livingenvironment and if they are not supplied with this they will notsurvive. This means you must be filtering and cleaning the pondcontinuously. Be sure to inspect your filters regularly to ensurethey have not become clogged. On a daily basis be sure to removethe debris such as leaves and grass that may have blown into thepond. If debris is left, it may help in the formation of types ofalgae.

Many people spend a lot of time choosing theirstage equipment, but one thing that is often overlooked is hometheatre seating. It gets forgotten about because people are moreconcerned about their amplifier, or DVD player or the positioningof their TV screen.Your seating for your home theatre is a vital part of the wholehome cinema experience and can really add to, or detract from, thewhole magical moment of watching that movie. So you need to makesure that you pick the right type of seating to ensure your comfortand your enjoyment of your very own theatre.Firstly you have to consider the size of the room you arehousing your theatre in. Seats that are too big will look out ofplace, absorb too much sound and not fit nicely in to the room.Remember that your seating will absorb the sound and so you need toconsider the placement of your speakers as well as the placement ofyour seats.You want to make sure that your seats are comfortable enough foryou to sit through a movie or two. The last thing you want is atthe climax of the movie is to be fidgeting and trying to getcomfortable. Try out different types of seating for your homecinema and find some that you like and find comfortable. You shouldprobably take your partner or significant other along as well andget them to try the seating, particularly if they are going to besitting in it too.For some people color is going to be important in choosing theright seating, for others, it isn't going to matter. Most seatingcomes in dark colors, but if you are particularly extravagant thenyou can get your seating custom covered, but most people will behappy with the darker colors.The placement of your seating is also important to your homecinema set-up. You have to take in to consideration the placementof your stage equipment as well though. If you have to twist atawkward angles in order to use a remote control then it is going toget annoying and uncomfortable.There is a sweet spot in every home movie setup where the soundis perfect. The two most popular places to put seating are also theworst - the back of the room and the dead centre of the room -neither of these are good locations for sound quality. The bestposition will vary according to many factors including how manyseats you will have, where your screen is positioned and where yourspeakers will be. You can get an expert to advise you if you needit or you can work it out with a little trial and error.Another important factor is what accessories are available foryour cinema seating. You may want cup holders, recliners, arm restsand more. You could even get light up cup holders, but you'd haveto run electrical points to your seating.When choosing home theatre furniture there are certainconsiderations that have to weighed before purchasing. To have asuccessful home theatre seating the right furniture must be chosenfor this will affect how the movie is viewed and enjoyed. It doesnot matter how expensive or how cheap the home theatre seats are,if they are not the right make and style, then it can still be anexpensive purchase. Here are what should be considered- The first thing is to measure the room or the area where thefurniture are to be placed. Logically, if the area or room is smallbig sized furniture should not be chosen even if it is affordable,pretty amazing looking and a good buy. If it is too big, then it istoo big, unless there is a magic wand that can increase the size ofthe room in a second?- Choose the type of furniture that is to be purchased accordingto their function. If it is for a single's pad, then having a hometheatre recliner is a good idea or a set of recliners. There aresome sold in sets of threes and fours.

Finally you've managed to save up the moneyfor that home cinema projector of your dreams but which one shouldyou get and what should you be considering when looking?The purpose of this article is to give you a good understandingof the differences between the home cinema projectors out there andwhich features are more important that others when choosing.Different Types of Home Cinema ProjectorsA home cinema projector produces an image on a projection screenby sending light across the room and the main difference betweenmodels is the way in which that light is transmitted. Currently themain three types of home cinema projectors are called:• DLP (Digital Light Processing)• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)• LED (Light Emitting Diode)• CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)Each of the terms in brackets is the type of technology used totransmit the light and you really don't need to understand thetechnical differences between them all to enjoy a great movieexperience.I have listed below each different type with the pros and consin each case.DLPDLP home cinema projectors are usually the smallest of the bunchand give out a really good picture quality for the price. Theycreate the image by using millions of tiny mirrors which reflecteach pixel of light to produce the image you see. The drawback tothis technology is that it cannot transmit red, green and blue(RGB) all at the same time and in doing so can give a rainboweffect if you move your eyes from side to side quickly during themovie. This can get quite annoying and some people are moresensitive to this effect than others.This technology requires a light source (lamp) to produce theimage and unfortunately these lamps work on the same physics asnormal lamps and so you are going to have to replace it every yearor so to make sure you keep the best high light levelprojection.LCDThis technology was around before DLP but actually came into itsown in the home cinema projector world afterwards. It sends theimages by projecting a light source behind a transparent sheetwhich continuously redraws the image.This technology is now quite popular in the home cinema circlesbut once again you will need to change the light source (lamp)every year or so.LEDLED home cinema projectors are relatively new at the time ofwriting and are still quite expensive. They produce the image byusing many small LEDs which can produce RGB light at incrediblyhigh speed. The added benefit of this technology is that theprojectors don't require a separate light source.CRTCRT home cinema projectors are rarely seen much anymore as thetechnology is quite old and bulky and does not fit in with today'slifestyle. At one stage they were the only technology outthere.3D Home Cinema ProjectorsI'm sure you've heard of 3D technology as there have been a lotof new films produced which use this technique but what exactly isit and how does it work. Also, is it worth you paying the excess toget hold of it?Well, at present there is not much content (DVDs, Blu-ray discs)to be able to use this technology to its full but it can be fun toadd it to your specification. The problem is because the technologyis new, the cost is high and so you will need some deep pockets topick one up.You will still need to wear the 3D glasses to get the best outof this new home cinema projector technology and so if you can getover the way you look from the outside whilst wearing them thenthis may be for you.AfterthoughtsWhatever type of home cinema projector technology you decide togo for you need to make sure you get out to your local specialistto see it with your own eyes. At the end of the day you should gofor the one that you like the look of best and this can only reallybe achieved by getting out there.

Modern garden design has become an essentialpart of gardening. Modern architecture started in Europe since thebeginning of twentieth century but it was not only then that theconcept of modern garden designing acquired prominence. Moderndesign started in United States in California. 'Modern' means'simple'. Modernity is all about keeping things simple and ordered.This has transmitted to the sphere of gardening too. In thisarticle we shall discuss how you can make a garden "modern".Modern garden designs are rare to find as most gardens followthe traditional approach. Traditional approach is largelydecorative and gardens have to be decorative for the simple purposeof their existence is to provide beauty and relaxation to people.It is difficult to apply concrete "modern" methods to complex formsof nature. But this idea is changing.FeaturesPresent concept of modern garden designs considers the garden asextension of the house and not as a greenhouse. This has led tocertain innovations in the context of garden design. This hasbrought in more artificial assets to the garden. These includeplacing some furniture on the garden or arranging for separatelights.This will also include the provision of barbeque in your gardenand presence of shelters and screens in the area. In fact,nowadays, modern gardens also contain swimming pools. There is thescope for the placing of a variety of other articles in yourgarden.Space and time are important constraints in the present world.Modern garden designs are made with a view to suit both. Plantshave to be arranged carefully so that they do not take up excessivespace. At the same time, the variety of plants will decrease ascompared to traditional gardens if you are not consideringgardening as your hobby.Most people love beautiful gardens especially if you have yourown house with a big yard. To create a modern garden you will needmoney, time and all the patience in the world. When creating amodern garden you have to do a lot of searching to see whichflowers can be used for your garden and when it must beplanted.Landscaping is important.Landscaping is one of the key things you will need to do before youstart. It is important to decide how and where you want yourgarden. A modern garden needs the right type of sand, potting soiland seedlings. You will also need some decorative stones, craftingand pots to plant the seedlings in. It's always better to buyplants that you love. Find out from your nursery which plants orflowers are garden friendly and in season.Buy plants and garden paving tiles in bulkMost of the gardening products that you will need are available atselected gardening stores and nurseries. It is best to buy pavingtiles in bulk so you don't have to go back to the store again. Mostof the times you won't find the same thing you bought the previoustime or at the same price. To create a beautiful garden you need tohave all the right products. If you already have grass planted thenyou can focus on where to place the walkway paving tiles.Add cobblestones to the design of your modern gardenIf you are using cobblestones, measure your garden and get enoughfor the passageway and other areas where you are going to lay it.There are a variety of cobbles available. You will find the RomaRandom, Cornwall, Bastille, Canterbury, Porto and Piazza cobbles.You can decide afterwards if you want to get them painted or tojust leave them as they are.Get help when creating your gardenPutting a garden together is not an easy task, but you can get helpfrom a friend or family member. Alternatively you can hire aprofessional gardener who knows about plants and paving tiles. Thiswill also allow you to get more objective ideas as to what willsuit your garden.

Rock gardening is a great way for you toexpress your artistic side while using your gardening skills and analternative medium as well.There are plenty of creative choices for the rock gardenenthusiast. The Japanese Zen garden is my favorite but you can bejust as happy building the most common form, the basic rockgarden.Since Japanese Zen gardens are rockier and less plant-filled, ifyou're going to put together a basic rock garden with more plantsand flowers, there are some things that you should think about.If you're working in an area that is already quite rocky it willbe much easier to start your garden. However, you'll still need toplan well to make the picturesque garden you desire.Starting at the most troublesome spot (every garden has one!) isa way to relieve long run frustration. Build or use an existingslope where there's plenty of sunshine.Obviously the easiest rocks to use are the ones already in yourgarden or around your house. However, don't worry...most gardeningsupply store have plenty that you can purchase.For aesthetic purposes, your plants and rocks should follow acolor scheme. Make sure that the design has a natural look and feelto it. And when choosing your plants, use ones that won't need lotsof water since the water will drain through the rocks.Once you've picked your rocks and plants the plant spacing,elevation, slope, and design should reflect your artistictraits.It should only take a day or two to build the rock garden ofyour dreams. And days, months, or years for you to enjoy it!Zen tradition in Japanese gardens, together with Shinto are avery large part of Japanese gardening. It is because of thesepredominant traditions a Japanese garden is a place ofcontemplation and reflection and a visitors state of mind shouldreflect this when visiting one. It is important to fully understandthese principles when visiting a Japanese or Japanese Zengarden.The history of Japanese Zen gardens is easily traceable. ZenPriests were Chinese in origin and between 1185 and 13333 theybegan to influence Japanese residential buildings and gardens.China was such an influential player both politically, militarilyand culturally during this period. During the period 1185AD to1333AD Chinese Zen priests became much more influential in everydaylife and belief processes in Japan.The Zen priests brought about changes to Temples and residentialbuildings meaning that gardens were designed to be viewed from theinside of a building- visual appeal was a necessity- to view frominside and appreciate a Japanese Zen garden's beauty in one viewwas considered uncluttered and meant that the garden was simple andwithout many components.These 'single view' gardens were designed by the priests whowere known as Ishitateso or 'Rock Placing Monks' in English.In the period 1333 to 1568 considered by many historians to be'the golden age ' of Japanese gardens, Zen Buddhism began toheavily influence Japanese gardens. A signature of these types ofgardens is using groups of rocks to represent mountains orwaterfalls. White sand was used to create the illusion of flowingwater. This is known as 'Dry Water'.Groups of rocks were used to represent mountains and the generallandscape and sand or a type of gravel would be used in the gardendesign to portray the sea or large bodies of water. Ponds are neverused in Japanese Zen gardens.Japanese Rock gardens are amongst some of the most beautifulexamples of these serene havens. Each rock and stone has a reasonfor being where they are and without getting too complicated thetypes of stones and rocks used and the reasons why arenumerous.One of the most popular types of Japanese garden is called a'Karesansui' garden. In English this word means 'dry mountainstream' and that is why these types of garden are known as 'Dry'gardens. They are heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism.

The Custom BlanketThe custom blanket comes in 3 different sizes - the smallblanketis perfect for cots and small beds, the medium ideal foruse as atravel blanket or a lap blanket to keep warm andcomfortable whilewatching TV. The large custom blanket isespecially beneficial foruse on beds and offers the greatestprinting options because it caninclude a photo montage consistingof virtually any number of photosand other elements.Adding A Digital Photo To The Custom Blanket DesignThe simplest way to personalize a custom blanket is to pickasingle favorite photo. This picture is printed on the front oftheblanket and you can pick a color for the reverse from a listofbeautiful colors. The digital photo can be of you, thegiftrecipient, or anybody else. It could be a picture of afavoriteplace or an item that is related to the person's favoritehobby orpastime. You know the recipient best so you can choose thephotothat they will appreciate the most.Other Pictures To Add To A Custom BlanketDigital photos do offer the best printed results but theyarejust one type of design that can be used on a customblanket.Download pictures from the Internet or any other source,ensuringas far as possible that they are a high resolution, largedimensionpicture. Alternatively, scan paper print pictures,newspaperclippings, or even album and book covers in order to getthe exactlook that you want from the custom blanket.Text And Other Design OptionsAdd a personal message to the design yourself or have oneprintedover the picture that you chose. This is a greatopportunity to adda greeting in order to celebrate an occasion orevent or it can beused to mark a date, name, or anything else. Addbaby's name anddate of birth to create a stunning new baby blanketor include thenames of the bride and groom to create a heartfeltpersonalizedanniversary blanket.Custom CushionsLike the blanket, the custom cushion is also a multipurposecustomized item. It can be used as an addition to yourbedding orit can be customized and added to the settee. You caneven take itcamping or on holiday with you to ensure that you'recomfortablewhile you're away.Other Types Of Custom CushionThe standard custom cushion, available in medium or large,isjust one type of custom cushion too. Floor cushions are muchlargerand designed to provide comfort while sitting on the floor -thesetoo can be customized with a photo or montage. A sausagecushion orbolster cushion enables you to print between 6 and 10characters inincredible looking text so is perfect for customizingwith aname.We all desire to have a place to call a home, not just ahousewhere we can go in and out to take shelter from the elements.Weall desire to have a place of abode, a place where we dwell,aplace where we grow and nourish our family, a place where wegiveand receive love from those we love, a place where we can beourtrue selves, a place where we find peace, joy, serenityandfulfillment, a place where we nourish and cherish our rootsandcultural inheritance. This place is our home, because it isourhome, it is reflects whom we are, it reflects our values andoftentimes the innermost desires of our hearts which we depict inthedecorations we put in and around our homes. The decorations inandaround our homes are done with varieties of works of art fromourcherished artists or craft works that reflect our rootsandcultural values. At some other times we simply use decorationsthatgive a touch of elegance and sophistication to our homes.In a two part series I will bring to your awarenesssomedecorative throw blankets with artistic designs andcraftsmanshipthat depict creative works of some well known artists.You can useany of these throw blankets or combinations of them toachieve thedecorative beauty, elegance and sophistication youdesire for yourhome all year long.

Flower gardening has become widely famousinrecent years.This is simple and reasonably low-priced. It canbedone for different purposes as a hobby, for decorative purposes,oreven as a profession. For better garden, you should followthegardening tips that will guide you right from choosing theflowergarden plants for your garden to the final outcome. Thesetips willassist you in taking proper care of your garden anddesigning itbeautifully.Popular Flower Plants:You cannot just plant any flower in your garden. Youshouldselect the flower plants that can grow in the climaticconditionsof your area. The most popular flower plants aremorning-glory,zinnia, cosmos, marigolds and sunflowers. You canalso see for theflower plants that are in great demand if you arechoosing flowergardening as a profession.Flower Gardening Tips:There are many vital factors that should be consideredbeforeplanting your garden. You should choose appropriate locationforyour garden with good water sources. The garden should havegoodquality soil. The most important factor for flower gardensisselecting the plants.Choosing the Garden Location:The garden can be planted in your backyard, balcony orwindow.The only condition is that the place you select for gardenshouldreceive sunlight for maximum time of the day. Differentplantsrequire different amount of sunlight. The plant nurserieswillprovide you with the light requirements of the plants youpurchase.Choose the location keeping in mind the plant you choosefor yourgarden.Removing the Weeds:Remove the existing grass and weeds from the location chosen.Themore carefully you do this job, the better results you willseelater. Dig out the weeds by hand or use a sod cutter. You canalsomake use of herbicides for killing the weeds. When usingherbicidesfor killing weeds read the instructions carefullyprovided on thelabel.Soil:The soil chosen for your this type of garden must be richinnutrients. Prepare the soil by removing the weeds, rocks, andtrashfrom the garden area. Add compost to the soil to increasethenutrient content. Layer the soil with 2-3 inches of naturalmulchto increase water retention and prevent the growth ofweeds.Selecting Flower Plants:Select the flower plants based on the average, minimumandmaximum temperatures in your area. Select the plants withvariedblooming period to make the flowers available throughouttheyear.Apart from these tips, it is also important to harvest theplantson time. Keep gap in between planting the flower plants inyourgarden or all the plants will yield flowers at the same time.Thiswill add beauty to your backyard or balcony.Tips for maintaining the bloom of the flower all round theyearare enlisted below:• Step pruning can be adopted especially for theperennialflowers which would help them to bloom for longer periods.Thismethod would help your plants in the garden to bloom in threestepsand all of these would bloom in succession• Another effective method is to reseed the annual plants thatgrowfaster. Plant the seedlings and seeds simultaneously in thegarden.The plants growing from the seeds would hide the fadingplants fromthe seedlings• Flowering plants spend a lot of energy and hence they shouldbegiven more doses of fertilizers than are usually provided..Themost recommended fertilizer for such flowering plants isbalancedall-purpose fertilizer• Deadhead the plant by trimming the fading bloom off theplan.Avoid discarding the deadhead of the flowers in the gardenitselfas they may contain the diseased ones also. This methodwouldassist the plants to be always in the bloomTips for flower gardening are enlisted below:• In the initial stages, opt for small flower gardens. Thiswillhelp to focus on more on the plants and flowers and alsoprovideyou practical experience.

Have you heard of those adorable Fairygardens?They're becoming increasingly popular and more and morepeoplelove that new addition in their house or backyard.What are Fairy Gardens?A Fairy Garden is basically a miniature garden made ofnaturalmaterials such as pebbles, wood and living plants. It'smeant to bean enchanted green scene where live tiny magicalcreatures such asFairies, but also gnomes, dwarfs, elves etc.supposed to bring goodluck to your home.They usually include several components likefantasticalfigurines, but also miniature benches, houses, pathways,bridgesand rivers that create this unique small universe and giveit acharming soul.What setting for a Fairy Garden?Since the Fairy Gardens are created and imagined fromscratch,there is an unlimited number of different types, design andthemesout there!If they are placed inside the house, they more likely willbesmall and grown in containers garden such as pot plants, jarsorglass containers.If they're part of a backyard, there is no size limitationandother themes become possible like a woodland Fairygarden(installed at the food of a tree) or the use of an existingwaterfeature (mini boat, bridge, dock).Fairy Garden DesignOnce the theme is chosen, the different landscaping elementsaregathered and assembled together in order to create thescaledminiature garden in a most realistic way as possible.Very often, pebbles and gravel are used in order to reflectapath or courtyard just like in real life.A different and recent decorative use for the crushed rocksandrecycled coloured glass especially, that are able to suit anycrazyidea!Gravel binder comes also very handy in the project, since itcanbe used with any stone and holds the pebbles in place. Andbecauseit let the water come through, the surrounding small livingplantscan be watered without any issue!Benefits of a Fairy GardenAesthetically beautiful and low maintenance, they are agreatoption for putting a green addition in small spaces like asmallliving room or a balcony.They're perfect for children who can be educated about natureandgardening while being inventive and having a lot of fun.They are also loved by older people who love gardening butfindit physically too taxing.For all, it encourages imagination and creativity and bringsthatmagical touch in our everyday lives!If you want to create an enchanted space then one great waytoachieve this is to make a fairy garden. Whether designing foroldor young, an enchanted garden can provide a beautiful naturalhavenfor both humans and wildlife!Five Good Reasons to Make a Fairy GardenIt creates a fun, magical space for childrenIf you believe in fairies, this is one of the best ways toattractthemThis type of garden is eco-friendly and thus good fortheenvironmentIt creates a haven for wildlifeIt can stimulate the imagination and provide a refuge from thebusymodern worldHow to Make a Fairy GardenThe first thing to think about is design. Much will depend onthesize of your garden, but the key aspects are:Fairy-friendly flowers, such as native wildflowersA natural layout, preferably part-wild, rather than aformaldesignHomes and food for animals, birds and insectsCompost heaps, rainwater butts and other eco-friendlygardenareasFairy statuesTrees and natural hedgerowsSensory stimulation - scented plants, tinkling bells, fairylights,running water, edible fruitsTiny houses and secret places for fairies to hide inA secret area of the garden to play with the fairies!Inspiration for Making a Fairy GardenYou will probably have a vague idea of what your ideal gardenshouldlook like. Everyone is different - you might prefer thequaintflower fairies, or wish to go for a darker, Gothic versionofFairyland. Get inspiration from the fairies - draw ideas fromfairyart, fantasy fashion, nature, and the wild places. Try atheme, suchas the seashore or woods.

Fairy gardens are a variation of theminiaturegardens which have been creating quite a buzz for a coupleof yearsnow. Fairy gardens seem to look best in a container of somesortalthough of course it's also possible to create one as part ofyourmain garden or as a feature in an existing area. You can buyabeautiful tub, half barrel or similar, or get creative withBelfastsinks, tin bathtubs, old tires or large flower pots- there'snoright or wrong container!What makes up a fairy garden? It's really only limited byyourimagination, but in general a fairy garden will consist ofacontainer, miniature plants either in pots or planted,moss,crystals, stones/pebbles, and perhaps a fairy house or two.It'salso possible to incorporate ponds, rivers, and accessories-thereare manufacturers producing a wide range of amazing items tofullyaccessorize your garden, from stepping stones and seats toswingsand garden implements. Generally speaking the more uniquethebetter- try beachcombing or countryside walks to findunusualobjects, wood, rocks, fossils etc which might come inuseful.It's a good idea to have everything ready near where youwillsite your garden before you start so you don't have to carryyourcreation to its new home after you have made it- depending ontheconstruction they can be quite heavy!If you are using a deep container, you can half fill itwithpolystyrene chips. They will aid drainage and stop it beingtooheavy. Then you need a layer of good qualify potting compostalmostup to the top of the container, but gently packed down as youwillbe planting into this. Bear in mind that if you'reusingpolystyrene it will sink a little under the weight of thegarden sobulk it up higher than you would expect.I usually select low growing plants, such as creepingthymes,aubrietia, alpine dianthus, London pride, stone plants,creepingrock plants etc. A good hunt around the alpine and herbsection ofyour local garden centre will help- ask a member of stafffor helpif you're unsure, but plants which do well in thin soilwill oftenbe a good bet.If you are making an indoor garden, you can use the sameplants,but you will need to water them more often, or you can usetiny toyones, fake ones, mini candles, dolls house accessories oranylittle things you like.Next you want to position your house or houses, and thenremovethem so you can dig your plants in around where the houseswill besited. You may need more compost to firm everything up afteryouhave put your plants in.Now the fun starts! I use moss I dugupfrom my garden to represent grass, as real grass grows tootall,but you can use fake grass or fake moss- this is often betterforindoor use. Fake moss is available from good model shops.I use fish tank gravel for paths as it's small and colorful.Ihave also collected shells, pretty stones, tumbled glassandcrystals and other little bits and pieces to go along the edgeofpaths. Try using a small bowl to make a pond and putgardenfurniture on the moss to make an outdoor scene. Small mirrorsalsowork well as ponds and to reflect light into the garden. Youwillview your child's Lego and dolls house furniture in a newlight: assomething to value rather than go up the vacuum! I findthatsparkly things like glass beads really add to the magic.As you get more confident, there are little bits of furnitureyoucan make; seats, arches etc. There is a bridge from FiddleheadFairyGardens which is fabulous, and doesn't have to go over apebblestream, it can just be a feature in the garden. Fairies arenotfussy! My son likes to make rope ladders to join differentlevels ofgarden.You can use fake flowers too so there is year roundinterest-many nowadays are so realistic that it's hard to seethedifference. If you're using a fairy house, you can either makeone,or purchase one- there are many models available nowadays inavariety of sizes, shapes and designs

Are you thinking of redesigning yourfrontyard?These days, a lot of people invest in landscaping theiryard.After all, the front yard of your house is the first thingpeoplesee when they visit. Your house's façade gives your gueststhefirst impression of your home.Are you looking for modern front yard ideas for your garden?Don'tknow how to start beautifying your lawn? I've got four ideastohelp you get started.Front yard shrubs: One of the easiest ways to decorate thefrontof your house is through shrubbery. I don't mean those trimmedandmanicured bushes you see in English manor houses. There are alotof kinds of shrubbery you can choose from. For my home, I chosetouse dill shrubs to line the pavement leading to my door. Thisway,I not only get to have great shrubbery, but herbs to cookwithtoo!Paving: I always wanted to have one of those cobblestonewalkwaysleading to my door. Now, I have one! Paving is a good waytodecorate your lawn. You can choose brick, limestoneorcobblestones.Flowers: Flowers will always add beauty to your yard. Plantvibrantones that will bloom brightly in the summer. You can alsoplantboth perennials and annuals, so you'll be sure you'll havebloomsin the spring and the summer.Lights: Another modern yard idea is putting lamps or lanternsaroundthe yard. For a more artsy feel, you can even put Japaneselanternson the trees in your yard. Lights always make spaces lookextramagical.Hopefully, with these four tips, you'll be on your way to havingahouse façade that you can be proud of.Have you considered different landscaping ideas for frontyardand backyard projects? Are you wanting to move forward but havenotfound pictures for your landscaping ideas for front yardandbackyard? The motivation for healthier, peaceful and relaxedlivingis producing in a expanding awareness of the value oflandscapingto a residence. Your strategies for home modernizingtherefore,must not be restricted within the walls of yourresidence, butreally should expand to incorporate your lawn,backyards andoutdoor dwelling areas.Landscaping, if correctly organized, effectively carried outandappropriately financed will enhance the comfort, increasethevisual appeal and boost the valuation on your house. Thiswebsite"pictures and ideas for front and back yard landscaping" hasbeenprepared as a service to home owners who need landscaping ideasforfront yard and backyard and also intend to make the outsideoftheir residences as beautiful and as comfy as the interiors.Theinformation found on "pictures and ideas for front and backyardlandscaping" will benefit you and your home! We are here tohelpyou get the information and insight on how to implementlandscapingideas for front yard and backyard to make your home yourpersonalparadise.How are you implementing landscaping ideas for front yard?When you purchase a new residence or choose to enhance yourolderone, you're, obviously, concerned with each and every foot ofgroundthat goes with it, for modern living and modern daygardening couldmake each and every inch of your home useful andattractive. Newstrategies of garden soil enhancement, grading,fencing andterracing make even sloping, hilly lots, previouslyundesirable, nowappealing and choice. Modern day chemistry hasintroduced newnutrients to your garden soil and has now suppliedweapons resistantto the traditional adversaries of the garden:disease and peskyinsects. Hardier bulbs and plant seeds makelandscapes moreproductive in addition to incredibly vibrant.Incredible hybridshave extended the list of flowering trees andshrubs, producingspecimens for each and every coloring and designplan, every kind ofhome and garden. All these choices are greatfor landscaping ideasfor front yard and backyard.New gardening tools and supplies speed thetime-consumingbackyard and front yard landscaping gardenduties.

Our living environment can changedramaticallyas we go through various stages of life. It isobviously easier tomove into a larger space but quite a challengeto move into smallerspace. Hence the need to be aware of variousspace savingstrategies so you can turn a smaller living area intoanattractive, practical, comfortable home!Look over the following space saving tips and ideas and seewhatyou can pull out and utilize in your own house orapartment:1. Keep walkways clear and carefully think out the positioningoffurniture so windows and doors are clear, giving anairyfeeling.2. Organize your space according to priority. Give space tothethings you do every day and the things you need and useeveryday.Items only used occasionally can be packed or put inlessaccessible places.3. Install bookshelving above some doorways for items youseldomuse.4. Think of replacing some interior doors with curtains sothespace right up to the door frame can be utilized.5. How much space do your CD's and CD racks take up?Nowcomputers come with masses of hard disk space,considertransferring all your music to computer and doing awaywithsprawling CD collections.6. Consider fold away beds which are hidden behindattractivecabinets.7. Pay attention to lighting. A well lit space seemsbigger.Either utilize all the natural light you have or investincarefully placed artificial lighting to create thatroomyeffect.8. Make a storage chest double up as a coffee table.9. Utilize hallway space with bookshelves, this is awonderfulunderused space saving idea.10. Use mirrors judiciously. In a particularly cramped area,agood sized wall mirror can transform the space.11. How big a fridge/freezer do you really need? Throughtightorganization and thoughtful purchasing, you can probably getbywith a smaller model, even one which fits under a countertop(fridge only).12. Choose a coffee table that has drawers for remotecontrols,and odds and ends.13. In some sections of the room put bookshelving in fromfloorto ceiling.14. Keep your computer equipment neat and tidy with acarefullychosen armoire. With the slide of a door, a messy area canbetransformed with this attractive piece of furniture. Besides,apartfrom saving space, the armoire helps you stay organized,keepingyour computer, supplies and peripherals all tightly inoneplace.15. Keep brooms and mops from cluttering the floor byinstallingstrategically placed wall hooks, thus keeping them up andout ofthe way in a small corner.16. Utilize the space under the bed by purchasing storageboxesthat fit to keep bed linen, towels, clothes, etc. out of theway.This frees up wardrobe space for clothing!17. Think out your colors carefully. If your room followsatheme, for example, if the furniture coordinates with the colorofthe walls, it will seem less obtrusive and give the illusionofmore space than you really have.18. Don't hoard! Items that are broken and beyond repair -getrid of. Items with some value but which you are unlikely toeveruse again either give away or sell off in a boot sale!19. Investigate the world of hangers. See what varietiesareavailable at the large supermarkets or home centers andchoosespace saving designs such as cascading hangers which allow anumberof garments on one hanger.20. Finally, use the internet as a research tool andeducateyourself in small space design. Simply entering the phrase"spacesaving" (include quotes) in images.google.com will yieldhundredsof photographs showing very innovative storage andlayoutideas.Thankfully, there is a huge selection of wonderful designs,spacesaving furniture items, and utilities now available for thesmallerhome and apartment allowing you to still enjoy your home,even if itsmaller than before.

Clematis adds a sense of depth and beautytoour gardens with their lush, fragrant blossoms and richgreenfoliage. The majority of clematis' are climbers, withseveralhundred species worldwide. Many of these are hardy and wellsuitedto nearly every landscape and every gardening skill level.Moreimportantly, a selection of Clematis ensures a full season ofrichblossoms, vertical interest and romanticism.Planting Clematis enables a gardener to have a thick cropofblossoms from early spring to late fall. This is accomplishedbygrowing a variety of Clematis, all with different bloom timesthatcan be grown together or planted in complimentary areas ofthegarden.Most clematis produce single flowers that range in size from1inch to as large as 10 inches. Some varieties producedoubleflowers and some produce single and double flowers.The blooms of clematis will often change color through thelifeof the flower, particularly when grown in full sun. Thepastelcolors hold their color best if grown in the shade.Climate RequirementsIn colder climates where temperatures drop below 0F(-20C),foundation planting and mulch are required to ensure a longlife.Long days and high light provide ideal growing conditions.New growth will come from buried dormant buds and theflowerswill bloom in mid-summer.To protect clematis from the reflective heat of the sun,plantbehind a low growing shrub which will give shade to the first3feet of the plant.Double flowering varieties are not normally recommended forcolderzones. If they freeze, only single flowers will appear in thenextgrowing season.In zones where temperatures do not drop below 0F (-20C),clematisplants are limited only by your ideas. They prefer full orfilteredsun and need four or more hours of good light per day.Planting ClematisClematis can be planted when the ground is workable. Theyreactto the seasons like bulbs - vigorous root growth in summerandfall, flowers the following spring.If you choose to plant in the fall, prune the followingspring.This will inhibit flowers for the first year but willpromote rootdevelopment and produce a bushier plant.If you plant in summer, ensure that you provide sufficientwaterto keep roots moist and cool.Clematis need to be happy with their planting site for thenextseveral decades, some clematis are over 80 years old andstillblooming. They need a cool, moist place with plenty of waterandregular, balanced feeding.Dig a hole 18 inches deep by 18 inches wide. Cover thebottomwith a good rich compost or well-rotted manure. Add enoughtopsoilto cover the compost and you are ready to plant.Place your well watered clematis in the hole so that 6 inchesisbelow the soil linePlant a small shrub in front to allow a cool root run fortheclematis.Pruning ClematisAn inappropriate pruning will delay flowering but allvarietieswill still flower well if left unpruned. However by notpruning theflowers may not cover the whole plant as theycould.The first tip in pruning is to cut back all clematis aroundthefirst of February or March, after planting. You should seeleafbuds develop as the plant awakens. Leave two sets of buds oneachstem between where you make your cut and the soil level.The following describes three main pruning categories:A) Varieties that flower only on growth produced thepreviousyear. Cut out weak or dead stems as soon as they finishblooming inMay or June. Pruning later than June will result infewer bloomsthe next spring.B) Varieties that flower on wood that has been hardened bytheprevious year's growth. Normal flowering patterns are flowersinMay-June on the previous year's growth and then a second bloominSeptember of the current season's growth.C) This variety blooms at the same time with last year'sgrowthand the current season's growth. They normally bloom fromJune toSeptember continuously.

A Zen garden design was originally aJapanesestyle of garden. The design incorporates both naturalandarchitectural elements. A garden designed for one to sitandcontemplate. You can have your own Zen garden, you only needtounderstand a few design principles.From around the 13th century, the Japanese Buddhist monksusedthe Zen garden design as a spiritual place to contemplateandmeditate. The Zen garden design creates a three dimensionalimagewhich is planned with a foreground, and a background leadinginto aperspective.All elements of a Zen garden are designed with a purposeforbeing in the garden.Water provides life. As a natural element water can bedisplayedas a stream, pond or water feature. You can also use sandtorepresent water, an ideal solution in dry climates.The planting element in a Zen garden design brings emotion tothegarden with various colors, heights and textures.One of the most important elements of a Zen garden are therocks.With rocks you can create dimensions. When you select yourrocks andstones, select various sizes and position them with thelarger onesto the front and the smaller ones to the background.Well-worn rockswill add character and depth to the design.If you want an alternative element to the water element,thensand or pebble formations can be used. If you swirl the sandtocreate the rippling or rushing effect of the water this willhelpprovide an energy aspect to the garden. What is used is notsandfrom the beach but rather crushed granite and you can get itinvarying colors. A dark area of the garden can be lifted withthelighter pebbles or sand.An architectural element for your Zen garden design can beabridge. Bridges can be used to connect different areas ofyourgarden, leading you on through to areas that would beotherwiseunreachable.Other architectural elements of a Zen garden design canbeornaments and these can be used as focal points. Stone lanternsandstone basins are often used. A stone lantern can be placed onastone pedestal, depending on the height required for balance.Acustom for the stone basins is, for the basin to be keptfilledwith clean water and by splashing the surroundings will keepthearea refreshed.The use of a small garden bridge is actually a design thatdatesback to ancient China and Japan. With the right touch, itbringsout the beauty of any garden, small and large alike. It usedto becalled by many other names such as ornamental bridge, footbridge,landscape bridge, oriental bridge, pond bridge and Japanesebridge.The use of small bridges in garden can also be seen inmodernhotels and shopping malls around the world.Redwood bridges are actually small and arched structuresthanspans from 4 feet to 20 feet and are about 3 feet wide. Thearcheddesign is considered more elegant than the flat bridge. Itlookssplendid above a small pond in a miniature garden orgardenlandscapes. The designs of these decorative bridges haveevolvedthroughout the ages and you can now choose from a widevariety ofdesigns. Some landscape companies offer customizationdepending onthe preference of its clients. The hand rails or siderails makethese bridges look more beautiful. Hand rails come invarieties aswell, may it be for protection for kids or purely fordecoration.Some hand rails are heavily designed with ornamentswhile otherrails have lights on both ends to make it look moreelegant atnight.Redwood bridges are commonly used in elaboratelandscapingprojects but it is now being used by many homeowners fortheirsmall garden, over their small pond, over a rough or terrainontheir lawn or gardens and simply give a new look to anyproperty.Today, arched bridges can easily be seen being sold inmany gardenfairs, garden centers, and home and garden improvementstores. Mostare already assembled but require assembly.

For cheap home decor but dramaticoveralleffects all you need is to play around with color. Come upwith afew scheming ideas that inspire you and you are all set.Cheap homedecorating can just be about knowing a little about colortheorywhich will make all the difference between a stunning schemeand arepainting job.The color wheel takes the guesswork out of interior designandlets you see at a glance whether your scarlet sofa will gowithyour green walls, or which colors you should be considering tomakethe best of your blue carpet. Understanding colors andapplyingthem with thought and care will result in very cheap homedecor andfantastic results.There is no mystique about color, it is all a questionofconfidence. The position of colors on the wheel in relation tooneanother reveals how they will work together in a room, helpingyouto get the mix right for the effect that you want to create. Itcantell you which shades will take the chill off a cold roomorfreshen up a stuffy one, which colors combine easily and whichwillcreate the most striking contrasts.In much the same way as it affects our moods, color can helptoconjure up a more comfortable atmosphere by making a roomfeelwarmer or cooler. Split the wheel in half down the middle,thentake a look at the colors on the left-hand side. For cheaphomedecor ideas all you have to do is be creative and useyourimagination. For example, think what adjectives you might usetodescribe these colors in particular - sunny yellow, flamingorange,hot pink - and you will realize why these are calledwarmcolors.If the heating is on full and the sun is out but your roomstillfeels bleak and cold, what it needs is an injection of warmcolorto take off the chill. Although these colors cannot actuallyraisethe temperature, they will create a cozier atmosphere. Warmcolorsmay seem too intense in a small space, but can make a largeroomfeel more inviting without overwhelming it. North-facing roomsinparticular may benefit from a scheme based on these shades.While warm hues appear to advance towards you, the moresubduedcolors on the cool side of the wheel - blues, greens andpurple -appear to recede, so have the effect of making a spaceseemlarger.If your room feels cramped or stuffy, decorating withthesecolors can help to freshen it up; this is cheap modern homedecorthat actually works. Keep in mind that these colors are bestusedin south-facing rooms that get plenty of natural daylight,wherethere is less risk of them adding a chilly feel.Do not be shy to apply all these different techniques. Youwillsee the benefits and astonishing results with simple cheaphomedecor.There are cheap home decorating ideas that can have a veryrichlook. Our homes reflect who we are and how we want to liveourlives.Cheap home decor dose not have to look cheap if we mixitjust right with other items. I like to surround myself withthecolors I like. My home is my castle and I am the queen and itisthe one place that things will be to my liking. It is myprivateplace. We had been planning on building a house for about 10yearsand I bought a new book or magazine every few days. I had awholelist of ideas and books with lots of marked pages. And I triedtouse them all.It took us 2 years to build and by the time the house wasdonethere was not must left for interior decorating. Decorating onabudget began.Well being determined like I am I got my books outandstarted researching what I could do with stuff I already hadandhow I could make good use of yard sale items. It surprises methenumber of things we can do with picture frames. I startedbuyingall the frames I could find at yard sales. With some whenthepictures were ugly, I just went to the local craft store andfoundsome beautiful prints for 4 or 5 dollars. I added a nice matand Inow have some lovely pictures that I get compliments on allthetime.

Rustic home decor can add significant beautytoyour home. It gives it a comfortable antique feel, whilestillrelaying a modern atmosphere. That is what makes rustic homedecorso different than other types of interior themes that are outtheretoday. You can use it in any room of your house and in almostanyform of decorating. You can give your home either a log cabinorclassic country feel. So it is fair to say that rustic homedecorcan suddenly throw you into a down-home environment thatisabsolutely beautiful.VARIATIONSThere are so many variations of rustic home decor. Forthebedroom you can invest in an old fashioned comforter set and useitas the room's center. You can then take the remaining furnitureinthe room and base it around that comforter set. Throw in therightkind of lighting and you can have that 1800s cabin feel.Another thing to try is rustic bar stools if you have a barinyour kitchen or dining area. You can then use those asyourinspiration in adding other rustic home decor to the room.Theideas are virtually endless. Some individuals decide to use theinjust a few rooms. Then again, they enjoy the look so much thattheyextend the feel throughout their entire home. There issomethingvery unique about this decor that it is easy to fall inlovewith.ADD A LITTLE BIT MORESomething that can really enhance a room is prints andpaintings.They can enhance the feel that you're trying to achievewithin theroom. Hanging them in the right area on the wall canmake a world ofdifference. You can then use such items asdecorative pillows onchairs, sofas, and even the bed. You would beamazed what somethingso simple can do.Another idea is to place knick knacks throughout. The feelinginthe room will literally be intriguing. Rustic home decor relaysabit of sophistication and simplicity. Visitors will be amazedatwhat you have done with the room and will most likely see waystheycan come up with ideas for their own homes!Rustic home decor allows for so many possibilities that itisimpossible for any two rooms to be exactly the same. Just keepinmind that any time you use rustic decor, you are putting a bitofyourself in the room. This means that your individuality willshinethrough quite well. Most importantly, you'll be able to enjoythelook and feel that this special theme brings to your life.Bring the comfort of the outdoors into the indoors:Rustic themes have been around since a very long time andstillcontinue to hold a strong place in other differentdecoratingthemes of today. During the earlier days the best use wasmade ofwhatever was naturally available for decorating homes.Thisdecorating form can be summed up to be relaxing, charming aswellas appealing to all. You can bring the comfort of the outdoorsintoyour home with the use of rustic home decorating.Acquiring rustic decoration does not mean that you havetosacrifice many of your modern sensibilities. You may not be abletocapture all that you have visualized while addingrusticdecorations in your home, but you can do enough by usingstone, logwalls, rough creations and rough beams so that theoriginality canbe brought out.Nature provides you with colors and textures forrusticdecoration:As far as the textures and colors of rustic home decorationsareconcerned, they are normally taken from nature itself. Naturalandneutral colors help in bring out the rustic styles well. Eventhedifferent types of shades are very much similar to thoseofweathered stones and timbers. Stone can be used well in makingadividing wall for the room. Also with the use of beams of timberinthe ceiling, the room appears to have a structurallook.Correctness in color can be achieved by using relevantapplicationson plaster as well as boards for the woodwork in theroom. Rusticdecorations usually do not appear to have proper andperfectfinishing.

If you are tired of the way your homelookslike, if it has no particular style and appears outdated, itistime to give your interiors a new modern look. Updating yourhomewith some modern home decor may seem to be a tough task foryou,but the efforts will be completely worth it.If you are not sure where to start with your modern homedecor,there are a few basic rules you need to know.Modern Home Decor Rule #1: MinimalismModern homes are all about using minimal decoration.Althoughthis look is often associated with artists, if you couldhave alook at a fashionable home decor magazine right now, youwouldnotice that many rooms are decorated with only several piecesoffurniture. It is in this way that minimalist home decorresemblesminimalist paintings.This minimalist look has been incorporated into modern homedecoras a stress-lessening technique. Nowadays, so many peoplearestressed that coming home that is overwhelmed with differentthingscan make things even worse. Thus, create more space and lessstressby incorporating the minimalist look into your modernhomedecor.Modern Home Decor Rule #2: TechnologyAll modern homes come equipped with technology. Technologyinhome decor means, most often, the incorporation of anentertainmentsystem. It is important to create an entertainmentsystem area inthe family room of your home, as it will be thecentral place forany social gatherings.Televisions nowadays are coming equipped with built in VCRsandDVD players, so you have the option of purchasing one of those.Or,you can purchase a plasma, or flat-screen television, andconnect aDVD player of your choice to it. These kinds oftelevisions, whichdo not take up much space have become quitepopular in modern homedecor.Modern Home Decor Rule #3: WindowsYou might notice that more and more homes are being builtwithlots of windows. Some of these windows are so large thattheyactually take up an entire wall. The idea behind lots ofwindows isto make the home look more open and spacious. If yourhome lackswindows, use lighter shades of curtains for them toachieve thesame effect.Arts and decorationOne way of giving a room character is through decorations andartforms. Decorations can take many aspects and also be done onmanyplaces. You can have decorations on the wall, windows as wellasceiling. When it comes to decoration and art forms, itisrecommended to use abstract drawings and images that caneasilymatch many furniture types. You can also get alreadydecoratedmodern furniture online.Window treatmentsWindows are responsible for allowing light into the room.Windowsare also visible, conspicuous elements of the building thatpeoplejust cannot ignore. As a result windows can be decoratedwithmodern home decor ideas to make them stand out. You have theoptionif using engraved glass or pure plain glass which in turn canbedesigned to suit the needs of the resident.FlooringThe floor is always overlooked when it comes to interior decor.Asmuch as the floor is being trampled on a daily basis it also aspotthat if well taken care of, can also contribute to the greatlooksof the house interior. Some of the ideas for floordecorationsinclude wooden tiling and decorative patterns that caneasily bedeployed.ColorThe human eye is very good at detecting and differentiatingvariouscolors. Furthermore, the eyes can involuntary take note ofvariousqualities of color such as intensity, hue and density. Whilecoloris predominantly used to create visual appeal otherimportantaspects such as balance and depth can also be attainedwith itsproper application. And for the purposes of modern homedecor itneeds to be deployed wisely in order to create a greatimpressionthat can last. You should also emphasis on color whenlooking formodern furniture online.

Archaeologists cannot determine the datethatthe first candle lamp came into use. It's likely the firstcandleswere probably little more than flaming lumps of animal fat.It'squite possible that when man first discovered the surge oflightthat occurred when the grease of his kill dripped into thefire, heenvisioned using this source of light to illumine theinside of hiscave or dwelling. The word "Candlestick" was derivedfrom the rackor stand that was meant to hold the radiant flame oflight.Prior to the 19th century candles were made of tallow abyproductof beef-fat or mutton. Tallow is produced by boiling thefat inquicklime. Although some candles are made from soy, beeswax,gel, orvegetable by-products, most today are made from wax, andparaffinwax candles are the most common.There are a great number of uses for the hanging candlelanterntoday and they remain a functional way to set the mood foroutsidesettings and occasions. They can be used to beautify thelandscapeof your house, or to illuminate steps or walkways. Manypeopleincorporate the use of candle lanterns in the design oftheirgarden because they bring highlight and shadow to the plantsandflowers and provide an almost surreal glow.Hanging candle lamps can provide a calm enchanted effectwhenused by a gazebo, swimming pool, or Jacuzzi. To increasetheambiance of serenity aromatherapy candles can be used toenhancethe effect induced by the hanging them. Some people arewellacquainted with the seductive effects of aroma therapy and evenputfragrant rose petals in the water for their ability to createapleasing environment.Candle lamps are also usedtraditionallyduring a memorial where the warm glow of theshimmering light isused to reflect a somber mood.A hanging candle lantern provides a spot for the candle torest.The light that shines through the lens can be formal,exotic,sensuous, mystical, or any number of senses you're tryingtocreate. The variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and materialstheyare made of today is endless and you can find a lamp foranyoccasion or idea. Figural lamps are popular and can be foundinforms like animals, birds, fish, and even reptiles.Though hanging them have been used for ages to create lightandwarmth today they are most adored for their aesthetic value.Theyproduce a soft rich image that traditional lightingcannotduplicate and provide a sense of mystery and charm foranyoccasion.Outdoor hanging lanterns can add a certain charm to yourgardens,patios and decks. The sight of the swaying lamps with agentle glowilluminating a small area around it can add a touch ofromance toyour evening gatherings.Lanterns are usually box-shaped with glass sides for the lighttocome out and illuminate the surroundings. Outdoor hanginglanternscome with a lot more protection against elements ofnature. So, theglass is enclosed in some metal framework both forbeauty andprotection. These days the lanterns serve more of adecorativepurpose than actually providing much lighting.These lanterns come in a variety of configurations. TaketheElectric lanterns. These hanging garden lanterns maycontainseveral smaller lanterns. Powered by electricity theselanternswill need to be plugged into a power source forilluminationpurpose. Do not use indoor electric lanterns foroutdoor use asthey may not be outdoor weatherproof and this canresult in bothdamage to the lantern and can also be a seriousdanger to peoplewho come in contact with them.Electric Garden LightsThe solar garden lanterns are solar-powered and do notneedelectricity. They can be hung on a pedestal or pole with thesolarcell or panel at the top to tap into solar energy of the sun.Theselanterns can be great power savers and money savers in thelongerterm. The different designs that many stores offer make themanattractive option to choose. You can find many hanging stylesinthese outdoor lanterns.

Living in a historic house ofteninvolvestraditional architecture and distinctive decor. Althoughthesesurroundings can be enjoyable, some challenges exist. Energybillscan be high for these residences due to outdatedconstructionfeatures. It is possible to save money and conserveenergy whilepreserving the old-world character and charm of thebuilding.Overview of Historic ConstructionThe materials and building techniques used in the distantpastwere somewhat different from methods used in currentconstruction.Building involved a number of features and materialsthat wereactually more environmentally conscious that some oftoday'stechniques.- Vintage homes had exterior paint designed to reflectlight.- Porches and windows had awnings to provide shade.- Windows and shutters were fully operational, enabling peopletoopen and close them as needed.- Vents were in place for ventilation.- High ceilings were effective for allowing heat to rise.- Some doors had windows over them, which helped witheffectiveair circulation.- Walls were thicker than today's standards, providingextralayers of insulation. These walls were often made out adobeormasonry. These materials were effective for keeping housescoolduring the day in hot weather. Walls also helped provide warmthinthe evening hours as heat dissipated out of them.- Much of the materials used in construction came fromlocalsources.Increasing Energy EfficiencyAir infiltration may be the single most prevalent issuewithvintage homes. It's common for these buildings to have gapsorholes around windows, doors, foundation, roof, and walls. It'salsotypical to find leaks in the attic floor, which causes anexpensiveair exchange between the interior and the exterior of thehouse. Toresolve air infiltration issues, examine the followingareas andseal any cracks and gaps found.- Crawl spaces- Chimney flue- Electric outlets- Frames surrounding doors and windows- Foundation- Attic- Window air conditioning units- Entrances for electrical and gas serviceExperts warn that even allowing a gap or crack of 1/8 inchinwidth could be problematic. A crack of 1/8 inch around a windoworunder a wood could be comparable to a hole in the wall of about2.5inches in diameter.Other ModificationsAdding insulation to vintage homes can be an important waytoprevent heating or cooling loss. Bringing insulation up tocurrentcode could help cut heating and cooling costs by up to 50percent.Family members will be much more comfortable in a fullyinsulatedhouse, too. Older houses usually have little or noinsulation, soadding this layer will involve proper sealing andventilation toprevent moisture issues.Areas to consider for this insulation include attics,basements,crawl spaces, around HVAC ductwork, and around waterpipes. Addinginsulation to walls may be challenging due to olderconstructionconfigurations. Knob and tube wiring in walls is notconducive toinsulation due to fire hazard. The possibility of coldpockets inwalls could lead to moisture problems. Although originalwindowsare often part of the charm of vintage homes, manyhomeownersdecide that it's worth it to replace windows for moreenergyefficient designs.Your vintage home requires special maintenance to keepitefficient, but the charm of the dwelling usually makes thiseffortworthwhile.Architectural windows, those being reclaimed from housesandbuildings of yesteryear, are available for today's homeownerstouse in both modern and period homes. Salvage windows offeradistinctive look that is unobtainable with contemporarywindowstyles, and they allow homeowners to keep their vintagehomeslooking historically accurate. Newer homes may also be made tolookperiod with the addition of architectural windows as well.

Choosing the right garden furniture is justasimportant as choosing furniture for inside.Outdoor furniture needs to withstand outdoor conditions, socheckout the quality by sitting on chairs and moving tables to seehowsturdy they are. Think about how you will store the furnitureand ifit's going to stay outside, then choose a material, likemetal, thatwill last.What style to choosePlastic garden furniture is a low-cost option and is easytomaintain. It's also lightweight and easy to lift making itidealfor moving around to different positions.Aluminium or wrought iron garden furniture is heavy, makingitideal for windy positions. It's very hardwearing and can beleftoutside permanently. Metal furniture can be refreshed withaspecialist paint. Before painting, rub off rust with wire woolandbrush off any loose dirt that will otherwise pit the surface ofthepaint once it has dried.Wooden garden furniture is timeless and will suit both modernandtraditional styles of garden. Although wooden furniture isdurable,it will need re-staining or re-oiling and will need to bemovedinside during winter.Rattan garden furniture will bring a modern look to yourgardenand as it's lightweight it can be moved around easily,however itcan be damaged by sunlight.How to care for garden furnitureTeak oil will protect hardwood furniture from the elements andkeepit looking new. Before you start, make sure the furniture isdryand lightly sand it with a fine-grade sandpaper. Using a rag,applythe oil, rubbing in gently and following the grain. You canaddmore than one coat of oil, but make sure they dry thoroughlybeforeyou apply the next.If your hardwood furniture is a few years old and hassilveredwith age, you can restore it to its original colour byusing aspecialist wood restorer. Paint on, leave to work for up to15minutes, then wash off.If you have plastic garden furniture, simply wash it downwithhot, soapy water with a splash of bleach in it to get rid ofanydirt or stubborn stains. Use a sponge rather thananythingabrasive, so as not to scratch or mark the surface, andrinsethoroughly before the furniture dries.For a quick spruce up, run the brush over the surface ofthewood, plastic, metal or fabric - the bristles will get into alltheawkward nooks and crannies, and get rid of any loose dirt, dustorcobwebs that have built up over the winter.Outdoor table and chairs are just the perfect idea for havinganideal afternoon delight! Hot summer weather may allure yououtsidebut you'll soon find yourself heading back inside your roomtoenjoy the cool recycled air conditioning as no outdoorfurniturewill invite you to stay to enjoy the scenic view exceptfor acouple of rump-sprung beach chairs or a low retaining wall.Maybeit's about time to consider buying some attractive outdoorseatingfor your outdoor living space whether it may be a deck,patio,porch, lawn or balcony. From a wooden chair to charmingwicker andmodern style, there's a chair to go well with everybottom. And bythe way - finding good deals is possible on outdoorfurniture andoutdoor seat.With the changing lifestyle of people across all cultures,havinga garden or a simple backyard has become very necessary formanyreasons but particularly when one wants to connect withMotherNature and rejuvenate. It gives you the fresh air to breatheorsimply the space as you relax your mind in the evening afterthatlong and tiring day in the office. With this being said, aniceoutdoor table and chairs are necessary to enjoy and spendingtimein your garden more memorable.But not all people have enough space in their garden foranexposition. Instead they can use garden table and chairs togivethat breezy look to the backyard. Unique and trendy designsarecrafted to match with the outline of the garden. Materials suchaswood, metal and aluminum are available that can even endurealltypes of weather conditions.

You must have often heard that outdoorrattangarden furniture is one of the classiest and most eleganttype offurniture you can use in your garden. Yes, it is, and thegreatpart is rattan furniture is available in a huge variety ofstyles,from the conventional to the most modern styles, so there isachoice to suit everyone's taste.Rattan, for those of you who do not know, is the name fornearly600 species of palms "Calameae," native to tropical regionsofAfrica, Asia, and Australasia. In other words, rattan is a typeoflong vine that's grown in the tropical parts of the world. Tomakefurniture, rattan canes are cut into manageable sections andthensteamed for making them soft and pliable for working intorequiredshapes.It has a property of becoming flexible when heated, makingitsuitable for being crafted using the wicker technique. Inthewicker technique, a frame is first created, and then materialslikewillow, rattan, and bamboo are used to create myriad formsofdesigns. Wicker furniture has been in vogue since centurieswithevidence of discovery of furniture items belonging toancientEgypt.Traditionally, the best types of rattan garden furniturehaveframes made of teak with covering of rattan. This combinationisvery durable, especially in warm climates or in environs similartowhere rattan grows naturally.Why Choose Rattan Garden Furniture?* Rattan is one of the strongest woods available anywhere intheworld and its exotic features and unique properties make itidealfor use as outdoor furniture. Besides garden furniture, it hasalsofound favor for making dining sets, living room items, andevenbedroom suites.* Rattan is easy to maintain. Unlike wooden gardenfurniture,rattan furniture does not require periodic moisturizing,andretains its shape, color, and strength for a number ofyears.Cleaning is simple. All that is required is wiping it with adampcloth. Its chief quality is the ability to withstand theelements,making it highly suitable for outdoor use.* Rattan is both lightweight and strong. This makes it idealforrough use. Even sprightly children are safe aroundrattanfurniture.* Rattan furniture is both cost effective and economical. Itisfar cheaper than wood and lasts much longer.Buying Rattan Garden FurnitureWhen shopping for rattan garden furniture, look for thefollowingcharacteristics:* The diameter: The greater the diameter of the stem, betterthequality. Ideally, a size of 1½ inches diameter will indicateanadequately sturdy stem.* Smoothness: Rattan must be smooth and devoid of hairlikestrands hanging out.* Look for the grade: Rattans are graded A, B, and C. Grade Aisbest being extremely smooth and uniform in color. Grade Bsurfaceis rougher than Grade A, while Grade C is has rough surface,andhas dents and splits.* Look for warranty: Buy rattan furniture only fromreputabledealers and suppliers who offer you warranty.Shopping for outdoor furniture can be a confusing task.Howeverwhen it comes to your outdoor space rattan garden furnitureshinesabove the competition and for good reason. This versatilematerialhas been becoming more and more popular around the world,read onand find out why.Many homeowners favor their rattan garden furniture overallother types of outdoor furniture for two reasons. And thosearethat it is extremely tough but at the same timeextremelylightweight. All outdoor furniture should be tough butusually bulkand heaviness come along with that toughness makingmost outdoorfurniture a pain to move or store. Even worse it putsthe homeownerat risk for injury as well. Not to mention the damagethat can bedone to your garden and even the furniture you arelifting itselfin your struggle to do so. Rattan garden furniture onthe otherhand is so light it can be moved with almost no effortwhatsoeverand no risk of injury.

When you feel you are ready, stand up andshoutthis is me! By using a westen decorating theme in your home,you aresaying I love my own ideas, I love the way I think, I lovemychoices. When you accept your ideas and not a second classversionof someone's else ideas, you'll be amazed at theopportunities homedecor has to offer.To begin your western decorating theme you'll need somewesternhome decor ideas ( you can find many on the internet andinmagazines). Perhaps you'll like to choose your western homedecorfurnishing to match how you like your surroundings to feel.Justask yourself how do you feel, are you happy, would you like amoreintimate feeling, when everything is going wrong would you likeareason to smile, perhaps you'll like to wake up and not regretyourdecisions, then one idea is to pick out a home decor to matchtheemotions you'll like to provoke.Another idea is to blend in others decorating ideas as muchaspossible, just sit and have short discussions with them onwhatthey feel will make a great theme.Boy Bedding And Girl Bedding Show Then Your LoveGive them a fairy land with bedroom ideas, in the westernthemeof bedroom decoration, one idea is to decorate with the designofcow bedding's. To put your imagination to work think of cowprintfabrics designed to look like cow hides, and there are fabricswithpictures of cows on them. Now cow prints are just one ofmanydecorating ideas for bedding, the variety of designs areendless.It is all about colors pattern and pictures. Let love andtrustguide you in choosing your decor, for starters maybe usesomenicely textured fabrics, plus don't forget to choose someIndianblankets. And make your idea western theme come to life; withsomewestern decorating items.Are you looking for simply perfect home décor? Our homes arearepresentation of us. It's more than just a home; it tellswhatwe're like on the inside- at least when people are able todecoratethe way that they'd like. The problem is that many peopledon'tknow how to decorate their homes and still others worry thattheyjust can't afford to do so like they'd like.The good news is there are many great, affordable ways tocreatesimply perfect home décor. No matter what your budget ortastes,the decorating market has something for your needs. All youneed todo is shop around and you can find the right décor foryou.If you're new to decorating, you might want to start with justoneroom at a time first. When you've successfully completed oneroom,you will find it easier and easier to do the other rooms aswell. Asmall room can be decorated to make it look bigger. A largeroomcan be decorated to fully maximize all the potential oftheroom.You can add personal, unique touches to each and every room ofyourhome with unique gifts and décor items and interesting art inyourroom's theme. Planning is the first step to make your dreamcometrue. You should have a blueprint for what you want the roomtolook like as well as a budget so you know what youcanafford.Imagination and creativity will also take you a long way withtheperfect home décor. If you feel you don't have the creativity todothis on your own, you can watch décor shows and videos online,lookat decorating magazines and more for inspiration. Then just putitto use for the simply perfect home décor for you!

Do you appreciate the deliciousdifferencefresh, aromatic herbs can make to your cooking? Then youmay wantto grow your own kitchen herb garden. Growing your ownculinarygarden is actually easier than you think. Follow a coupleof stepsand some advice and you will be on your way to harvestingyour ownfresh herbs whenever you want to.Depending on availability of space and garden, decide onthelocation of your herb garden: it can be outdoors, yourkitchenwindow sill, or any other protected area, like a patio.However,for the sake of convenience, make sure that it is easy toreach andclose to your kitchen.Also bear in mind that herb plants have to be exposed to quiteanumber of hours of bright daylight or sun for them tosproutplentiful leaves and flowers. Furthermore, be aware of thewateringand temperature requirements for herb growing. Herb plantsneedenough water, without keeping them soaked as they may succumbtoroot rot and powdery mildew diseases. They do not like severeheator cold and therefore have to be protected in those cases.A kitchen herb garden can be grown for many reasons:culinary,medicinal, aromatic or just because you enjoy theiruniquequalities and beauty. We often use a herb in only one oftheseareas without considering their other properties, forexample,herbs like rosemary, thyme, marjoram and bay leaf were usedin thepast to preserve food when refrigerators were not as commonastoday. The more you learn about these amazing plants, the moreyouwant to know about their amazing benefits!Now comes the good part: you choose the herbs you want togrow.For a kitchen herb garden, you ideally want the herbs you lovetouse in your cooking for the superb, full flavor they add toyourdishes. As we probably favor different herbs, I am providingsomedetails on a number of popular, all-round herbs to grow foryourkitchen herb garden.1. BasilBasil is one that many people know for its lush green leavesandwarm and spicy flavor it adds to sauces, pasta and omeletdishes.The famous Italian pesto sauce, which cannot be made withoutbasil,is one of the most famous sauces in the world. Basiltastesdelicious served with any tomato dish and adds flavor to allkindsof meat dishes.You may not be aware of it but this herb supports the heartanddigestive system.Basil can be grown from seeds or seedlings fromspringtimeonwards, and if you want to start earlier, preferably ina greenhouse or protected, warm spot.2. MintMint is traditionally added when making a special, fragrantmintsauce to accompany lamb dishes. It is equally good in arelaxinghot tea or in a long, cool drink at the poolsideduringsummertime.The mint herb can be grown from a couple of inches of the rootofthe plant. They need to be watered regularly, and importantly,themint plant needs to be restricted to one area by way of its ownpot,or similar, as the roots can spread aggressively.3. ParsleyParsley is actually not only an appealing and refreshingdecorativeplant on appetizing food platters. It is even morevaluable whenadded to soups, omelets, stews and salads.It is advised to soak parsley seeds overnight before sowingthemin the spring, and to thin out the seedlings with about a footofspace in between them.4. SageTraditionally the sage herb is one of the prime ingredients inthemaking of pork sausages and chicken and turkey stuffings. Itisequally prized when added to cheese and omelet dishes.Sage is also grown from seed or seedlings in the spring,witharound one foot in between the plants.This should get you start growing a basic kitchen herbgarden.Other popular edible herbs include marjoram, origano,thyme,savory, chives and rosemary, but we will talk about them inanotherarticle. In the meantime, enjoy your cooking!

A garden hedge is quite simply a row ofshrubs,spaced closely together so that they form a solid mass.Whether youclip them to a formal shape or allow them to growfreely, with onlyoccasional pruning to keep them thick and bushyfrom top to ground,depends entirely on your own personal taste andthe style of yourgarden.Low clipped hedges of Box, Rosemary, or Lavender are used toedgeflowerbeds in the most formal of gardens in the European andEnglishstyles. Tall hedges, clipped or not, are primarily used forprivacyor to divide the garden into 'rooms'.There is certainly no need to limit your choice to thecommonestform of hedge, Privet - let your imagination flow. Anybushy shrubthat can withstand regular pruning can be used. If youplan to clipregularly, those with smaller leaves will inevitablylook lessmutilated.Even tall trees can be used as garden hedges as long as theycantolerate the constant clipping - Yew and Cypress are commonlyused.Hawthorn hedges work well with their branches interwoven'basketstyle' to make them impenetrable. This was a common featureof theEnglish countryside prior to modern agriculture that hasledlargely to their demise. In the average garden however, smallandmedium shrubs are safer and less work.A clipped 'tapestry hedge' with the foliage display of twoormore different plants woven together can provide a pleasingeffect.You might try combining Viburnum TInus with the red youngleaves ofPhotinia for a rich effect.To create a clipped garden hedge, you must prepare your soilwellfirst. Then plant your plants at a spacing of around one thirdofwhat would be considered normal. For a standard Box edging,plantabout 30cm apart. For a head high hedge of plants such asCamelliasasanqua, plant your shrubs around 1 metre apart. Stakethe plantsif needed to maintain form and water and fertilise asusual.It's tempting to encourage the plants to grow up to theirdesiredheight as quickly as possible, but you must be patient andkeep theplants bushy by pruning their flanks. If you let theshrubs getleggy, and bare at the base in the early stages it willbe difficultto encourage them to fill in later.Once the final height is reached it is a simple matterofclipping. Slow growing shrubs often provide the best end resultsoexercise patience. Rapid growing plants such as Privet requirefarmore maintenance and constant discipline to achieve thedesiredresults.To rejuvenate an old, tired, overgrown garden hedge, cut itbackruthlessly to its proper shape and give it some fertiliserandwater. New growth will soon come through and cover thebutcheredappearance. Be very careful though as some conifers forexamplewill not grow back if you cut into the old wood. If your oldhedgeis a Cypress variety you may be better off startingfromscratch.A well maintained hedge can last for centuries. Indeedoldboundary hedges in Britain may be over a thousand years old.Butmodern garden hedges are often created from a range ofexoticplants and may not look good when they get old. They becometoothick, gappy, full of weeds or diseased and you may be facedwiththe options of removing them or trying to restore them to amoreuseful and attractive state. So just what kind of restorationispossible.For most conifers the possibilities are limited. When oldtheyare usually green on the outside but the inside of them isbrown,old wood. With the exception of Yew these old conifers willnotre-grow if you cut back into the brown branches. They willremainbrown and an eyesore. Yew however is capable of growing frombrown,unpromising wood although decent regrowth may take a year ortwo.To restore such a Yew Hedge it is recommended to undertake thejobover a couple of years cutting back one side at a time. Thebesttime to undertake this is in spring when evergreens tend to belessactive.