Category Archives: ~Gardening

Magical Garden Ideas: 5 Tips To Create A Backyard Oasis

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A backyard is an ideal place to create a small sanctuary to escape the world and recharge your batteries. And it’s easier than you think, although like any landscaping it will require some beforehand planning. When it comes to magical garden ideas, it can all be summarized as the combination of lush greenery, stone formations, and wooden objects.

These symbolize nature and its inspirational influence on everyday life which will fill you with energy and positivity. If you want to have such a wonderful garden, check these 5 tips to create a backyard oasis of your own.

1.   A relaxed patio

The patio is a valuable addition to any garden and there is so much you can do with it. But to truly turn it into your oasis, you need to make it a separate installation and not part of the house. If the floor is wooden, paint it in light grey to help it pop-up and feel more in harmony with nature.

Install a pergola with wisteria hanging from above and providing shade. During summer, it will bloom with gorgeous purple flowers that will make the space lively and joyful. Wooden bench and table underneath are perfect for meals, while a hammock or two hanged on the pergola’s columns are ideal for afternoon siestas.

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2.   An outdoor entertainment area

Make the most out of the ongoing trend to use the indoor furniture outside, especially when you design an entertainment area. Choose a spot in your backyard and install stone tiles on the ground with slight room between them so you can see the grass. Plant lavish greenery in a semi-circle surrounding part of the new-built stone patio. For this, use plants with colorful leaves like caladium and sumac which will serve as a background to the seating area and also give you some privacy.

A large sofa with unicolor upholstery and patterned cushions will bring out a lounge feel to the area. Also, place two chairs across from it so that the area seems closed off and intimate for friends to chat and have brunch. A glass coffee table and simple canopy to shade from the sun will bring out the Mediterranean style even more from this entertainment area.

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3.   An evening paradise

Although gardens look their best during the day that doesn’t mean they can’t be magical during the evening. Declutter the space around that big tree in your backyard until you have a clean area to turn into your backyard oasis.  Use potted plants like ferns, palms, and philodendron to create lush nature around the tree and especially by the fence if it’s close by.

Use wooden lounge chairs with comfortable upholstery and two or three ottomans around them. Place lanterns with candles on the small coffee table to create a relaxing and romantic mood. However, the key to this evening’s paradise is numerous small lights hanging gently from the tree branches and representing the stars.

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4.   A magical garden pond

Water features are not so uncommon in gardens today since the technology and expertise for their creation has gone a long way. Working with landscaping professionals like Landscape Solutions is the best way to create a pond in your backyard worthy of fairy-tales. Since this will be the focal point, all other pieces will have to fit around it.

Build an elevated patio above the pond where you will create a seating area with a fire pit for extra warmth and atmosphere. Surround the pond with greenery especially flowery shrubs like white jasmine and pink weigela to add color to the area.

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5.   A small haven

Not everyone is blessed with large backyard space, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be a heavenly place to enjoy the fresh air. Use a fence or wall to create your spot where you can have breakfast in the summer mornings or enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon. When it comes to small backyard oasis, it depends on various potted plants in all shapes and sizes.

Use bushes and trees against the fence and allow vines to climb up the walls to give it a more natural appeal. Furniture made of cast iron is a sophisticated solution which will bring elegance and character to this area. Add perennial flowers here and there to make the space more colorful like gladiolus and Spanish lavender. For light, use wall-mounted solar lamps and candle lanterns so it would truly become a small haven even in the summer evenings.

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Lastly

These magical garden ideas will help you create a backyard oasis that will give you a perfect spot to spend time with family and friends. They can be your small haven to spend some alone time or an evening paradise to have dinner with friends. Whichever you choose, the abundance of nature and peaceful setting will help you have a peaceful sanctuary even if you leave in the middle of a busy city.

 

How to Transform Your Outdoor Space for Entertaining

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Make the most of the great outdoors and turn your outdoor space into a retreat. Create the ultimate space for relaxing, entertaining and occupying the kids with these great ideas.

Make a fire pit

What’s not to love about roasting marshmallows by the fire? Enjoy this ultimate family-bonding activity by spending nights by the fire. You’ll be able to enjoy the fire and keep warm – even during the wintertime.

Spruce up your space with a fire pit centrepiece. Buy one ready-made or make your own in a few hours with pavers and concrete. Build a bench around the fire pit piled with cushions for that campfire feel or surround the fire with outdoor deck chairs.

Create a play area

Keep the kids entertained for hours on end with a dedicated play area. A swing set, slide and trampoline are popular ideas to turn your garden into a kid’s paradise. On the creative side, you could set up an outdoor crafts area. Or bring the beach to you in Summer by creating a sandpit alongside a kids paddle pool. Continue the beach feel with a hammock strung between two palm trees.

Plant a vegetable garden

Growing your own edible garden is incredibly rewarding. It’s also a great hobby for the kids and a great way to teach them about sustainability.

Rhubarb, rosemary and tomatoes are amongst the easiest plants to grow. They are great options to start with if you’re not already a gardening guru.

Consider a net to keep the birds from eating your hard-earned produce.

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Install a pool or a spa pool

Take the plunge and add a swimming pool to your house. Not only will it add value to your home, but the number of summer memories will be priceless.

If space is a problem or you’d prefer a place to relax, consider a spa pool. This is a cheaper option compared to the pool, and you could use it year-round, even when it’s sub-zero outside.

Provide comfortable seating

Create a comfortable outdoor area you actually want to spend time in. There are endless options for comfortable seating, including sofas, loungers and dining sets.

If you love to entertain but are pushed for space, consider a colourful set of stacking chairs. This lets you add a pop of colour to your backyard but still have the freedom to store them away easily when needed.

Set up an outdoor kitchen

The outdoor kitchen is an up-and-coming trend perfect for entertainers and socialites.

Clear a patio area for a BBQ and ample bench space for preparation. Set up an outdoor fridge for a mini-bar and even consider a wood-fired pizza oven. Don’t miss out on enjoying the outdoors when you’re cooking. Instead, be in the centre of the action in your outdoor kitchen.

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 Fix large doors

Great indoor-outdoor flow is a must-have for many homeowners. Treat your garden area as an extension of your living area.

The easiest way to create this indoor-outdoor flow is through large doors. Choose from the many options including folding, bi-folding, French, retractable and sliding doors. To completely open up your home to the great outdoors, consider fitting sliding doors on two perpendicular walls.

Put up outdoor lighting

String lights will transform your outdoor space into an enchanted garden. Drive out the darkness with this elegant touch. Hang them near your outdoor dining area for late-night dinner parties or near your lounging area where you can curl up with a blanket and a good book.

Refreshing and updating your outdoor space can be tailored to suit all budgets. It can be as simple and effortless as adding string lights to the patio area or as extravagant as building a poolside slice of paradise. It’s up to you to choose what works best for your home.

Author bio:

Alex Cordier is a freelance writer from Auckland, New Zealand. When she’s not busy writing articles for various blogs, you can find her traveling or reading on the beach. To learn more about her, visit her personal blog.

Garden Art using Old Pots And Pants And Utensils

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We all have old pots and pans sitting around that we don’t want to get rid of or don’t know what to do with them. Here is a simple solution using a combination of these to make a flower garden with wooden cheap wood. Using 1″ x 1″ by whatever length you desire piece of cheap molding as a base with the same cut into 2′ and 3′ sections for the flower stalk use the example in the picture to create the base and stems of the flowers. Paint green. Here the flowers are screwed to the fence but you can make them free standing by using two foot sections of rebar. Pound into ground and wire to garden structure. Paint metal pots and pans in a color scheme that fits your like using Krylon outdoor paint that is designed to adhere to plastic and metal an dis designed to be outside. Spray well with two coats. You can leave them like this or can use small paintbrushes to paint tiny designs on them. Drill through the metal pans to make a hole. Screw on to wood stems. E6000 or liquid nails can be used to attach small pans inside others.

Terra Cotta Saucer And Pot – Make Mushrooms For Your Garden

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We all know all the cool project you can make with Terra cotta pots and saucers. These are cool and very easy to make. Use any combination of sizes to make a non-unified look. Paint with your own style using acrylic pain. It will soak a bit into the saucer/pot so a second coat might be needed. You can certainly just set them on top of each other or glue them together with liquid nails or E6000. Carry this project further by adding little miniature figures of elves and fairies on top and make it look like this is their own secret world. This project is cheap and using existing items you already have increases your savings.

Lamp & Bowl Art For Your Garden

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I found this great idea on the internet and wanted to share. These are mushrooms made from bowls and candlesticks and the larger ones are made from lamps. They are so unique and would be a great spruce up for recycled art in your garden. The best thing is you can source the materials from your old items or cheaply at any thrift or yard sale.

There are a variety of methods to make these and vary on the items you are using. The easiest is to drill a pilot hole through the bowl and into the candlestick or lamp post. Screw a large heavy duty screw through bowl and into lamp post or candlestick. You need to use a drill bit designed for the metal you are using. If you have a smooth surface between the inside of your bowl and the stem then you can use epoxy.

To paint you will need a spray paint like Krylon that is designed to adhere to metal. You can paint them traditional type colors or get really funky with the color choice.

Make them yours. You can also glue little accessories on them like little gnomes or fairies. Moss and pebbles glued on the the base where it sits in your garden will make them loo like they have been there for a long time.