Tag Archives: flowers

Beautify Your Flower Garden with These 7 Tips

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A garden is a constant job as well as a source of beauty and peace in your yard. Flower gardens are a beautiful addition to any landscape design. It is also a great way to help your local flora and fauna, as well as bees that keep the flora alive. Bees love native flowers, and they are most attracted to them. It’s very easy to beautify your flower garden, so read on to see our 7 tips.

1. Plan out your garden design

If you are starting fresh, it’s best to make a plan of action first. Planning the look of your flower garden will help you make the best use of your space. It is also a perfect time to research which flowers and plants are native to your area. Native plants are the easiest to grow and take care of, as they don’t need special treatment to survive in the native climate and soil. If you are planning to have exotic and non-native flowers, take your time learning how to take care of them and make them thrive. Mismanagement can make them wilt, or never grow at all.

2. Decide on the shape and size

If you are dealing with a large plot of land, you will have more room to make a garden of your dreams, but at the same time, you may feel overwhelmed with the possibilities. Flowers and flowers beds can be arranged in many different shapes and sizes. You can sketch out how your garden is going to look. A more practical approach is to take a long rope and outline the shapes and size of your flowerbeds. This way you can check if every part of your garden is the right size and accessible.

3. Choose the flowers

This is the fun part. A good idea is to choose your favourite flowers – you will want to spend a lot of time in your garden this way. Some of the flowers may be either difficult to obtain or they are not suited for specific climates. Try to create a balance between the flower you like and the ones that can actually thrive in your garden. If you are not confident in your gardening skills, choose flowers that are easy to maintain or that are native to your area.

4. Focal points and show-stoppers

A flower garden that has flowers of only one height or colour can look plain or as a flower field. A variety of shapes, colours, and heights is what will create interest and focal points in the garden. Choose show-stopping flowers that will become a focal point in the garden. They can be tall shrubs that will tower over other flowers or a bright colour that stands out. Consider blooming times of every flower, and seasons in which they look the best.

5. Check blooming times

Since you are paying a lot of attention to the visual aspect of your garden, you don’t want your efforts to go to waste because of bloom times. This can include flowers that only bloom in the summer and are bare the rest of the year, or flowers that have different blooming times but are planted in the same flowerbed. It creates an uneven and unpleasant look. It’s best to choose flowers that are in bloom for a longer period of time, as well as look good when not in bloom.

6. Watering and taking care of your garden

Besides choosing beautiful flowers and foliage, it’s important to properly take care of your garden for it to look its best in the long run. Some flowers are only annual, and some have a longer life. Every flower has different needs to thrive and look its best. Make sure to water your garden when it’s not too hot outside, in the morning or evening, or they can burn in the sun. For easier watering, installing hose reels will help you keep your hose neat and easily accessible. Make sure you can provide needed supplements for your flowers so they can grow healthy and beautiful.

7. Add garden decoration

You can spice up your garden with decorations that can also act as focal points. Birdbaths can have a simple or intricate design and add interest to your garden. Lighting is necessary, and you can place hanging lights from trees or solar lamps on the sides of pathways. Arbours can be decorated with wines and act as a small resting area.

The combination and diversity of a flower garden are endless, with many variations of colours, fragrance, and types of flowers and plants. Remember to enjoy the process and that your garden can be ever-evolving and you can change it up with seasons. Take proper care of your garden to enjoy it for a long time.

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Bio: Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.

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Summer Backyard Home Improvements

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Home improvements are always fun tasks. Even though they take some of your time and money, you always know that you’re putting these resources to good use. The particularly fun activities are the ones that include improving your backyard. If you already like spending time in your backyard, but you want to make it even more enjoyable, there are a lot of things that you can do to achieve that. Namely, there is a long list of summer backyard improvements that will make your backyard look and feel much better.

Add a patio

A patio or a deck is always a good idea, especially if you plan on spending a lot of time in your backyard. Besides bringing the special appeal to your home, the patio also helps you extend the living area. If you live in s small house that usually feels cramped, the patio is the thing you need. The patio also makes a great space for the outdoor furniture and it makes your home seem larger.

With a brand new patio, you’ll create a space for endless entertainment during the whole summer. You’ll have a space for family get-togethers and both kids and adults will adore it. Finally, the best thing about a patio is that it requires zero maintenance. Besides occasional sweeping, you won’t have a lot to do when it comes to maintaining your patio.

Build an outdoor kitchen

Outdoor kitchens have been very popular over the recent years. They are the real game-changers and they make your backyard more enjoyable and luxurious. Even though an outdoor kitchen is a huge investment, it does pay off. If you like spending time outside with your friends and family, an outdoor kitchen will do a lot to make these gatherings even more interesting.

When building an outdoor kitchen, you should pay special attention to space. Since the kitchen will take up a lot of space, you should think well where and how you would build it. You should also consider the architectural style of your home. If you want the kitchen to fit in, you should build it in such a way that it looks well with the rest of the exterior.

Work on the lighting

One of the things that can transform any space in no time is the lighting. Lighting, besides being a rapid way to bring a change, is also an inexpensive way to do so. Since hot summer nights suggest that you are going to spend more and more time outside, you’ll want to have the backyard properly illuminated. With some decorative outdoor lighting, you can make a serious change.

You don’t have to host gatherings during the day only. If you choose to do it by night too, you’ll be amazed once you see what difference in the atmosphere the lighting can make. Having experts help you with the lighting is an even better idea. For instance, professional electrical services are irreplaceable when it comes to switching to LED lighting. Once you step up your lighting game, you’ll add a new touch of style to your backyard.

Install a pool

The pool is by far one of the best things you can invest in. Besides being a ton of fun, the pool is also a sign of class and style. Even though the pool requires high maintenance, it still is a great investment. If you can’t bear the hot summer days, a brand new pool might be very helpful.

The heat in the summer can become unbearable and having a chance to escape from it is priceless. That is why the pool is such an amazing investment. Having a pool means having an opportunity to relax, exercise, or just have fun. Besides all that, the pool increases the value of your home.

Hang a hammock

If you’re looking for a simpler and quicker change in your backyard, you can just hang a hammock. It’ll cost nothing and you’ll get a perfect spot for relaxing, reading a book, or napping in your backyard.

All you need for this to happen are a couple of trees. However, even you don’t have those, you shouldn’t despair. You can purchase a tree with a base, that will be the perfect setup for the hammock.

Plant trees

Finally, the easiest way to improve your backyard is to plant some trees. Trees and shrubs will make your backyard seem more natural, graceful, and harmonious.

To avoid overwhelming the yard, you should be careful about the amount of the trees and shrubbery you’re about to plant. You can choose your favourite trees and strategically place them all over the yard. Even though that’ll be a simple change, it’ll still be very important and it’ll shed new light on your backyard.

Conclusion

Making small improvements around the house helps you bring value to your home and make your home a more enjoyable space for you and your family. With these changes, you’ll treat your backyard as well and make the best possible space for the summer.

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.

Attracting Bees To A Victorian Garden

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The global population of bees is in decline. In the US, striking National Agriculture Statistics show that the number of bee colonies per hectare has gone down by 90 percent in the last 50 years. We have a role to play in halting the decline in the bee population. With modern beekeeping having its roots in Victorian times, here are some gardening tips to attracts bees to your Victorian garden.

Beekeeping In Victorian Times

In early Victorian times bees were kept in straw ‘skeps’. However, in order to gain access to the honey, the skeps had to be burnt which subsequently destroyed the bee colony. The late 19th century then saw a revelation in beekeeping when a hive with removable wooden frames was invented by Philadelphian Lorenzo Langstroth, credited by many as being the father of modern beekeeping. At that time, many Victorian estates had an apiary, a collection of bee hives, because the Victorians loved the sweet taste of honey in cakes and tea.

A Victorian Apiary

Honeybees nest in beehives which can be placed, if needed in a small space in a garden. The beehive should be placed in a quiet, sunny spot which is sheltered from winds. A Langstroth hive is a modular beehive contains vertically hung frames with an entrance for the bees at the bottom of the hive. The bees build honeycomb into the frames which are easily removable to harvest the honey. After a year or so, you can expect your hive to make about 25lbs of honey per year, assuming it is disease free and the bees have plenty of flowers to forage within 3 miles of the hive.

Plants For Bees In A Victorian-style Garden

Cottage and woodland styled gardens, popular in the Victorian era were informal in design. A cottage garden is a great way to attract bees by planting plenty of pollen rich flowers providing blooms all year round. Choose several shapes and colors of blooms and plant them in clumps. Popular plants in the Victorian era which are attractive to pollinators include lavenders and geraniums. Try also including a herb garden as bees are particularly attracted to borage sage, mint, thyme and rosemary.

We all have a role to play in stopping the global decline in bee numbers. Introducing a apiary into your garden as well as planting pollen-rich plants will encourage bees to make a home in your Victorian garden.

 

Creative Hanging Pot Hung Over Fire Flower Arrangement

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What a really cute idea for your garden. Buy an old metal coffee pot or watering can at a flea market or thrift store. Purchase a set of rods in a camping department. Put your cooking rods in the ground where you would lik them. Make sure top rod sits fine. Pull this out and use the holes to make a ring from old bricks (or new ones if you like). Fill with good garden dirt. Plant mums that are orange, burgundy and red mixed in with some wood to create the fire. Put your cooking rods back in and fill your pot with dirt after you have drilled drain holes in the bottom. plant flowers and hang on the spit rods.