Is Gardening Making a Comeback?

Gardening has been a major source of food for ages; however due to the increased population of humans and the expansion of cities into farmlands, many of the farm lands in the United States has greatly decreased. Much of the products consumers purchase at the grocery store are grown in other countries and have to be imported into the country, traveling extensive distances. Upon moving to a community with more land space I have noticed people at the local home improvement stores gathering materials for gardening at their home. Soon I became curious about the process of gardening and about the product that I could create as well as with the turn out.

After purchasing a new home I recently I decided to take up vegetable gardening. I have always been interested in gardening, maybe it is the small town Indiana upbringing, however I never had the opportunity to start my own garden as I grew older. Through conversations, classes offered at the local extension office and frequent visits to gardening stores I have also noticed other individuals in my area with similar interests. Gardening in the form of fruits, vegetables and flowers can have many added benefits.

There are two important options to consider when starting a vegetable garden, whether to start from seeds or from plants. Both of the options can have positive and negative aspects. Some things to consider when choosing to use seeds are that seeds require more time, more patience, are less expensive and offer a science experiment for young children to witness and take part in. Purchasing starter plants can be more expensive, require less time and patience, and can produce a faster product. I decided to start my garden using seeds because this is my first experience starting my own garden. I used many different types of seeds and quickly learned that some require more attention than others. Planting a garden from seeds or plants can produce positive results; however it is an individual preference.

Another one of the first and most important steps in gardening is choosing a location of the

garden. Of course individuals cannot change the location of their home to make it more suitable for a lush garden; however there a few simple adjustments to make a desirable location for produce to grow. One negative aspect that I quickly learned about starting a garden in Missouri is the lack of suitable soil. I discovered that the soil we have in our back yard is very sparse and under that thin layer of soil was a blend of clay and rocks. This combination led me to try out an above ground garden. My husband went to the local home improvement store and bought untreated wood measuring 6x12 feet. Using an electric drill my husband attached braches on the four corners of the garden box to ensure the security. After assembling the box we then lined the bottom with a black mesh lining to prevent unwanted growth of weeds and grass in the garden. Another method that also works and is less expensive is lining the bottom newspaper instead of the black mesh lining. We then filled the box with a mixture of top soil, sand, pet moss, and potting soil and used tools to ensure an even distribution of the naturally occurring materials. This added combination seemed to create a pleasant environment for plant life, as many plants grew plentiful immediately.

Of course one of the main benefits to having your own garden is being able to eat fresh produce right out of your own yard without having to travel to the store where much of the produce is shipped from hundreds of miles away. Along with the rising food costs in America, having your own garden can also cut down on the cost families are spending at the grocery store. However, the 6x12 feet garden we created is not large enough as the only means of produce for our family for an entire year. For those individuals who desire to become less reliant on grocery stores they should consider creating a larger garden. If your garden is large enough and yields enough produce, families may also choose to freeze or can the fresh produce for use later in the year. Individuals can purchase items for freezing and canning produce at many stores at many stores for a relatively low cost.

Another added benefit to having your own garden the added knowledge of knowing what is in your garden. By choosing against the use pesticides on your garden individuals can have an organic garden without the worry of additives. Without of the use of pesticides gardeners must keep a constant watch on the crops to ensure worms, bugs or other creatures are not feasting on the fruits of your labor. There are many alternative measures gardeners can use to keep a lush garden rather than the use of commercial pesticides. One method to deter some insects from attacking the crops is the use of marigold flowers around the garden. The strong smell of the flowers is an immediate deterrent for many insects. I planted both yellow and orange marigolds in the garden however; the yellow marigolds have done especially well in the garden we created. Of the gardeners who have decided against the use of pesticides some may state that the taste of produce is much sweeter than store bought produce.

Some families may even choose to sell their fresh produce at a local farmer's market or vegetable stand. My neighbor is one such individual who decided to have a vegetable stand outside her house. Her seven-year-old son primarily helps with the vegetable stand; yet the four-year-old son tries to help in some aspects. The children have been helpful in the implementation and daily upkeep of the garden. The boys were able to help choose desired plants they would like in the garden from various local stores, help water the garden daily and sell the fresh produce to individuals in the neighborhood. The children, especially the older son benefits from the process and contributes daily with the garden.

Gardens can also promote and encourage many educational learning opportunities for children. My neighbor is fostering new and continued education during the summer through math and science concepts. The math concepts that are promoted include money, addition and subtraction. Therefore, by selling the produce for a quarter a piece the child is learning the value of money, along with adding and subtracting money. He then is able to make valuable choices about the profit he made from the garden. He is also able to learn about immediate gratification and delayed gratification, through gardening and the ability to save the money he earned for a large item or spend it quickly on a small item. Gardening also promotes science objectives such as earth systems, plants and animals, and ecology. These objectives are being promoted through learning about the life cycle of a plant, the local weather, and the food chain. By starting a garden from seeds children can witness and be active participants in the process of life science. Young children can observe, discuss the process of gardening and state their observations. Older children are able to make a hypothesis prior to planting the seeds or conducting this experiment. During the gardening process and at the end of the season children may write their observations and the conclusion to the experiment. At this time a discussion between children and adults may occur to decide any changes for next year's garden.

As I am midway through the first year of gardening I have noticed some changes I will likely implement next year. This first noticeable change I would make in my garden for next year would be the placement and the spacing of crops that can yield large produce and the crops that are especially large. Next year I will not plant as many zucchini, yellow squash or cantaloupe as these crops grow to be very large and vine across the garden and into the yard. Another change that I will make for next season is the time and method of planting seeds I will use. If I choose to start my garden from seeds again next year, I have decided that I will also start the seeds in the individual starter pods again; however next year I will start the seeds in early April. I will then transplant the plants into individual pots inside the house before planting into the garden box. The reason for this is because of the late frost that can occur in the month of May and also to allow the plants to have more room to grow.

Thus far I have enjoyed my first garden and I have found many added benefits to having my own garden. The gardening process takes little time once the process has begun and can even be relaxing to some individuals. I would recommend gardening to individuals as a hobby, an educational experience for children and to simply have your own

Gardening Gift

You have just completed designing your garden and now you're looking for that perfect finishing touch. What sort of gardening gift could you give yourself or someone you know who loves gardening. The range of gardening gifts span from the whimsical like garden gnomes to the more practical ones like a gardening gift set which is good for beginning gardeners.

With all these gifts to choose from how will you find the perfect gardening gift? With this type of gift you need to think if the person will appreciate a whimsical wind chime, a garden gnome, or a compost tumbler and tea maker.

If your friend is new to gardening then maybe they would appreciate a gardening set. A gardening set that includes a spading fork, a garden trowel, and a hoe to cultivate your soil, a pair of garden shears and a tool for weeding is the perfect gardening gift, even for yourself.

A serious gardener will absolutely love having a sturdy pair of gloves. When you wear the gloves not only do you keep your hands clean, but the gloves can provide protection against thorns and other sharp garden objects.

For a gardener who has back problems using a garden kneeler can take the hassle out of gardening. They might even start using it for other purpose like washing their cars. Whilst a trowel that is ergonomically designed can help support the wrist of anyone with arthritis, it can make digging a pleasure once more.

Every gardener understands the value of putting compost in their gardens. And the best way to get good quality compost is of the home made variety. Unfortunately not everyone has the garden space for a compost heap. The gift of a compost tumbler might not seem to be a great present, but it is an invaluable gardening gift for the avid home gardener.

All gardeners know that to get a thriving crop, the soil in the garden has to be right. How can you find out if your soil is perfect for that vegetable you're planning on growing? Will your herbs thrive in your garden? To answer that all important soil question an electronic soil tester is great gardening gift.

These of course are the practical gardening gifts. The whimsical on the other hand are wind chimes or cheerful garden gnomes. If you're into fantasy then a garden gnome sitting next to your pond will definitely invite the garden fairies in. Of course you should understand that garden gnomes are company loving fellows. Therefore when you go and buy your garden gnome, be sure to invite a few more along just for that fanciful gardening gift.

All in all it does not matter if you're into practical gardening gifts or the whimsical variety. Garden centers and gardening shops stock many different items that can serve as gardening gifts or gardening supplies. The perfect gardening gift is yours to choose.

For more information please visit www.tip4gardening.com

Find Peace And Happiness Through Gardening

Gardening is a wonderful and relaxing hobby enjoyed by many all over the world. People who enjoy gardening often feel a deep-rooted sense of calm and tranquility, and they also forge a stronger connection with nature.

There are many types and forms of gardening. Organic gardening is a unique method of gardening and allows the gardener to really bond with Mother Nature. Organic gardening really gets down to the basics of growing fruits and vegetables, using only what Mother Nature provides. Container gardening is another way of gardening and allows many people who do not have their own garden to still enjoy gardening using pots and containers.

Container gardening is a great way to decorate and accentuate your house and your outdoor area. Plant containers such as clay urns, metal pans, terra cotta pots, wine tubs, wood boxes, bath tubs, glass bowls, wire baskets, sisal rope planters, cement hollows etc. all work well. You want to be sure to have an assortment of beautiful flowers and plants of varying heights as well as shapes and textures when planning your garden.

Organic gardening requires much more attention and involvement in the whole process. When you grow the plants organically, you do not add any artificial or chemical substances to the soil to avoid their negative health consequences. In organic gardening natural compost is needed to fertilize the soil. Natural compost is derived from plant, fruit or kitchen waste and contains no harmful chemical pesticides in it.

Whether you go for container gardening or organic gardening, the preparation and gardening methods are pretty similar. After you decide on what type of gardening you want to do, prepare your spot and soil for planting. You must remove all weeds, grass, stones, etc using various gardening supplies or herbicides. When this is completed, you can plow the planting area and add nutrients such as manure, compost, peat or sand to the soil. If your soil is too sandy, you will need to add compost to give it the necessary nutrients it needs.

Gardening supplies are essential for good gardening. They make gardening easy, and there are certain gardening supplies that gardeners find indispensable, including gloves, spade, scissors, pruners, levelers etc. Make sure to buy good quality gardening supplies for ease of use, such as gardening gloves made of high quality leather, and gardening spades or pruners made of stainless steel.

To learn more about Gardening, visit Susan's sites at love-gardening.info [http://www.love-gardening.info], gardening-club.info and gardening-fun.info [http://www.gardening-fun.info].

Designing Your Garden - What Makes a Good Garden?

Garden design is a very personal thing and is often an expression of your personality. What I like you, you may not and vise versa. Some people like neat and tidy gardens where there are no surprises, others love the thrill of windy paths, lots of different plant material and not knowing what is around the corner. There are three main styles of gardens formal, semi formal and informal. They can then be divided into many types of gardens and that depends on what you would like. Garden design can be intimately tidied to the style of your house as in example of the grand french chateaux where the geometric patterns of the garden mimic the geometric construction of the house or it can have no connection to your house at all.

Some people are lucky and have this innate gift of knowing how to design space, making it a pleasing place to be in. Others don't have this gene and find it very difficult to visualise how the space will work. To create a good design it is important you understand that design is about managing space and people moving around it. The core of good garden design centres round patterns and the space within these patterns. By using geometrical shapes, circles, triangles, rectangles etc. you can achieve a unified feel to your garden. So you need to think about ground patterns and movement around your garden. Where would you like people to go? Ground patterns can be achieved with the use of bricks, paving and plant material such as cut grass etc.

Formal gardens are symmetrical and geometrical and are strict in terms of repeating patterns and plant materials on either side. It is very controlled, plants are clipped, shaped, manipulated regularly and today is often suitable for small gardens like court yards. Urns, balustrades, stone, gravel paths, parterres, formal pools and framed views are all part of the formal garden. There are no surprises, you know what to expect.

Informal designs are asymmetrical and not as regimented. Plant material is allowed to spill over the structural elements such as walls, steps and paths. Plant material is allowed to self-seed and wander around the garden. Informal garden design is softer, full of surprises thus you don't know what to expect.

And semi formal is the combination of the above two. Usually it is the built structures such as retaining walls, paths and steps that are formal and the informal element is the plant material which is allowed to spill over them, softening their hard outlines.

Within these three types, there are many different styles of gardens to choose from such as contemporary, Japanese, Mediterranean, cottage, courtyard, kitchen garden or secret garden.

Contemporary is a modern style that likes to reflect the surrounding but also use a wide range of plant material. Form and texture of foliage are as important as flowers. Hard landscaping is woven into geometrical shaped buildings; all of which flow into the wider landscape. Plants are used as focal points to highlight the architectural forms.

Cottage was a late nineteenth-century ideal to return to the simple cottages of the country. They were planted with hardy bulbs, flowers, fruit bushes and herbs and vegetables. They were geometric, colours were harmonised and luxurious as plants grew well as they were heavily manured regularly.

Mediterranean is not limited to one particular area but are defined according to hot summers and low rainfall. They encompass entertaining areas, shade, good views and dramatic shadows. Hot colourful plants are used and lots of lush green foliage plants to create a cool atmosphere. Plants need to be drought tolerant. Evergreen plants are popular because they cast shade on hot days. Walls are white washed to reflect the sun, pergolas built to create shade and use terracotta pots. There is often a water feature and water provides cooling vibes.

Japanese gardens encompasses religion and Japan's cultural history. Japanese gardens are very symbolic often the symbols relate to nature. Plants are 'tamed' and there is an emphasis on evergreen trees and shrubs. They are very controlled and often minimalist. True Japanese gardens are contemplative a place of meditation and great calm.

Planning

If you feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start when designing your garden, I suggest you break it up into areas called rooms thus dividing one big space into several smaller spaces. For example: there is the front garden, the side garden and the back garden. Once you have decided where they begin and end you can then divide each of those areas up again. For example in the back garden you could have the entertaining area, the grass/children's area, the utilities area (includes the compost heap and shed), the pool area and the vegetable/orchard area. Once you have defined the areas/rooms you can tackle one at a time, thus making a huge project into several smaller projects.

The Three Planning Stages

To create an interesting and exciting garden there are 3 sets of plans (may be four if you need an engineer's structural plans) you need to devise:- Site Analysis Plan, Concept Plan and Planting Plan, usually all drawn to scale.

The First Steps

To design a garden that works there are several things you need to do before buying plants and planting them. If you follow these steps you are more likely to have a successful garden.

Site Analysis

It is important to make an inventory of the area you are designing. Things to include are:

Levels - steep/flat

Aspect - North/south

Sun/shade

Sun Summer/Winter

Shadows

Existing trees and buildings

Wind

Views - good and bad

Soil conditions

Entrances - Front/back doors

Power lines

Underground cables and pipes

Clothes line

Fences

Sheds and garages

Paved and unpaved areas

Patio/BBQ

Lighting

Drainage - runoff of storm watered

Once you have noted the above, it is time to draw up the space. You can draw it roughly (not to scale) but eventually you will have to draw it to scale. Start by measuring the area you are designing, draw it to scale ie. 1:100 and put all the above points onto your drawn plan. All these influences need to be drawn on paper, so that you can gauge any trends. For example there might be a paved path from the back door to the garage, but everyone takes a short cut across the lawn, creating a desire line. No - one uses the paved path. So perhaps pave the desire line and make it the official path.

The next step is the concept plan and this is the plan where you put down you ideas. It can be as wild and as adventurous as you like. Forget cost, enjoy your creativity. This is the stage where you put down your dreams of what you have always wanted. Later on, you hip pocket will decide for you whether you can have them. Anything is possible, so don't be shy, dream away. Again this can be roughly drawn or to scale, it is up to you.

The third and final plan is the planting plan and it is preferable that it is drawn to scale as this allows you to know exactly how many plants you will need. It incorporates all the ideas you have decided upon and shows you how the finished garden is going to look. It is the road map which will guide you to building your new garden.

There may be a fourth plan if your site is steep or you are having major elements built, as you may need the advice of an engineer.

Points to Consider

Think about your soil conditions, is it heavy clay or light and sandy? What plants will grow in these conditions? Are some areas boggy and some always dry?

Sun conditions

The sun is higher in the sky during spring and summer and shadows are shorter. Whereas in winter, the sun is lower in the sky and casts longer shadows. So a plant might be in full sun in summer and complete shade in winter. Can it tolerate this? Also think about the conditions the plants require. Are they full sun plants like roses or shade loving plants like azaleas?

Wind

You also need to think about wind direction. Which way does the prevailing wind come from? Screens and hedges are one way of managing this problem but what problems are they going to cause? Making the block feel narrow, casting shadows etc? It is important to know because some plants don't like wind and it is no good putting the BBQ/entertainment area in an uncomfortable spot.

Views

Views out your window or from your garden are very important. Some are intrusive while others are desired. If you wish to block out flats/neighbours etc. you may need to put in a higher fence or a hedging screen of some kind. Or you may want to design your garden to enhance the view of the mountain, ocean etc.

Utilities and Service Lines

You also need to be aware where your services and utilities are; things like clothesline, overhead power lines etc. If you damage the gas, telephone or electricity lines, you are liable to pay for their repair.

Principles of Garden Design

To create a well designed garden, it is important to put the right plant in the right position. This means considering the cultural requirements of the plant. For example putting a full sun plant such as rose into a shady position isn't going to work, because the rose won't be receiving the right amount of sunlight for it to grow. The idea of good garden design is to follow this philosophy, using the placement of plants to create mystery, tension and surprise by using tricks of the eye, colours and textures.

Tension, mystery and surprise make a garden interesting. One way to create these is to use hedges, low walls, screens, paths, steps to make individual 'garden rooms' with tension points that captures your attention on the way. For example a narrow oblong garden can be made more interesting if you can't see the back fence - that there is a feature (plant or statue etc.) that obscures the fence. It also becomes more interesting if the path way is narrow then opens up into another room. A winding path adds mystery to the garden if you can't see what is around the corner. Surprise comes when you go around the corner and discover a focal point.

A focal point is something like a seat/statue/water feature that leads your eye directly to it. For example - a pergola that has a statue at the end of it. The statue is the feature and is the reason why you look/walk to see it. Another example of a focal point is a pathway leading through a door that is open and shows a vista of the wider landscape.

The success of the focal point can depend on the how successfully the ground patterns lead you there. If the paving encourages you along this path thus creating some tension and mystery, you are more likely to follow the path to see what's there because you have become inquisitive. Narrow paths encourage you to walk quickly and not to dilly dally along the way, where as wide paths say stroll, take you time, look at the surrounding vegetation. A gentle curve can be negotiated at speed, but a tight curve can't be so people slow down as there is risk involved. Paving is used as a directional tool says don't walk that way, but walk this way. Edging bricks say don't step over this - this is a boundary. Paving can also be used to reflect the ground plane of the house or other shapes in the garden.

Long narrow gardens have a strong directional emphasis that needs to be broken up. Square plots are static. To solve these problems the space's shape needs to be changed. A circular design distracts the eye from the straight lines of the boundary fence. You could also use a series of rectangles using the boundaries as part of the design.

Another method is to turn the garden onto a 45 degree angle. A long diagonal line will immediately create a feeling of space. The paving near the house could be done on an angle and high light the diagonal line of the entire garden.

Gardens with a dog-leg in them can utilise the bend by using tension, mystery and surprise to lead you around the corner to a focal point of some kind.

Unified space is created by controlling the movement around the garden. It is the way areas are linked together by paths, bridges, pergolas, steps and terraces that determine whether a garden is successful. Careless placing can ruin the flow of the garden. If you wish to direct someone's attention to a particular point then there must be a clear reason in the design for following this pathway.

Ground levels are very important when designing a garden. If a slope is too steep to walk down safely, steps may be needed and if the entire block is on a slope, the whole area may need to be terraced. What material you use is also important. Steps should not be of slippery materials and gravel may wash away. The surfaces need to be flat otherwise they could be dangerous and people will not want to walk along them and instead they may create a desire lines.

Levels help to create interest and 'rooms' in a garden because you move from one place to another by steps/paths/etc. Allow your levels to gently flow into one another and keep them simple. Don't over decorate them. A slope up from the house will appear foreshortened whereas a slope down from the house will appear larger.

Choosing Plant Materials

There are 3 types of gardens:- the plants man, the garden designer and the gardener's (mix of the first two). The plants man gardens consist of lots of singular plantings, unconnected and often rare and difficult to source. The garden designer's garden consists of plants that are tried and tested - they use plants that they know and how they perform. The gardener's garden has learned that their favourite plants can be more effective if planted in a scheme.

When choosing plants you must consider what the conditions are of your garden. There is no point putting alkaline tolerant plants in acid soil or vise versa. It won't work! You need to think about what your plants you have chosen require moist soils, dry soils, shade, sun, well drained, boggy soils. If you do your research correctly and place your plants in the right position, you are well on the way to a successful garden.

The height and spread of your plants also needs to be considered. Tall growing plants are placed at the back of the garden bed, graduating down to the low plants. Remember some plants send up flower spikes that may be much larger than the plant itself, so they need to be positioned according to their flower spike height. Some plants are bushy so don't forget to leave sufficient room for them to spread. They may need annual pruning to keep them in check.

Colour

Another trick in the designing tool bag is using colour. Colour is the sensation of illumination which is light. The way colours inter-react with each other depends on their position in colour wheel. Manipulating colour is great fun and can create all sorts of illusions. Colours are divided into 2 groups primary red, yellow, blue and secondary green, violet, orange. Secondary colours are made of combining two primary such as mixing blue and yellow together to create green. You can make a space look cold or create distance by using pale and brown colours. You can also make a space looker bigger than it really is by using warm colours such as oranges, reds or yellows. If you want to make a space look closer to you, again use warm colours. As reds, oranges or yellow are very busy colours to the eye, it is a good idea to intersperse white flowers or grey foliage plants to calm the visual scene down. White and grey also intensify blue and pale colours.

One thing to remember about the Australia sun is that the best time to look at our gardens is in the late afternoon when the sunlight is not as strong. Our hot sun tends to fade our flowers colours and the glare at mid-day tends to wash the colour out.

If you are feeling overwhelmed about designing your garden, divide your space up and take it slowly, completing one section at a time. Don't start another part until you have finished the section you are working on and very soon you will have a beautiful garden. Remember gardens are ephemeral, it is a process that is for ever evolving. You never really finish.

See my next article On Creating a Gorgeous Garden and Living with Pets

Sandra Pullman B.App.Sc. (Hort) Hons. Burnley-Uni Melb. Visit my website for "down to earth", good quality, reliable and practical advice explained to you in layman's terms. I also run gardening courses for beginners. Check out my website for upcoming class dates and locations. All your gardening solutions are one click away! http://www.gardenpatch.com.au Or check out my blog site: sandisgardenpatch.blogspot.com There you can ask me questions.

The Use and Symbolism of Buddhas in Gardens

Buddhas in Gardens

Statues and images of the Buddha have been placed in the grounds of temples and gardens since ancient times and gardening has strong associations with Buddhism:

It is believed that;

The Soil of the garden represents the fertile ground of Buddha's Mind. A Sangha (Pali for Buddhist community) is the same as community of plants in the garden. Dhamma (teachings of the Buddha) is the expression of wisdom that is in the Temple - Garden.

If a garden can be regarded as a mind then:

Paths represent the ways to enlightenment. The soil represents the state of our own internal Karma. It's planting represents fertile and blossoming ideas. The changing seasons represent of the changing moods of the mind. Eastern tradition also suggests that the Buddha should not face south, as this is associated with Yama, a Hindu god and judge of the dead. North is the preferred direction when placing Buddha statues in the garden.

Buddhist gardens

Pure Land Buddhism

The making of Buddhist gardens in Japan was inspired by Pure Land Buddhism movement which originally came from China. It has as its centre piece the Mandala showing the Buddha with a temple and a garden - it has inspired the making of gardens with equivalent symbolism.

Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism believes that by making a fine garden can contribute to enlightenment and contentment. This requires skill, artistic judgement and a deep understanding of nature combined with constant attention. So gardening can be a deemed a religious activity.

They should generally have:

A beautiful place for sitting quietly or for meditation.

Numerous Paths for the practice of walking meditation.

A lotus pool containing a Buddha statue.

A place for the feeding of fish, birds or animals.

Ten of the World's Most Beautiful Buddhist Gardens

1. Totekiko Temple Gardens, Kyoto Japan

Totekiko is one of the five gardens at the Ryogen,Temple Kyoto, Japan. It was laid in 1958, and is said to be the smallest Japanese rock garden. It is a small enclosed garden, composed of attractive simple boulders placed on raked sand. These rocks are surrounded by concentric gravel circles and are connected by parallel ridges and furrows. The garden briefly receives the sun at around noon each day, and it is sometimes covered by snow in the winter. The garden represents a Zen saying, that the harder a stone is thrown in, the bigger the ripples will be.

The temple also includes three other gardens, Isshi-dan, Koda-tei, and Ryogin-tei - which is a moss covered garden which is claimed to be the oldest in Daitoku-ji.

2. Imperial War Museum Peace Garden, London UK

This beautiful and peaceful area is located in the park in front of the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth. The garden aims to encourage world peace and promote non violence. Its Tibetan name translates as "The Garden of Contemplation". The design and decoration uses many Buddhist symbols. A tall pillar has in four languages the Dalai Lama's message about the importance of choosing non-violence.

The garden's layout is based on the eight spoke Buddhist Wheel representing the Noble Eightfold Path. There are eight stone seats in a circle representing the eight principles in the Noble Eightfold Path. When you sit here you can focus on the centre of the garden. Around the outside of the area is a trellis and plants from the Himalayas. This garden consciously represents the elements of Earth, Fire, Air and Water and the space is often visited by Tibetan Buddhist teachers when visiting London.

3. The Mahabodhi Temple Gardens, India

This temple is built at the actual place where the Buddha reached Enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi Tree. Almost all activity at the Temple takes place in the large garden surrounding this huge stone spire. This is full of tall, shady trees and little lawns, monuments and marigolds. The holiest place at the Mahabodhi Temple is outdoors under a Bodhi Tree. This Bodhi Tree has been grown from cuttings from a series of earlier Bodhi Trees, which came from the original Bodhi Tree under which Buddha sat and meditated 2,500 years ago. Buddhists from all over the world come to visit this sacred spot

Some people come and sit near the Bodhi Tree on their own and some come in groups of Buddhist pilgrims from the same country. Throughout the Mahabodhi Temple garden you see people worshipping. The Bodhi Tree itself is where all Buddhist meditation began. All around the Mahabodhi Temple you see people practicing Walking Meditation - walking slowly along the paths which lead round the Temple garden always doing so in a clockwise direction.

On the east side of the Temple is a beautiful Meditation Park having many winding paths for walking meditation and little marble platforms, where people can sit and meditate. This garden is filled with the sounds from thousands of brown mynah birds. On the south side of the Mahabodhi Temple is a large, rectangular Lotus Pool. In the centre of the pool is a statue of Buddha. The Lotus Pool is full of large catfish.

4. Ryoan-ji Temple Gardens - The Temple of the Peaceful Dragon, Kyoto Japan

This is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. The temple is one of the Historic Monuments of Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring a dry landscape rock garden. The dry landscape rock garden was built in the late 13th Century. It consists of raked gravel and fifteen moss covered boulders placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time.

5. Sigiriya Temple, Sri Lanka

This is a World Heritage Site and is sometimes said to have the oldest surviving garden in Asia. It was originally the garden of a residential palace later becoming the garden of a Mahayana Buddhist monastery. The present layout of Sigiriya is believed to date from in the 5th century AD.

6. Lumbini, India

This was the site of the Buddha's birth. The site was re-discovered in 1896.The sacred pool had earth banks at the time of its re-discovery. It now has a paved margin and steps - but it remains a place of exceptional calm. The garden also includes a bathing tank of the Sakyas where the water is bright and clear as a mirror and its surface covered with a mixture of flowers. This is where the Bodhisattva was born. In 1997 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

7. Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery, Scotland

Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre is a Tibetan Buddhist complex located at Eskdalemuir, near Dumfries,Scotland. The Tara Healing Garden preserves and propagates medicinal herbs native to Tibet. The grounds feature a Garden of World Peace, an organic kitchen garden, with greenhouses a vinery, peach-house and a traditional herb garden (TaraHealingGarden) which preserves and propagates medicinal herbs native to Tibet. The garden is surrounded by woodland and arable land grazed by a herd of Yak.

8. Secret Buddha Garden, Ko Samui, Thailand

This beautiful spot on Ko Samui is one of the most important tourist attractions of Ko Samui. It was designed and built by a fruit farmer in 1976 called Nim Thongsuk, who was 77 when he started building the garden. This has also resulted in another name for the area - "Uncle Nimm's Garden". It is surrounded by jungles and rocky hills and is slightly difficult to find as it lies high on the mountain overlooking the island. The entire garden is filled with sculptures and statues depicting humans as well as various gods and Buddhas.

9. The Peace Pagoda and Peace Temple Gardens, Milton Keynes, UK

Founded by Nichidatsu Fujii, a Buddhist monk from Japan who worked with Gandhi on finding peaceful ways of opposing government's wrongdoing. After the Second World War, he campaigned strongly against with nuclear weapons. He lived to be 100 and his movement built 80 Peace Pagodas and Peace Gardens all round the world. In the beautiful gardens surrounding the pagoda are a thousand cherry trees and cedars planted to remind us of the victims of all wars.

To left of the pagoda is a small Japanese garden of rocks, moss and bushes and a water lily pond full of carp and to the right of the Temple is a little moss garden. Behind the Temple is a typical Zen garden of rocks and gravel. Finally at the rear of the Zen garden is a stupa.

10. Wenshu Monastery Gardens, Chengdu, China

This Zen Buddhist monastery was built between 605 - 617 during the period of the Tang Dynasty and is the best-preserved temple in Chengdu. This Buddhist Temple is set within splendid landscaped gardens containing examples of religious Chinese architecture as well as a superb vegetarian restaurant.

The landscaped park within the Wenshu Monastery are very beautiful and serene and are beautifully maintained and clean and has many trees and shrubs as well as spectacular water features. The courtyards and gardens seem to melt into each other, making for a very quiet and contemplative environment.

Part of http://www.thebuddhasface.co.uk Buddhism 101 Project - the most comprehensive Buddhism resource ever created.

http://youraccount.ekmpowershop15.com/ekmps/shops/thebuddhasface/buddhism-101-project-43-c.asp

To coincide with the relaunch of our new website,we at The Buddha's Face thought it would be fun,useful and hopefully inspiring to compile a '101' list of useful facts about Buddhism and some of the meanings and symbolism behind the Buddha images, statues and artefacts that we have for sale on our website.

When we started we thought that 101 "things about Buddhism" was a whole heap of research but we soon found that we quickly surpassed 101 items so thought about heading for 1001! But as we started with that intention we've decided to keep the title 'Buddhism 101'. It's been quite a journey of discovery and enlightenment and we have learnt much on our path though there is much more to learn and unlearn.

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." - The Buddha

Finding Garden Benches: Get the Perfect Look for Your Garden

Many outdoor benches are multi-purpose, for example, they can be used in city parks, in malls, as well as serving as great garden benches. In this article I will provide some examples of the many types and styles of garden benches available. However, there are even more than these to choose from:

Standard garden and park bench:

This kind of bench is sold most commonly six feet in length, but that is also available as short as four feet, redefines the traditional park bench style. The bench has a flat long seat and a wooden frame and legs. There is a gap between the bench seat and the bench seat back, however this is a very comfortable type of garden bench.

Deluxe park and garden benches:

Deluxe park and garden benches offer all the benefits of the standard benches, but add a graceful contour. Therefore your garden bench will be able to fit all body styles comfortably. The more comfortable the make, the easier it is for you to relax and enjoy your garden.

Elite park and garden benches:

These garden benches have a cultivated architectural form. They hold their high quality condition in bad weather, and are virtually maintenance free. They are made with a sustainable recycled plastic construction. They will add a touch of personal taste and beauty to your garden. And they are long lasting as well.

Contour park and garden benches:

Contour park and garden benches are constructed with sturdy type of recycled plastic lumber, and this lumber is firmly fastened to a heavy steel frame. Like all of the other benches I have mentioned, and those that I will mention, the size of the bench usually ranges between four and eight feet in length so you can purchase the perfect fit. These garden benches are not only pleasing to the eye but comfortable and stylish too.

Monarque park and garden benches:

This kind of garden bench is designed for those who require a lighter form of garden bench. However, they are very popular and nice to look at, as well as being a nice to rest in your garden.

Standard park, mall and garden benches:

Standard garden benches provide bench space with no extra frills. It is just garden seating with simplistic design. And this design allows the garden bench to complement virtually any architectural style surrounding it.

Deluxe mall, park and garden benches:

Deluxe mall, park and garden benches are available for more up-scale applications. Still using recycled plastic construction and maintenance free features, these garden benches are matched with aesthetics to be an attractive addition to any garden setting.

Elite mall, park and garden benches:

These elite mall, park and garden benches are designed with a slatted seat assembly that offers the look of freshly treated exotic wood. Wooden benches are very attractive in your garden, and these come especially designed to be long lasting, do not require maintenance and are splinter free. No up-scale garden should be without a bench with this kind of elegant and luxurious design. No matter what size you need.

Remember, because the garden benches I have mentioned are suitable for many purposes, you should choose the size of your bench based on where you want to put it, and assess how it will look in any specific place or places in your garden. Measure the perfect length for your garden benches to be before making any purchase, and choose the style that best fits your garden and you.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on garden design please visit Garden Decor.

Designs for perfect garden sheds

Gardens are not only for lawns and household play fields, but can also be perfect locations for storage sheds wherein one can just basically stock unused household stuffs in the shed. As part of the entire house exterior, it is only but proper that garden sheds will also look presentable and in-relative to the house's design.

In order not to be a total complete eyesore, garden shed designs should be well-planned. Shed plans should be in harmony with the available space in the garden as well as the design befitting the house's style. Furthermore, garden shed designs should serve its purpose to the owners in general.

The following are some basic tips on how to build your garden shed:

• Space. Before one make his/her own storage building plans, one has already the estimate of the space where the garden shed will be placed. Aside from the space available, decide also which part of the garden it will be located. Make sure that it will not be located somewhere near the main road so as to avoid blockage of the pathway in the future.

• Layout. On a piece of paper, have a layout of your garden shed designs. One needs not to be an architect or engineer for this matter; a basic design of the garden shed - such as how it looks like - will do since this will only serve as a guide to the carpenter or designer in building the shed. If one is really very intricate about it, he/she can hire a designer or architect to make the storage shed plan.

• Materials. In the storage building plans, also include the kind of materials which you like for your garden storage shed. Most of which are made out of wood as woods are deemed as perfect materials for a garden storage shed. Aside from the fact that woods are cheaper, it can also blend well in the environment of a garden wherein shades of green and earth colors fill the area. It is advisable, however, to put wood treatments in certain parts of the garden storage shed. This is to prevent pests or house bugs in getting into the woods.

If you cannot do it on your own, find someone who is learned and skillful in carpentry and designing storage sheds. Look for highly qualified individuals who can construct your garden storage shed. This does not only entail a sturdy garden storage shed output, but also a saving from time and materials used.

Basic Garden Shed Designs

Common garden shed designs today include the A-frame type and barn-style sheds. There are also many other styles such as pet barns, saltbox greenhouse, playhouses, cottages, pool cabanas, or a miniature version of your own house. Outdoor storage may be fitted with a porch and other accessories. When looking at garden shed designs, check what each rmanufacturer has to offer.

For a garage shed where you intend to park toy vehicles, bikes, motorcycles, and even cars, there are shed kits that come in various sizes available. In choosing, you would of course have to tally the number of vehicles in the household. Usually, garage sheds are also designed to house auto repair tools, parts, supplies, and cleaning equipment. Since garage sheds are valued for their interior quality, exterior designs are usually minimal and simplistic.

Outdoor garden shed designs for vehicles need to have strong foundation. You may choose from concrete, concrete block, pressure-treated lumber, brick, or plywood sheets to support the entire structure. The roof height must give adequate room for people to move in and out while the doors may be single, double, or roll-ups. Garden shed designs may include windows to encourage proper ventilation inside the shed.

Another of the most popular garden shed designs are those for constructing potting or greenhouse sheds. Just like garage sheds, outdoor structures for plants need good ventilation because of sprays, fertilizers, insects, and soil. It is a good idea to erect a potting shed near a water source for better plumbing capabilities and maintenance. Greenhouse sheds may include a work bench, hooks for which to hang garden tools, and shelves.

If you are planning a shed to serve as a nursery for seedlings and young plants, as well as a greenhouse for orchids and foliage, you might want to look at larger garden shed designs. You can have the roof be made of either plastic or glass. The best flooring for a custom greenhouse is concrete. Hooks may also come in handy for baskets and ladders. Electricity is also a must for potting sheds as well as plumbing fixtures.

Depending on the type of outdoor shed you wish to have, you may opt for accessories to make garden shed designs even more interesting. Items such as skylights, cupolas, alarm systems, motion detectors, and storage units may be bought separately from shed kit manufacturers or your local home and garden store. You may have shelves installed or purchase storage containers to better organize items to be stored.

Garden sheds are very popular among neighbors throughout the nation. In fact the demand for garden sheds has spread fast from coast-to-coast. Today, there are many garden shed designs on the market to decide on; the problem is choosing which one to use.

Finding the right design is important; it may depend more on the landscaping of your backyard, the style of your home, what windows to use, what accessories to add, and the space available to build a garden shed than anything else.

Sheds are used for storing garden tools, lawn movers, gardening supplies, equipment, surplus items, outdoor projects, tillers, and even the children's toys. There are many designs available with step-by-step instructions, videos, and even workshops to assist you in building a shed of your own.

Building a garden shed today is easy once you have chosen a design that meets the needs and desires you are seeking. With a solid design or blue print, you can build a durable shed that will last a lifetime.

The key to building a great shed is in the planning. It will also be more cost efficient if you have a solid design that you know you will enjoy.

Many people go to Lowe's or Home Depot, buy their timber, equipment and tools and start building without a plan in place. This may turn into a real catastrophe and end up costing them much more than they anticipated.

The goal is to first understand what kind of soil you are building on to make sure you have a solid foundation to work on. It is wise to check with the city ensure no city or county building ordinances are going to hinder your project.

Next, if you want to have electricity, water, and air-conditioning it is important that you build next to an access point that will allow you this luxury.

The foundation may be constructed of cement if you want a more permanent location but if you think you may move in the future, it is best to build a garden shed that will allow you the flexibility to move it later.

With a pre-built shed you are limited to existing choices on design and functionality. However, they are pre-cut and simple to put together if you don't have much knowledge in this field.

Common garden shed designs have domes and windows to improve the air quality and lighting. Today they have wider door entries as well to allow enough space for larger equipment items.

Garden sheds usually have shelves for storing pots. They also have pegs for hanging garden tools and yard tools. Sometimes they even include indoor potting benches. Drawers and bins where you can keep small hand tools, gloves and other small items are also commonly found in garden sheds.

When building your shed, do not rush as this can cause errors. Keep a concise plan and stick to it. Measure twice, cut once. Have a list of all the parts, tools, and equipment you will need to complete the project.

Remember that your garden shed design can also be customized with decorations, accessories, and colors to change the mood and look of your shed. There is much to consider when building a shed but you can have the garden shed of your dreams with little time and effort.

Finally, if you don't have the right equipment or experience, make sure you find a neighbor that can assist you that has experience in this field and one that may even have a nail gun, an air hose, an electric saw, and that's good with a hammer.

Building your own shed will give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that you built something you can be proud of and enjoy for years. Once you have planned ahead and you are ready to build, just get started and enjoy new garden shed designed just for you.

A garden shed is a great idea if you are looking to store extra items or tools. They can also be very useful because not only do you get extra storage space but you can keep all of the things you need to maintain your lawn and garden all in one convenient place. If you check around you will find that there are all kinds of shed designs available that are both easy to construct and budget friendly.

Here are some helpful tips to assist you in choosing which shed design is right for you. First decide if you want to purchase a pre-made shed or if you want to build your own. Pre-made sheds can be more expensive but then you don't have the hassles of constructing your own. Although with a pre-made shed you are somewhat limited to the design and functionality. If you choose to construct you own shed, you get total control over both the design and the functionality.

The next thing to consider is, what you will store in the shed and what kind of function it will serve. Make sure you choose a garden shed design that provides you with the appropriate amount of storage pace you will need. So really think it through before making your choice.

Planning ahead is the best way to achieve success. Choosing a garden shed design that addresses all of your needs really comes down to the actual planning. Be prepared for any problems and challenges that can arise and things will go much smoother. Take your time and don't rush through the project because this can cause mistakes and create more problems. Keep a concise plan and stick to it. A good rule of thumb is "measure twice, cut once". Make sure that you have on hand, a list of all the parts, tools and equipment you will need to complete the project.

Garden shed designs typically incorporate wider doorways to make it easier to push larger equipment, like tillers and mowers in and out. Some designs have one wide door while others have two smaller doors that conveniently open together to make a larger doorway. Aside from wider doors, garden sheds quite often have cupolas and windows for better ventilation and light. The larger the windows the more light you have so you avoid the cost of adding electrical lighting. Garden sheds also usually have shelves for storing pots, garden accessories and other lawn and garden tools. Sometimes they even include indoor potting benches, drawers and bins to keep small hand tools, etc..

Just remember your garden shed design does not have to be plain or boring. There are many ways to customize the look of your shed. Color is one of the quickest and easiest ways to change the look and feel of your shed. Adding decorations and accessories is also a good way to spruce up your shed. Although there is a lot to consider when buying or building a garden shed, with a little time and effort you will soon have the garden shed of your dreams.

7 Tips to help you choose the right garden shed design.

1) Decide if you want to build your own shed yourself instead of buying a ready-built shed. Obviously a ready-built shed is faster, but it can cost more, and it limits you to someone else's design. What's great about using your own garden shed plan is that you have control.

2) Work out the volume of what you plan to store in your shed and what you want the space for. Don't skimp on size; you'll only regret it later. The secret to getting what you want is to choose a well-designed garden shed plan. But however good your plan is, expect challenges and problems. Then when they come you wont' be.

3) Give yourself plenty of time to build your shed and don't rush it. This way, you maker fewer mistakes.

4) Make a list of all of the tools, parts and equipment you need to complete your project. Measure twice, cut ONCE.

5) Remember, follow the shed instructions always. They've already gone to the trouble to troubleshoot all the problems and work out the design.

6) Many garden shed designs show wide doorways, either one large door, but usually two. This makes it great to move items such as mowers in and out. Apart from wide doors, many designs show cupolas and windows for better light and ventilation.

7) Garden sheds usually incorporate shelves for storing pots, garden and yard tools. You can even put in potting benches. Extras such as drawers and bins for storage of small hand tools, gloves, etc are really useful.

Garden shed designs don't have to be boring or unimaginative. It's easy to personalize the final look with a some paint and a few finishing touches. With a little elbow grease, you can build yourself a shed that compliments your home and yard, and enriches the value of your home.

Wooden Garden Shed Designs and Plans - Things to Consider in Building One

Ever feel like there' simply shortage of space where you can properly store your gardening tools and equipment? Brace up, it may be high time for another addition to your yard. I'd suggest you get started looking over some wooden garden shed designs and plans.

If you have an inherent talent for building stuff and tinkering around with your hands, there's no reason why you can't build a garden shed yourself. But I do suggest you use wood as your material because it is a lot easier and cheaper to use wood. Not to mention, it would blend right in your yard with your garden.

If you go over different wooden garden shed designs, you'll find that aside from the construction process, there's a whole lot more that goes into building a shed. That's what we're going to discuss below:

Location

First thing you need to do is to find an ideal location for your shed. An ideal location would have to be somewhere where it's not very obtrusive in your garden. Also, make sure that the area is not somewhere where the water drains. Muddy or wet grounds would make a bad choice for the location of your shed. The soil can easily shift, and once it does, the shed could easily disintegrate as well.

Additionally, make sure that the shed is not built on property lines or you may face some trouble with your neighbor in the future. Above a septic tank is also a bad choice. It would have not provide a solid ground for a shed.

Size and Budget

Another thing you need to consider is the size of the shed you're going to build. How much space you have available in your yard as well as your specific need would have to be kept in mind in deciding on the specific size of your shed.

Additionally, once you've decided on the size of the shed, it is just as important to calculate how much you're going to spend for the project. Paying a visit to your supplier and getting a quote would be a good idea. Of course, you will need a complete list of materials to do this.

Wooden Garden Shed Designs

Aside from functionality, you also have to consider aesthetic value in choosing the right wooden garden shed design. Something that would add character and blend perfectly in your yard would be the perfect shed design.

Obviously, you can only choose the perfect designs once you've gone over several shed designs. And that is something I strongly suggest you do. A garden shed after all does not only serve your purposes, it has to accentuate the beauty of your home as well.

So, if you're in the process of going over wooden garden shed designs, I suggest you check out this really helpful resource here:

Projects for Woodworkers: Garden Shed Designs

Gardens can be filled with colorful flowers and trees or delicious fresh vegetables lovingly grown by you and your family. No matter the style of your garden, it requires tools and equipment to keep them growing and healthy. If you've been storing those things in your garage or under the back porch, if may be time for some kind of storage unit to be placed in the garden itself.

If you like to work on outdoor projects, deciding on a garden shed design that can take care of gardening tools and supplies while giving you a space to work can be a dream come true. A shed for your garden is not only a functional solution to a storage problem, but it is a fun project your can do yourself.

Before moving ahead with putting a garden shed on your property, first ask yourself a few questions:

Pre-made shed or build your own? Pre-made sheds are fast and easy, and saves a lot of time; but it is a lot more expensive. Also, you are limited to standard sizes and styles. When you build, you can choose the style, the size, special options and detailing that you want.

What will you be storing in your shed, and what do you plan to use it for other than storage? Choose a garden shed design that gives you enough room for everything you need to do.

What about a plan? Start with a set of blueprints and instructions, and move along step by step. Set out the tools and supplies you need before you start work. That way you will save time by having everything at your fingertips. Make sure you have all the materials, parts, tools and equipment you need before you start.

Doors are a very important element in garden shed design. Choose a wide or double door to allow large equipment, like mowers and tillers, to fit through it without a problem. Cupolas and windows provide ventilation and light. If the windows are large enough, you won't have to add electricity to your shed - though you may want to anyway as it can come in handy. Add some shelving and hooks for yard tools and accessories. Lastly, putting in drawers or bins will give you additional storage for small hand tools and gardening gloves.

A garden shed should reflect the style of your home or garden. Customize it to take care of what you need. Paint it to match the house or leave the wood natural so it blends into the landscape. You are the boss. Though a lot of time and effort goes into building something from scratch, your garden shed can be one you will enjoy for years to come and well worth it.

Garden Shed Designs - Build Your Shed With Step-By-Step Instructions

Here's what you must consider building your own shed:

1. Decide on the type of the shed

Free shed designs can either be made to be permanent or movable. If you think in the future that you might need to move this to another site or you wish to do a landscaping and you need to relocate it, settle for the mobile garden shed.

2. Know what size you need

Garden shed designs are similar to storage building plans; they have their own separate standard sizes. Standard sizes are your basis and determining factor on what size you really need. You can change the size according to your own preference and needs.

3. Decide on your flooring

A simple garden shed design can be a small structure that only needs simple flooring. If you opt to do something that is permanent, you still need to have a good and sturdy foundation but not as elaborate as a free storage shed plans concrete foundation.

4. Decide on your wall

Assemble your walls in a prefabricated style so you can easily attach this on the sides surrounding the floor going all the way up. Make sure that frames and attachments are complete and properly attached.

5. Determine your roof design

After the frames of the walls are attached, you can start attaching the roof. A garden shed normally consists of a simple flat roof slightly leaning to either side to avoid accumulating water during the rainy season.

6. Know your door size

Make sure you have the right door size. Others make the common mistake of building too small doors that prevent bigger tools and equipment from being stored inside.

7. Sealing it right

Do not forget to seal especially your roofing. This will prevent leakage during the rainy season. Your woodworking storage should be dry and clean inside to protect the things you store.

Building your own shed is easy. Just follow the steps above and you'll be working like a pro. One of the best things you should consider when getting your own shed plan is its ability to be expanded.

Garden Shed Design - Wood Or Metal?

Are you thinking about getting a garden shed? There are a few things to consider first. First of all, wood or metal. The second thing is, do you buy or build it yourself? You can learn from my mistakes, keep reading and find out the best option for you.

When I first decided to get a new garden shed I made the mistake of ordering a 'build it yourself' premade metal shed. It took me about a day to construct and I knew right from the start it probably wasn't going to be the shed I wanted.

after I had built it I tried to convince myself that it would do the job. The sliding metal doors made such a horrible noise when closing them and even though I had bolted the whole thing down to the ground it still didn't feel very safe.

It wasn't until a few days later I noticed that some of my tools and equipment were wet. As I looked up at the roof I realised it was damp. Condensation. The whole roof was covered with condensation which didn't disappear until late afternoon by which time as soon as the sun had gone down it was already starting to come back.

I put up with it for a couple of months until I finally made the decision to pull it down and get a wooden shed. The original reason I didn't get a wooden shed was because of the price. Metal sheds seem to be so much cheaper, I now know why.

Being a keen DIY person there was no way I was gonna buy one. I invested a little bit of money and downloaded a whole load of plans from the Internet. After choosing the right plans I took them to my local lumber yard where they gave me a quote from materials. It wasn't much more than the original metal shed I had wasted my money on.

A few days later the shed was built and it is now my pride and joy. All my tools are safe and dry and I've got a load of room to spare. The best thing is people can't believe that I made it myself. It's great to show off my DIY skills!

In conclusion, forget about getting a metal shed. They're just a waste of money. Nothing beats a good old-fashioned wooden shed and building it yourself is definitely the way to go.

It's so much fun and you get to show it off to all your neighbours and friends once you have completed it!

Information just like this will help you to make the perfect shed.

How to make a garden shed

Cedar Benches: A Fine Choice for Your Garden

Cedar is a very popular material especially for garden furniture. There are garden benches of many other sorts, of course, but cedar garden benches come in all sorts of sizes and in plain as well as several decorative styles and can add a touch of elegance that will impress your guests and show off your personal taste. Make your garden beautiful this season, and buy a garden bench that will last and last!

Well-made cedar garden benches will remain in good shape for a long time, and do not require any considerable amount of upkeep such as refinishing etc. Such benches are the kind of garden benches that, if you choose to purchase one, will become a wonderful asset to you garden. Your cedar garden benches will require very little maintenance.

Multi purposed:

There are cedar garden benches made for watching the birds and the flowers, which also double as outdoor seating and even garden benches and table sets that can serve as outdoor dining areas.

With hundreds of cedar garden benches to choose from, you can create an outdoor focal point for your yard or garden. Your bench or benches will complement your existing indoor or outdoor wood garden furniture by matching the look you are going for.

There are cedar garden benches with full backs and armrests for just sitting back and relaxing in, some come in straight designs, some come in more abstract designs, and some come in more arched or elegant designs.

Some cedar benches are more stylish, but a little more plain than the more luxurious styles available, and others have a unique, design just by adding a few extra decorative touches. But any backless garden benches can add a beautiful touch to your home.

When you choose a more streamlined look by purchasing a backless bench you can sit facing any direction for the perfect view. Watch the sunrise and watch the sunset all from the same picturesque backless bench. Some of these cedar garden benches are offered with curling decorative armrests on either side, and some have no armrests at all.

In the flower garden:

Cedar garden benches can add a beautiful touch to your garden and can even become the focal point of your garden and attract special attention to the area in which you choose to put it. Some cedar garden benches seem to be made especially for sitting down and admiring the flowers.

Teatime cedar garden benches:

Many cedar benches are elegant, and some are quaint. Some especially are designed for sitting in your yard or garden or on your patio or porch for eating and drinking either meals or in between meals. So have a cup of coffee or tea and a snack with friends in style. These cedar furniture often comes in sets, using extra chairs and wooden tables as well. Garden benches are perfect for a get together, a card game, for a cup of tea, or just for a relaxing time at home.

In the yard:

A cedar garden bench might just be perfect place for "sitting the next one out" and resting in the shade as you watch. Under the shade of the trees, by the pool or the volleyball net, cedar garden benches are perfect if you just want to sit back and watch.

Pick one that fits your personal style and you will enjoy the individuality that cedar garden benches can bring to your garden as well, sit and relax through the season on your cedar garden bench. Let a cedar garden bench help dress up your yard or garden and create that great look you are going for.

Your cedar garden bench or benches will definitely be a big part of what gives your yard or garden that picturesque look you want. Cedar benches can even add a graceful touch to the view of your garden from the window in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, dining room, or whatever window faces it.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on garden furniture and accessories please visit Garden Furniture.

Gardening Styles Revisited

Each gardener has his or her own set of gardening guidelines that correspond to certain predetermined gardening styles. If you know your gardening style and if you can apply that style to creating an organic garden, then you have pretty much captured an edge over other gardening enthusiasts. But, if you do not have a gardening style that you can apply to organic vegetable growing, then you could be at a strong disadvantage. What are the different styles of gardening that actually apply to successful organic vegetable harvesting? Here are some of the types that you could consider:

Residential Gardening

This is the most common of all gardening techniques. It is often referred to as "backyard gardening". If you are just a novice and not seasonally experienced in vegetable gardening, then residential gardening is your best approach. The primary purpose of the residential garden is to feed a family. A steady supply of home grown vegetables can not only feed your family now, if you understand canning and preserving, your garden can nourish your family long after the production period of your garden has ended.

The second appeal of residential gardening lies in its aesthetic appeal. Your garden can add color and depth to your landscape. It is quite transforming to see what was once only grass, a wooden deck, or a concrete balcony develop into an eye pleasing sculpture.

Residential gardening does not require a great deal of space. A window sill, deck, balcony or other small area that has sufficient light can easily produce a small crop. These small confined areas are easy to monitor and at the same time, easy to maintain. Protecting your garden from pests is much easier in a smaller area. The great thing about residential gardening is the ease with which it transforms the gardening wannabe into the gardening professional. It takes the rookie, having no knowledge of planting, growing, and harvesting, to a level of understanding where other gardening styles become the dream and the possibility.

Specialized Gardening

Specialized gardening usually involves non-residential areas. Common examples of specialized gardening include amusement parks, botanical gardens, zoos, commercial landscaping along highway right of ways, and many more. Making the landscape more attractive seems to be the most common underlying theme of the specialized garden. These landscaping endeavors are rarely the responsibility of a single person. Often times a staff of botanists and gardeners work together to maintain the garden's aesthetic attractiveness. These gardens are often created to support or deliver revenue to their owners or the organizations supporting them.

Specialized gardens rarely sport vegetables like corn, tomatoes, potatoes, peas, or beans. They, in agreement with their type, focus more on the special or more rare type of flora. Unique flowers, shrubs, even trees are often found in these areas. But, when a specialized garden does focus on vegetable planting, wide row techniques, sewing seeds in a wide band rather than in a single row, are most often applied.

Impact Gardening

By definition, impact gardening focuses on getting the most out of a small space. It involves using a relatively small gardening area and finding ways to maximize its gardening potential. In order to accomplish this objective, plants are strategically organized and systematically planted in a "crowded" format. This type of gardening requires a basic knowledge of plant types; annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, and even ground cover. Understanding the types of plants most suited to the environment and the climate is paramount to successful impact gardening.

Impact gardening requires planning. A haphazard approach will not work. A layout of which plants will be placed where is paramount to successful impact growing. The best approach is to actually draw out a schematic of the garden labeling specific areas and then filling those areas with the appropriate plants. These designs or surveys should be as detailed as possible to include plant specifics and cost analysis.

There are four basic steps to successful impact gardening.

Step one, survey a space for the garden and mark off the specific site. It is best to have the long side of the plot aligned with the sun, from east to west. This helps keep the plants from burning in the summer heat, and ruining your crops.
Step two, design the garden. It should be attractive yet maintain its functionality.
Step three, make long thin beds, eight feet longer than they are wide. This makes it easy to weed and plant. Build the bed frames out of long 2x8's. If you make several, you can lay them end to end, parallel to the sun.
Step four, use soaker hoses to water. Place them up and down the rows, about one foot from the edges of the bed.

Indoor Gardening

Growing plants indoors is not only a science, it is an art. This type of gardening can be as small as a few potted plants kept on the coffee table or near the front door; or as large as a greenhouse with thousands of plant varieties housed in a climate controlled environment. These greenhouses or conservatories are designed and built with controlled systems for heating and air conditioning, whatever the plants require. Unfortunately this hot house type of gardening is more suitable to the commercial grower because of the expense factor involved.

For the home owner, the greatest benefit of indoor gardening is the simple fact that plants can be grown year round, completely independent of extreme climatic conditions like heat, cold, wind, or rain. Light is the most common limiting factor for indoor gardening. Most plants do not do well indoors, so it is important to match the light needs of a particular plant with the amount of light you can offer it. There are three general light categories--high, medium and low light. An easy way to measure how much light is in a particular area is to use a light meter, which is typically available at local nurseries, or simply hold your hand between the source of light and the spot where the plant is to be set. The amount of shadow gives a rough indication of available light. If there is no shadow or if a shadow is difficult to see, then that is an indication of low light.

Water Gardening

If you like low supervision gardening and love fish and aquatic plants, then water gardening is your style. Perhaps the most important consideration in water gardening is location selection. Most aquatic plants and fish need plenty of sun, so a place that gets 6-8 hours of direct sunlight is your best bet. Choose a site away from tall shrubs and trees. This site will then provide the best lighting and hopefully prevent the accumulation of leaf debris on the pond surface.

Planning is once again very important. Make sure you apply both common sense and some basic gardening principles to your site plan before you begin construction. Consider the overall size of your property, the size of your site selection, and your ability to maintain your garden before you scoop the first shovel of dirt. It goes without saying, small ponds are best for small properties. A container on a deck may be all that your need in accordance with the space you have available. Features like waterfalls, rock work, lighting and fountains are budget dependent. They may add style, but they could be overly costly.

Aquatic plants should cover no more than 50 - 60 percent of the water surface. Some are free floating while others are marginals or partially submerged. Selection depends on pond size and your personal preference. Water lilies are very popular and can add drama and fragrance even in small gardens. Some plants oxygenate the water and they help keep the water clear and the pool healthy. Fish can be a beneficial addition, because of their scavenging activities. They naturally clean up debris that would otherwise accumulate in the garden. They also can help control mosquito larva, and other insect development.

Community Gardening

Community gardening is becoming quite popular especially in highly populated urban areas. It involves concentrated efforts from different members of the community to help plant, maintain, and then harvest a garden. It is a huge undertaking, but the members of the community are given autonomy to style their areas in whichever way they choose. Locally, the Master Gardner program, through local Agricultural Extension Services, can provide just the right atmosphere for a community to plant a garden, maintain its integrity, and harvest its produce.

Neighborhoods pull together and transform vacant lots into green space. Building tenants gather on rooftops to plant and grow vegetables. Everyone shares in the responsibility and the harvest. This is community gardening in its purest form. These community gardens are a great way to get both children and adults involved in beautifying the neighborhood while at the same time working with nature.

No matter which style suits your needs best, it can be effectively applied to organic gardening. Each gardening style requires some level of planning and site preparation. Once planting is complete, the actual work of gardening begins. Caring for the plants in your garden is very similar to caring for your pets. They need regular food and water. Their space needs to be cleaned or weeded regularly. And, the more attention you give them, the more they respond and produce.

W. Bergfeld has been actively involved in the agriculture industry for over 30 years. He has experience raising quality commercial cattle as well as Pure Bred and Half Arab Western Pleasure show horses. His farming and gardening experience help customers at his Farm Supply Store. More information is available at his website: http://www.billbergfeld.com

The Basics of Japanese Gardening

Things to keep in mind for a beautiful garden

Main principles on the garden's design

Bring the Japanese feeling into your garden with these basic steps. First of all, embrace the ideal of nature. That means, keep things in your garden as natural as possible, avoiding to include things that could disrupt this natural appearance.

For example, don't include square ponds in your design as square ponds are nowhere to be found in nature. Also, a waterfall would be something closer to what exists in nature if we compare it to a fountain. So you also have to consider the Japanese concept of sumi or balance. Because one of Japanese gardening design main purposes is to recreate large landscapes even in the smallest place. Be careful when choosing the elements for your garden, because you don't want to end up filling your ten by ten courtyard with huge rocks.

As a miniaturized landscape, the rocks in the garden would represent mountains and the ponds would represent lakes. A space filled with sand would represent an ocean. By that we assume that garden masters were looking to achieve a minimalistic approach, best represented by the phrase "less is more".

The elements of time and space

One of the things westerners notice at first are the many portions of empty space in the garden. In fact, these spaces are an important feature in Japanese gardening. This space called ma, relates to the elements around it and that also surround it. The concepts of in and yo are of vital importance here, they are best known to the Western civilization by the Chinese names yin and yang. If you want to have something you have to start with having nothing. This is an idea quite difficult to understand, but it is a rule of thumb in Japanese gardening.

An important clue in the development of a garden is the concept of wabi and sabi. There's no literal English translation for those words. Wabi is about uniqueness, or the essence of something; a close literal translation is solitary. Sabi deals with the definition of time or the ideal image of something; the closest definition might be time strengthened character. Given the case, a cement lantern that might appear unique, would lack of that ideal image. Or an old rock covered in lichens would have no wabi if it's just a round boulder. That's why it is important to find that balance.

Ma and wabi/sabi are connected to the concepts of space and time. When it comes to seasons, the garden must show the special character of each one. Japanese garden lovers dedicate time to their gardens every season, unlike the western gardener who deserts in fall just to be seen again in spring.

A very relaxing view in spring is given by the bright green of new buds and the blossoms of the azaleas. In summer, the lush foliage in combination with the pond offer a powerful and fresh image. The vivid spectacle of the brilliant colors of dying leaves in fall are a prelude for the arrival of winter and its white shroud of snow.

The two most important gardening seasons in Japan are spring and winter. Japanese refer to the snow accumulated on braches as Sekku or snow blossoms. Yukimi, or the snow viewing lantern, is another typical element of the Japanese garden in winter. The sleep of the garden in winter is an important episode for our Japanese gardener, while for the western gardener spring is the beginning of the work at the garden. Maybe because of the eastern point of view as death like part of the life cycle, or perhaps the western fear to death.

About garden enclosures

Let's see the garden as a microcosm of nature. If we're looking for the garden to be a true retreat, we have to 'set it apart' from the outside world. Because of that, fences and gates are important components of the Japanese garden.

The fence and the gates have both symbolism and functionality. The worries and concerns of our daily life have to stay out of this separate world that becomes the garden. The fence protects us from the outside world and the gate is the threshold where we leave our daily worries and then prepare ourselves to confront the real world again.

The use of fences is based in the concept of hide/reveal or Miegakure. Fence styles are very simple and are put in combination with screen planting, thus not giving many clues of what hides inside. You can give a sample look of your garden by cutting a small window in the solid wall that encloses your garden if that's the case. Sode-gaki, or sleeve fences, are fences attached to an architectural structure, that will only show a specific view of the garden from inside the house. Thus, we're invited to get into the garden and enjoy it in its entirety. That's what makes the true understanding of the garden, to lose in it our sense of time and self.

Basic Arrangements

Despite the fact that certain rules are applied to each individual garden, don't think that there's just one type of garden. There are three basic styles that differ by setting and purpose.

Hill and Pond Garden (Chisen-Kaiyu-skiki)

A China imported classic style. A pond or a space filled with raked gravel fronts a hill (or hills). This style always represents mountainous places and commonly makes use of vegetation indigenous to the mountains. Stroll gardens commonly use this style.

Flat Garden (Hiraniwa)

It derives from the use of open, flat spaces in front of temples and palaces for ceremonies. This is an appropriate style for contemplation and that represents a seashore area (with the use of the right plants). This is a style frequently used in courtyards.

Tea Gardens (Rojiniwa)

Function has a greater importance than form in this type of garden. The Roji or dewy path, is the main point of the garden, along with the pond and the gates. This would be the exception to the rule. The simple and sparse plantings give a rustic feeling to the garden.

Formality has to be taken in consideration

Hill and pond and flat styles may be shin (formal), gyo (intermediate) or so (informal). Formal styles were to be found usually at temples or palaces, intermediate styles were suitable for most residences, and the informal style was used in peasant huts and mountain retreats. The tea garden is the one that always fits in the informal style.

The garden components

Rocks (ishi in Japanese) are the main concern of the Japanese garden. If the stones are placed correctly, then the garden shows in a perfect balance. So here are shown the basic stone types and the rules for their positions.

The basic stones are the tall upright stone, the low upright stone, the curved stone, the reclining stone, and the horizontal stone. These must be usually set in triads although this doesn't happen always. Two almost identical stones (by way of example, two tall verticals or two reclining stones), one a little quite smaller than the other, can be set together as male and female, but the use of them in threes, fives, and sevens is more frequent.

We have to keep away from the Three Bad Stones. These are the Diseased stone (having a withered or misshapen top), the Dead stone (an obviously vertical one used as a horizontal, or vice versa, like the placement of a dead body), and the Pauper Stone (a stone having no connection to the several other ones in the garden). Use only one stone of each of the basic types in any cluster (the rest have to be smaller, modest stones also known as throwaway stones). Stones can be placed as sculptures, set against a background in a two-dimensional way, or given a purpose, such as a stepping stone or a bridge.

When used as stepping stones they should be between one and three inches above the soil, yet solid underfoot, as if rooted into the ground. They can be put in straight lines, offset for left foot, right foot (referred as chidori or plover, after the tracks the shore bird leaves), or set in sets of twos, threes, fours, or fives (and any combination thereof).

The pathway stands for the passage through life, and even particular stones by the path may have meaning. A much wider stone placed across the path tells us to put two feet here, stopping to enjoy the view. There are numerous stones for specific places. When observing the basic design principles, we can notice the exact character of the Japanese garden.

Water (mizu in Japanese) plays an important part in the composition of the Japanese garden because of Japan's abundant rainfall. Water can be represented even with a raked gravel area instead of water. A rushing stream can be represented by placing flat river stones closely together. In the tea garden, where there isn't any stream or pond, water plays the most important role in the ritual cleansing at the chozubachi, or water basin. As the water fills and empties from the shishi-odoki, or deer scare, the clack of bamboo on rock helps mark the passage of time.

The flow of water, the way it sounds and looks, brings to mind the continual passage of time. A bridge crossing the water stream is often used as a landscaping complement. Bridges denote a journey, just as pathways do. Hashi, in japanese, can mean bridge or edge. Bridges are the symbolic pass from one world into another, a constant theme in Japanese art.

Plants or Shokobutsu may play a secondary role to the stones in the garden, but they are a primary concern in the design too. Stones represent what remains unchanged, so trees, shrubs, and perennials have to represent the passing of seasons. Earlier garden styles used plants to make up poetic connotations or to correct geomantic issues, but these have little meaning today.

As the the Heian style diminished under the Zen influence, perennials and grasses fell out of use. So, for a long time, there were only a few plants that tradition allowed for the garden. However, in modern Japan, designers are again widening the spectrum of materials used. It is highly recommended that native plants are chosen for the garden, because showy exotic plants are not in good taste. Be aware that native plants are used in the garden, because it is in bad taste to use showy exotic plants. Although pines, cherries and bamboo immediately remind us of Japanese gardens, we encourage you to use native plants of your locality that you can find pleasing. If we choose evergreens as the main plant theme and combine it with deciduous material that may provide seasonal blooms or foliage color we can recreate the look of the Japanese garden.

Now the next thing taken in consideration in a Japanese garden are the ornaments or Tenkebutsu. Stone lanterns are, for westerners, a typical impression of Japanese gardens.Stone lanterns are not important components of the Japanese garden. The reason is that ornaments are subjected to the garden's design. Lanterns, stupas, and basins are just architectural complements added when a point of visual interest is necessary to the design.

A good way to finish yor garden design could be a well-placed lantern. The three main styles (although with many variations) are: The Kasuga style lantern, is a very formal one featuring a stone base. In the Oribe style lantern, unlike the Kasuga style, the pedestal is underneath the ground. The Yukimi or Snow-Viewing lantern is set on short legs instead of a pedestal. Consider the formality of your garden setting to choose the appropriate lantern.

When possible, elements from outside the garden can be included in it. For instance, you can work a far away mountain including the scenery in your design, framing it with the stones and plants existing in the garden.

The borrowed scenery (shakkei in Japanese) can be: Far (as in a far away mountain); near (a tree just outside the fence); High (an element seen above the fence) or low (like a component seen below a fence or through a window in the fence).

As much as it is perceived to contradict our sense of enclosure, it reminds us of how all things are interconnected.

The feel of your garden

The Japanese garden is a subtle place full of contradictions and imperatives. Where firmly established rules are broken with other rules. If you meet the Buddha on the road, you must kill him is a Zen paradox that recommends not to stick so tightly to rules, and the same goes for Japanese gardens.

When building a Japanese garden, don't get too attached to traditions that hold little meaning for you. It would have no function to recreate a Buddhist saints garden. This also applies to trying to remember the meaning of stone placements, as this method is no longer used in Japan, or even in the United States, due to the lack of meaning for us in the modern world.

That's why we have selected a few gardening suggestions that do hold relevance and integrate them into a garden. These three ideas on gardening will give direction to achieve perfect results.

First

The overall setting of the garden should always be right for the location, not the other way around.

Second

The stones should be placed first, next the trees, and then the shrubs.

Third

Get used to the concepts of shin, gyo, and so. This is of great help to start working on the garden.

Have in mind that the real Japanese gardens are the traditional ones in Japan. What we can do in America is to shape a garden in the Japanese style. Rikyu once said about the perfect Roji: "Thick green moss, all pure and sunny warm". In other words, techniques are not as important as the feeling you evoke in your garden. Said in other way, the feeling is more important than techniques.

Garden pond designs, schemas, questions

The correct landscape design and the right materials are imperative, but what is also crucial is the placement of each stone and planting to produce the desired effect. The art of creating beautiful water falls landscapes involves the ability to artistically place the natural boulders and plantings in such a way that it looks as if Nature had done the work instead of a human. Garden Pond designs may vary from small bird bath types to large garden ponds. The information on this page will make it easy for you to install a pond in your garden. Even the birds will think they are in paradise. Garden Pond Design Aspects The sound of running water relaxes the mind It's a good idea to have some form of water running into your pond Running water blends in with the noise of traffic, it's like music to the ears and it calms the soul. A garden pond will create a peaceful welcoming atmosphere. Before you begin, decide on what type of garden pond design you want Integrate the pond design into your over all garden design. The pond design must fit in harmoniously with the rest of the garden design.

The size and location of your pond is not just dependent on the design principles. An often overlooked item is the natural flow of water on the garden site To look natural, you need to adapt your design to this. In a very formal garden design this aspect becomes less important. Remember that you must not fight against nature. If you are thinking of having a river or a waterfall into your pond, Remember, this simple rule: Downhill. This also means taking the natural slope of your garden into account. Different types of ponds influence the garden pond design. The size, purpose and durability required often determine the type of construction. There are different types of ponds: Concrete Ponds made with an inside plastic liner Pre formed ponds: Include fish in your garden pond design. Provide adequate shelter for the fish against birds. One way of doing this is by placing some broken pots in the pond. Their curved surfaces make an excellent hideaway. You must never be able to see the source of the water comes. For example, a large leaf plant could be placed in the area where the river comes from. The start of the river may also be hidden in some other way, for example a large pot or by another focal point. Provide this through plants close to the pond, and water plants that spread across the surface of the water.

Garden Pond Plants: Choose plants for your pond that will fit into your overall garden design. Water plants are dramatically different to normal plants. Introduce the water plants by choosing garden plants that blend in with your marginal plants. Soil nutrients constantly leached into pond water could result in green water. To overcome this, retain the media (soil) by placing gravel on top of the soil in the pot. Terra cotta pots work well in ponds. The sun can also cause the water to go green. Water lilies grow at the base of the pond. The valuable cover of the lily leaves shade the algae out in summer. Try and cover a third to a half of your pond with water lilies. You need one lily for every one and a half to three square meters of pond surface. Grow marginal plants along the edges of your pond. Fill a third of the circumference of your pond with marginal plants. Marginal plants include: Iris laevigate, lobelia fulgens, Mentha aquatica, Pontederia Cordata. Oxygenating plants (submerged plants), provide underwater foliage. These plants use up the waste nutrients in the pond, and starves the algae of nutrients. Use five bunches of oxygenating plants for every square meter.

You can get these plants from pet shops that sell fish and aquarium supplies. Oxygenating plants include: Elodea densa, and Ranunculus peltatus. Floating plants can be attached to two empty plastic cool drink bottles. You can also get floating pots from your local nursery. Introduce one for every one to one and a half square meters of surface area A good floating plant is Azolla spp/Lemna. Plant bog plants (moisture-loving plants) in damp soil near the edge of the pond or a constructed bog garden. Most bog plants prefer to have only their roots in the water. Consider a bog garden as part of your garden pond design. Treating the Dreaded Algae Problem Algae are single celled plants. Spores are present in the air and will colonize any new body of water. They are rarely harmful to water-life, but are unsightly. In severe cases they may cause problems with the health of the fish. There are a variety of different algae that will colonize a pond, from thin long strands to floating clumps.

Algae control can be done by obtaining a natural balance using a pond filter, an ultraviolet light purifier and as a last resort an algaecide. The natural balance consists of starving the algae of light and nutrients. Best form of algae control is a correctly balanced pond with enough plant material to screen out the sunlight and prevent the growth of algae. A mesh bag filled with barley straw can assist in algae control. The silicates in the straw bind nutrients, such as phosphates. The straw seems to promote as organism that feeds off the algae. Straw needs to be replaced on a regular basis as it will start to decompose and pollute the water. I suggest you replace the straw every six months. You can buy barley wheat from your local health shop. Enjoy your Pond Doing a garden pond design for your garden is really worth the effort. I have sat on my patio on many occasions and just marveled at the dragonflies, butterflies and birds visiting and enjoying the water. It is so therapeutic and a special meditation retreat for me. It's easy to give your garden statuary value.

Integrate the pond design into your over all garden design. Terra cotta pots work well in ponds. Try and cover a third to a half of your pond with water lilies. Grow marginal plants along the edges of your pond. These plants use up the waste nutrients in the pond, and starves the algae of nutrients. Consider a bog garden as part of your garden pond design. There are a variety of different algae that will colonize a pond, from thin long strands to floating clumps. Algae control can be done by obtaining a natural balance using a pond filter, an ultraviolet light purifier and as a last resort an algaecide. Best form of algae control is a correctly balanced pond with enough plant material to screen out the sunlight and prevent the growth of algae. [SUBTOPIC=4] Great Gardening Tips helps you to find multiple resources available on the web for water garden pond plan. [SUBTOPIC=5] It has been described as "Nature's Song," that relaxing sound of a mountain stream that leads us to a quiet place of balance and serenity. The art of creating beautiful water falls landscapes involves the ability to artistically place the natural boulders and plantings in such a way that it looks as if Nature had done the work. The correct landscape design and the right materials are imperative, but what is also crucial is the placement of each stone and planting to produce the desired effect. Garden Pond Design for Tranquility and Peace A good garden pond design wows just about any garden.

Garden Pond designs may vary from small bird bath types to large garden ponds Water seems to make a garden look bigger. The reflective qualities in a pond attract us, and nature. If your garden pond is designed correctly, it can add a new dimension to your garden. Even the birds will think they are in paradise. Garden Pond Design Aspects The sound of running water relaxes the mind. Its a good idea to have some form of water running into your pond Running water blends in with the noise of traffic, its like music to the ears and it calms the soul. A garden pond will create a peaceful welcoming atmosphere. Before you begin, decide on what type of garden pond design you want Integrate the pond design into your over all garden design The pond design must fit in harmoniously with the rest of the garden design The size and location of your pond is not just dependent on the design principles. An often overlooked item is the natural flow of water on the garden site To look natural, you need to adapt your design to this.

In a very formal garden design this aspect becomes less important. Remember that you must not fight against nature. If you are thinking of having a river or a waterfall into your pond, remember this simple rule: Downhill. This also means taking the natural slope of your garden into account Different types of ponds influence the garden pond design. The size, purpose and durability required often determine the type of construction. There are different types of ponds: Concrete Ponds made with an inside plastic liner Pre formed ponds. Include fish in your garden pond design. Provide adequate shelter for the fish against birds. One way of doing this is by placing some broken pots in the pond. Their curved surfaces make an excellent hideaway. You must never be able to see the source of the water comes. For example, a large leaf plant could be placed in the area where the river comes from. The start of the river may also be hidden in some other way, for example a large pot or by another focal point. Provide this through plants close to the pond, and water plants that spread across the surface of the water.

Garden Pond Plants Choose plants for your pond that will fit into your overall garden design. Water plants are dramatically different to normal plants. Introduce the water plants by choosing garden plants that blend in with your marginal plants Soil nutrients constantly leached into pond water could result in green water. To overcome this, retain the media (soil) by placing gravel on top of the soil in the pot. Terra cotta pots work well in ponds. The sun can also cause the water to go green. Water lilies grow at the base of the pond. The valuable cover of the lily leaves shade the algae out in summer. Try and cover a third to a half of your pond with water lilies. You need one lily for every one and a half to three square metres of pond surface. Grow marginal plants along the edges of your pond. Fill a third of the circumference of your pond with marginal plants Marginal plants include: Iris laevigate, lobelia fulgens, Mentha aquatica, Pontederia Cordata. Oxygenating plants (submerged plants), provide underwater foliage.

These plants use up the waste nutrients in the pond, and starves the algae of nutrients. Use five bunches of oxygenating plants for every square metre You can get these plants from pet shops that sell fish and aquarium supplies Oxygenating plants include: Elodea densa, and Ranunculus peltatus. Floating plants can be attached to two empty plastic cool drink bottles You can also get floating pots from your local nursery. Introduce one for every one to one and a half square metres of surface area A good floating plant is Azolla spp/Lemna. Plant bog plants (moisture-loving plants) in damp soil near the edge of the pond or a constructed bog garden. Most bog plants prefer to have only their roots in the water, Consider a bog garden as part of your garden pond design. See our page on how to build a pond for an easy way to build and integrate a bog garden into your garden pond design. Treating the Dreaded Algae Problem Algae are single celled plants. Spores are present in the air and will colonize any new body of water They are rarely harmful to water-life, but are unsightly. In severe cases they may cause problems with the health of the fish.

There are a variety of different algae that will colonize a pond, from thin long strands to floating clumps. Algae control can be done by obtaining a natural balance using a pond filter, an ultraviolet light purifier and as a last resort an algaecide. The natural balance consists of starving the algae of light and nutrients. Best form of algae control is a correctly balanced pond with enough plant material to screen out the sunlight and prevent the growth of algae A mesh bag filled with barley straw can assist in algae control. The silicates in the straw bind nutrients, such as phosphates. The straw seems to promote as organism that feeds off the algae. Straw needs to be replaced on a regular basis as it will start to decompose and pollute the water. I suggest you replace the straw every six months. You can buy barley wheat from your local health shop. Enjoy your Pond Doing a garden pond design for your garden is really worth the effort. I have sat on my patio on many occasions and just marveled at the dragonflies, butterflies and birds visiting and enjoying the water. It is so therapeutic and a special meditation retreat for me.

Do not overlook safety

Garden Pond Safety Do not overlook safety in your design. Water is always a hazard especially for small children Design your pond with child safety in mind A sturdy stainless steel grid a few inches under the water surface should provide protection on a deep pond A safer bet would be to have a shallow pond where small children will be able to crawl out of the pond Whatever design you decide on should adequately address this issue No matter how beautiful a design, it can never warrant the loss of a child or a pets life.

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