| Gardening is a very popular hobby, and one | | | | fits the surrounding area, including wedges, |
| that can be enjoyed by young or old, whole | | | | ovals, and long rectangles. Depending on the |
| families, someone employed outside the home, | | | | shape, and the amount of space, you'll have |
| and those who are self-employed or | | | | lots of scope to create a multi-level riot of |
| stay-at-home parents. | | | | color. If the garden faces the house, you'll |
| | | | want to plant your longer flowers to the |
| Getting outside into the fresh air, and | | | | rear, and then "step down" in size to border |
| exercising your creativity on floral, herb | | | | plants. With ovals and circles that can be |
| and vegetable gardens is not only healthy, | | | | appreciated from all sides, the taller plants |
| but will bring pleasure to your family and | | | | should go in the center, and work your way to |
| visitors. Whether you devote hours every day | | | | the shortest ones from the center, outwards. |
| to your efforts, or concentrate all your | | | | |
| talents on weekend binges of planting and | | | | These larger, display gardens are the perfect |
| weeding, it's possible to create just the | | | | place to put focal decorations such as |
| look you want, from old English country | | | | birdbaths, or sundials. In a smaller garden, |
| gardens, to the carefully organized "wild" | | | | one bird bath would be sufficient, but in a |
| look. | | | | long strip garden, one near each end, with |
| | | | perhaps a sun dial in the center, will make |
| The first thing you'll need to consider | | | | an outstanding display. |
| before starting on a grand plan for revamping | | | | |
| your yard, is the type of soil. If you don't | | | | Gardens that are closer to the house, and |
| know what you have, for example the level of | | | | which are seen from the windows, are usually |
| acidity, check with your local garden center | | | | where people choose to add those extra |
| for test kits before investing in plants and | | | | special touches. An herb garden that gives |
| bushes that won't thrive in what you can | | | | off delightful scents in summer, is made more |
| offer them. Once you know what you're working | | | | charming with flat garden stones placed at |
| with, you can go ahead and decide what to | | | | intervals. These come with pictures, mottos, |
| plant, and how you want your gardens laid | | | | quotations and even Bible verses. |
| out. | | | | |
| | | | Another highly popular item to tuck in |
| No matter what the topography of your yard, | | | | amongst the blossoms, are decorative |
| e.g. completely flat, dotted with trees, | | | | figurines. The durable construction in |
| undulating, or sloped, you can find just the | | | | long-lasting vinyl or alabastrite, offers |
| right plants to brighten up a dark corner, or | | | | years of enjoyment from squirrels, rabbits, |
| fill in a bare space. | | | | fairies, and the always amusing, gnomes. |
| | | | |
| Areas which get a lot of shade are often | | | | You can also extend your outside décor |
| dark, but that doesn't mean they have to be | | | | from the house to the garden, by matching |
| dull. This can be a great place to install an | | | | garden flags to the design of flags you have |
| in-the-ground lined pond for goldfish. Or how | | | | mounted in brackets on your home. These come |
| about a rock garden, and let the kids help | | | | in seasonal and holiday designs, and can be |
| you collect the rocks that will elevate the | | | | part of an overall theme that would include |
| level of the plants, and give it that | | | | things like a lady bug house flag, garden |
| "natural" look. For a touch of the whimsical, | | | | flags, garden stones, and key hider! |
| place something like a bear figurine with a | | | | |
| gazing ball, right in the center, where it | | | | Imagination is the only key you'll need to |
| will be the focus of attention. | | | | designing a garden that will enhance your |
| | | | property and be a pleasure to work in. When |
| Wide open spaces, such as along the edge of a | | | | you're done, make time to sit back and enjoy |
| lawn or yard, are the perfect place to plant | | | | what you've created. |
| a large, "graduated" garden in the shape that | | | | |