Innovative Garden Ideas for 2014

<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As anyone who has ever looked out over an unkempt garden will testify, gardening is often seen as an inconvenient and unwanted chore. To some, however, it is a relaxing and therapeutic past time, that allows them to enjoy their outdoor space while also experiencing a number of unusual <a href="http://www.lep.co.uk/news/health-benefits-of-gardening-1-6072413">health benefits</a>.<br/> <br/> To these individuals, gardening represents far more than a simple chore. Instead, it is an opportunity to create a visually attractive and purposeful space, and one which serves as an extension of their home. With this in mind, a great deal of time and money can be invested into cultivating a picturesque garden that also serves multiple purposes for home-owners.<br/> <br/> <b>Innovative Garden Trends and Design Ideas for 2014</b><br/> <br/> So what trends and design ideas should gardening enthusiasts look out for in the year ahead? Consider the following...<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurEV8wclmEbxCL7FgjGNhfxQqJKnoQlhVXHeFLtWtiFDs-q6-HnCIIRfFM7JIFIWzXNsZSkA0JmJ_JC2mXGPC9JM1qBm3cmN55YRXSLruAeUS3-y-r7Cya2R5NOQu7vTqqwigUgFwsIU/s1600/woodengarden.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurEV8wclmEbxCL7FgjGNhfxQqJKnoQlhVXHeFLtWtiFDs-q6-HnCIIRfFM7JIFIWzXNsZSkA0JmJ_JC2mXGPC9JM1qBm3cmN55YRXSLruAeUS3-y-r7Cya2R5NOQu7vTqqwigUgFwsIU/s320/woodengarden.jpg" width="320" /></a><br/> <br/> <span class="fullpost"><b>A Multi-functional Garden Space that Retains its Aesthetic Appeal</b><br/> <br/> One of the main interior design trends in 2013 has revolved around multi-functionality, and this is set to be embraced by gardeners in 2014. Essentially, it demands that any outdoor space should fulfil numerous purposes simultaneously, while also maintaining its visual appeal. This may require you to section off areas of your garden using materials purchased from suppliers such as <a href="http://www.buyfencingdirect.co.uk/">Buy Fencing Direct</a>, as this will allow you to create a segregated space that enables you to relax, grow food and entertain guests within a single outdoor space. While this may be more difficult for owners of new build properties who have access to a compact garden, it is important to remember that a creative layout can do wonders for a limited space.<br/> <br/> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcq3ucKHOX0SggJuZV5xg3BVyUgg32qcGdgx_5AeK-uOGUYeSb3-Q-MmB2zhDlX822PB12yUcMDngDHj7E0rHtqZFM332B4F_XcDds5BsbBYcltgRmPknrN4YoSOzdVmj1sA05IjVoZI/s1600/pergola.jpg"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcq3ucKHOX0SggJuZV5xg3BVyUgg32qcGdgx_5AeK-uOGUYeSb3-Q-MmB2zhDlX822PB12yUcMDngDHj7E0rHtqZFM332B4F_XcDds5BsbBYcltgRmPknrN4YoSOzdVmj1sA05IjVoZI/s320/pergola.jpg" width="320" /></a><br/> <br /> <b>The 'Theme Garden'</b><br/> <br/> Increasingly, the perception of the typical garden is changing among modern home-owners, as individuals look to create a space that provides an escape from the pressures of everyday life. In order to achieve this, innovative home-owners across the world have created the concept of the theme garden, which borrows heavily from alternative cultures to establish a space that reflects each individuals tastes, style and life experiences. If you life in a residential area but have your roots in a coastal or seaside area, for example, you may wish to turn your garden into a beach escape that reflects your upbringing and most cherished memories. Not only does this create a space that is unique to you, but it also creates a wow factor that will impress both residents and guests alike.<br/> <br/> <b>An Increasing Emphasis on Greenery</b><br/> <br/> While <a href="http://www.gardendesign.com/places/6-cutting-edge-garden-trends-from-australia">professionally designed gardens</a> are also on the rise in the UK, the emphasis of home-owners has begun to shift considerably in 2013. More specifically, they are increasingly focused on enhancing the greener aspects of their garden, while relying less on landscaping and decorative features to define their chosen look. As a result of this, planting styles and species are becoming increasingly diverse in British gardens, as home-owners look to integrate unusual colours and a sense of the exotic into their outdoor space. This means that individual gardens are likely to become more unique and sophisticated in 2014, with varied plant life and picturesque flowers dominating the landscape.<br/> <br/> <i>This article is contributed by Vickie Harrison.</i></span></span></span>

Garden Solution, Guest

Innovative Garden Ideas for 2014

As anyone who has ever looked out over an unkempt garden will testify, gardening is often seen as an inconvenient and unwanted chore. To som...

A Fool-Proof Guide to Laying Garden Paths

<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Paths are an essential part of any garden – they can break up broad spaces of open grass as well as providing the eye with an appealing point of reference that stops large lawns becoming visually overwhelming. They can also protect your lawn from wear and add a much needed splash of neutral colour to your garden.<br /> <br /> Unfortunately, laying a brand new path can often be a daunting prospect if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing: It’s all too easy to run out of materials when don’t know the exact amount of ground that you’re covering, and there’s no counting the number of times that people have finished laying a path only to find that their expensive flagstones shift as soon as any significant weight is placed upon them.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod_rYNnh2mer1lYMXNbNUl7ERIqt9uLTQvMQR0NTksDxXsYq00l_1MGi4t13Mni_b5pNBcDlarTCmKAwSaoP0hwmCeZN8kcPNajm1nKKmOObhlSej5zUpfhtz5OXqm499NxjVcKWLgMQ/s1600/cross+top+ct90.jpg"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod_rYNnh2mer1lYMXNbNUl7ERIqt9uLTQvMQR0NTksDxXsYq00l_1MGi4t13Mni_b5pNBcDlarTCmKAwSaoP0hwmCeZN8kcPNajm1nKKmOObhlSej5zUpfhtz5OXqm499NxjVcKWLgMQ/s320/cross+top+ct90.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /> <br /> <span class="fullpost">To avoid pitfalls like this, it’s important to make sure that you carefully plan your project beforehand, and properly construct your path using the right materials.<br /> <br /> You should always start by <a href="http://www.gardena.com/uk/garden-life/my-garden/">laying out a plan on squared paper</a> and then marking the ground with pegs and string to make sure that you can accurately measure the exact area of your path. This will help to ensure that you know exactly how many square feet of flagstones you will need to buy, as well as ensuring that you know what the finished project will look like well in advance.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYmZrH9VcCGX6ukNrTH7ClSmcdtYt9yYjxub72QbrKTxOVpjuWshRqu6nr0bs2WmALwMieMqU3hw97wCSkkCZkmmoScetWyU2gjvh4WPthS7lAVvW10Ur-iWyzu4gActbFYQNazcu5lU/s1600/decking+accesories.jpg"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYmZrH9VcCGX6ukNrTH7ClSmcdtYt9yYjxub72QbrKTxOVpjuWshRqu6nr0bs2WmALwMieMqU3hw97wCSkkCZkmmoScetWyU2gjvh4WPthS7lAVvW10Ur-iWyzu4gActbFYQNazcu5lU/s320/decking+accesories.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /> <br /> Once you have a good idea of exactly how much ground you intend to cover, you can then begin purchasing materials. Normally the materials that you will need include:<br/> <br /> (1) Enough sand to cover the area required to a depth of one inch<br/> (2) Paving stones (preferably made of the same high-quality stone that’s used by garden suppliers like <a href="http://www.milfordfencingandpaving.co.uk/product-range/paving-walling/block-paving">Milford</a><br/> (3) Mortar sand to fill any joints or gaps<br/> <br /> As with all things, it is best be cautious here, and purchase enough excess building materials to allow for a 10% margin of error.<br /> <br /> Once you have your materials to hand, and you’re path is nicely laid out, the rest is really very simple – just remove any existing sod with a flat shovel, lay down a solid inch of compacted sand, stamp it down and then begin laying your paving stones. The only thing that you’ll need to watch out for now, is that your sand doesn’t get damp before the stones go down, as this can significantly weaken the integrity of your path. Once all the slabs are down, just shovel mortar sand into the gaps to stop things shifting around, and then sit back and congratulate yourself on a job well done.<br /> <br /> <i>This article is contributed by Vickie Harrison.</i></span></span></span>

Garden Solution, Guest

A Fool-Proof Guide to Laying Garden Paths

Paths are an essential part of any garden – they can break up broad spaces of open grass as well as providing the eye with an appealing poin...

Quick Fixes for a Balding Lawn

<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Constant wear and tear, whether it’s from your pet dogs, your children or even particularly heavy-footed guests, will eventually create bald patches on your lawn. Lawn grasses aren’t the hardiest of plants in the first place, and the stresses and strains of heavy use can easily damage their relatively weak roots – rendering them lifeless and extremely fragile.<br/> <br/> Luckily, it’s quite easy to disguise any bald patches on your lawn <i>before</i> they become a real eyesore. Just take a look at the three different ideas below for some inspiration:<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-4qTYINxpYDAglva8XPG8spXeQwe3CDKPA3HYE4siAU1BnLsnfrSbQSa0b4Csn4LOZG6RBZjb0TkC_sanJ-2JQvrDk_x9I3ZEIZcS6IFhsrK4rDQreHMWHUebjLxQPwy3xcxXawFG7w/s1600/VALE1.jpg"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-4qTYINxpYDAglva8XPG8spXeQwe3CDKPA3HYE4siAU1BnLsnfrSbQSa0b4Csn4LOZG6RBZjb0TkC_sanJ-2JQvrDk_x9I3ZEIZcS6IFhsrK4rDQreHMWHUebjLxQPwy3xcxXawFG7w/s320/VALE1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br/> <br /> <span class="fullpost"><b>Lay Down Some Fresh Coat of Topsoil and Over-Seed Any Bare Patches</b><br /> <br /> The most sustainable way to revitalize your lawn is definitely to sprinkle high quality top soil on any bare patches, and then sow with fresh seeds to encourage the growth of new, healthy grasses. This is probably the most cost-effective method of dealing with balding lawns too, but it does have a significant downside: It must be done in the early fall; otherwise young grasses will succumb to early frosts, and die off without getting the chance to establish their roots.<br/> <br/> If you do decide to adopt this route, ensure that you sow bluegrass, ryegrass or <a href="http://www.american-lawns.com/grasses/grasses.html">some other hardy strain</a> that’s been bred to thrive in relatively inhospitable conditions.<br/> <br /> <b>Think About Creating a Small Flower Bed in the Centre of Your Lawn</b><br/> <br/> Since it’s often the centre of lawns that wear out first, another effective tactic for dealing with unsightly bald spots is to create a new bed or border in the middle of your garden. Using high quality soil, some late blooming autumn flowers and a decent spade, you can easily dig up a small section of lawn, and turn it into a pleasant feature.<br/> <br/> To make things look a little more professional, you might also want to consider edging your new feature with shale, granite or slate to ensure that it draws the eye, and remains an effective centrepiece.<br/> <br/> <b>Think About Constructing a New Garden Shed or Summerhouse</b><br /> <br /> Although this is less relevant for covering up the centre of a balding lawn, and it can be quite expensive, this is a particularly effective technique for covering up any bald spots on the southern edge of your garden – a particularly common problem in gardens that aren’t really well exposed to the sun.<br /> <br /> What’s more sheds or summerhouses, like flower borders, can also help to draw attention away from your lawn by establishing a clear point of visual focus in your garden.<br/> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICHp4soqWPXeclVUAcb29t7UPY7-2CZz84-9VKb8NwGl2Mwg7PLB5LcxDblArYZYTa2ht5EScw2ivAtuf4n5SM2GtcDyXFGLVBUO5EuNX0yALaNen8ek9DgpRQzHh86BjDmN1a9W7U8U/s1600/VALE2.jpg"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICHp4soqWPXeclVUAcb29t7UPY7-2CZz84-9VKb8NwGl2Mwg7PLB5LcxDblArYZYTa2ht5EScw2ivAtuf4n5SM2GtcDyXFGLVBUO5EuNX0yALaNen8ek9DgpRQzHh86BjDmN1a9W7U8U/s320/VALE2.jpg" width="320" /></a><br/> <br /> When it comes to buying a shed though, make sure you pick one that’s made from the same sort of high quality timber that <a href="http://www.valestables.com/">Vale Stables</a> use for their constructions though, because the last thing that you want is an inferior outbuilding that starts to rot, or falls apart during the damper months of winter.<br /> <br/> <i>This article is contributed by Vickie Harrison.</i></span></span></span>

Garden Solution, Guest

Quick Fixes for a Balding Lawn

Constant wear and tear, whether it’s from your pet dogs, your children or even particularly heavy-footed guests, will eventually create bald...

How to keep your home safe at night

<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The threat of home invasions is something which is very real to some people, and they live in fear of people coming into their home at night. Others worry about being alone during the hours of darkness, and want to be sure that they can protect themselves, and their home, at night. It is not practical to hire a security guard, and it is not possible to surround the home with barbed wire. Instead, homeowners have to take steps to ensure that burglars are deterred before they even step in the home. There are several ways in which this can be done.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTssfTiVl8ZDg1dl69QVjY00l6ZNLlyamisMvCVb5yoQ6ygX21O0GG9XZdklyC6NEXDoYBmWicgfsKpYAA7wu6Q7_eT21SRiCfMOWSoWsHiX6rDxASku1VY-E4coRvhbG_Oo7ubgTFMms/s1600/Yescom-Home-9-1.jpg"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTssfTiVl8ZDg1dl69QVjY00l6ZNLlyamisMvCVb5yoQ6ygX21O0GG9XZdklyC6NEXDoYBmWicgfsKpYAA7wu6Q7_eT21SRiCfMOWSoWsHiX6rDxASku1VY-E4coRvhbG_Oo7ubgTFMms/s320/Yescom-Home-9-1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /> <br /> <span class="fullpost"><b>1) Keep Well Lit</b><br /> <br /> One of the most important ways to deter a burglar is to have an effective lighting system around the outside of the property. This not only allows you to see the home as you drive up, but makes sure that people looking at your house can see someone trying to break in. Outside lights do not have to be expensive or difficult to install, and a few LED <a href="http://www.yescomusa.com/Outdoor-Umbrella">patio umbrella lights</a> can quickly make the perimeter seem quite well-lit.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36wtS0n4ZGUNj1RTXHNuoWNAzLcAcxScwnqUtK62mZLbU_Jb6ZgWPR5MN8wCyKIUmQStDht5cGQLGyy5jVSi86KRQs8UHtwpn4PDkC8OqMaPOWzTXefHuwhPMkMJ-qpeLzbhQUeCcHd8/s1600/Yescom-Home-9-2.jpg"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36wtS0n4ZGUNj1RTXHNuoWNAzLcAcxScwnqUtK62mZLbU_Jb6ZgWPR5MN8wCyKIUmQStDht5cGQLGyy5jVSi86KRQs8UHtwpn4PDkC8OqMaPOWzTXefHuwhPMkMJ-qpeLzbhQUeCcHd8/s320/Yescom-Home-9-2.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /> <br /> <b>2) Have motion sensors</b><br /> <br /> The outside of the house might be well-lit, but it is much harder to see people moving around just outside that circle of light. The best way to ensure that you can see someone walking up the path is to use a motion sensor alarm. This responds to people moving past a particular area, and at once the whole path can be lit up, allowing you to see whoever is on the path. Carefully placing the lights, including hiding them in flowerbeds or using patio umbrella lights, are a good way to ensure that your lights can be seen when lit, but are hard to find in darkness.<br /> <br /> <b>3) Use Timers</b><br /> <br /> One of the things which burglars and intruders look for is a lack of motion in the home. This includes lights being left on all day, and well into the night, or curtains not being closed. The answer to this is to program the lights to turn on and off according to set times, and have the curtains also controlled in the same way, so they move forward and back as you have ordered. This means that there is activity in the house even when no-one is there, helping to deter casual thieves and intruders.<br /><br /> <b>4) Maintain the garden</b><br /> <br /> It is easy to allow the garden to become unkempt, and this includes tree branches and climbing plants to hang close to windows on the upper floor. Aside from the fact that these plants can undermine the house, growing into foundations or damaging brickwork, they also provide foot holds for burglars, and allow easy access into the property. Careful maintenance of bushes and fences near windows is also important, and some choose to add glass fragments to the top of walls in order to prevent people climbing on top and getting onto the roof.<br /> <br /> <b>5) Use LED lights for reliability</b><br /> <br /> One problem with lighting is that it is easy for bulbs to wear out and need replacing. This can sometimes mean that a whole circuit dies, preventing the illumination of the house or the garden. The best way to solve this is by using LED lighting to provide a longer-lasting light source for the home. It is possible to buy LED patio umbrella lights from <a href="http://www.yescomusa.com/">YescomUSA</a> which will provide illumination on your property.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CgH1q7FXJylJLZlMtqOKVQ_wO-QINg1m-lu-wgWqOvncur4xLytij3QbHNbdd2w930n65bfuknMHwVyjIMEF8kQwx7DwZdUnntUvc9QsoD1j3S1CxB8oMI2B-JLNtUSdjwgrbMDHDgM/s1600/Yescom-Home-9-3.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CgH1q7FXJylJLZlMtqOKVQ_wO-QINg1m-lu-wgWqOvncur4xLytij3QbHNbdd2w930n65bfuknMHwVyjIMEF8kQwx7DwZdUnntUvc9QsoD1j3S1CxB8oMI2B-JLNtUSdjwgrbMDHDgM/s320/Yescom-Home-9-3.jpg" width="268" /></a><br /> <br /> <i>This article is contributed by Van of <a href="http://yescomusa.com/">YesComUSA.com</a></i></span></span></span>

Garden Solution, Guest

How to keep your home safe at night

The threat of home invasions is something which is very real to some people, and they live in fear of people coming into their home at night...

Create a combo garden

<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You don't need a big space to have a garden. In fact, you can have colourful blooms right at your doorstep even if you have limited space. With a little preparation and a bit of inspiration, you can create a beautiful pot of plants at a designated spot.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN82Fn_nc46ctMup7UyxibpEr0oiQKzazSKZ7-Adongob5Ksbm-fe2XAIQJ4_ZrK3x3D4SkSe_OCPvzLJvS7_rJ7GoRPwHR1JispSyYW1cEYZk6iw9EuBVHmz6zuRL3O_4xHZiPocA2M/s1600/Step+4+-+Gazania,+gaillardia+and+verbena+(copy+2).jpg"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN82Fn_nc46ctMup7UyxibpEr0oiQKzazSKZ7-Adongob5Ksbm-fe2XAIQJ4_ZrK3x3D4SkSe_OCPvzLJvS7_rJ7GoRPwHR1JispSyYW1cEYZk6iw9EuBVHmz6zuRL3O_4xHZiPocA2M/s320/Step+4+-+Gazania,+gaillardia+and+verbena+(copy+2).jpg" width="320" /></a><br /> <br /> <span class="fullpost">The <a href="http://www.nib.com.my/archives/text/view/69455094?pos=15&hide_header=1&resultset=nstpec%3Awww/cross-search/search.php%3A_1321333589%3Aresultset">article</a> that I wrote for New Straits Times has tips how to select and arrange the plants for making a great combo garden. The diagram below shows you how to create one.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunbl0vYy52Wfj-xtV0hcYWrC7Z6kCUj3D61rv9Kr0vgHadjJ91jU0QtfS2r3PKaMjglm25aQhC9puAYHcjNk-K7zsmxdwhEjhh5mouwIPPSV5kOEL9NzYsoecRONkibTeDAyRhj2SqUY/s1600/Combo+planting+(copy).jpg"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunbl0vYy52Wfj-xtV0hcYWrC7Z6kCUj3D61rv9Kr0vgHadjJ91jU0QtfS2r3PKaMjglm25aQhC9puAYHcjNk-K7zsmxdwhEjhh5mouwIPPSV5kOEL9NzYsoecRONkibTeDAyRhj2SqUY/s400/Combo+planting+(copy).jpg" width="500" /></a><br/> <br /> Enjoy the process and admire the result of your labour of love :-D</span></span></span> <br /> <hr class="sr-hr" /> <div class="sr-sig" style="text-align: right;"> <img src="http://i.imgur.com/c8S0hBD.png" style="padding: 0px; width: 100px;" /> </div>

Garden Project

Create a combo garden

You don't need a big space to have a garden. In fact, you can have colourful blooms right at your doorstep even if you have limited spac...