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.
For those who are novice in pond building and maintenance, they are of course completely naïve on everything that concerns their pond, especially in choosing fish pond supplies. Having no knowledge about ponds make it hard for them to choose which supplies should be used and what roles they will have in your pond. You may think that all pond types are almost similar but the fact is that it actually varies depending on a certain pond’s contents.
If you want to have a fish pond for example, the supplies that it will require are way too different than of a regular water pond. The creatures that will live in your pond will need to an environment that is friendly to them. This is for them to have longer lives. Some examples of the pond supplies that you will need to buy are algae control products, water conditioners and good pond filters. You also need to make sure that these products or chemicals will not be harmful to the living creatures in the pond.
Having a fish pond in your garden or backyard can cost you a lot of money. This is because that the fish in the water need a much more critical maintenance. Not only you need to make the environment look, feel and smell more natural for the fish, you also need to take care of the fish themselves. One thing you must keep in mind is to feed the fish on time and not too much. If you do feed them too much, the leftovers will be converted to organic materials that will feed the algae in the pond. If this happens, you will be required to spend more money to buy algae control products.
Before you start putting the fish in your newly-built pond, you need to make sure that you have dechlorinated the water. Tap water nowadays may contain chlorine which is not healthy to the fish at any costs. You may also want to consider some water conditioner since it not just lessen the nitrate content of the water, it is also capable to removing some chlorine content. You can do either since both are proven effective. Pond filters and aerators are also essential in your pond. You need to make sure that the water is always clean for the fish in it.
Another supply that you need to maintain your fish pond is the beneficial bacteria. Why beneficial? It is because of the advantages they give to you and your fish. these bacteria work to break down the organic wastes produced by the fish which if not treated, can cause algal growth.
The pumps in your pond should also be in their best shape all the time since they are the ones that circulate the water in pond thus making it suitable for the living creatures in it.
Tag : garden,home garden,garden center,flower garden,garden decor
Is a pond appealing to you as a feature in your garden, then before you start your pond project make sure you plan it right by doing plenty of research so that you get it right first time.
Its worth taking the design and planning of your pond seriously before you actually get out there and begin. If you get this bit right then your enjoyment of your pond building will last throughout with no mistakes or hitches.
The installation of a garden pond will throw up plenty of things to be thought about. Where are you going install your pond. what is going to be the scale of your pond and also how far down will it go. Researcing things like this will aid your decision making.
To plan a pond properly as we know research is the key and answers will be discovered about questions you didn't even have to begin with. Imagine getting to near the end of your pond construction then finding out that you should have included something closer to the beginning. Apart from kicking yourself you would have created more work.
A few other things to consider is the type of fish you are going to keep if any at all, some people prefer to have a pond for just wild life instead of fish. In my opinion fish is best. So think about the type of fish you want to keep.
A good way of doing this is to visit a few fish suppliers in your area so you can get a look at the fish close up. The research part when it comes to fish will also reveal the behaviour and characteristics of different fish and whether some fish are not suitable to keep with others.
What type of plants will you be adding to your pond. Again this is an important part of your pond to research so the same applies to plants as is does to the fish choice. Plants can have an impact on the balance of the water in your pond as well as an aesthetic impact.
To get the pond you want, the one that you visualized right at the start will be yours at the end if you spend time planning and researching.
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A Water Garden Kit Has Everything You Need For A Great Water Garden
0 comments Posted by ariya at 8/10/2009You may ask 'what are water garden kits?' Let's just say that this is like Batman's utility belt for every gardener who has a water pond. With water garden kit, the water gardener has everything he needs.
So the next question is 'what's inside a water garden kit?' Read on so you could take a peek at the water gardener's utility belt.
To enhance the attractiveness and beauty of their water garden, the kit is necessary for every gardener. Not only will human beings appreciate the view, even wildlife such as birds will come flocking your garden.
1. Some kits contain a one fountain pump that comes with a safety cord. This is for water gardeners who prefer to install their own fountains by themselves.
2. They also contain a 4-pack bird bath cleaner that thoroughly flushes out the organic residue and mineral deposits that build up in bird baths. Made from beneficial enzymes and bacteria, the water gardener's bird bath will be healthier than ever. These handy dispensers float in the bowl and continuously threat the water for 30 days. Do not worry, these dispenser will not prevent the birds from drinking and bathing on the bath. In getting this, you even provided your flying pets with clean water.
3. No water gardener wants pesticides in his garden. Destroy those pesky mosquitoes even they are in their larvae states. Mosquitoes are so irritating, plus they can be harmful to human beings and animals. Mosquito bites transmit deadly viruses both to people and pets.
Garden kits contain solutions that you can throw into standing water. In only a matter of minutes, you can observe that it dissolves and releases granules that target mosquito larvae. These pests are destroyed way before they buzz around.
4. A main concern for water gardeners is the water that seeps through the entire ecosystem. That is why they have a water garden filter system in the first place to do the job. But for maintenance, water garden kits also include pond water filters that instantly remove the chlorine and chloramines from hose water. Simply by attaching these to your hose, you can fill up your pond and not worry about chlorine getting into the marine ecosystem and creating problems for your fish.
5. You want to feed your fish the best so we recommend that you buy a nutritionally balanced pellet that is also economically productive for everyday feeding of your goldfish. Make sure that it contains crude protein and can easily be digested by your pet fish living in water temperatures ranging from 50F to 65F.
There are some special pellets that combine the high quality required amino acids, digestive enzymes and vegetable proteins. Water gardeners and koi enthusiasts turn to these kinds of pellets for assurance that their pets will be healthy,
Usually, a water garden pond kit contains pond liner, the underlayment for the pond liner, a submersible pump, a filter, pond sterilizer, tubings, fittings and nozzle. Get the easy start pond kit to help you gear up for the water garden pond that you have always wanted.
The most popular garden kits are those that have everything the water gardener needs to have an attractive water garden. From maintaining the ponds to feeding the fish, the items inside the garden kit must be of top quality.
If a pump is included in the water garden kit, make sure that it can suck the water from the pond even with the skimmer flap placed above it. The pump should also filter the water as it passes through skimmers and pushed out to the tubing.
In fact some pumps have steam effect that allows it to make greater water drops (that is if you have a fountain). The good thing about having a water garden kit is that there are accessories that can play up your creativity, especially if you have a water garden fountain in your pond.
Most of the time, water garden kits can be assembled in the sense that it is a complete package deal for those who have water garden ponds with fountains. Considering the fact that it contains most of the tools you need for your hobby.
Tag : garden,home garden,water garden,garden decor,flower garden
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Water hyacinth, Eichhornia azurea, produces gorgeous lilac-colored spikes. This pr
incess-of- the-pond grows rampantly and so needs occasional checking, especially if you wish to combine other water-plants with it. The big yellow hardy water-lily contrasts beautifully - with it, so if the pond is deep enough in the center, you might try growing the yellow water-lily there and "edging" it with the floating hyacinth. If you wish to have the lilac color in the center, you could use as an "edging" the delightful primrose willow, Jussiaea longifolia, which has yellow evening blooms. For fragrance, the water-hawthorn, Aponageton distachyus, will delight you. The flowers are Y-shaped and come in white and rose. If you are lucky, the water-garden nursery you patronize might have a violet variety. The water hawthorn blooms even in shady ponds, a fact that may be worth noting in your case.
Water poppies, Hydrocleys nymphoides, make a gay picture alone or grown in combination with other plants. They look like large California poppies floating on the pool water. The rounded leaves are very attractive, too. Although the blooms last only a day, new ones constantly pop up to replace them.
For excellent cutting flowers, grow marsh marigolds, Caltha palustris, In colors of yellow, pink, or white. The pond should be fairly large even though not necessarily deep to accommodate them, for they grow three feet tall.
The sacred lotus makes a fine oft flower, too, for large pools, for the blooms of pink, cream, or red "are immense and fragrant, and the foliage and seed pods are beautiful and interesting.
The bog-bean is a plant that grows well in the water near the edge for it will travel up a moist bank. The foliage is lush and soft, and flowers are dainty and white.
Dracocephalums also will clamber up the bank. Particularly attractive are D. palustre with rose-colored blooms similar to snapdragons, and D. forrestii with blue flowers.
Water-garden nurseries usually have on hand aquatic-garden catalogs. In them you will learn of other desirable plants for your pond. However, if water-lilies are indispensable with you, by all means grow at least one or two varieties even though you try other water plants.
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 strenghtened 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 immediatly 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 appropiate 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 garden 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.
Tag : garden,Japanese garden,gardening,Japan
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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 strenghtened 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 immediatly 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 appropiate 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.
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Some people may say that the best way to decorate your garden is with flowers and beautiful plants. And yes, this may be true, but there is so much more that you can do! With the proper garden décor, you can turn your garden into your own personal oasis.
Great types of garden décor:
· garden Benches. What is the point of having a beautiful garden if you do not have a good vantage point to see it from? Setting a garden bench in the midst of your garden gives you the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch your garden grow. A garden bench is not only an inviting place to sit, it is also a beautiful visual addition to almost any garden.
· Bird Bath. There are many styles of birdbaths available these days. There are birdbaths that suit contemporary styles as well as birdbath that suit more traditional styles, and there are ones to suit any taste and style that falls in between. Not only do birdbaths themselves add beauty to your garden, but the birds that they attract add beauty, as well.
· Water Fountain or Pond. Water has many soothing qualities -- even the look and sound of water can be soothing. Placing a fountain or a pond in your garden will transform your garden into a mini oasis. You will love coming home from a hard and stressful day of work and sitting near the peaceful sounds and sights of your garden water feature.
· garden Statues. garden statues come in many different varieties. You can find garden statues that add humor, elegance, sophistication, or whimsy to your garden. Indeed, you can find a garden statue to suit any gardener's taste, whether you want to place and hide bunny sculptures throughout your garden, or whether you want a funny garden gnome.
· Lights. There are many different ways to light up your garden at night. And why shouldn't your garden be lit up at night? There is no reason that you should not be able to enjoy the beauty of your garden at any time of day or night.
These are just a few types of garden décor that you should consider adding to your garden. Adding garden décor to your garden is like adding a beautiful frame to a painting - it enhances it. Sure, your flowers and other plants are still the main event, but the right garden décor can really make your garden unique and beautiful.
Imagine how inconvenient and boring it can get to organize a graduation party that you need to wind up before the sun goes down, only because you garden is not properly lit. Forget about parties, can you even stroll in your garden in a breezy summer night without lighting, or sip on a strong espresso to enjoy winters in a dark garden? Without lighting, your garden can look dreary and instead of giving respite, it will scare you.
Garden lighting is immensely useful in a number of different ways. The first, being its use in allaying your fear to stroll in a dark, and gloomy garden. Then properly lit garden can encourage you to arrange different family and friends dinner parties and late-night get-togethers. This will eventually help you enjoy more with your near and dear ones and collect some memories along the way that you will love cherishing throughout your life. Other than this, the garden lighting can actually lease a new life to your dark and dreary garden, provided they are installed at the right locations. Creating a wonderful atmosphere in your garden does not imply that you need to install big bright bulbs all around. Bright and sharp lights can only serve to irritate your guests as well as neighbors, but will never provide a soothing atmosphere, a beautiful evening party demands.
There are a number of different types and designs of garden lights available in the market. Before going for shopping, see if there are separate portions in your garden for sitting and cooking, etc or not. If yes, then you may need to provide extra lighting to that area rather than using the same dim lights as in the rest of the garden area. Afterwards, you should know that the most usual type of garden lighting is the down lighting that can be used anywhere in the garden. Nevertheless, if you have a pond or fountain in your garden as well, you should always think about installing the underwater or spotlights. In addition, you need to highlight the walkways and sidewalks, as it gives further definition to your garden. However, whatever type of lights you use, make sure they are soft and low-voltage lights.
Prices of garden lighting vary widely; nevertheless, it is not expensive at all. To get an even more cheap deal, you can use solar lights. They are available in various attractive designs.
Creating a Wildlife Tree - By leaving a portion of a lifeless tree standing (at least 15 feet is recommended), you can encourage a natural wildlife habitat, maintain safety and create a spectacular observatory for you and your children. As wood softens, insects residing in trees become accessible to birds. Woodpeckers excavate food and inadvertently create nesting sites for other birds and small woodland creatures. If you want to decorate your standing observatory, plant vines that will climb and cover the trunk, such as Virginia creeper or Climbing hydrangea vine. Accessorize by hanging flower baskets or feeders. You may also rest logs horizontally on the ground along a walkway, in a garden or near a pond. Make a narrow bed around the edges and plant wildflowers to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects. These and other plant species will eagerly take root on and around your nutrient-rich log.
Preserving a Piece of History - A very creative way to discard a lifeless tree is to use the wood for building projects. That's exactly what George Mohrmann encourages with his company, Sawmill-On-Wheels. He feels that many people are looking for a productive way to use downed logs or preserve memories of their personal history with a particular tree. Sawmill-On-Wheels and similar companies throughout the northeast turn what was once considered cumbersome waste, downed logs, into valuable hardwood and softwood that can be used in a variety of projects and they do it right on your property! "A fully hydraulic, completely transportable saw allows me to produce just the type and size of wood needed for a particular project and often in sizes that are hard to find elsewhere," says Mohrmann. Some of the work he has seen includes tree houses, fireplace mantles, giant beams, furniture, benches, carvings and matching old wood for restoration projects. How would you preserve your piece of history?
The removal of a tree does not mark the end its usefulness or your enjoyment of its beauty. In fact, it can be a very rewarding experience. You will preserve precious memories and form new ones by creating a unique afterlife for your old friends. For a complimentary consultation of your landscape, evaluation of a particular tree or hazard inspection, consult your arborist.
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Do you have a garden with full of flowers in the backyard of your house? Or are you just planning to create one? If you have plans to create a water garden in your front yard then you have made an excellent decision. Garden with water attracts the interest of many. It gives a pleasing effect to your garden. Moreover, not only front yard but water garden at the backyard is enough to attract the eye-catch of your relatives and visitors.
You must be aware of the fact that there are several types of gardens you can endorse at your home. You can create even a small raised bed garden or an elegant garden with a fountain. There are varieties of water gardens and some of them include waterfalls, small fountains and ponds. And it is easy to maintain too. However, it is vital that you choose the perfect spot to install a raised garden or water garden. Some fish and plants require sunlight and so you need to make sure that you create your pond or a water garden where there is plenty of sun warmth.
Several Factors That Need to Consider
When you plan to start your water gardening there are certain things you should consider:
o Size of the Water Garden: The size of the water garden or the raised bed garden plays a great role in portraying the beauty of your raised gardens. Don't make it neither too big nor too small; just makes it proportionate to your area.
o Budget for the Water Garden: Depending upon your budget and requirements you can set your water garden with rocks, fountains, and other styles to make it look prettier. Be careful in choosing the best useful plants for your garden that suits your budget.
o Plants & Fish selection: Fish cannot alone be a beautiful attraction to your water garden they can keep the pool free from debris. There are various types of plants that you can choose, if you want the one that floats freely you can get them or you can plants that will be submerged too. Get some plants for your garden that provides oxygen, which helps to keep the pool healthy forever.
Apart from building a water garden in your area, you can also build a raised bed garden. These raised gardens enhance the look of your home and you can be comfortable working in raised beds. Building and maintaining a raised bed gardens are easy when compared to the normal gardens. These gardens not only save your time but it will ideally save your lots of money. If you don't have the adequate drainage facility then these raised bed gardens can be the ideal solution.
Raised bed garden is sufficient to offer you better soil conditions, and you can have varied soils from bed to bed. Whether you are interested in growing a vegetable garden or a flower garden, then raised gardens are your preferred choice. This type of gardens can easily drain the excess moisture. Your plants look incredible with these neatly arranged raised gardens. The raised bed gardens provide you with better yields. And the pest control is made easy in the raised gardens. In other words, these raised gardens definitely give your home and garden an appealing look just like water gardens.
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Garden Wall Fountains Are Increasingly Popular For Garden Aficionados
0 comments Posted by ariya at 5/10/2009Garden wall fountains are becoming an extremely popular amenity when it comes to adding or adjusting garden themes that may be large and small, simple or highly detailed. The serene flow of water can help block out outdoor background noise, and significantly enhancing the peacefulness and the tranquility in most outdoor areas. There are so many different options available when it comes to garden wall fountains, ranging from large and dramatic fountains, to small and space saving outdoor wall fountains.
By adding the element of water to an environment, you can greatly enhance it. There are a number of ways to add water to a garden, but by adding gorgeous garden wall fountains you can experience a tremendous garden enhancement without requiring that you invest an arm and a leg. If you are simply looking to add the element of water to your garden design, but do not have any interest in installing a fully functional pond or even a pool, then implementing your own outdoor wall fountains can be an exceptional idea.
There are a wide variety of garden wall fountains, including large and dramatic fountains that are made from premium quality cast stone, to small space saving wall mounted fountains that are created from lightweight cast resin. There is a great selection of different garden wall fountains available in most nurseries and other shop locations specializing in these stunning water based elements. Learn more about how you can incorporate garden wall fountains with your home garden at http://33isthenew23.blogspot.com/2007/11/looking-for-fountain-to-spruce-things.html.
Garden wall fountains come in sandstone finishes, weathered stone finishes and a variety of other finishes that are quite suitable both for indoor and for outdoor use. Fountains typically run using UL listed variable speed recirculation pumps, engineered in a way that allows them to offer maximum utility in conjunction with great beauty and tranquility without requiring a lot of maintenance. This is what makes outdoor wall fountains such an exciting proposition, and offers water based elements that are inexpensive which easily adds excitement to a garden that needs a little something added.
The greatest thing about garden wall fountains is that their numerous styles are available for virtually any garden setting. Therefore, you won’t run out of selections to choose from for your outdoor water fountains. If you have an idea of what you are looking for when it comes to adding something special to your garden, then you should have absolutely no difficulty at all when it comes to locating the absolute best garden wall fountains for your purpose.
There are a variety of different types of garden wall fountains, but there are just as many considerations that you need to make when it comes adding outdoor wall fountains to your property. Wall garden fountains make it easy for you to install garden fountains, especially for pet owners who have to protect their pets from trying to drink out of the fountain. By implementing a garden wall fountain, you can make sure that your pets will not try to get into your fountains and drink the water that may not be safe for them to consume. Learn more about outdoor fountains at http://shopazone.blogspot.com/2007/11/garden-foundations.html.
Now is the perfect opportunity for you to choose and install garden wall fountains if you are looking for a little bit of stunning architecture without paying an arm and a leg for a nice, beautiful change.
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Choosing a garden style that is right for you is a matter of choice. If you design your entire garden according to a particular style, but sometimes just a few sensibly elements call to mind a style.
Any style whether Asian, cottage, formal, and others has its own characteristic details such as particular plants, water features, and materials. Numerous features are so strongly identified with a specific style that they immediately evoke the proper mood.
Look below at these three lasting and respected garden styles, then incorporate these style elements into your garden design for the look you want.
Asian Gardens
In the Asian tradition, landscape contemplation - in the wild, in a garden, or in a scroll painting serves as a sacred experience. The Chinese and Japanese usually held sacred the space within a garden and deemed the world outside profane. A number Japanese garden designs offer a rustic landscape and contain wet or dry streams and waterfalls, bordered by ferns, moss, and contorted pines.
Lake and island style gardens, developed in China, influenced Japanese garden designs. Islands symbolized the dwellings of immortal spirits and consisted of carefully placed earth or jagged rocks set in an imitation pond.
Cottage Gardens
The informality of cottage garden designs lends them an exuberance lacking in most garden schemes, never the less the gardens are neither nor sloppy when the overall design is caringly structured.
These gardens express cheerfulness and gusto for individual plants. Cottage gardens began centuries ago as modest, fenced-in pieces of land kept by cottagers who respected treasured wild-collected plant life for its usefulness. Livestock and vegetables, berry bushes, fragrant flowers, and herbs for crafts, cooking, and medicine packed the areas.
Formal Gardens
While a love of plants or nature inspires cottage and Asian gardens, formal garden designs express the humanistic worth of people as the center of the universe. A formal garden design looks it’s greatest near a traditional-style home so the garden exaggerates the home’s architecture. Formal garden designs are symmetrical though the main alignment often leads from a specific position near the house (a balcony, front door, a stone terrace) to a focal point further away such as a pavilion, bench or sculpture. By continuing the geometry of the house outdoors, a formal garden layout makes a transition to a wild or informal landscape at the edge of the property. property’s edge.
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It’s all about your style. Whether it is classic, contemporary or shabby chic it needs to make your garden a place you want to enjoy. One great way to add a little style and fun to your garden or yard is with a garden weathervane amongst the lush greenery.
Who wouldn’t want a whimsical witch watching over their garden or a sailboat alongside their pond? No matter what your interest there is a garden weathervane that will match it. From pigs to fish you will find the best selection of garden weathervanes online. Don’t waste time trekking from store to store instead shop from home and find exactly what you have been envisioning with just a few clicks of the mouse.
Displayed on a post you can put it anywhere in your yard or even in a planter. You’ll always know where the wind is coming from for your next golf outing or bike ride. And you’ll love the classic charm it lends your garden.
From roosters to dragons and everything in between you’ll find any weathervane you can imagine online. And they will last for years. The most traditional material for weathervanes is copper which can last for many years. Choose from a polished shiny finish and watch it weather to a gorgeous blue-green patina or if you don’t like waiting try one that is already aged with an antiqued blue-green patina finish. Some weathervanes can be made of rust-proof aluminum where you can choose from three finishes; verdigris, antique copper or black. Still others are made of steel and finished in antique copper. No matter what type of weathervane you choose you are sure to enjoy gazing at it in your garden.
Maybe you want a weathervane that represents something you already see in your garden like a humming bird, a butterfly or dragonfly or maybe the moon? Or perhaps you want a weathervane that represents something more whimsical that you wouldn’t see every day? In that case try a cherub or the cow jumping over the moon. You can even support your alma mater or favorite college team in your garden with a collegiate weathervane. You’ll never find a more fun and stylish way to say, ‘Go Badgers’ or ‘Rah Blue Devils’. You can even show your support for the armed forces with a garden weathervane in your choice of the army, navy, air force or marines’ logo.
So, whether you like to grow vegetables or flowers you’ll enjoy sprucing up your green garden with a weathervane. And the great thing is that garden weathervanes can add flair to your garden the whole year through. Don’t hesitate to peruse the vast selection of garden weathervanes online to find the perfect one for you. From birds to trees and things from the natural world to creatures of the imagination you’ll have fun populating your garden with a weathervane that suits your motif and makes your yard complete. Indulge in a bit of traditional beauty for your garden today and enjoy it for many tomorrows.
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Water features do not have to be in any particular style or shape or even made from any particular material so the choice that is out there is very wide indeed. Many designers and garden specialists have designed their own ranges of garden water feature like Alan Titchmarsh who has designed a stylish and affordable range.
Finding the right water feature for you is a very personal thing and it does all depend on the feel of your garden and the environment you are hoping to create.
About the Author
Roxy is a avid home enthusiast who loves to enjoy the outdoors and the relaxing mood of her solar water features. Roxy works for UK water features who specialise in finding the best Alan Titchmarsh Water Features as well as self contained water features in the UK.
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Garden Design: How To Choose And Place Garden Art In Your Backyard
0 comments Posted by ariya at 5/07/2009Your backyard should relax and refresh you, but it should also delight you! Choosing garden art that reflects your personality and makes you feel good is an important key to creating the ultimate backyard.
Art can mean many things to many people but basically there are 3 types:
1. Formal Art
Think larger stately pieces that you see in more traditional backyards, like a classic sculpture of a Greek goddess or a stone angel. Heavy iron garden ornaments like obelisks and sundials also work well with most backyard landscape designs.
These pieces create an old-world feel and lend a sense of drama to the yard. Others might include columns, carved fountains, birdbaths, and classical architectural salvage.
2. Semi-formal
This is the most popular type because it suits so many styles of backyards. It‘s more relaxed in theme, a little more nostalgic and decorative.
For example, light hearted sculptures of animals or children in concrete, resin or bronze, contemporary metal sculptures of flowers and insects, stained glass stepping stones, artistic birdhouses, and hand painted garden pots, copper wind chimes.
3. Informal Art
I call this art “your imagination gone wild”. Everyday objects are placed in the garden to create art that is fun, whimsical, and even campy.
I‘ve seen all kinds of items used as garden décor like: old rubber boots planted with flowers, a nostalgic wire bedroom headboard , an antique window frame, an old-fashioned bathtub, a dressmaker’s dummy, and fancy china plates.
Remember that the type of art you choose should be in keeping with the feel of your backyard but it should also be an expression of you.
The most important thing is that you should feel some emotional attachment to your garden art.
Tips for placing Garden Art
In the garden, art becomes a focal point. Your eye is naturally drawn to it and it commands your attention. So where you place it is important. Put garden art:
• In a boring, bare part of the yard to add interest and stimulate conversation
• At the end of a path to add drama
• In any area to add comic relief. I have a cute bronze frog lying on a back on a lily pad beside my waterfall and pond.
• In front of an ugly spot to hide dead patch
• Directly in line with an unwanted view of the neighbour’s yard to create privacy
• On a wall or fence to visually break up the long monotonous line. I have a beautiful concrete painted face hanging on one part of my fence and a mirror hanging on another to add interest.
• In front of a colourful burst of foliage to punctuate the space. My classical white bird bath looks gorgeous just in front of my huge pink rose bush
• Hidden behind some greenery so it just peeks out a little to create a feeling of antiquity. This will put plants in the spotlight.
• Within the frame of a beautiful view to enhance the view even more. My backyard is on the lake and the view is made even more beautiful by a large fountain of Poseidan the sea God that we have made part of the view.
• In a rock garden to create feeling of garden gallery. The rocks are natural pedestals for the art and create a wonderful playground for eye to bounce around in and land on art.
Don’t forget about the view from inside. Take a look out your window to see where you might place art so that it draws you out into the backyard.
Finally, less is more. Too much garden art will make your backyard look junky. All you need is a few interesting pieces to personalize your backyard and give it a sense of place.
Deborah Boland © 2006 All Rights Reserved
Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=33759&ca=Gardening
Many fine gardens evolve gradually through the loving attention of their owners with little or no outside help. But when it comes to creating a new garden, or taking over an existing one that has fallen on hard times or that does not suit your taste or needs, it is well worth seeking advice from a professional garden designer.
The issues involved can be surprisingly complex, from drainage and construction through to siting trees and planting a border. How to deal with slopes and levels? How to forge a harmonious relationship between house, garden and surrounding landscape? What materials to use? How large to make a patio or pergola, how to site a water feature, pond or lake? How and where to incorporate outdoor lighting? Might planning permission be needed for any of this, and what order of costs might be involved?
Some of these questions might be answered by a knowledgeable gardener, others by a landscaper or builder, but for professional advice covering the whole process of planning and making a garden it is best to consult a qualified garden designer. Of course, before engaging any professional advisor you should first check their credentials and satisfy yourself that they are someone you can trust to interpret your brief in a sympathetic manner. The Society of Garden Designers, now celebrating its 25th year, is the only professional body in the UK devoted solely to garden design. Registered members have had their work individually assessed and must adhere to a code of professional practice. In the United States the equivalent body is the APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers).
A professional garden designer will listen carefully to your wishes before making any detailed proposals; time spent discussing practical needs and your likes and dislikes will help achieve a result that both you and the designer can be excited by. The hoped-for reaction from a client when they see that first presentation plan is “I never imagined anything quite like that, but it's exactly what I want”.
Beautifully drawn plans are all very well, but can they be put into practice? A garden designer will have thought through the practical implications of his proposals, including cost. He will be able to provide detailed working drawings and to source materials and plants, giving you a much wider choice than could be found at your local garden centre or builder's merchant. He will be able to find or recommend contractors to carry out the work, with costs and specifications agreed beforehand.
There is no denying that creating a garden can be expensive: expect to spend about the same on a new garden as on a complete new kitchen. Having detailed plans puts you in control and reduces the risk of unforeseen extra costs. A well designed garden makes good use of space that might have been wasted, making a small plot seem bigger and a large uninteresting space more intimate. The benefits of a new garden go on improving over time - planting typically takes three to five years to mature, for a larger garden ten years or more. Research shows that patients who have access to a garden, even if they can only look at it from a hospital bed, recover more quickly than those who do not, confirming what gardeners have known all along: gardens are good for you.
Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=79356&ca=Gardening
