Archive for January, 2008

House Plant Basics

As houseplants are living in an unnatural environment we need to give them extra care to get the best results.

They will require all the elements of outdoor plants in their need for good nutrients, water, ventilation, light and a suitable climate.

Without this balance they will soon wither and die. It is vitally important that they have the best quality soil. As with outdoor plants they will need soil that is light enough for their roots and to hold water and air but not so light as to allow the nutrients to wash through and not be made available for their roots.

One thing that will not be as much of a concern as outdoor plants is their need for support against winds. This can allow you to use lighter soil however you will still need to ensure the plant is getting the nutrients. This might require additional feeding that is over and above what you would give an outdoor plant.

The environment can also affect plants, and anyone who is smoking in the house will affect the plant growth and result in poor health just as it does to the person smoking.

Potting mix is readily available and in different varieties to suit the requirements of various indoor plants.

You can buy inexpensive moisture monitoring kits and also some small units that will release water into the soil when it detects that the moisture is getting too low.

Getting good potting mix for your indoor plants can make a noticeable difference to their condition as the soil that we get from outside can sometimes have diseases or insects in it.

If there is an opportunity to do so, it is a good policy to put the plants outside in the sun for a few hours and also to get some fresh air. Plants will also benefit from having their leaves cleaned, as there can be a buildup of dust when growing indoors and not having the rainfall to wash them clean.

It is also good to catch rainwater in containers to use for watering your indoor plants.

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Garden Teak Furniture

A beautiful patio starts with garden teak furniture sold by Front gate, outfitting America’s finest homes. Why not check out Front gate and all the Garden Teak Furniture that they have available just for your patio needs. Front gate noted to be environmentally responsible by the manner in which they harvest teak. They use a Marine-grade epoxy that provides years of service and is environmentally safe. All the garden furniture items constructed of premium grade A teak wood, which will last forever.

Front gate would like to introduce you to the ever-popular Teak Party Bar an item made just for your patio. The garden teak bar crafted with premium grade A teak wood will not decay. The bar has the following features:

  • Three extra-deep drawers organize utensils and linens
  • Two glass doors open to reveal a wine glass rack and storage for up to 20 wine bottles
  • Pullout wicker trays and portable wicker basket provide extra storage
  • Stainless steel locking casters anchor the outdoor bar firmly in place
  • Original price $1995 but now the cost is only $1495

Cassara deep-seating furniture created by Front gate using teak wood for the furniture makes it alfresco relaxation at its finest. Front gate boasts of clean lines, this well-crafted teak outdoor furniture will smoothly transition from corner to edge. This magnificent piece of garden furniture should be seen in order to fully appreciate. It has the following features:

  • Cushioned with resilient, fade-proof outdoor Sunbrella fabric
  • Built from the highest grade of teak wood
  • Oversized for the ultimate in comfort and relaxation
  • The company is very ecologically concerned about our planet earth that is why teak wood harvested in very responsible manner.
  • The Chaise Lounge features a pullout tray for beverages, reading material, and cell phone

This beautiful patio set prices out at a very reasonable price, as we shall list for your convenience.

- Sofa w/ cushions Item #20126 Cost $1,595
- Loveseat w/cushions Item #20125 Cost $1,295
- Club Chair w/ cushions Item # 20127 Cost $795
- Ottoman w/cushion Item #20128 Cost $495
- Chaise Lounge with cushions Item #20131 Cost $995
- Teak Coffee Table Item #20129 Cost $349

This exquisite garden furniture created from teak wood lasts with a beautiful shine and makes your patio the talk of the town. Front gate wants to make sure that you can keep the furniture looking brand new all the time and offer a teak cleaner with teak protector that their customers can buy at anytime and apply about once or twice a year.
Apiece that I would like to mention which is my favorite the Large Teak Storage Trunk priced out at only $895 is beautiful on the patio or in the home. This Large Teak storage Trunk constructed with solid, water resistant teak sturdy enough those usages as a bench or table by many. Ship builders for its resistance decay have long favored this beautiful piece. Tight-grained teak wood is a natural choice for outdoor storage, which accents your Garden Furniture.

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Backyard Gardening: Designing Your Rose Garden

The use of landscape roses can make the exterior of any house more graceful, fragrant and inviting. Selecting the right varieties to compliment and accent the home’s style and your vision, will contribute to the success of your landscape and rose garden design.

Finding the perfect roses for your rose garden is not hard at all because of the the diverse varieties roses come in. The problem lies in choosing the right ones for your landscape needs and the design you wish to attain.

Roses come in a number of classes. Each class holds characteristics that make them a great choice for use as landscape ornamentals. If you’d like to have roses growing up and over a trellis or archway or cascading from window boxes, the tall growing tea roses are a perfect choice. Tea roses are known for their wild growing blooms and all who walk under the archway enjoy a beautiful display of roses.

If a trellis is not available and you’re looking to accent a wall, then choose a true climbing rose. The beauty of a true climbing rose allows you train the plant into many different looks and effects. In essence you can train it any way you want it to grow.

The Floribunda rose is an excellent choice when a vibrant splash of background color is what you’re looking for. The popular Floribunda rose varieties give all this color in the landscape with their large and breathtaking sprays of blooms.

The versatile rose can also be used as a ground cover or planted in front of other plants to give color and accent. They can also be used as stand alone specimens and trained into a small tree or planted as hedges.

Rugosa roses are a good choice for this. The goal or impact of the rose is not the varieties or ways it can be grown but the colors they offer in the living gardening palette. What gardeners want are healthy rose plants that deliver impact in many sizes, styles, textures, colors and shapes.

When considering your design for your rose garden choose the complimentary colors for your surrounding landscape. A simple arrangement of pink roses delivers the perfect compliment to a stone or marble entranceway or drive. White tea roses offer a striking contrast against a dark red brick home. Roses come in so many colors it should be easy to find colors which compliment and enhance any decorating or landscape design you come up with. Designing your rose garden will be exciting and challenging to say the least. Incorporate your own color favorites and mix styles and textures for an interesting appeal.

Roses do well in a variety of temperature zones and climates so make sure you choose the varieties suitable to the area in which you live. This translates into fewer maintenance issues, less pesticides and disease issues promoting overall a healthier rose garden.

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