Online Florists - Why The Popularity?

Author: D. L. Randolph

Article: For those who grew up before the age of Internet, online services are still pretty incredible. It's not difficult to understand why so many people are ready to take advantage of many of these options, but it's still pretty incredible. That's why ordering flowers online may not be the first option that come to mind when it's time to send a gift to someone across town or on the other side of the world. But take a look at the convenience that comes with this service.

Internet florists can take orders days, weeks or even months before an event. Do you have someone on your Christmas list that simply defies your best gift-giving efforts? Take a look at the holiday flower arrangements available. Whether the recipient is male or female, you can find a holiday bouquet that's appropriate.

How long has it been since you sent flowers to your mom? Why not order a monthly flower delivery? You make one easy payment and never even have to remember it again. You can choose the day of each month for delivery so your mom knows you were thinking of her on Mother's Day, her birthday, her anniversary and the Fourth of July. But even better, she'll receive a bouquet in mid-August. And when she asks what the purpose of that bouquet was, you can give her the answer every mom wants to hear - ""Because you're such a great mom and I love you.""

If a delivery every month isn't what you had in mind, you can simply order your birthday delivery when you think of it - days or even months ahead of the date. There's no more worry that a special occasion will slip up on you and you'll be left trying to make last-minute arrangements for the delivery of a flower arrangement.

But even if you're working through florists, you aren't limited to flowers. Do you know a kid who's celebrating a birthday or just led the team to the first victory in the soccer season? Flowers may not be the best answer, but a stuffed animal holding a balloon bouquet may be just the thing to make that kid's smile even bigger. And an online florist can set you up. Candy bouquets are another option offered by many online florists, and you can even find sugar-free options, if that's an issue.

Online florists are simply one of the most convenient ways to make a statement. Whether that statement is ""Way to go,"" ""I'm sorry you're down,"" ""I hope it gets better,"" or ""I love you,"" you'll find something from a florist that simply makes that statement. And the speed of Internet orders can have your message delivered in record time!

Copyright 2005 by D. L. Randolph. All rights reserved.

About the author: Looking for information about florists? Go to http://www.infoflorist.com. Info Florist is a Florist Information Directory and Resource Site which provides a consolidated listing of the best Florist and Flower sites in one easy to navigate location.

The Lesson of the Morning Glory

Author: Veronica Hay

Article: I planted seeds in my little garden this year.

I have never planted seeds before because I am not a very patient person and waiting for the little green shoots to rise above the ground was just too much for me. But this year, I thought I would give it a try. I thought it would be a good metaphor for me to plant something and watch it grow, much as I have many times, planted thoughts, dreams and affirmations and watched many of them become a reality.

And so in the Spring of this year, I planted my garden. I chose many types of flowers and among them, Morning Glories. Within a month, many of the other flowers were bursting through the earth, but not the Morning Glories.

Each morning I would run outside to check on them and nothing, nothing for several weeks more. I was about to give up on them. I was sure that they just did not 'take' so to speak. And then one day, it happened! They had broken through the earth and were starting to climb. And climb and climb and climb they did....with their big beautiful heart shaped leaves.

And so the saga continued, nothing for weeks and weeks and weeks but more and more beautiful leaves. And I thought to myself, ""Well, leaves are nice, but that is all I will probably get at this point."" And then one fine and glorious morning, there it was, the most beautiful sky-blue morning glory I have ever seen!!! It seemed like a miracle to me. I had waited over 3 months for this one delicate, funnel-shaped flower to show up and now here it was, in all its splendor.

It reminded me of just how many times I had waited in life for something I had longed for and how incredible it felt when it finally arrived and also how many times, that I had wanted to throw in the towel and just give up.

But I wasn't prepared for what was to happen next with these little flowers and I was surprised and deeply saddened by it.

Roses and geraniums and daisies and most other flowers bloom and stay around for a while but not Morning Glories. Morning Glories open themselves up to the world, in the morning, in all of their glory, hence the name Morning Glory.

And if you look closely at them, you will see how extraordinary they are both in colour and texture and that in their centre is a kind of golden light that shines from within.

But here is the hard part...

At the end of the day, they turn a most beautiful shade of lavender, and then close up, wither and die. They live for only one day and then they are gone. I cannot tell you how much this saddened me and what a profound effect this little flower had upon my life. I kept thinking how sad to be so beautiful and live for only one day. And then I suddenly realized what a gift they were.

You see it doesn't matter how long your life is. It only matters that you were here, in all your glory, that you opened up completely and let your light shine and that you brought joy to those who came into contact with you. That's what matters to the morning glory and that's what really matters to all of us.

The morning glories make me appreciate every new day now, in a way I didn't before. Each evening I go and visit with them knowing those particular ones won't be here tomorrow, new ones will take their place. If we knew when we woke up in the morning, that we only had that one day to really live, life would be very different indeed for many of us.

Now, each morning I give thanks that I have been given the gift of another day in all its glory. We can learn from all of life if we remain open to the beauty that is all around us. And nature can be one of our greatest teachers.

What a profound lesson from such a simple flower.

...Thank you, my sweet little morning glories!

About the author: Veronica Hay is an inspirational writer. Her work inspires others to be more of who they really are. Telephone: 403-245-6815 Email: veronicahay@telus.net Subscribe to Veronica's Daily Insights & Inspirations at the following link. http://www.intouchmag.com/subscribe

Should you Feed Wild Birds in the Winter

Author: Phil Winter

Article: The ""conventional wisdom"" has always been that you should feed wild birds in winter because their normal source of food - small seeds and insects - has dramatically diminished. But is the conventional wisdom correct? By attracting birds to our feeders, are we making them too dependent on a free source of food, and weakening their ability to find food on their own? Do we actually put birds at greater risk because of cats and flying into windows?

These are not easy questions to answer because there has been little research into the subject. However a three-year study of chickadees by the University of Wisconsin found that winter survival rates were highest among chickadee populations that were fed - but only during the harshest winters. During more moderate winters (and lower latitudes) there were no significant differences in survival rates and spring hatching rates between chickadees that were fed and those that foraged for themselves.

What if the feeders are removed? Can chickadees ""remember"" how to find food on their own? In a similar study, feeders were suddenly removed after conditioning the birds to feeders for many years. The birds immediately resumed feeding on their own. Again, survival rates were the same as for chickadees that were not used to feeders. While more research needs to be done, these studies indicate that feeding chickadees - and, presumably, other wild birds -does not result in feeder dependency.

Some argue that feeders put birds at risk because of the presumed greater risk of predation. However, birds that eat from feeders eat more in less time than if they forage in the wild, giving them more time to watch for predators. You can minimize the risk to birds at your feeder by placing feeders where they are inaccessible by cats, and by adding tape or decals to your windows so birds won't fly into them.

The conclusions we can draw are that feeding wild birds in winter - or not - does no harm to their survival and spring hatching rates. So with winter coming soon, get your feeders in shape, and enjoy your birds!

About the author: Phil Winter is a web designer, owner of three e-commerce sites, photographer, and writer on many topics including the internet and photography. His e-commerce sites are: <a href=""http://www.wildbirdgoodies.com"">Wild Bird Goodies.com</a>, <a href=""http://www.welcomebabygifts.com"">Welcome Baby Gifts.com</a>, and the newly-launched <a href=""http://www.apampereddog.com""> A Pampered Dog.com</a>.

Let Your Venus Flytrap Frost Over

Author: <a href=""http://www.cobraplant.com"">Jacob Farin</a>

Article: Every autumn, I receive lots of email from growers telling me how they brought their Venus Flytraps indoors because of a weather forecast predicting frost.

It is a myth, plain and simple, that these North American carnivorous plants must be protected from frost. Ironically, frost is what helps them survive the winter!

Frost is the signal that plants need to know when it is time to go dormant. As Flytraps prepare for dormancy (and yes, they need to go dormant), they produce anti-freeze chemicals that help them survive freezing temperatures.

So, if you prevent your Venus Flytraps from experiencing frost, you prevent them from producing those anti-freeze chemicals. More importantly, you put your plants at risk and make it much harder on yourself.

You see, without any anti-freeze chemicals, Flytraps must always be protected from freezing temperatures. But, at the same time, they still need cool temperatures to slow down in growth and go dormant.

But, without frost, plants rarely enter deep dormancy. At the most, they enter what is called a winter rest. This is when plants are still growing, but they grow very slowly and their leaves look weak and listless. Flytraps in this state of growth actually require more care than those that go completely dormant.

Caring for Venus Flytraps during dormancy is very easy. Once dormant, simply keep the soil moist and protect the plant whenever the temperature goes below 20°F, which is true for any plant grown in containers, carnivorous or otherwise. Flytraps are native to North Carolina, so they are not at all unfamiliar with snowy conditions.

So, let your Venus Flytraps experience frost. Not only will you be helping them produce those anti-freeze chemicals, you will have an easier time caring for them when they go completely dormant.

About the author: Jacob Farin is co-owner of <a href=""http://www.cobraplant.com"">Sarracenia Northwest</a>, a nursery that specializes in the cultivation of carnivorous plants. He is also co-author of <b>Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Your Home and Garden</b>. For more details about growing carnivorous plants, visit <a href-""http://www.carnivorousplantsecrets.com"">http://www.Carnivor ousPlantSecrets.com</a>.

Gardening: Creating Your Own Private Paradise

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: What comes to mind when the word ""gardening"" crops up (no pun intended) is a lady in her golden years happily oblivious to the outside world, efficiently caring for flowers, shrubs and all other kinds of plants, in her own Garden of Eden.

She exudes a radiant glow, free from the stresses of beating deadlines, negotiating contracts, rush hour traffic and stubborn clients. Her world is of contentment and of peace unlike our world where we have too much noise, too much pollution and too many people.

Her garden is alive with fragrant blossoms, delicious fruits and beautiful foliage. Far removed from the cold concrete, asphalt roads and migraine inducing computers that we have to live with all day.

Gardening has got that appeal that our inner selves seem to crave. Maybe it is because of some unwritten doctrine urging us to return to where creation culminated or maybe because we're really too exhausted and too tired to work again and again or maybe because having a garden adds bonus points when it comes to attracting the opposite sex.

Anyway, whatever your reasons are, gardening can add more quality to the way you live and even to some extent, it also adds quantity to your life.

However, having a garden does not happen overnight and gardening is not as easy as calling your overly demanding boss using your mobile phone (better let him call you). But having a garden and gardening is not so difficult as building a PowerPoint presentation for a contract worth millions.

If you are intent in pursuing gardening as a hobby, then by all means do so.

Gardening is a form of art that does essentially require you to have passion for growing plants. Knowledge about fertilizer mixtures, pest controls, composting and soil pH levels come second. In this art form, you will be dealing with living entities not paint and canvass or pencil and paper. That is why, in gardening, it is important that you feel for your plant because they reciprocate whatever emotion you show them. Just like taking care of your dogs, you take them for walks, you pat them on the head and you talk to them. In return, they gladly bestow upon you their undying loyalty.

The same is true with gardening, you get them enough sunshine, you water and cultivate them and you talk to them. And in return you can have the satisfying and gratifying feeling of watching them grow. There are no words to describe being part of creation. No kidding.

Gardening does not require you to have your own greenhouse nor does it require you to have a plot on your own backyard. You can have your own garden anywhere you want to. You can have it on your rooftop, on your balcony, in a pot on your window, your garage, in your patio or even in your bathroom. There are hundreds of plants that you can grow in those places. Having a hectic schedule is no means a deterrent in having your own garden. There are plants that require less watering and could live in most types of soil. There are also indoor plants, plants that do not require much sunlight, these plants can be for people who live in places where the conditions limit the plants' access to sunlight.

Gardening does not cost much to start and it does not cost much to maintain, but the benefits you get would be immeasurable. Just ask the old lady in the garden.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

Things You Should Know About Gardening

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: Gardens come in different varieties like the plants you find in them. There are several gardening tips that can be used for all type of gardens.

1. Mulching protects your garden topsoil from being blown away. It also provides nutrients as it decomposes and improves the appearance of your gardens. Mulching has other benefits and is one of the most recommended gardening tips by gardeners and farmers alike.

2.Healthy plants are more disease resistant. Plant are like people, a person with a strong immune system can combat diseases. A healthy plant does the same.

3. Pests can be eradicated by cleaning the plant with a watery solution of soap. Just make sure to rinse after. This gardening tip is best heeded for fruit bearing trees or edible plants.

4. Using compost fertilizers are a great way to have healthy plants. It is also a great way to save money on expensive fertilizers. Non -organic fertilizers also tend to leave chemical residues that can accumulate in garden soils and harm not only the plants but the gardeners as well. They cause toxins to go to the water supplies. Another gardening tip recommended not just by farmers and gardeners but also by environmentalists.

5. There are several plants that are only suitable for a specified climate, a certain kind of soil or can only grow with certain plants. You have to know what plant grow in the conditions you have in your area this is for you to avoid unnecessary purchases. This is a money saving gardening tip.

6. Landscaping is a good investment which can double the value of your home. This is one gardening tip that can earn you money.

7. Growing grass on bare ground is an easy way to make your home look better and appreciate in value. This is one gardening tip that promotes earning money while growing grass legally.

8. Aside from looking great in your home, trees also provide some sort of protection from direct sunlight exposure and strong winds.

9. Vines on the walls, fences and overhead structures also would offer some protection and would also look great.

10. Flowers are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Get one that is resistant to many elements. Flowers from your local community already have developed resistance to conditions present in your area.

11. For most gardens plants, their roots go only as deep as 6 inches. Putting fertilizer deeper than that would be a waste of money. Put them shallower as they seep down when the plants are being watered.

12. Earthworms are important to plants. They till and aerate the soil for the roots to breathe. Non-organic fertilizers can kill them. This gardening tip dates back to the old days of gardening.

13. Having several kinds of insects that are beneficial to your garden would be good. These insects can be encouraged to stay by having diverse plants in your garden.

14. Spot spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, can eradicate them. This is another environment friendly gardening tip.

15. Avoid putting too much mulch on tree trunks, this would encourage unwanted pests to reside on them.

16. Use plant varieties that are common to your area or have been taken from an area with similar conditions.

17. Be sure to know the plants that are poisonous. If you are intent on growing them, make sure to have the necessary cure available in your household. Take note of this gardening tip, it can save your life.

18. The best time to water plants is during mornings.

19. Before planting a new plant in your garden, you must consider its height and size when it matures. This garden tip can help you save money in the future.

20. Newly transplanted plants may require special attention during its first week. This is to reduce the stress and shock it got during transplantation.

And last but not the least of the gardening tips...

21. Plants are living entities. If you want them to grow in your garden you have to treat them as such. They need to be taken care of. They are like your pets, you look out for them. In return you get that feeling of contentment watching them thrive.

A good way to take care of them is to consider that plants might have some feelings too.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

Getting Your Hands on a Good Pair of Gardening Gloves

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: The next best thing to gardening is owning the best pair of gardening gloves. Gardening gloves is the basic gear that the gardener in us needs. And a good pair of gardening gloves should always be found in a gardener's tool box. Why? Because gardening gloves protect your hands from thorns, sharp objects found in the garden, rough work and blisters.

In choosing the right gardening gloves for your hands, follow these easy steps.

Choose gardening gloves that has a cotton lining in the inside. This way, the cotton lining would provide comfort for your hands. Use this particular kind of gardening gloves when you work in wet and muddy places in your garden.

When gardening for you entail spraying pesticides every now and then, the perfect gardening gloves would be made from neoprene. Neoprene is a material that resists the chemicals that tends to escape from the pesticides and fertilizers that you use, unlike plastic or latex where these chemicals can easily penetrate.

If your garden is made up of mostly roses, choose a gardening gloves that extends up to your wrists and protects your hands up until that part. This way, even if you prune your roses, your wrists and arms will not get wounded or scared by your gardening work.

For colder weather, a fingerless gardening gloves will help you do magic in your garden. Fingerless gardening gloves will enable your fingers to do detailed work such as grafting branches together and transplanting seeds.

If you have to choose one, a good and sturdy leather gardening gloves will do your hands very good, Leather gardening gloves will prove to be all-purpose and will last longer than any other kind of gardening glove material. This way, your gardening gloves may be used in pruning, grafting, seed transplanting, spading, digging holes and/or planting in these holes. They can also be used in other household chores, but always make sure that they are cleaned before and after you use them aside from your gardening needs. It is best to have a gardening glove exclusively used for gardening, but if you are on the tight budget and cant afford to buy one or cant find the time to buy one, the easiest solution is cleaning your gardening gloves.

It is also important that owners take care of their gardening gloves. Always clean gardening gloves after using them, place them in the right places where you would easily find them (along with your other gardening materials).

When cleaning your gardening gloves, be sure to follow these steps. Do not remove your gardening gloves yet, after working in them. While the gardening gloves are still in your hands, wash them using soap and water. Make sure that you wash them carefully, especially if you have just used them for spraying pesticides or fertilizers. When you have completely washed them, rinse them very well with water. When you have done this, take your gardening gloves off your hands and lay them flat on top of heat generating appliance that can be found in your house. Be sure that the heat is just enough to dry your gloves and not melt them or ruin them.

Follow these easy tips and steps and you are on your way to getting your hands on the best gardening gloves there is.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

Secrets of Hydroponics Gardening

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: Soil is a funny stuff.

Well, it's not funny in the comedic sense, but funny in how its characteristics mutate as temperatures change. Deep, powdery soil materials can actually harden enough to walk on without burying your feet deep within, and this can also cause the soil to take on a rough quality that actually enhances grip for vehicles in a very unusual way.

But for Mother Nature, soil is a part of a plant's existence. Most people believed that without soil plants would never grow.

And so they thought.

With the hustle and bustle of modern life, people have come to learn things that do not need much attention. Everything seems to be on an instant: instant noodles, instant food, and instant plant.

Yes! Plants can now grow on an instant, without the typical step-by-step process of sowing, watering, and tending to it day by day. You can now grow plants quickly without having to burden yourself that much.

Some call the process as soilless gardening, chemiculture, water gardening, and soilless culture. For many, this is commonly known as hydroponics gardening. Hydroponics gardening is the contemporary way of cultivating plants without having to use soil.

In hydroponics gardening, nutrients are directly supplied to the roots of the plants. These nutrients, commonly known as hydroponics nutrients, plant food, or fertilizers for soilless gardening, are first dissolved in water before feeding them to the plants.

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Just imagine breeding different flowers or cultivating a vegetable garden without having to clash with the soil. Hydroponics gardening means not having to worry about some of the basic concerns of a typical grower.

In hydroponics gardening, you'll never have to worry if the water for your plant was too much or too little. You don't have to worry if how much fertilizer you are going to use or when to use fertilizers in the first place.

Hydroponics gardening alleviates you from the laborious work of weeding and nurturing the soil for the right quality and makeup. Best of all, you no longer have to worry about how much plot to provide for every plant through hydroponics gardening.

Normally, a grower has to consider the space for each plant so as to steer clear of food and water competition. This is such a mind-numbing work because you have to check every now and then for water retention, pest, and weeds. But with hydroponics gardening, everything is as easy as 1-2-3.

Hydroponics gardening is very straightforward. There's nothing complicated about its process. There's no technical term to remember, no scientific theories to ponder, no fuss, and no worries. Beginner and professional farmers alike will find no difficulty in hydroponics gardening. In fact it's not even a new approach in gardening.

Hydroponics gardening has long been used as a research procedure for more than a hundred years now. But it was not until 1929 that the practicality of hydroponics gardening for growing viable produce was determined through experiments.

Nowadays, hydroponics gardening is already a part of most modern home gardens and commercial planting operations in some countries like the United States.

The basic concept of hydroponics gardening is that plants can be developed closer together than in a typical crop growing in the field. This, in turn, increases harvests at the same time farmers get to practice multiple cropping.

Basically, plants that grow in soil have bigger roots in order to search for water and food. In hydroponics gardening, plants grow smaller roots, thus saving more space and impeding competition.

Moreover, plants will grow healthier in hydroponics gardening because plant food dissolved in water is fed directly to the roots. This will enable the plant to concentrate more on growing the upper portion.

So, for growers who still don't know the feasibility of hydroponics gardening, you'll be losing more than you know. Hydroponics gardening can offer more practical reward than just easy gardening. In fact, many people who are already engaged in hydroponics gardening find it relatively a worthwhile hobby. Others find it as a great way of managing plant displays inside their home.

Indeed, nothing beats the gloom of pouring rain than a lovely bunch of bright, colorful flowers without the hassle of soil management inside your home. It's having a home that's close to nature.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

The Gardening Tool You Need

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: So you've decided to set up your own little garden, either as a way to chill out from the wear and tear of life, or to commune with nature, or to make your house a prettier place with all the flaura and fauna soon to come, or just to have more healthy food on the dinner table. Unfortunately, gardens don't really come in instant, ""just add water"" packages. You'll need a truckload of patience, time, a green thumb, and of course, the indispensable gardening tool.

But wait, for a newbie-gardener like you, I bet you don't really know what gardening tools to get, now do you? Especially with all those gardening catalogs you've ordered, filled with pictures of shiny, expensive, new gardening tools to tempt your eye and wallet. Well, not to worry. This article will teach you the basics of picking out the gardening tool collection that will best suit your gardening needs. You'll be hacking and toiling and getting soil under your fingernails in no time.

The first gardening tool you'll need: the spading fork. This is used to break up the hard, clumped-up ground, making a suitable environment for the seeds to be nourished and grow in. A spading fork is basically a mini-pitchfork with wider and sometimes bent tines.

A hoe is a gardening tool that help weed and cultivate the surface of the soil. It's the next item on your gardening tool shopping list that will enable water and nutrients to get through the soil by keeping it loose and airy.

The watering can is another essential gardening tool that you need to be sure you have. Get one that has a long nozzle, which enables you to control the flow and angle of the water with more ease. A watering can with a detachable spray head is just great for watering the various types of plants which have various water needs around the garden.

You will need a gardening tool that is used to move the earth for your planting projects. For this, get yourself a shovel. A more similar version of this would be the spade, which is used more for cutting than for digging up sould. The spade is most often used for shaping trenches and edging beds.

Kids may be able to relate to the bow rake, the classic gardening tool famous for its many cameos on children's cartoons involving tripping over it in the garden. This all-too familiar gardening tool has several short tines attached to one side, and is used to gather up fallen leaves and other objects you wouldn't want to find in your garden. It is also used to sift out large clumps of soil that may obstruct your planting area.

Next, the gardening shears. A gardening tool best kept out of the way of curious children. This gigantic pair of scissors is not meant for the kitchen, but rather, for pruning garden plants. If you're still in the experimenting stages of gardening, here's a tip: don't buy the most expensive shears just yet. A temporary one will let you dull the blades out, and that's all you will lose if you decide you don't like gardening after all.

Those are the basic gardening tools for you, all that you need to start your very first garden. As you expand and grow in your expertise, your gardening activities may require a different bunch of gardening tools altogether. But, that is an entirely new article of gardening tools to consider also.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

Garden Supplies Are the Gardener's Paint and Brush

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: So you have finally decided to have your own garden. That is a very good decision. Having a garden is one of the joys in life that everyone on planet earth can practically accomplish. Seeing your plants grow, as you care for them, can be both gratifying and fulfilling.

We all understand the saying that - 'Man does not live by bread alone', gardeners also say that - 'Plants do not live by watering alone'. The message that both maxims are trying to convey is quite simple- they need something else. Man needs lots of things that are sometimes hard to find. However, almost all of the necessities that plants require are called garden supplies, which can be bought in your nearest garden supply store or in some cases can be made by yourself.

Gardening is like painting, painting may require you to have a brush, paint and a canvass, gardening may require you to have a shovel and some fertilizer and soil. Gardening is also like sculpting. To make a sculpture you may need a gavel, a chisel and wood. To tend to a garden you may need cutters, trimmers and seeds.

For the millions of true blue gardeners, gardening is an art.

To help them further this art, they would need garden supplies.

'Different folks, different strokes', another saying that is fitting for gardeners. There are gardeners who have made their own Garden of Eden on their rooftops, in their backyards, inside their houses and even in their living rooms. Make no mistake about it; gardening can be done almost everywhere.

The different types of garden that can be done anywhere will also be requiring different types of garden supplies that suites them. Indoor gardens may require a hand held shovel not a ditch digger. Living room gardens may require a specialized watering system not a water sprinkler.

There are stores for garden supplies that specialize in indoor gardens, rooftop gardens and all the others kinds of gardens. There are also stores for garden supplies that offer alternative garden supplies such as natural pest control methods, organic fertilizers and ergonomic garden tools.

To make purchasing of garden supplies more convenient, online garden supplies stores have been made available to consumers. Online stores offer the gardeners unlimited options on how to compare prices, shop for the best tools, get to know the latest trends in gardening and order for the merchandize without having to leave their homes. Some online stores feature tips on gardening. Some online stores for gardening supplies also offer gardening packages at discounted prices.

Gardening supplies may not be so expensive. There are other ways by which you can have garden supplies without having to spend much. You can water your plants without having to resort to having a complicated watering device. You do not have to get expensive decorated pots, you can get a simple pot and have a beautiful flowering plant that can enclose the pot.

Garden supplies are a necessity when growing a garden, just like paint and canvass to a painter. A lot of would-be gardeners are just too excited to think about what they really need before making any purchase, making them pay more for what they really need.

To save on garden supplies you may only need your resourcefulness and a lot of imagination.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

Making Your Garden Bloom With Flower Gardening

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: Flower gardening is basically, adorning your garden with flowers. Most gardeners, old and new ones alike, want to go into flower gardening.

There are different forms of flower gardening, as long as it is a garden with flowers it can be considered flower gardening, regardless of what kind of flower it is.

A different, though very popular form of flower gardening is wild flower gardening. Wild flower gardening may be the easiest form of flower gardening there is out there. But it is not as easy at it looks. Many amateur gardeners believe that putting up a wild flower garden would only require you to buy those wild flower seeds from the supermarket, scatter them over your backyard and just let them grow. This is not actually true. As most flower gardens, wild flower gardening does involve a little bit of work. You just don't scatter some seeds and expect them to line up on their own, don't you?!

Before you go to the supermarket to buy those wild flower seed packets, you would have to first prepare the soil where you will plant them. Preparing the soil means that you have to water them regularly and till the soil completely. It is also advisable to your wild flower gardening in cooler climates, which are usually late fall or early summer. Late fall is the time that the soil is absolutely cool, this way, when you plant your wild flower seeds, they will not take root until spring, when they will be able to come in full bloom.

In wild flower gardening, a gardener can also consider planting perennials. Perennials are plants, or in this case flowers that can live their full life cycle in two years. (Annuals on the other hands, completes their life cycle in one year.) With this kind of flower gardening, perennials should be planted by early fall, ten to twelve weeks from frost, this way your seeds will have enough time to set up themselves before they can become dormant.

When needed moisture is absent from your soil , the best way to start your wild flower gardening is at late fall. This is also the best time to start planting your wild flower seeds. With this method, even if there is little water, the gardener can expect lots of rain to douse your thirsty soil and plants.

The most popular wild flowers today are single special meadows. Plant single special meadows in mass and close together (but not too close, leave space for their roots to grow and so that they will not compete for both sunrise and food found in the soil), because they look better this way. Don't worry if all your single special specie of wild flower would not bloom the entire period of spring to fall, this usually happens. Because of this, though planting single special meadows is the trend these days, some wild flower gardeners still opt to plant two or three species of wildflowers. By doing this, they are ensuring the complete bloom of all their wild flower species the entire spring to fall.

To ensure a better bloom rate from your wild flower garden, keep the seedling moist by watering them everyday. And although wild flowers are wild flowers, the gardener should still be patient enough to pull out the weeds from his flower garden, especially in the early stages of your wild flower garden.

In late fall or winter, keep the wild flower height to about six inches high. This process will prevent the other plants from invading your flower bed and will also help disperse the seeds of your wild flowers.

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Container Gardening in the Metro

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: For most of us, gardening means two things: a) farm and b) soil. Hardly anybody knows that a nature-filled activity doesn't have to be that far and tedious, and can actually take place at the heart of the dirty metro, right in the comforts of your condominium.

There are people who resort to other types of gardening especially when their vicinity calls for it. Most people who live in a condominium, hotel, or any place that is not suitable for the usual way of gardening go for some container gardening.

Container gardening is suitable for some indoor gardening. Through this, people can grow flowers and vegetables in their doorstep, deck, terrace, or lanai. Container gardening is applicable to just about any place that can be a great spot for a practical and pleasing presentation.

However, container gardening still requires the element of light coming from the sun so as to grow a healthy plant. That's why it's a must for a person who wants to try container gardening to consider light as the primary factor in gardening.

Container gardening, as the name suggests, uses containers instead of the usual seedbed or area typically used for backyard gardening. Barrels, hanging baskets, bowls, crocks, boxes for plants, flowerpots, sacks, bowls or peat moss containers are some of the containers that can be used in container gardening.

In choosing containers for container gardening, there are certain factors that need to be considered. Any containers can be used as long as it can provide good drainage. Containers with tight opening should be avoided.

When considering the material used in the make-up of the container, it's best not to use terracotta pots and bargained plastic pots. Terracotta pots can dry out fast and becomes brittle; while plastic pots may weaken when exposed to sunlight.

The plant selected establishes sizes of containers that are to be used in container gardening. These containers should provide enough space for the plants to develop and grow roots.

The next thing to consider in container gardening is the mixture of soil. The soil mixture should be well ventilated and fluffy. It should be easy to drain excess water at the same time maintain abundant moisture. The soil mixture should be rich in nutrients.

Good soil mixtures can also impede root rot trouble. Root rot problem can be avoided if the same soil mixture is used all throughout the container.

According to some container gardening experts, soil mixtures or ""soil less"" mixtures bring about the best results. These soil mixtures can be obtained from commercial garden centers. Some of the soil mixtures that are used in container gardening are Metro Mix, Pro-Mix, Redi-Earth, Jiffy Mix, and Super Soil.

However, for budget conscious people who still want to try container gardening, you can opt for a more affordable soil mixtures. That is, you'll make your very own soil mixtures.

Homemade soil mixtures are composed of one part of sharp sand or vermiculite, one part potting soil, and one part compost. If you're thinking of a hanging basket for your container gardening, the soil mixture is more of lightweight materials. The mixture is composed of equal parts of vermiculite, peat moss, and perlite.

Generally, since container gardening uses containers that have holes for water drainage, water retention is not that high. That's why container gardening involves a lot of watering especially during the hot season.

Fertilizers are also important in container gardening. Though, this must be applied in considerable proportions since overuse of fertilizers can do more harm than good. Too many fertilizers may smolder and destroy your plants.

The last thing to consider is the type of plant you will use in your container gardening. Basically, container gardening doesn't need a special type of plant. In fact, plants that grow in a typical backyard garden can also be used in container gardening.

If you would like to grow vegetables, you may opt for green onions, beans, lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes, squash, parsley, radishes, and peppers. These are the vegetables perfectly fitting for container gardening.

If you want some flowers, you can go for Dusty Miller, Geranium, Begonia, Candytuft, Chrysanthemum, or Shasta Daisy. Any type of flower is suitable for container gardening.

You can also grow herbs in containers like basil, anise, dill, coriander, and chervil. You may also want to try growing chives, mint, tarragon, thyme, fennel, and caraway. Using herbs in container gardening will not only offer you with a beautiful display but can also provide you with useful herbs you can instantly use in your cooking. What's good about that is that you get it fresh and absolutely free.

That's why most people who go for container gardening do not only see this as a hobby or a recreational activity. Most of them realize that this can also be profitable and practical. Vegetables and herbs that grow in containers can be instant sources of ingredients in your recipes.

So, for people who still don't know the benefits container gardening brings, now is the time for you to find it out.

Container gardening is definitely a feasible activity that brings about a thousand benefits right in the heart of the busy metropolis.

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Characteristics of Different Types of Soil

Author: Alex Fir

Article: The most important factor when beginning to cultivate your garden is to know your soils texture. Take a handful of moist soil and roll it between your palms until it forms a sausage shape. If it feels gritty and breaks apart immediately, the soil is predominately sand. If the soil feels smooth, and holds its shape for a short time before breaking apart, it is mostly silt. However, if it feels sticky and holds together, then it is clay.

Sandy Soil Easy to cultivate and warm up quickly in spring. It drains well so the plants do not stand with their roots in water for too long. However, as it drains quickly, plants need to be regularly watered and fed if they are to thrive.

Silty Soil This soil type is richer in nutrients than sandy soil. It is also heavier because it can retain moisture and has a tendency to become compacted. It does however tend to drain well and much easier to cultivate than clay. Clay Soil Weighty to lift and difficult to work. Drainage is usually bad; the soil is acid and clinging to the feet in wet weather. When preparing the beds for vegetables in clay soil, the organic fertilizer should be added at a rate of two bucketfuls to the sq. yd.

Loamy Soil Contain sand, silt and clay, in such well-balanced proportions that none produces a dominating influence. These are amongst the most fertile soils. Almost any crop can be grown in them. They warm up quickly in spring and rarely dry out in summer. Chalk Soil It fertility depends largely on the depth of soil overlaying the chalk bed formation. If the topsoil is thin the ground will be poor and hungry. It will be bone dry in summer and the plants will need far more watering and feeding than on any other soil. If however, it is fairly deep, good growing conditions are possible.

Peaty Soil It occurs in fen or boggy areas. Peat is composed of excessive quantities of humus and is associated with water-logging. The soil is usually very acid and contains few nutrients. It does have one advantage in that it warms up quickly in spring. It is excellent for plant growth if fertilizer is added.

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About the author: Visit <a href=""http://www.gardening-information.info/blog/"">Gardening Information</a> website and learn <a href=""http://www.gardening-information.info/blog/"">gardening tips</a>. You will also discover which <a href=""http://www.gardening-information.info/gardening-tools-and-a ccessories.html""> gardening tools</a> match the tasks in your garden.

How to Keep your Brick Patio Weed Free

Author: Hans Dekker

Article: Brick Patio Weed Control

In researching this article, I found one instance where a homeowner was so incensed by the weeds in her patio that she set fire to them with a blowtorch!

Luckily, several items provide better service as a weeding tool and there are several better alternatives for brick patio weed control.

Of course, the best method of brick patio weed control is proper installation of your brick patio.

Start with an under-layment of pea gravel, topped by a layer of sturdy landscape cloth and cover with it with a layer of sand.

This will give your brick patio a firm footing as well as cramp the style of any weeds in the area.

Nevertheless, if your brick patio is already installed and running rampant with weeds, here are some tips to help you succeed in to keep it weed free without a lot of agonizing work.

First, to make your brick patio weed control plan a success, implement your plan before weeds flower. This keeps weeds from going to seed and helps make a short-term plan last for a longer time.

For the following tip and other tips that involve weed dousing of one sort or another, use a piece of cardboard or scrap of Plexiglas to protect nearby plants.

One of the best ways to kill a vegetable of any kind is to cook it.

Boiling water is a natural and very inexpensive weed-wilter and works to kill most forms of annual weeds. It also kills or weakens many types of perennial weeds.

A teakettle is your weeding tool. Fill it with water and bring it to a boil. While you're waiting (because a watched pot never boils, you know!) go outside and cut the culprits down to their crowns.

When the water begins to boil, grab the kettle (using a potholder) and pour the water on the crowns of the weeds, holding the kettle high enough only to avoid splashing. Killing weeds with boiling water will also scald any biological organisms that get splashed, but more will return as soon as the soil cools.

Vinegar will kill most weeds. However, grocery store vinegar is normally a 5% solution and is too weak to do the job. Ten-percent vinegar will kill most weeds and usually is found where canning and pickling supplies are sold.

A 20% solution of vinegar kills really stubborn weeds, but is frequently more than twice as expensive as 10%. Try to control the weeds with the 10% before you make the investment in a stronger solution.

Spray the vinegar directly on the weeds, using the shield mentioned above and taking care not to inhale fumes. You may also want to wear gloves and eye protection as a further safeguard.

In my experience these measures will keep all brick patio's free from weed without a lot of back breaking work.

We love to share our gardening ideas and hear yours.

About the author:

Hans is an enthusiast gardener, he loves to share his gardening ideas and hear about yours. He is one of the authors of : <a href=""http://www.gardening-guides.com""> http://www.gardening-guides.com</a> and <a href=""http://www.patio-furniture-ideas.com/""> http://www.patio-furniture-ideas.com/</a> </p>

The Soil in Our Gardens

Author: Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

Article: In our endeavor to create a beautiful flower garden, we must first start with the soil. Soil is not just ""dirt"". It is instead a composition of minerals, water, air, organic material that has decomposed and bacteria. All of these must be in the right proportions to grow the flowers and plants that create our beautiful flower garden.

We all know that our flowers and plants gather their required nutrients for growth through their roots from the soil. This means each of us, as the gardener, must be the steward of our garden soil. Our neglect and abuse can ruin the soil. Indeed, in many parts of the country our farming and ranching soil has been so depleted as to make growing crops require ever increasing amounts of synthetic chemical amendments.

If you should dig into your soil, you will see that it is divided into topsoil and subsoil. The topsoil is where you will find most of the organic material and living organisms. However, plants draw minerals from the subsoil and it is important to our flower garden as well.

Soil differs in different parts of the country based upon the kind of minerals it is derived from and the size of the particles that make up the soil. These can range from gravel to clay. For most flower gardening situations, we are usually concerned with sandy soils to clay soils. This is important to know, as it has to do with the amount of air available within your soil for your plants to access. As well, it concerns how fast water is drained away from your plants.

Perhaps the best thing one can do with any flower garden soil is to add organic material. Some gardeners believe adding sand to any soil but already sandy soil is also of benefit. But organic matter is perhaps the most elegant solution for just about any type of soil problem. Organic matter can:

-help the soil hold more water

-help it drain better

-add important nutrients to the soil

-give bacteria and other beneficial organisms ""food"" to work with to the benefit of our flowers and plants

-changes the structure of our soil over time as we keep adding it.

coyright 2005. Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

About the author: Looking for more information about your <a href=""http://flowergardenlovers.com/"">Flower Garden</a>? Check out our flower gardening tips and articles at http://flowergardenlovers.com.

What part does Pruning play in Bonsai?

Author: Rob Mellor

Article: Pruning is necessary to maintain (or refine growth to obtain) the right shape of a bonsai and encourage new growth. Some plants naturally respond well to pruning, regardless of how intense, whilst other plants can find it hard to recover, especially when pruned at the wrong time of the year.

When should I Prune? To prune correctly you must find out the type of plant your bonsai is and research when the best times are to prune old and new season growth. Generally, new growth is pruned during the growing season to maintain the shape of the bonsai, whilst pruning of hard wood (old season growth) is done in mid-autumn.

Forms of Pruning

Finger Pruning One of the main forms of pruning for bonsai, especially evergreen coniferous bonsai such as junipers and cedars is 'finger pruning'. This involves pinching back new growth, which does not come within the general shape of the bonsai or is at the top of the bonsai helping to encourage bushy foliage and a more tree-like looking bonsai. To do this, take the growth between your thumb and forefinger whilst holding the branch with your other hand and remove with a twisting movement. This is better than trimming the growth with scissors; this leaves an unnatural look and leaves the foliage an unsightly brown. However for deciduous trees, scissor tip pruning is best. When trimming outward or 'overenthusiastic' growth, trim shoots back to just after the next series of leaves, but don't cut the foliage as such.

Branch Pruning Pruning of branches is performed in spring. Much, but not all of the new growth is removed. Branches are selected early on as the only branches to be allowed to prosper, while the excess branches are mercilessly pruned off.

Leaf Pruning Leaf pruning (also known as defoliation) in bonsai is used for several deciduous and tropical plants to reduce leaf size, remove unsightly leaves and speed-up growth by causing two seasons' growth in one. This is done in mid-summer, by cutting 60-90% of the leaves off the tree, only leaving a few to ensure that the tree keeps its energy. Remove leaves with fine scissors, cutting them from directly behind the leaf. In the next few weeks make sure that you keep the plant in a hospitable position and climate and supply it adequate water. Remember however, that this form of pruning is only applicable to certain types of plants.

Root Pruning Bonsai trees are intentionally allowed to become root-bound in their containers, and the roots too, are pruned. But root-bound plants won't thrive forever in that condition and, indeed, bonsai trees must be re-potted every two or three years to furnish the roots with fresh soil.

Last but not the least, the main factor in maintaining bonsai is the removal of all but the most important parts of the plant. Bonsai is all about the reduction of everything just to the essential elements and ultimate refinement.

About the author: Rob Mellor owns a great website helping people find out more about the <a href=""http://www.lost-bonsai-secrets.com"" title=""bonsai tree"">bonsai tree</a>. Please visit the site for more information on <a href=""http://www.lost-bonsai-secrets.com "" title=""bonsai tree care"">bonsai tree care</a>

Japanese Gardens: The Practical Use of Stones and Boulders

Author: Rose Smith

Article: There is a variety of elements used throughout a Japanese garden, but the three most important and basic ones that you will find in every garden design are: rocks, plants and water features. In this article, we are going to focus on rocks, a very visible and useful Japanese garden element that has many viable and practical applications, along with its aesthetic qualities.

<b>Large boulders can block unsightly views.</b> For example, perhaps your water hoses and water connection are near an area of your garden and you don't want it visible to visitors. A large boulder and complimentary bush would hide the out-of-place items, yet allow you access to use them as needed.

<b>Interesting rocks can be placed where plants are hard to grow.</b> Sometimes you will find one particular area in your garden where plants just don't seem to do well, no matter what you plant or what you do to the soil. Maybe it's too wet or maybe it's too clay based. Whatever the problem, a nice rock arrangement might do the trick.

<b>Use rocks to enhance a water feature.</b> Place near ponds to make the area more natural looking and visually appealing. Next to a water basin, a smooth, flat stone could be used for kneeling down to the basin. A larger stone could be used as a place to sit for a bit.

<b>Define a pathway.</b> A rock grouping set along a turn in a path provides visual interest and guides the stroller along the proper course. It also encourages them to slow down and contemplate the arrangement, making the walk more enjoyable.

<b>Block off a portion of the garden or path.</b> You can use stones to block off an area which you don't want people to enter. They form a natural barrier, but be sure to make the arrangement interesting as well.

<b>Rocks are a wonderful backdrop for plants.</b> An angular, vertical rock makes a unique backdrop for a plant grouping. Place the rock a bit farther back from the plants, so as to provide depth perception and allow the plants to be the focus (or vice versa).

<b>Secure slopes and use as retaining walls.</b> Boulders and good-size stones make excellent, natural materials for use in low retaining walls. On slopes, flat rocks work beautifully as steps.

<b>Directing a stream.</b> As in nature, rocks are always found along a streambed. Secure rocks within the banks to help prevent erosion of the earth by the water.

About the author: <b>About the Author</b>

(c) 2005 Rose Smith own Gardens From Japan where you will find free resources on how to create a peaceful, serene <a href=""http://www.gardensfromjapan.com"" target=""_blank"">Japanese garden</a> in your own backyard. Visit <a href=""http://www.gardensfromjapan.com"" target=""_blank"">http://www.GardensFromJapan.com</a> today for more information.

Organic Gardening: Going Back to the Basics

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: Because of an alarming condition of our atmosphere these days and the impact of technological innovations have on our health, everything seems to be resorting to a more viable option - organics. From foods to even hobbies like gardening, organics had definitely taken the limelight.

Nowadays, one of the gradually emerging lucrative activity for hobbyist, and environmentalist for that matter, is organic gardening. It slowly replaces the traditional type of gardening that involves harmful chemicals that speed up the destruction of our Ozone layer.

Organic gardening, basically, refers to one type of gardening that deviates from the customary use of chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides. Because of these, many agriculturists contend that engaging into organics gardening makes one in synchrony with nature.

The basic notion of organics gardening boils down to the fact that it is best to feed the soil and not the plant. Thus, we can hypothetically say that, in organic gardening, it is the soil that needs more nourishment than the plants, or simply because it's from the soil that the plants obtain their nourishment. A healthy soil yields a healthy plant, so to speak.

In organic gardening, the basic concept of ""fertilizing"" the soil is to use organic materials like composts and manures. When fertilizing the soil, it doesn't necessarily mean that you use fertilizers. In fact, fertilizers were primarily denoted as anything that increases the soil's fertility.

Hence, organic gardening is a way of going back to the basics, the traditional use of basic fertilizers that increases the soil's capability to enrich the plant. In this manner, the grower uses minerals like calcium coming from the fossils of dead animals, nitrogen from legumes or manures, phosphorus from bones of dead animals, and potassium from wood ashes.

On the other hand, organic growers also consider

composts of other living things like vegetables or plants when incorporating the idea of organic gardening. Its by-product is known as the humus, which is definitely good for the soil. In organic gardening, humus is an important element in plant production because it contains cellulose that performs like a sponge and retains moisture in the soil so that it will be made available for the plants as they grow.

Moreover, organic gardening incorporates the traditional way of controlling animal pests like physical removal of insects, crop rotation, interplanting, and introduction of prey species. These methods lessen the growth of insects and curb the multiplication of pests. It also impedes the development of diseases that were emphasized by ""agribusiness monocropping"".

In addition, organic gardening employs the typical suppression of weeds and vegetables pests without having to opt for herbicides. In this organic gardening method of removing weeds, ""mulches"" are placed on the weeds to prevent them from obtaining the amount of light they need in order to grow. These mulches act as barriers for weeds and vegetable pests. They come in different forms like leaves, stones, wood, or straw.

In general, the technique of organic gardening lies on two agricultural concept: permaculture and biodynamic agriculture.

Permaculture or permanent culture refers to that area in agriculture wherein certain ecological principle, ""shared ethics"" like earth care and people care, and design tools are used so as to gain sustainable development in plants. On the other hand, biodynamics agriculture is composed of a biological at the same time sustainable system of agricultural assembly.

With these two concepts, we can safely derive the fundamental idea of organic gardening as a system based on environmental, sustainable, and ethical principles of man.

So, we now know for a fact that organic gardening is definitely a lot better than what science and technology teaches us these days.

The only drawback is that it is science that taught us the basic ways on how to care for the environment in the first place, and yet, it is also the same mentor who is teaching us how to employ concepts that eventually leads to nature's destruction. Isn't it ironic?

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

Easy Steps to Composting

Author: Fran Barnwell

Article: It is becoming more and more obvious these days that we need to recycle as much as we can, and anyone with a garden has a head start and can make a great contribution. To many novice gardeners, including myself, this subject can be somewhat difficult to grasp; but in fact it is really straightforward - there are just a few very simple rules:

You need a compost bin, and the type you decide on rather depends on the size of your garden, but there are a couple of options:

A purpose built plastic bin purchased from a garden centre, not too expensive; and you just fill up from the top and a few months later, you can take compost from a small hatch at the base. Alternatively, if you can wield a saw and some nails, you can make a wooden slatted enclosure, one metre square - or you can buy them ready made - and cover it with a piece of old carpet to keep the worst of the weather off.

<b>What you can compost:</b>

- all uncooked vegetable and fruit peelings

- teabags, tea leaves and coffee grounds

- egg shells

- dead flowers from the house

- and from the garden, soft prunings

- spent bedding plants, dead leaves, lawn mowings

- spent compost from hanging baskets or containers

- some dryer materials such as shredded pape

- rabbit and guinea pig bedding.

The only thing you have to be careful about is to mix different types of material; if you have too many grass clippings in a big mass, they will turn soggy and slimy, or if there is too much paper and prunings, it will be too dry. So keep an eye on it, especially if you are using the wooden enclosure, and mix it with a fork occasionally.

<b>What NOT to compost:</b>

- all meat products and bones; bread, cooked food - these will attract vermin

- dog or cat waste

- woody material - which takes too long to compost

- weeds - these can 'infect' your compost with their seeds

- anything that is non-biodegradable such as plastic.

And because you won't always feel like taking a trip to the compost heap when it's wet or cold or every time you peel vegetables why not keep a lidded container by the back door which you can fill up and then make the trip to the compost bin every one or two days?

Over a period of time - 3 months to 1 year, depending on conditions - all this matter will have broken down into lovely dark brown crumbly compost, which you can fork into your beds and borders. It makes an excellent soil conditioner and can be used as surface mulch, helping conserve moisture and discourage weeds.

You can also convert fallen leaves into wonderful compost. Rake up any leaves from your lawn - you may have to do this several times over the autumn - and collect them from the borders. Put them all into a black waste sack, sprinkle with water, put a few holes around the sack with a fork, tie the top, and leave it in a corner for about a year. What you end up with is known as leaf-mould.

About the author: Fran Barnwell is a self-taught gardener, learning through experience in her own garden. Fran understands the difficulties that face new gardeners, and has written The Ultimate Guide to Gardening for Beginners, a successful eBook that helps anyone new to gardening to get started, explaining the basics in easy to understand terms. To find out more and to sign up to receive a free series of articles, go to http://www.NewToGardening.com

Enjoy Rose Gardening

Author: Gerardas Norkus

Article: The rose. It has been the subject of many a poem, prose and song. It has been one of the many symbols of beauty, love and female sexuality. It has warmed and won hearts all over.

But before a rose becomes a bloom that has the power over many, it has to begin somewhere as a plain and innocent bud, unnoticed and enjoying its life along with the other buds.

It is here in the rose garden where it all starts. Where the roses live until they are ready to be let go. Here is where the rose gardener toils and toils and toils until he is ready to let go. But for him it is not tiring work. The gardener enjoys both the trip and the destination.

Rose gardening is an activity that can serve lots of purposes. Some go into it mainly for profit, as there is always a demand for roses. Probably because roses are one of the most popular flowers there are, famed for their beauty and smell. Some find them therapeutic and relaxing; tending to something which grows into beauty gives some people the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment. Others find rose gardening, or just plain gardening a delight within itself.

Whatever it is your purpose for doing rose gardening, if you're still a beginner, you have to know a few things first. Rose gardening is not a simple task, you don't happen to notice roses grow just about anywhere, don't you? These are delicate flowers which require your attention and dedication.

First thing in rose gardening, you have to choose what variety of rose it is that you want to plant. But you can't just pick any variety. You have to take into consideration factors like growing conditions, garden size etc.

After picking the rose variety that you want to plant, you have to prepare your spot. Rose gardening involves picking and preparing a good site and bed for plantation. A good site should ideally receive six hours of sun a day, or at least a good dose of sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. Adequately drained soil is a must, poor drainage or ""wet feet"" will be death for your flowers. Although roses would do well in most soil types, having a high organic content will be better. Do check the pH levels of your soil, 6.0 - 7.0 would be good.

One of the highlight events in your rose gardening is planting. If you're planning to use bare root roses in your rose gardening, try to purchase them as close as possible to your planting time. Soak these first in water for 8 to 12 hours to help rehydrate the plant. You must also ""sweat"" the canes after planting them into the soil to avoid drying the canes up. There are different methods of doing this, most growers just put a moist brown paper bag over the canes.

Potted roses are easier to plant and are ready for planting the whole season. You just take it out of the container and put it in a hole deep enough to accommodate the root ball. Same with box roses, although it generally recommended that you remove the cardboard box first (because the instructions might say otherwise). After you have prepared and planted, your rose gardening activities will mainly consist of mulching, pruning, fertilizing and of course, watering. You just have to prepare a rose gardening plan for these things. It would be good to research on the needs of the variety of rose that you have chosen.

About the author: Subscribe to <b>""Gardening Secrets Unearthed""</b> 7-part e-mail course from http://GardeningSecretsAndTips.com! Discover the keys to having a garden a professional landscaper would envy.

The Art Of Landscaping Your Garden

Author: Marie K Fisher

Article: Landscaping is the one gardening endeavor that can consume lots and lots of your time and energy. If you are thinking of tackling it on a grand scale, you will need some major preparation. If you were to consider hiring a professional landscaper, you would most probably find that the costs would be quite horrendous.

Now that's fine if money is no object, but I personally get great pleasure from my own endeavors, gardening is after all my great passion in life.

I would strongly suggest however, that you have a clear idea in your mind about how you would like your garden to look, rather than simply starting off without a clear plan in mind.

Having said all that,here are simple but indispensable tips to guide you in making your landscaping activities extremely rewarding.

<b>Draw Your Landscape Plan.</b>

However not just any plan. It needs to be a well thought out landscape plan, or you are certainly doomed to lose money as well as time and energy. You really need to take account of the style and function of your landscape, and a good idea of the plants that you also want to include. Focus on that area where you spend most of your time, because this is where your landscaping labors should all be directed.

<b>Investigate A Free Planning Service.</b>

Hiring an independent designer would probly cost you hundreds of dollars, but you might well discover that many nurseries offer a free planning service, particularly if you are likely to be spending some money with them.

<b>Take Account Of The Style Of Your Home.</b>

When planning your landscape, the style should complement the design of your house and your personality as well. There are various landscape styles which you can choose for your garden:-

1. Formal - This style uses lots of straight lines and perfect geometrical shapes. Orderly arrangement of plants instead of random positioning is employed, and close arrangement and pruning is used on many landscaped gardens with this style.

2. Informal - This kind of landscaping goes well with houses which have a cozy look to them. Beds with curved edges instead of straight lines and random placement of plants suit this landscape style.

3. English Garden - This style emphasizes on the harmony between the house's architecture and the garden.

4. Formal/Informal Garden - This style often comes with a brick walkway that exudes formality. This walkway leads to the rear with a circle of plants. The arrangement of plants resembles the English garden style, but it has no formal borders.

5. Oriental - It is often the kind of garden found in houses with small backyards. It uses rocks, evergreens and water, and a wide variety of plants to create several angles with this style.

6. Woodland - This landscaping suits a house that has a wooded backyard and an inclined terrain.

Keeping those tips in mind will not only make your landscaping a very fruitful activity, but will save you considerable expense as well as time.

Don,t be frightened to use your imagination and flair for color in this project, after all it is primarily to please yourself and your family. I suggest that the satisfaction that you will gain from creating and designing your own personal landscaped garden, will make you feel like a true artist.

About the author: Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wonderful colors. She is a regular contributor to Garden Center Showplace a leading online Garden Center. For more details of the superb range of products offered, and also more Featured Articles and Tips on Gardening visit http://www.gardencentershowplace.com

Bonsai Trees

Author: Andrew Green

Article: What are Bonsai trees?

Many people think of tiny little Japanese trees cut and pruned to a miniature size but literally speaking Bonsai means 'plant in a tray' and while they are smaller than their wild counterparts they don't have to be a couple of inches tall; they can be grown in a pot in the garden and will be smaller than their wild counterparts.

Misconceptions about Bonsai trees.

Many people believe that training Bonsai trees is a cruel pastime because the cultivator starves the tree and cuts it to such an extent that it becomes unhealthy. Quite the reverse is usually true; while they are cut and pruned quite heavily to keep them to the size of the pot, they are usually transferred from pot to pot regularly and are fed and watered much more often than their wild cousins.

Contrary to belief, Bonsai trees do not originate from Japan, but there are records dating back more than 2000 years that show Bonsai being grown in China. These Bonsai weren't as small as the Bonsai that people often envisage and were grown on an individual basis outdoors in pots. It was, though, the Japanese that took this art form and progressed it to the level it is at now. This has led to quite different styles in Japanese and Chinese Bonsai; the Chinese Bonsai being much more freestyle and more lightly pruned than the Japanese miniature Bonsai that are very heavily groomed and pruned and look much more like miniature natural versions of the full sized versions.

Bonsai trees do not live shorter lives than wild trees. They regularly live for many centuries and are traditionally passed down from generation to generation of family. They lead nearly exactly the same length lives as their wild cousins and are often much healthier because of the attention they receive.

The advantages of growing Bonsai.

Not everyone has a large garden where they can plant numerous trees and let them grow as big as they want, and even those who do have large gardens still need to wait for many years before the tree becomes truly established. By growing Bonsai you don't need any more room than the size of your pot and because you only need them to grow to much smaller proportions it really is accessible for anyone who is interested in growing Bonsai trees. You can even grow them inside if you can recreate the correct conditions for the tree you want to grow.

Growing Bonsai trees can fast become an addictive hobby and requires attention to detail, foresight of how the tree will grow and plenty of time and care. You will undoubtedly feel massive satisfaction if you decide to grow Bonsai and are any good at it.

About the author: Bonsia HQ, http://bonsaihq.com/ for lots of information about looking after your bonsai.

Flower Delivery in New York

Author: Eddie Tobey

Article: As is the case with any large city, you can become overwhelmed with the options for sending flowers. If you need to send a gift, New York flower delivery services are plenty. If you are not familiar with any particular business, it may be wise to ask friends or family (or even the florist) for referrals or recommendations.

If your quest for referrals in finding the perfect florist for you needs is null, you can always do an Internet search. You can also utilize the services of national floral deliveries (FTD) or 1800Flowers.com. These and other national companies will deliver to New York; different companies may or may not charge additional processing or delivery fees.

Blossom Flower Shop is a time-tested florist. With over 80 years of experience in the floral industry, they guarantee you will be satisfied with your purchase. This is a family owned company with 4 generations of floral experts at your service. Blossom Flower Shop delivers to all of New York City. They have professional floral designers who give personal attention to every order.

Another popular florist is New York Plaza Florist. This company specializes in orchids. They also offer a variety of thousands of roses and other flowers. With professional designers on staff you are certain to get a personal touch with every order you place. This company enjoys New York flower deliveries and gives a special touch for your special occasion.

About the author: <a href=""http://www.i-flowerdelivery.com"">Flower Delivery Info</a> provides information on same day, next day, international, and online flower delivery in various regions Flower Delivery Info is the sister site of <a href=""http://www.e-flowerbulbs.com"">Flower Bulbs Web</a>.

How to Grow Japanese Red Maple Trees from Seed

Author: Michael McGroarty

Article: Most Japanese Maple seeds ripen in the fall. Watch the tree and wait for the seeds to turn brown. The seeds are ready to be harvested when they are brown and can be easily removed from the tree. The seeds are attached to a wing, it's best to break the wing off before storing or planting the seeds. Japanese Maple seeds have a very hard outer coating as do many ornamental plants. Under natural conditions the seeds would have to be on the ground for almost two years before they would germinate. All that happens the first winter is the moisture softens the hard outer shell, and the second winter germination is beginning to take place. In order for all of this to happen in the proper sequence so the seedlings actually sprout at a time of the year when freezing temperatures or hot summer sun doesn't kill them, takes a tremendous amount of luck. You can improve the odds by controlling some of these conditions, and shorten the cycle. Once you have picked the seeds and removed the wing just place them in a paper bag and store them in a cool dry place until you are ready for them. You don't want to plant your seeds out in the spring until the danger of frost has past. Here in the north May 15th is a safe bet. If May 15th is your target date you should count backwards on the calendar 100 days. That will take you to about February 5th if my math is correct. On or about the 100th day prior to your target planting date, take the seeds and place them in a Styrofoam cup or other container that will withstand some hot water. Draw warm to hot water from your kitchen faucet and pour it over the seeds. Most of the seeds will float, just leave them in the water overnight as the water cools down. 24 hours later most of the seeds will have settled to the bottom of the cup. Drain off the water. Place the seeds in a plastic bag with a mixture of sand and peat or other suitable growing mix. Even light potting soil will work. The peat or soil should be moist, but not soaking wet. Poke some holes in the bag so there is some air circulation, and place the bag in your refrigerator for a period of 100 days. After 100 days you can plant the seeds outside. If you have timed it correctly, you should be at or close to your target planting date. To plant the seeds just sow them on top of a bed of well drained topsoil or sterilized potting soil, and cover with approximately 3/8"" of soil. Water them thoroughly, but allow the soil to dry out completely before watering thoroughly again. If you water them frequently, not only do you stand a chance of the seeds rotting from being too wet, but you will also keep them cool, which will slow down the germination process. Once they start to germinate provide about 50% shade to keep the sun from burning them. Snow fence suspended about 30"" above the bed will provide about 50% shade. Japanese Maples will tolerate some shade so it isn't too important to transplant them too quickly.

Depending on how close together they are, you might be able to leave them in the same bed for one or two growing seasons. Don't transplant until they are completely dormant.

About the author: Mike McGroarty, the author of this article, would like to give you this Ebook: ""The Gardener's Secret Handbook"". Stop by his http://www.freeplants.com website and get your copy right now. It's his way of saying hello! Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com

7 Natural Stone Pebble Projects For Every Home

Author: William Siebler

Article: Natural stone pebbles are becoming extremely popular in homes because of their wide range of colors and uses. Here are a few ideas for use in your own home.

Japanese Gardens

Japanese Gardens and known for their peacefulness and tranquillity. This style of garden uses specific plants as well as rocks and water to create this effect. Often these gardens are small in scale and are incorporated into an overall garden design rather than being the whole garden.

Decorative Pots

Placing some pebbles around the top of a potted plant can make indoor plants more attractive. Consider what part of the potted plant you want to make the focus. You can use a decorative ceramic pot as well. Decide whether you want matching or contrasting colors in the pot and the pebbles you choose. The pebbles and chosen pot should help focus your eye on the plant you have chosen.

Vases

Pebbles are also very effective used in the bottom of vases. Glass vases in particular look superb with some colored natural stone in the bottom. The pebble base also helps hold the arranged flowers in place. Decorative vases make great table decorations for dinner parties.

Paths and Drives

Paths and drives become very low maintenance when covered with a topping of small natural stone pebbles. The pebble size you choose needs to take into account how the path or drive will be used. Heavy car traffic or foot traffic areas need smaller stones as they are more comfortable underfoot and better for cars to drive over. Gravel drives and paths should have retaining edging to hold the stones in place. Drives and paths need to be topped up with extra stone occasionally. They are very durable and much nicer looking than a plain old concrete driveway.

Water Features

It seems now that everyone wants a garden water feature. They can be very small or quite large and bold but always add an element of tranquillity to any garden. When planning a water feature you can incorporate natural stone in a variety of ways. Larger stones around the edge of the feature can add character. Pebbles can also be used to cover the base of the water feature and to cover up any cords or pumps that are used to power it. Before choosing your stone remember to wet a sample as this is how it will look in your water feature.

Ponds

The same rule applies with ponds to wet your sample and check the colour of the stone. Natural stone is normally dusty when collected and when the dust comes off the real color is revealed. Ponds look great with built-up edging. You can use a variety of materials including feature rocks, wood, metal and many others. You can also mix and match various sized stones for a more natural look.

Pebbles as Mulch

Mulching is something more gardeners are doing in the garden. Basically it involves adding a layer of material over the top of your soil to aid with water retention. This means less watering which saves time and also water supplies. Not everyone has an endless supply of water or the enthusiasm to maintain lawns and pebbles are a great alternative, particularly in naturally dry areas.

Weeding in garden beds is greatly reduced. It is quite easy to pull the few weeds that attempt to grow among the pebbles. As the plants mature and fill up the planting spaces there is less room for weeds to find a place to grow.

To stop the grass from coming up through the pebble mulch paths we have found that a heavy layer of newspaper and then a layer of plastic or weed mat on top works very well. The newspapers and the plastic help to retain moisture, another important reason for mulching. On top of this plastic the pebbles that were recently in the planting holes are spread in a thick layer. Larger flat rocks are used as edging.

About the author: Decor Pebble is a natural stone specialist. You can view their full range of Australian natural stone pebbles at: http://www.decorpebble.com.au/australian-natural-stone-pebbles.ht m

Coaxing Fresh Vegetables From the Garden All Winter Long

Author: Kenneth Point

Article: Autumn typically signals the end of home grown vegetables from the garden, but with a little ingenuity you can harvest garden fresh produce well into the winter months. My Central Pennsylvania garden continues to supply fresh vegetables during the fall and winter when most gardeners in my growing region are content to dream about next summer's bounty. Read on to discover simple tricks that will fortify your garden against the onslaught of frigid weather.

Fall often delivers brief cold spells with a few days of frost filled mornings, sandwiched between weeks of milder, frost-free weather. The problem is that a single touch of frost can wipe out every tender annual growing in the garden. Fortunately, a little protection will enable frost sensitive vegetables and herbs to survive a cold snap, and reward the resourceful gardener with an opportunity to enjoy extended harvests.

Something as simple as the transparent, fleecy, floating row covers used to shield plants from harmful insects can also prevent frost damage. Row covers trap the warmth that radiates up from the earth much like the way that a cloud cover holds temperatures and prevents frost from forming. Row covers offer a few degrees of protection, keeping tender annuals safe from light frost. Use the thicker grade covers for maximum benefit.

Late summer is the ideal time to sow cold tolerant vegetables that will flourish in the fall and endure cold weather without complaint. Examples of hardy vegetables for fall gardening include: kale, spinach, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, Brussels Sprouts, kohlrabi, turnips, cabbages, carrots, oriental greens, rutabagas, leeks, and winter lettuces.

Once freezing conditions arrive, even cold hardy crops will appreciate some protection if they remain in the garden. Cardboard boxes and fruit baskets can provide shelter to individual plants, while old sheets, blankets, and heavy plastic tarps will protect entire rows or beds of plants. Apply the coverings in the evening when freezes are forecast and remove them the following morning after the sun warms the air.

Another effective solution is to use a commercial variety of cloche, or to set up a portable cold frame over the garden bed. Cloches include the heavy glass, bell shaped jars, or variously styled and shaped rigid plastic devices.

One style of cold frame consists of a tubular frame covered by a woven poly material with flaps for venting. You can also obtain sturdier cold frames made with aluminum framing and twin wall polycarbonate panels that lift up for venting. Regardless of the type of protection used to cover your plants you must remove it or provide venting during the day as temperatures rise.

Resourceful gardeners can combine a few discarded window sashes and bales of straw to create a simple makeshift cold frame. Just arrange the straw bales into a rectangular shape around a garden bed and lay the windows across the top to form an enclosed and insulated growing area. This setup will work great to keep a bed of leafy greens growing further into the winter.

Oddly enough, water can protect and insulate plants from the cold. Commercial orchards actually spray water and mist onto their trees to prevent frost damage. In the home garden you can employ plastic gallon jugs filled with water to provide protection. Place the containers around plants, under floating row covers or tarps, and inside of your cold frames.

The water will absorb and store heat during the day and release it at night to provide warmth for your plants. You'll get the best results by painting the jugs black so that they'll absorb more energy from the sun during the day. Incredibly, even if the water in the container freezes, it will continue to release a significant amount of heat energy into the surrounding area.

Root cellars were once commonly used to store fruits and vegetables over the winter. These dark, underground storage areas with earth floors were designed to keep fresh produce in a state of hibernation. Crops such as potatoes, apples, rutabagas, turnips, beets, parsnips, and carrots would be stacked in baskets or crates. While cabbages, celery, endive, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, and leeks were lifted from the garden with their roots attached and placed upright, side by side, on the floor of the root cellar.

It's amazing how the uprooted plants can maintain their quality and appearance for months with no sunlight, water, or nutrients, while standing on the cold, earth floor of the root cellar. Root cellars aren't high on the list of options for home builders any more, but you can recreate the conditions using crawl spaces or unheated storage areas. Barrels or large containers sunk into the ground at an angle and insulated with straw and earth can also serve as improvised root cellars for storing fresh produce.

Certain vegetables will survive on their own in the garden through bitterly cold conditions. Leeks, kale, and collards frequently withstand harsh winters without any protection. Fall planted garlic and shallots will develop strong root systems in the fall, spend the winter underground, and then spring up at the earliest signs of the arrival of spring.

Many root crops including beets, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and parsnips can be left in the garden protected with a thick layer of shredded leaves or straw. You can then continue harvesting as needed, provided that the ground doesn't freeze and prevent digging. Finish harvesting before spring arrives though, since quality will degrade once the roots resume growing and switch into seed production mode.

With proper planning and a little extra care you can easily grow and harvest vegetables beyond the normal spring and summer seasons. Simply implement a few of the ideas presented in this article and you'll soon enjoy your own home grown, fresh produce much longer than usual, possibly even year-round.

About the author: Kenneth Point publishes a monthly gardening newsletter and is the author of the <a href=""http://www.mygardeningsecrets.com"">""Amazing Secrets to Growing Luscious Fruits and Vegetables at Home.""</a> For free gardening tips visit his website at http://www.gardeningsecrets.blogspot.com