Tag: garden

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Landscaping is the final touch

You have decorated or remodeled the interior of your house, spruced up the exterior of it, but still have one thing left to do to be truly satisfied. Landscaping your yard to make it a showplace of it’s own and compliment the house as well. It takes a lot of research to figure out just exactly will look good in your yard with the given space you have to work with. Some people know exactly what they want, while others haven’t a clue. Make sure to clean up your yard of all the stuff that needs storage first. You might want to invest in a garden shed for this if you don’t already have one. You yard will look much better without all that clutter and leave you with the space to do your landscaping.

Choices

Figure out where you want your paths and the general layout. Keep in mind that this may change slightly as you do the landscaping as well. Choose your plants and flowers with an eye towards color all year long, not just for the spring time. Many plants and trees bloom a various times of the year and if you choose the right ones, you will have lots of color in your yard year round. If you plant in groups so that it looks more natural, you will have a much better looking yard. Nature is the best blueprint you can use.

Flowers

Buy flowers that will bloom each year and not have to be replaced like perennials, certain shrubs and vines. There are also bulbs that you can plant in the fall, that will come up at spring time and you will have a sudden burst of color. Iris, tulip and daffodil bulbs can be planted in the fall and have this effect. You may want to choose flowers that will attract hummingbirds or butterfly’s. Morning glory’s, Bee balm, and verbena will attract both hummingbirds and butterflies to your yard and garden.

Trees

Trees can be a great addition to your yard and also double to shade the house during those summer months. Fruit producing trees, such as Apple Trees, Cherry Trees and such are always a plus. They look great and give you fruit as well. Flowering trees like the Magnolia and Dogwood trees are undeniably beautiful, your spring and summer yard will have blooming trees that seem to last and last. Evergreen trees that never lose their color are great for winter color.

Rocks and Pots

You can add to your landscaping, with large pots and rocks or boulders. Large pots (not small ones) are as important as what goes in them. They can be pricey but are a good investment and will look amazing. Rocks are best found in your area. Most times you won’t even have to pay for them if you ask around to see where you might locate construction sites. You can also go to a quarry and buy them cheaper then you can from your local hardware store.

 

 

 

 

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So happy

I am so happy. I just ordered some new things for the house. I am putting in window boxes on the front of the house. They are going to look so pretty and make the house look much better out front. Just because I have kids and yes they leave their toys and stuff outside all the time, doesn’t mean that the house has to look run down. I have seen how nice the flower boxes look on other houses and cannot wait to put some up here.

A window box is easy to keep up and the dogs cannot get into it and tear the flowers up. That is a major plus. My dogs are constantly digging in the flowers and such. I have to keep fencing up around the garden to keep them out or they will dig up all of my vegetables. I am so stoked. I cannot wait until they arrive. I just love shopping online.

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Windows

My mom built a conservatory onto the house and wants to get all double glazing cost for the windows. The double glazing helps keep the heat in during the cold months of the year, so that the plants and flowers do not die. My mom has the greenest thumb and loves to grow flowers and plants. I love it when she brings me clippings from her garden for my yard. We have placed so many of her plants in our back yard garden that it looks like a carefully cultivated jungle in the summer. Of course the children like this as it gives them plenty of places to hide when they are playing.

We have grown the various flora and fauna so that there are quiet arbors of solitude for anyone who wishes to enjoy nature with peace and tranquility. I intend to put in a small pond that crosses the garden via a little stream that ends in another pond this year. I have to figure out how to heat it so I can add some Koi to it as well. I might just put up a green house and have it connect to there as well so that I can move the Koi during the winter months so they do not freeze. I would of course double glaze those windows to keep the heat in.

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Watching for the Bus

When we moved out here, the idea of having a lot of land for the boys to run and play was one of the top reasons I wanted to get this house. The house itself is really old and needs a lot of work, but my backyard is 40 acres of woods, with creeks and hills, and a large cleared area down by the road where I can put a garden in the spring.

The only drawback to this property so far is that the school bus comes really early to pick up my kids, as they have to be down by the mailbox in the dark during the winter to catch the bus to school. It is only dark for about a month in the middle of winter, and every day that we get closer to spring means there is more light and the days get longer.

I don’t feel comfortable with the idea that my kids are standing by the road in the dark by themselves, so I usually get dressed when they get up and after breakfast I walk down to the mailbox with them and watch for the bus.

This morning it wasn’t so dark anymore and I thought that I might stop walking down to the road with the kids. But they surprised me and flipped out when I suggested it. I think that is kind of cool that they like spending those few minutes together first thing in the mornings. And I could use the exercise, anyway.

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Time to winterize

The time has come to winterize the house and garden. The end of October always means the leaves have turned color and fallen and the temperatures are dropping every night.

We went an procured several loads of manure for the garden and mixed it in well for the winter season. The gutters have been cleaned from most of the fall leaves, and we only have to put new insulated foam around the pipes to keep them from freezing.

I do believe we still have to check the windows and doors for airflow as seals will dry rot from age over time. Other then that I believe we will be set. The rest of October and November will be chopping wood for the fire place and bon fire outside. Busy as always. =)