flowers-naturally.com

Outdoor wooden furniture to fit in your garden and outdoor surroundings can be a perfect match as it unleashes the natural beauty of your environs and brings in the distinctive effect of wood. Apart from its beauty, this type of furniture is also functional making way in serving several purposes for a spot to rest, to dine, to sit and even for a mere display. This type of fixture is mostly seen on porches and lawns organized in styles matching fittingly with the entire settings. Most people love to create a different backdrop and atmosphere, specifically outdoors where they experience a sort of relaxation therefore, the coming out of these fixtures serve as further attraction to the ambiance.

As outdoor wooden furniture can easily blend with natural settings, the demand for this type of lumber has been increasingly growing in number. A lot of manufacturers and craftsmen who holds a skillful and artistic talent in providing additional designs to these types of fixtures have established various refined products that are available in the market these days. As this becomes in-demand it has also been customized through the use of other materials such as metals and other composite supplies. Moreover, the advent of latest machineries provided craftsmen with an easy to do furniture as finishing touches are made solely by these machines. These kinds of production are more economical than furniture that is purely handcrafted.

With the reduction of production costing the outdoor wooden furniture is made available for people who wanted to acquire antique-like sets of fittings. However, with reputable and talented craftsmen doing most of the outstanding furniture, still the demand for handcrafted furniture has surpassed the figures of those purchasing off the rack pieces. Even if this entails an expensive value, the creation and the entire effect of a handcrafted fixture is indeed priceless. In addition, you are assured of the quality of work as this goes through meticulous and careful procedures of adept and skilled craftsmen.

Along with its high price tag, furniture’s longevity is also deemed essential. As natural occurrences become the primary destructor of these fixtures it is of the essence to take further precautions in placing and positioning your outdoor wooden furniture. Sunlight, rain, moisture and other natural elements are the primary slayers of these fixtures. Its lifespan would only endure threats when provided with apposite care and regular maintenance. When purchasing these types of fittings, there are guidelines of proper preservation in safeguarding your furniture. Some manufacturers also produce specialized cleaning solutions that can either be sprayed or wiped to maintain and upkeep flaws.

When you finally made the choice of adding this furniture into your backyard, your front porch or in your lawn, it is imperative that you stick with the wooden piece weigh against plastic or metal made fittings. Apart from the beauty and elegance exhibited by wooden fixtures going by synthetic furniture will only cause environmental destruction as materials are mostly made of plastic and metal that is gleaned harmful to the natural environment.

About the Author:
PART 2 – For part two of this article, head on to http://www.outdoorfurniturecommercial.com/outdoor_wooden_furniture_2.php where you can also find the best deals on outdoor furniture.

Keyword tags: Outdoor Wooden Furniture, outdoor, furniture, eating outdoors

A lot of people seem to think that an organic garden is just for hippies and vegetarians. They think it is a difficult and hard way to grow vegetables and flowers while in fact they could not have been further from the truth. Having an organic garden is not difficult at all and it certainly is not just for hippies and vegetarians. When you know that most organic fertilizers are made from animal products you will understand that vegetarians need to be very careful with organic gardening.

Owning a organic garden is not hard at all the only thing where you should be aware of is that you do not use synthesized products. You can use normal seeds and plants they do not need to be organic at all. The only seeds you can not use are genetically modified seeds.

The same people who think that having an organic garden makes you a hippie also often think that your organic garden needs to be animal friendly. Well most gardeners also those who have an organic garden are not always the greatest friends of the local wildlife. And be honest would you be, when your carefully grown crops are being eaten by some rabbits?

There are all kind of gardeners and those that have a organic garden will never use chemicals or pesticides but some are known to shoot a rabbit occasionally, to scare it away or to eat it. A more natural meal is hard to find.

Is an organic garden the same as a natural garden?

A natural garden does not exist, every garden is in fact artificial when you are the one that decides what to grow and at what place in contrary to nature where nothing is planned. a organic garden is not a natural garden if we have land where we let nature do its thing we usually do not call it a garden we call it wasteland. In our gardens we like to decide what are considered weeds and what we consider to be plants or flowers and a organic garden is no different. If our organic garden is suffering from drought you would be crazy not to water those carefully planted flowers and vegetables. As you can see an organic garden also takes some unnatural growing methods.

Vegetarians who own a organic garden should be aware that many of the
fertilizers and other organic garden products contain animal products like fish oil, leather and bone. They need to read all the ingredients on these products.

Although it is not necessary to call your garden an organic garden a very good and “natural” way to control bugs and pest is to mix specific plants together, if you do some research you learn that by placing for example onions and carrots together you will reduce pests and insects. Sometimes you can even use certain weeds to repel bugs and pests. You can also use insects like ladybugs to reduce louse, the ladybugs eat the louse and your organicly grown roses will be more beautiful then ever.

About the Author:
Hank Gordon blogs about his passion, gardening, at http://www.gardenersinfopoint.com

Keyword tags: organic,garden,fertilizers,synthesized,vegetarian

As the dull dreary winter fades away giving place to bright and cheery summers, it is time to sit back in your courtyard and enjoy the bright sunshine. The backyards can be an ideal place for quite many recreational activities such as picnics, and other outdoor sports. If the space and other conditions permit, you can also evolve it into a lovely blooming garden with myriad variety of flowers, greenery and shrubs.It could easily pass out as a Creative Backyard Project.

Gardening is not an activity for the lazy, who shirk hard work, or are too busy to devote time to it. It demands hard labour and your valuable time. However the benefits of gardening far outweigh the labor and time devoted to it. I would certainly advise you to test your bent of mind, whether or not, you are fit to take up this exhausting but reinvigorating activity. Whether you would enjoy it or consider it to be a dreaded chore.

You can plan your garden in the manner you want. You can test and adopt your creative skills while designing it. It can be your dream come true. It can be an orchard bearing a single type of fruit, or else you can plant all sorts of flowers, vegetables and shrubs in it.

The benefits of having a garden in your backyard are many. The beautiful flowers and the greenery will soothe your tensed out nerves when you return home from a tiring day and sit back to relax. The fresh fruit and vegetables plucked directly from the garden are far more healthier than the artificially ripened ones available in the market. The fresh beets, carrots and tomatoes can be an ideal accompaniment as a salad on your dining table. If you please, you can create a herbal garden, and cultivate some medicinal herbs to cure your common ailments.

Gardening is perhaps the best way of relaxing. Although it involves a lot of physical hard labor, yet it is not considered to be work. Hardcore hobbyists and gardeners consider it to be a good way to relax, be nearer to nature and closer to God. They find it akin to meditation. Seeing your own creation growing and blooming in front of you will elate you to the highest levels and boost your morale.

Children especially love gardening. You can involve them too along with you in the garden. You could allocate a separate bed for them and give them their own tools. They could sow their own plants in that bed, and nurture them. They would love to grow colorful flowers. If they are a fussy lot, they would not be able to deny eating their own home grown fresh vegetables. A lot of gardening paraphernalia especially suited to the children is available in the market and online. Gardening could inculcate a sense of responsibility in them and boost their self ego.

The gardening accessories available in the market are not at all expensive, and can be easily afforded by anyone on a very small budget. It would not be a bad idea to purchase separate accessories for yourself and your children. Most of the retail stores in your neighborhood could offer you these items at a very affordable price. The very basic tools you would be requiring are Weeding Forks, Knee Pads, Shovels and Hoes.

You will find gardening as an ideal activity and vehicle to spend your leisure time, when you notice it’s improving the overall appearance of your surroundings, growing your own food. Especially, you can manage to find the accessories and seeds at an affordable price.

About the Author:
Find more decorating ideas for your home and living, please visit http://www.homelivingidea.com

Keyword tags: garden decor,garden decorations,garden design,garden tools,home garden

Most landscape designers utilize similar design methods and tools; prior to the computer age architects designed on paper then to blueprints. Technology revolutionized every area of design including landscape designers making it possible for any amateur to make a professional design with 3D landscape design freeware. There are free and paid options for 3D landscape design software making hi-tech landscape design available to anyone with a computer, some patience and a desire to learn. Once you have the basics of the freeware or software down then it is time to let your creativity run wild. I have seen many people create professional looking patio landscape designs for their condos and apartments that would rival what you see in some design magazines.

Picking 3D Landscape Design Freeware or Software

If you’re a professional designer, or even if you’re just someone who wants to get started designing landscapes, you need to find a 3D landscape design freeware that is packed with quality features and easy to use. The 3D landscape design software should be able to do everything you need it to in a logical manner. Remember that most experts use the best software since it makes the design process that much more fun, easy and in a short time. One way to find out which design software is recommended by pros is to check consumer reports, review customer software ratings and even look for designer forums where likeminded people can share ideas as well as boast about which 3D landscape design freeware programs are in their arsenal.

Hobbyist 3D Landscape Design Freeware

If you’re not an expert, it’s crucial that the 3D landscape design freeware you pick is very logical plus easy to use. You don’t want to get a program that is so complicated you need hours of training just to do simple tasks. Inevitably you will be frustrated by all the lost time trying to figure out a complex software program built for trained experts; not to mention you probably paid for the expert software so that money is flushed away with no gain.

You may want to try Google SketchUp for a free solution or you can go with paid software. There are various price ranges for paid landscape design software including SmartDraw and IDEA Spectrum. Many professional landscapers draft their design as a draftsman then create a CAD 3D representation. You probably don’t need to go this far unless you are a landscaper or architect presenting to customers.

Do it yourself landscape designers will feel like a pro when they utilize quality software that is not very expensive or likely even free. If you use good 3D landscape design freeware you will find that creating a professional front yard, back yard or patio landscape design is only a few creative hours away. The easy & intuitive software might make you want to become a professional yourself but hold that thought until you have completed your landscaping project from the 3D landscape design freeware to a new garden landscape that fits your style perfectly.

About the Author:
You can find more information on garden landscape design to make your perfect enchanted garden at http://gardengreendesign.com

Keyword tags: landscape design,garden landscaping,landscape design software,enchanted garden landscape design

Today, every machine developed would bring great convenience to everyone. As a proof, take a look at all the appliances in your home. All are operated with just a single push of the button. Agree? While these new technological advances are made to make our life easier, we do not see their pitfalls. These new advances are good news but we should never ignore the fact that some of them can cause great harm to us especially in the environment. Let’s take a look at the lawnmower as a good example. Yes, cutting your grass is a tiresome job and the introduction of gas lawnmowers has made your choose a lot easier and faster. This may be true as you have to get rid of walking all around your lawn just to cut your tall grass with the use of the reel lawn mower. But did you ever think that these gas lawnmowers can also harm the environment?

These lawn mowers need the presence of gas to be able to derive power. And since gas is considered as one of the factors that pollute the air, you too can contribute to air pollution once this machine is used every Saturday or Sunday morning. Just like cars, they also emit exhaust gases which can cause great harm to the air. So just imagine if all your neighbors are using gas lawn mowers every week, how much of exhaust gas will be emitted in the air? This might be an unsightly scenario. Now that climate change is taking its toll, we as inhabitants of the air must look for ways to be able to be able to counter the effects of climate change.

Just take a look at how you can contribute to air pollution by just using this simple lawn mower machine. This gas lawn mower has a small gas motor which is also a contributor to air pollution. Though they may only be small, you must never underestimate their capability of being an active contributor to pollution. An average of 10 of the greenhouse gases are produced by these small motors found in lawn mowers and they also contribute 30 of the total air pollution especially in the summer months when grass is in its finest. And what is worse is that these machines are not equipped with a catalytic converter that would convert the harmful gases produced into friendlier gases before they escape the machine. Cars are equipped with catalytic converters to be able to counter its effect on air pollution. But this small machine does not have one meaning, they can produce high amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile compounds and greenhouse gases. You should know that all these are very hazardous not just to the environment but also to human health.

Since cars today are more capable of emitting less harmful gases, gas lawn mowers can pollute as much in an hour as opposed to the combination of 40 cars. And lastly, the rising cost of gas could only put a huge hole in your pocket.

About the Author:
PART 2 – For part two of this article, head on to http://www.lawncaremart.com/reel_lawn_mower_2.php, which is a popular website that provides advice on where to go to save money when buying scotts lawn care products.

Keyword tags: Reel lawn Mowers, yard, Reel, cut, grass,

We encounter insects of different kinds in our daily lives. A guide on insects will provide us the necessary information about the type of insects we see lurking around us.

When we study the various identifications of insects, we get overwhelmed because of its many types. The purpose of insect identification is to guide and make us aware which insects or anthropoids are found.

Identification Guide on Insects

Ants – Super family Formicoidea is the group where all ants belong to. These insects are very distinct in appearance. There are a few other insects that look like them.

Cicadas – This is a group of insects known by its popular name, “harvest flies” or “cicadas”. Sometimes they are called locusts. Cicadae are a group of large insects. It contains many tropical species. The bodies are large with a wide, rounded head, and with prominent eyes on the outer angles.

Cockroaches – This group of insects is very rich in the tropics. Few of them become domesticated. They are abundant in the colder parts of the world also. Cockroaches are the most persistent one. Insects of this family existed in great numbers in geologic period.

Fleas – Pulicidae is the name of the flea’s group. They don’t have wings. Their mouths are formed for sucking. The body is squeezed together from side to side.

Flies – These insects which are true flies have two wings. They belong to the Diptera group. These are the only insects that possess two wings, except for the males of the scale insects.

Grasshoppers – You will find this family anywhere. They are abundant in a number of species and individuals. Grasshoppers belong to the most harmful insect species that devastated lots of countries in the world like:

– Russia
– Portion of South Europe
– Africa
– Algeria
– India
– Cape Colony
– Argentine Republic and
– Some parts of the U.S.

Mosquitoes – These insects belong to the group Culicidae. This is a very important group though it is not a large one. There are a lot of mosquitoes in many localities. They pose as a great irritation to man and animals. This is also because mosquitoes are active agents in the transfer of disease.

Thrips – They belong to the order Physopoda. They are a much differentiated group. Thrips have no close relatives amongst other insects. Their features are:

– slender
– tiny
– four-winged (slender, very short, transparent, no veins wings)
– fringed
– long delicate hairs
– lay along the back of the abdomen when resting

The largest group of all groups is the Arthropoda. The members are found in the:

– seas
– fresh water
– land or
– flying freely

This group has remarkable differences in structure. Other animals taken together are less than one sixth as many as arthropods. Well-known members of this group are:

– lobsters
– crayfish and crabs
– scorpions
– spiders
– mites
– ticks
– centipedes and millipedes and
– insects

In the Hexapoda or insects, the body’s segments are grouped in three distinct sections:

• head
• thorax
• abdomen

The head has antennae. The six legs are joined to the thorax. The four wings are usually present. They use air tubes to breathe. The group is categorically a terrestrial one and in many cases their early life is spent in water.

In our daily lives, we meet insects of some kinds. We are sometimes surprised what these insects are. They are often seen as pests in our garden. Sometimes we see them on:

– flowers
– shrubs
– crops
– pets

Thus, some of these insects are harmful stings. They can give minor to serious health threats to everyone.

About the Author:
For more information on Insect Field Guides please visit our website http://www.insectfieldguides.com/

Keyword tags: Guide on insects, insect identification, insect identification guide, type of insects, insect specie

Often the best days for a wedding are warm, hot even, and while this might be good for the bride and groom, it can wreak havoc on delicate flowers. Choosing a wedding flower that will stand up to the heat and look great throughout the ceremony and even long afterwards can be hard. You want something that is beautiful and fit for a bride, but still sturdy enough to hang in there, even in high temperatures.

What to Look For

A good wedding flower is delicate looking, but not actually that fragile. It will withstand the summer heat and look terrific doing it. You have enough worries and stresses on your wedding day, flowers should definitely not be one of them, so select hardy flowers from the very beginning and you’ll be able to focus on more important things, like actually getting married.

Here are some of the characteristics to look for in a heat-resistant wedding flower.

– Thick, waxy petals are best. They tend to be stiffer and hold the moisture in longer than thinner petals which tend to shrivel and wilt in the heat. The thicker the petal, the stiffer it will be, making it more resistant to wilting.

– Stiff leaves help with heat resistance, too. Leaves contain a lot of moisture that can be wicked up to the bloom and the greenery helps enhance the color of the wedding flowers. Wilted leaves make the entire bouquet look sickly, so thicker, waxier leaves are the best option.

– Sturdy stems keep flowers upright. While the florist can place flower stems in plastic straws to help keep them upright when the heat threatens to send them drooping downwards, but it’s best to choose the right flowers with sturdy, thick stems that are strong enough to stand up even when slightly dried out.

– Full blooms stay fresh longer. Flowers that aren’t just a few petals will last longer. Look for ruffled petals or multiple rounds, such as with a mum or carnation. These flowers do very well with holding in the moisture needed to survive a hot day, even when not placed in a vase of water.

If you have the budget, tropical flowers tend to be far better than our native blooms when it comes to withstanding the hot interior of a church or reception hall. They are grown in heat, so you’ll find that they are quite hardy when it comes to summer weddings. Most tropical flowers are very elegant, as well, so they make for very lovely bouquets and centerpieces.

Flowers like orchids, lilies and dahlias are all great ones for a wedding flower. They hold up to the heat very well and can take long drought periods, thanks to their hardy leaves and petals that retain moisture even in stifling conditions.

Your florist will also be able to recommend a more heat resistant wedding flower or two. The ideal would be a flower that you love the look of, which combines beauty with functionality. For a summer wedding, how well the flowers will stand up to the heat is a very important consideration. There is nothing more stressful on your wedding day than discovering that all your blooms are wilting away in the intense heat.

Choose your wedding flower carefully. You don’t want bouquets that look awful by the time you are ready to walk down the aisle. Tropical flowers, those with waxy, thick petals and leaves and any flower that is bushy and full of petals tend to be alright and will look great throughout the entire day.

About the Author:
Local florist offering bouquets and arrangements for any special occasion including wedding, mother’s day and birthday flowers. Visit us at: http://www.tidysflowers.com

Keyword tags: wedding flowers, online flowers, toronto flowers, flowers bouquet, send flowers

While it may be immaterial where our plants for the rock garden come from, in so far as the effects which we create with them are concerned, their origin does make a difference in regard to the culture to be given them. For this reason, if for no other, it is desirable to know something of the differences in the several classes of plants available for rock garden use.

But in addition to this utilitarian advantage, there is another of quite equal importance. Even though one may know little, and possibly care less, concerning botany, any plant takes on greater interest when we know something of its associations and its history. In fact, it is impossible to dissociate these from the intrinsic qualities of the plant. The edelweiss of the Alps, for instance, “without which no rock garden is complete,” in the opinion of some, is but a tiny flower surrounded by a bract of white woolly leaves, which would be passed by as a modest weed if it grew by the garden path.

But when one has read of adventurous spirits risking limb and life to find it blooming among the snow and ice of alpine heights, it naturally assumes an interest more than commensurate with whatever beauty it may possess as a flower. The more you know concerning your plants, whether in your rock garden or planted amongst your patio statuary, http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=3254, the better you can provide for them and the greater the joy which they may give you.

Alpine Plants:

An “alp” is a high mountain anywhere, not necessarily, as many people take for granted, one of the range in northern Italy and Switzerland; it comes originally from the Gaelic word for mountain pasture.

True alpine plants are mountain plants from any part of the world, native to those altitudes above the timberline, and extending as far upward as any vegetation can survive. They grow where the natural drainage is exceptionally good, but where their roots are constantly supplied with moisture, mostly from melting snow and ice, and consequently nearly ice cold. The season for growth and flowering is brief, often little over one hundred days.

Logically, the nearer one may approximate these conditions in making a rock garden, the better are the chances of success with this particular type of rock plant. Those who live in northern sections, at comparatively high altitudes, especially where the growing seasons are short and snow remains on the ground for months at a time, have an advantage over the rest of us when it comes to alpines.

Subalpine Plants:

Occasionally, in the catalogs or in rock garden literature, we will find the term “subalpine.” This applies to plants of alpine character which grow somewhat farther down the mountain slopes, below the timber line.

Such are more likely to tolerate some degree of shade, and, while absolutely hardy, not so likely to enjoy standing with their feet in cold water. These plants are ideal for gardens with outdoor water features that provide shade.

Mountain Plants:

Still others there are from the lower mountain regions, foothills, and rocky slopes, which possess many of the characteristics of the true alpine plants, but which naturally are still more amenable to such a home as may be provided for them almost anywhere; insisting, nevertheless, upon exceptionally good drainage, and soil which suits their wild nature, and frequently, in ordinary rich garden soil, either going to one extreme and perishing outright, like the trailing arbutus, or to the other and getting so fat, flabby, and bourgeois that their beauty vanishes, as is the case with the wild columbine.

Moraine Plants:

Plants which, in your catalogs, you find specifically recommended for moraine planting, cannot be expected to give equal satisfaction elsewhere. The combination of an almost perfectly dry surface soil and a more than usually abundant supply of moisture at the roots, is not generally to be found unless there is special provision for it. Planting moraine plants near outdoor water falls (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=1067) is not recommended, due to the need for a dry top soil.

Moraine plants constitute, therefore, a class which the beginner will do well to keep away from, unless he has the means for providing the special conditions they require; even then, it will be better to wait until experience has been gained with plants more easily managed.

Bog Plants:

Most of the bog plants, on the other hand, are very readily handled. They grow in wet places, but not actually in the water, like the aquatics. Note should be made of the fact that there are many alpines and rock plants recommended “for moist situations,” or “moist soil,” which are not bog plants; that is, they will not thrive where there is water standing in the soil, as the genuine bog plants, such as the marsh marigold, or pitcher plant, do.

Many of the bog plants which, in their native locations, are covered with water for several months of the year, will get along nicely in much less moist (but not dry) situations. The native iris and the cardinal flower are examples of these.

The bog garden, however, is not logically a part of the rock garden. Many plants often included in alpine and rock plant lists, which really belong to the bog garden, merely serve to confuse the beginner. If one is starting out to make a rock garden, there is no necessity for wandering frequently or far into the swamps in search of material for it.

About the Author:
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in landscaping, gardening, and enjoys collecting outdoor water features. For an amazing selection of patio statuary and outdoor water falls, please visit http://www.garden-fountains.com/.

Keyword tags: patio statuary,outdoor water falls,outdoor water features

In most books on rock gardening, a large part of the space is devoted to the description of plants, and of individual varieties. This is as it should be, and to those who are taking up seriously this fascinating form of gardening, the acquisition of at least one or two of these larger volumes is by all means recommended. Anyone planning a rock garden should conduct more research than simply what this article contains.

Bulbs for a Rock Garden:

To one who thinks of bulbs in terms of Darwin tulips with three-foot stems, and the modern Giant Trumpet daffodils, in the spring garden, or of gladiolus and dahlias throughout the summer months, the rock garden would seem to offer no suitable place of residence for this important group of flowers. Many “complete” catalogs of rock garden plants contain never a whisper concerning bulbs, though often including shrubs, evergreens, and garden fountains (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=1071).

It may be argued that the bulbous flowers, even when dwarf enough to merit a place in the rock garden, are not sufficiently similar in habit of growth to other rock plants to entitle them to recognition. This, of course, is a matter of taste and not to be dogmatically settled one way or the other. The contention that bulbs are not legitimate subjects for the rock garden has had more weight abroad among the advocates of alpine gardening, pure and undefiled than it has in the states.

In most American rock gardens, bulbs have been made welcome and are likely to be used more rather than less in the future, as knowledge concerning them becomes more widespread. For one thing, they may be successfully grown over a much wider range of climatic conditions than the true alpines.

But the fact that there are some bulbs which may be welcomed into the rock garden, makes it no less necessary to have them qualify as to size, habit of growth, and character. The first point is easily settled. The most extreme novice at rock gardening would hardly think of including Darwin tulips or gladiolus; in general, 12 or 15 inches will mark the limit in height. These types of bulbs fit well with rock gardens with classical garden features, such as those found in the Williamsburg Collection, http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9HrZ2bNaiGk.

Failing to pass in habit of growth and character, are such obviously formal things as hyacinths, double tulips, and most of the Early and Cottage varieties—even most of the daffodils are a bit too bulky and stiff and garden-border looking.

But, fortunately, we have left a most gay and companionable little company which includes such things as the smallest of the daffodils, which are lost among their more robust sisters in the garden border, even though they may be grown there; many of the fascinating little tulip species; the trooping company of the brave-hearted “minor bulbs” which come to meet the spring almost before the earliest of the rock plants have opened an eye—the grape hyacinths, snowdrops, scillas, chionodoxas, and dainty little wild crocuses.

One should never want to be without these little treasures in their rock garden, even if located where all the most difficult and rare alpines might be grown. There are many others equally desirable, including numerous native American species which are gradually becoming available, to extend the season of little bulbs in the rock garden from the grape hyacinths, through the later blooming scillas, to the autumn flowering crocuses in the fall.

About the Author:
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She enjoys gardening, landscaping, and collecting garden features, such as those found in the Williamsburg Collection. For more great outdoor water features, please visit http://www.garden-fountains.com/.

Keyword tags: williamsburg collection,garden fountains,rock,plants,bulbs,gardens

Are you having problems figuring out some patio ideas due to the fact that your patio door is quite a bit above the ground? There are some very creative and functional ways to tackle this challenge. I will discuss them in this article.

Raised patios are fine. However, there are two main aspects to consider.

The first one is that you do not want a long staircase leading down to your property. Steep staircases are not comfortable. In addition, unless you have sidewalls, if you have more than two or three steps (check with your own building department), you will most likely need railings.

The second issue is that a patio high off the ground needs some type of protection from falling off the patio. Railings are a solution, but perhaps you don’t want railings. An alternative solution is to build wide planters. They should be a minimum of two feet deep.

One more thing to think about is that these types of patios need side walls, which add a considerable amount onto the cost. The higher the walls, the more they cost. The pricing is determined by the square footage of the walls and also the wall material you use. Concrete decorative block is one of the less expensive options, while natural stone will be the most costly.

What I find to be a good solution to many of these problems, is to create a more gradual transition from your room inside the house to the ground level. (It is much more pleasant to step down just a few steps in a couple of different areas than to go down many, many stairs.)

How do you do this?

It depends on how high off the ground you are. If you are extremely high up, you can create patio terraces, or levels. Design your main patio which you will step down to from your house, and them add some steps going down another level. From the second level, you can have additional steps leading to the ground. You can even have a third level.

If the grade difference is not that great, it can be done differently.

Let’s say that altogether you need seven steps. Create a landing out your door, where you have one step down to it. The landing should be at least four feet deep; you can make it as wide as you like. Provide three steps from the landing down to the main patio. I like to add built in planters at the landing edges, so that railings are not needed. You’ll need to leave at least eighteen inches in width for each planter and one foot for the outside supporting wall. Plants that you add will provide both a physical and visual barrier.

From the main patio, create another three steps leading to the ground. Now you have a nice way to get down to your yard.

Raised patios need compacted fill and/or stone beneath them to fill the space. This is a common construction method.

About the Author:
Susan Schlenger is a landscape designer and author of the popular http://LandscapeDesignAdvice.com – a website born out of her passion. It offers professional landscaping ideas on many topics. Perhaps you have a passion or hobby you’d like to write about. If you would like to see how Susan created her site, visit her page http://www.landscape-design-advice.com/about-this-site.html. You can also watch a video made up of pictures from one of her patio projects at http://www.landscape-design-advice.com/patio-ideas.html

Keyword tags: patio ideas, raised patios, terraces