flowers-naturally.com

The key to planting beautiful, bountiful planters that will make your neighbors jealous, we have a few basic rules to follow:

1) The Bigger, the Better! Select a large decorative container. 18″ – 24″ works best.

2) Plant the container where you would like to keep it, or put it on a plant dolly. It will be heavy.

3) Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. If there are none, drill a few in a triangle pattern. The planter should also have a saucer.

4) A drainage medium should be placed in the bottom of the pot, about 2″ deep. Recycle broken terra cotta pots or Styrofoam peanuts as your medium. Pebbles work well also, but are heavy.

5) Choose a quality blend of soil. Your plants are only as good as the soil they are planted in. The soil should be loose and light. Fresh potting soil should be used each year for best results.

6) Choose your plants. You will need a variety of plants in different heights, colors and textures for the best effect. This is where you need to use your creativity. Don’t think you have any? Have a child help you. Or, plan ahead. Look in magazines or on the web and write down the names of the plants before you go shopping.

a) First, choose a centerpiece. A tall plant with interesting foliage work best. Suggestions for sun: Canna, Ornamental Grasses, Mandevilla on a trellis, tall flowering perennials (Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan, Penstemon Husker Red) or a shrub such as Sky Pencil Holly. For shade: Calla Lillies, Caladiums, Day Lillies, Spikes or Hydrangea.

b) Next, choose trailing plants. More than one variety works best. Choose three: Two flowering and one foliage variety and alternate them around the planter. Proven winners are always a great choice, and are easily available at garden centers and nurseries. Be sure to look for varieties that will do well where you plant them. Sun or Shade.

c) Last, choose your filler plants. Medium height, bushy plants. Choose one flowering and one foliage variety. Pick colorful plants. Hosta and coleus are great fillers for sun or shade. There are some varieties of Hosta that will tolerate more sun than others, so read the label.

d) When putting all this in your planter, install the plants as they are listed. Fill the pot about half way and place your centerpiece. Then fill around it until the planter is about 2/3 full and install your trailing plants. You may need to adjust the amount of soil depending on the size of the pots you purchased. Place all the plants and then gently fill in around the plants with soil one handful at a time. Be sure to press down between the plants to avoid air pockets. Water thoroughly and re-check the soil levels. Settling may occur, fill in wherever necessary.

7) The final and most important steps for Beautiful, Lush planters are food and water. For large luscious, stunning planters…water, water! Do not let your planters wilt between waterings. The best time to water is early morning, before 10 am. This will keep them stress free during the heat of the day. Planters in full sun will require more frequent watering (often daily) than those in part sun or shade. Plants that are stressed from lack of water will not bloom well or flourish.

A good quality organic fertilizer will keep your plants happy and healthy. Some organic fertilizers are slow release, so feedings are less frequent. Read the label for feeding schedule. A water soluble fertilizer we recommend is Merrill’s Compost Tea. Just drop one tea bag into one gallon of water, let it steep for 20 minutes to one hour and then water your plants as normal. Feed with this product every 2 weeks throughout the growing season and your planters will amaze you!

This process is how the professionals do it. Design and build your planters as early in the season as your area will allow for maximum enjoyment.

About the Author:
This article may be reproduced and distributed for the purpose of education only and may not be changed in part or whole. This article was written by Vera Pappas, Co-owner of http://greennationgardens.com, an internet based supplier of green living for home and garden.

Keyword tags: container gardening, summer containers, planters, how to, annuals, perennials, organic fertilizer

Hanamint Outdoor Furniture: Innovative Designs for the Outdoors & your gardens/lawns. The Hanamint collection primarily distributes the best cast-aluminum and cast-iron casual furniture and home accessories throughout the country. They are strongly committed in producing crafts that are extraordinary and truly unique. This collection makes it easy for many homes to enhance the beauty of their outdoor rooms and liven up their outdoor living experience. They boast of designs that are very innovative yet at the same time still classic.

The Hanamint Outdoor Furniture Collection

The Hanamint Corporation provides its valuable customers with a wide array of high-quality products from their Hanamint outdoor furniture collection. Their products are considered to have outstanding craftsmanship that are supported with the highest standards in customer service and business integrity and strategic partnerships. Included in their collection are accessories, baker’s racks, benches, cast aluminum dining, cast aluminum seating, chaise lounges, fire pits, gliders, ottomans, tables, and teacarts.

The Hanamint Bench Collection

Hanamint provides you with all the necessary furniture for your outdoor living. They provide furniture for your garden and pool area; they also provide you the seating you need for the porch and for the dull and empty spaces in your homes. Hanamint offers its customers a wide array of benches from its collection. Some of the benches for its Hanamint outdoor furniture collection include the following:

1. Grand Tuscany Bench
2. Newport Bench
3. St. Augustine Bench
4. Tuscany Bench
5. Venice Bench

The Grand Tuscany Bench from Hanamint looks great for outdoor relaxation. It is perfect when paired with the same collection of outdoor chair lounges, double gliders, and ottomans. Its dimensions are 44.5 inches in height, 20.5 inches in diameter, 17 inches seat height, and 37 inches back height. These great additions to your collection come in desert bronze and black.

The Newport Bench from Hanamint is your ultimate Hanamint outdoor furniture for you pool areas and gardens. It looks great when combined with the other furniture from the Hanamint collection. These furniture are chaise lounge, coffee tables, end tables, ottomans, console tables, and tea racks. It has a dimension of 40 inches in width, 18 inches is length for the seat, and 33 inches for its back height. Its available colors are desert bronze, Verdi, and black.

The St. Augustine Bench from Hanamint is available in two colors: desert bronze and bourbon. It is very durable with designs that are classic yet innovative, another prefect add-on to your Hanamint outdoor furniture collection. Keep it looking excellently elegant together with other products from the same collection like chaise lounges and ottomans. Its dimensions are 45.5 inches in width, 19.75 inches in diameter, 17 inches for seat height, and 36.5 inches for the back height.

Seasonal Home Concepts Online Store

Don’t waste time looking for the perfect outdoor furniture that will work to your tastes because you can only find it with the Hanamint outdoor furniture collection. Buy these products online at Seasonal Home Concepts to save your time and energy. Because at Seasonal Home Concepts, seasons change but their inspiration never does.

About the Author:
This article on Hanamint Bench Collection is presented by http://www.seasonalconceptsonline.com/

Keyword tags: hanamint outdoor furniture, garden benches, benches

Patio furniture choices can be pretty confusing if you do not know what kind of patio furniture you might need or even want. One of the most trusted brands in patio furniture is Hanamint outdoor furniture, and you can find that the brand has a wide array of furnishings for your patio needs. They have numerous designs for aluminum furniture, and these come in many different finishes that you may want or need for your patio.

Outdoor Dinner Patio Set

One thing that Hanamint outdoor furniture is well known for are the various outdoor dinner tables and chairs that they have. You can choose from a wide array of furnishings that are made of aluminum and held together with stainless steel hardware for durability. The wonderful designs that you can choose from come in various finishes that come from polyester powder that coats these furnishings to give them the kind of look you want. You can have an antique-looking outdoor dinner patio set, a solid black colored patio set, or a clean white set. The choice is yours when it comes to Hanamint outdoor furniture. These coats are also made to last with each piece of furniture having a 5-year warranty on its construction and structure and a three-year warranty on the powder coating that each piece of patio furniture has.

Padded or Not?

You can also find Hanamint outdoor furniture with seat pads and cushions in the package, and these come in a wide array of cushion designs, colors, and choices as well. There are pads that are built into the chairs, and there are those that can be removed and stored away if you choose to. These choices for padded seats can be found in sets that are fashionable as well as comfortable. The fabrics on these seats are guaranteed to last you a long time, and along with such a guarantee is a one-year warranty on the fabrics that they use to cover the cushions on the seats of these Hanamint outdoor furniture that you purchase for your patio.

Four-Seater or Six-Seater?

You also have a choice of how many seats you will want with your Hanamint outdoor furniture dining set. There are choices for four-seater sets and choices for six-seater sets. These sets all come with the standard 5-year warranty that every quality set from Hanamint always has. The many different sets for outdoor dining that sits four or six people all have wonderfully crafted tables and chairs. There are also a lot of colors and finishes to choose from with combinations like aluminum chairs and tables or tables with stone tops and aluminum legs.

The huge number of choices that are available to you when it comes to Hanamint outdoor furniture and outdoor dining sets can be found on at Seasonal Home Concepts. To find the perfect Hanamint outdoor furniture set for you and your family and to see the many patio furniture choices available to you, you can visit the site and browse through the many styles, colors, and designs that they have.

About the Author:
The finest outdoor furniture at http://www.seasonalconceptsonline.com/

Keyword tags: hanamint outdoor furniture, garden benches, benches

Hanamint Outdoor Furniture: One of the best choices when it comes to outdoor furniture is cast aluminum furniture like Hanamint Outdoor furniture. Hanamint outdoor furniture is made out of cast aluminum, one of the more sturdy materials available in the market today and one of the kinds of furniture that do not tarnish or rust. These furnishings made for the outdoors are assembled with stainless steel attachments making these sturdy and solid as well as rust free. There are a lot of designs and furniture styles to choose from with the Hanamint outdoor furniture line.
Aluminum is very light, and really doesnt need any special care or protection.

Outdoor Furniture Choices from Hanamint

Hanamint outdoor furniture has a huge line of furnishings for your many outdoor uses. There are patio sets, benches, outdoor dining sets, chaise lounges, fire pits, tables, and more. These choices in outdoor furniture come in many different designs and sizes as well as combinations and uses. Here are some of the Hanamint Outdoor Furniture types you can choose from for your outdoor furniture needs:

Dining Sets. Hanamint outdoor furniture has quite a huge number of outdoor dining sets for you to choose from. These cast aluminum furnishings come in sets of four seats and six seats with tables that are either rectangular, square, oval, or round, depending on the design of the set. These sets come with polyester powder coats to give it that added touch you might want for your patio.

Benches and Seating Sets. Hanamint outdoor furniture also has seating sets and benches for your patio and garden needs. There are sets that are similar to living room sets made from cast aluminum, and there are sets that look like tea tables and seats. These sets come with their own cushions and are comfortable as well as fashionable. The benches that Hanamint produces are also made out of durable cast aluminum and come in a few lovely designs. These benches are durable and can seat up to three people in its spacious sitting area. These Hanamint outdoor furniture choices will make lovely additions to anyone’s garden, patio or porch.

Chaise Lounges. Hanamint outdoor furniture also manufactures and sells chaise lounges. These can be used near a pool, on your patio, or in the backyard. Chaise lounges are good pieces of outdoor furniture to relax in, and you can find one-seater and two-seater variants available from Hanamint. These chaise lounges may or may not have the cushions that most chaise lounges have, and this is often dependent on the style and model of the chaise lounge you purchase.

Covered by Warranty

Hanamint outdoor furniture is covered by a five-year warranty for the whole assembly with three years covering the powder coating and one year warranty covering the fabrics that are used on the cushions of these seats. You can very well see why Hanamint outdoor furniture is an ideal furniture choice for your patio, backyard, poolside, and garden needs. Check out Seasonal Concepts Online for more of the Hanamint outdoor furniture you might need and want.

About the Author:
This article on Hanamint Outdoor Furniture is sponsored by http://www.seasonalconceptsonline.com/

Keyword tags: hanamint outdoor furniture, garden benches, benches

The term hardscape refers to landscaping structures constructed from inorganic materials that work toward sculpting the overall landscaping design. These structures include many things such as driveways, patios, walls, fencing, and drainage. The design of hardscape must always be treated as a very critical and precise art. Since the human mind naturally gravitates toward a sense of order and system, manmade structures on the landscape must be carefully engineered so as to give form to organic essence and compliment to architectural style. They must always work to develop the aesthetic of the home and the terrain in a way that magnifies its true essence. They must never clash with their surroundings in a way that diminishes aesthetic for the sake of mere pragmatic function.

Materials selection is very important to hardscape design. Different materials allude to different states of mind and contribute individual aesthetic elements unique unto themselves. The feeling we get from a brick walkway is not going to be the same as the feeling we get from a concrete sidewalk. Depending on the theme of both home architecture and the surrounding landscape, hardscape materials will ultimately be chosen that will unify the home with the landscape in such a fashion as to clearly establish a corresponding theme between the two. Wood may be chosen to create a simple, traditional sensibility in even the most meticulously constructed of outdoor rooms. Concrete patios may be built chosen to establish the stark contrasts that predominate contemporary design. Stone work ranging from cut stone to limestone and tile can be used to create any number of thematic connotations ranging from a formal Old World entryway to a wilderness façade around a natural swimming pool.

Drainage is another important aspect of all hardscape design projects. Any structure built in a front yard or back yard creates a potential dam for rainwater, so there must be a mechanism of some sort built into the design of the structure that will prevent it from encroaching on the structure or collecting at its base.
The design of the hardscape needs to accomplish this at a functional value and simultaneously uphold the aesthetic. This requires hiding drain inlets and building custom decorative drain grates that conceal their purpose behind the ornamental. In other cases, it may be necessary to pitch drains so that there are fewer drain inlets. In cases where it simply will not work to have any visible drain built into the hardscape itself, (such as we see in certain patios, walkways, and motor courts), then the structure must be designed with a very subtle slope that causes water to runoff without creating uneven paving in the process.

Hardscape design also includes seat walls, retaining wall, columns, and curbs. These structures are designed either as a component of irrigation systems, or as barriers against water encroachment from areas outside of the landscape proper. Again, constructing these elements must be done very skillfully with an eye for balance, integration, and harmony always trained on both the individual forms and the overall unity they create upon completion of the project. This is why hardscape design often proves to be the most expensive aspect of landscaping, which is one reason why it needs to be done correctly by professional, experienced landscaping architects or designers. Attempting to take any shortcuts in this area almost guarantees that the project will have to be done all over again. If done wrong, it will often be the next generation that fixes it.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Pool and Patio, Hardscape Design

A patio is a form of architecture that creates a special area of interest. Patio landscaping requires taking a number of essential considerations in mind when creating a new design. We pay close attention to the architecture of the home in order to ensure that that every patio we build compliments its size and form. Garden styles are another major influence on patio landscaping. Gardens are very often planted near patios, and the two have a direct bearing on one another’s appearance. Many times as well, patio landscaping must be designed to accommodate specific outdoor structures that contribute both function and form to the landscape.

Patio landscaping is both an extension of and a compliment to home architecture. When people move from interior space into outdoor space, many times the first thing they set foot on is a patio that creates an experience alone just by walking on it. The size, shape, and surface materials used to construct it will all combine together into a unity that creates an experience unique unto itself. Depending on the design and intention of its construction, a patio can do many things. It can function as a central hub that unites garden design, swimming pool aesthetic, and the corresponding structure of the house into a constructed landscape that blends harmoniously with the natural. This does not mean, however, that a patio serves an exclusively utilitarian purpose in landscaping design. The same patio you walk on may be also a very decorative work of art. Patios of interests, such as the popular checkerboard design, are often used to create unconscious reflections of contemporary home architecture or outdoor sculptures.

Patio landscaping can also be a part of garden design. Gardens are often planted around patios in order to bring their scale in and create rooms by the planting. Making the right material selection is very important such instances. Stone patios look more natural and lend themselves very well to a more traditional, organic aesthetic. Concrete and aggregate constructions are often used to create contrasts or sharp points of differentiation between organic elements and exterior forms that serve a more practical purpose for outdoor living. It is not uncommon for, for example, for clients to ask us to build a patio between a garden area and an outdoor room of some sort in order to provide transition from purely decorative space to functional space.

In fact, patio landscaping is an almost mandatory component to the construction of many outdoor structures. Seating areas are needed around places like French fountains and Zen gardens. These smaller patios serve to separate the landscape into a division of public space and private space–giving residents to have a special part of their yard set aside just for themselves. Larger gathering areas are sure to have a high demand for seating, and this will almost always require construction a large enough patio that is specifically scaled to host an expected number of guests. This is most commonly done around a swimming pool, but it can also be done in an area that lies between a number of outdoor rooms and elements. Outdoor kitchens, outdoor fire pits, and outdoor fireplaces are other structures that typically require a surrounding or adjoining patio to provide outdoor seating, décor, and a sense of entryway that differentiates the structure as an experience unique unto itself.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Pool and Patio, Patio Landscaping

The relationship between the pool and patio begins with a relationship of duality that unfolds in multiple dimensions throughout the remainder of outdoor space. A key determinant in the effectiveness of pool and patio design is the complimentary function these two structures serve as compliments to home architecture. Respect to home architecture places both the size and shape of the pool in its proper perspective in proportion to the rest of the landscape, and it provides a focal point around which to construct any number of patio styles that extend architecture into green space, and that create function through the creation of form.

In addition to their proportional impact on the appearance of the home and surrounding landscape, pool and patio size are determined to a large extent by the lifestyle of the residents and the intended use of pool area proper. Some people prefer to have a custom swimming pool built that is strictly for family use. Other clients of ours use the pool and patio to host outdoor events and large gatherings. For these clients, we have to take the time to clearly understand their future intentions so we can construct a facility that will accommodate the number of people that would normally be attending the average event. Some of these patios can be massive in size—spanning a significant portion of the yard to accommodate swimming, seated, and standing guests. Many times as well, these patios will be constructed adjacent to other structures that are also used to host outdoor entertainment events. It is not uncommon to see an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, or an outdoor fireplace located at the end of a custom swimming pool.

Pool patios can be built from any number of materials that fit the lifestyle, surrounding elements, and intended use of the property. Ideally, the materials selected should to some degree support key architectural elements and an overall landscaping theme. For example, in the past few years, we have done a number of contemporary style landscaping projects in the Memorial Area. Concrete pool patios work very well in these environments because it supports a clean look with stark linear forms. In French and Mediterranean landscapes, we often build stone patios to allude to the rocky cliffs of the Riviera, Italian Coast, and Greek Islands. Sometimes we will use actual rocks to enhance the stone patios around natural swimming pools built to emulate woodland ponds or waterfalls. Still other occasions may call for a pool without only a coping that extends into a grassy area that functions like a patio.

As diverse as these many design styles can be, all pool patios share certain basic elements. Regardless of the materials used to construct them, they must be as flat as possible to comfortably and safely support foot traffic. After all, most people who swim go swimming barefoot, so the surface of any patio must be smooth and flat to avoid trips, injuries, or cuts to the feet. At the same time, patios must be built with some sort of drainage system that allows water to quickly run off before it forms a hazardous, slick surface. Exterior Worlds uses a number of unique drainage systems that can be either integrated or concealed within the patio design.

The nuances between the pool, the patio, and the surrounding property are details that most pool companies do not concern themselves with. Such details require an understanding of more than just how to build an attractive swimming pool and a patio that meets basic requirements. Truly integrating pool and patio into a landscaping master plan will require a comprehensive analysis of intended use, aesthetic proportion, grade of materials, and integration into surrounding outdoor design. Landscaping designers can better accomplish this by developing a landscaping plan first, then subcontracting the pool company and building a patio that unifies the work of the specialist with all surrounding elements at hand.

About the Author:
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscape and wants to share information about that passion. http://www.exteriorworlds.com

Keyword tags: Pool and Patio

Mycorrhizal Fungi has remained relatively unheard of except for a few serious organic gardening buffs and erosion control professionals, even though it has been around since creation.

In nature trees, plants and grasses flourish without any intervention from man. Think about that for a moment. Consider, our nations great plains, national forests and vast grasslands. How is it that things grow so well without any interference from man? Don’t they understand that they are supposed to have synthetic fertilizer to grow? Silly, I know but isn’t that the way we have been told to think? Want a great lawn? Then spray this chemical on it and make it look green really fast! Want big tomatoes? Then use this miracle growth chemical!

When what was once natural habitat has been disturbed there is a very hard time getting new trees and sod to grow much less flourish. Wonder why that is? When top soil is stripped or cultivated, naturally occurring micro-organisms are wiped out. Vast networks of Mycorrhizal fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes are gone. The results? Newly introduced plants and turf grow stunted and weak. They become targets of disease and insect infestations otherwise known as natural selection. Nature’s way of culling out the weak and ensuring the survival of the fittest.

About this time, someone gets the bright idea to spray some chemicals to make things look nicer. Dead foliage and grass clippings build up into layers of thatch because there is nothing to decompose them naturally. Waterways become polluted with Algae overgrowth due to synthetic fertilizer leeching away. Both animals and humans become exposed to chemicals documented to cause numerous health issues.

We’ve spent over forty years proving that modern chemical farming methods don’t work. They destroy the very soil fertility needed for healthy growth. In turn they supply the market with produce that is practically devoid of nutrition. And just think, you get the added bonus of ingesting chemical residue from all the herbicides and pesticides!

So what do you do? First, get your soil tested and follow the recommendations. This is especially important for those who sow directly into tilled native soil. Your soil test will reveal what the key elements of your soil chemistry are. This is your first step because it helps you determine what needs to be done and in what order. In addition to soil chemistry your test will give a reading for organic matter (OM).

Researchers tell us that up to ninety eight percent of a plants growth comes directly from organic matter. That makes this a very important component when it comes to increasing your soils fertility.

After you balance the soil chemistry and provide organic matter to support basic life it is time to re-introduce Mycorrhizal fungi back into the environment. Now you are well on your way to the most awesome, organic produce you’ve ever grown! There is really nothing difficult about organic gardening. It is simply a matter of working in harmony with nature instead of trying to find a short cut.

About the Author:
Greg Traver writes articles that enable anyone to be a successful organic gardener and reap the benefits. Claim your free copy of the popular text, “Soil Test Analysis Guidelines” available only at => http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com Copyright 2009 Greg Traver

Keyword tags:

Mycorrhizal Fungi has remained relatively unheard of except for a few serious organic gardening buffs and erosion control professionals, even though it has been around since creation.

In nature trees, plants and grasses flourish without any intervention from man. Think about that for a moment. Consider, our nations great plains, national forests and vast grasslands. How is it that things grow so well without any interference from man? Don’t they understand that they are supposed to have synthetic fertilizer to grow? Silly, I know but isn’t that the way we have been told to think? Want a great lawn? Then spray this chemical on it and make it look green really fast! Want big tomatoes? Then use this miracle growth chemical!

When what was once natural habitat has been disturbed there is a very hard time getting new trees and sod to grow much less flourish. Wonder why that is? When top soil is stripped or cultivated, naturally occurring micro-organisms are wiped out. Vast networks of Mycorrhizal fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes are gone. The results? Newly introduced plants and turf grow stunted and weak. They become targets of disease and insect infestations otherwise known as natural selection. Nature’s way of culling out the weak and ensuring the survival of the fittest.

About this time, someone gets the bright idea to spray some chemicals to make things look nicer. Dead foliage and grass clippings build up into layers of thatch because there is nothing to decompose them naturally. Waterways become polluted with Algae overgrowth due to synthetic fertilizer leeching away. Both animals and humans become exposed to chemicals documented to cause numerous health issues.

We’ve spent over forty years proving that modern chemical farming methods don’t work. They destroy the very soil fertility needed for healthy growth. In turn they supply the market with produce that is practically devoid of nutrition. And just think, you get the added bonus of ingesting chemical residue from all the herbicides and pesticides!

So what do you do? First, get your soil tested and follow the recommendations. This is especially important for those who sow directly into tilled native soil. Your soil test will reveal what the key elements of your soil chemistry are. This is your first step because it helps you determine what needs to be done and in what order. In addition to soil chemistry your test will give a reading for organic matter (OM).

Researchers tell us that up to ninety eight percent of a plants growth comes directly from organic matter. That makes this a very important component when it comes to increasing your soils fertility.

After you balance the soil chemistry and provide organic matter to support basic life it is time to re-introduce Mycorrhizal fungi back into the environment. Now you are well on your way to the most awesome, organic produce you’ve ever grown! There is really nothing difficult about organic gardening. It is simply a matter of working in harmony with nature instead of trying to find a short cut.

About the Author:
Greg Traver writes articles that enable anyone to be a successful organic gardener and reap the benefits. Claim your free copy of the popular text, “Soil Test Analysis Guidelines” available only at => http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com Copyright 2009 Greg Traver

Keyword tags:

Your investment in the landscaping of your entire outdoor paradise has lead up to this moment. You’ve worked hard to bring every aspect of your garden together, turning the great outdoors into your personal theme park, installed sprinklers to make sure its green all year round, and even installed that pond that everyone thought was a little extreme in nature. With your moat intact, you have all the elements but one to complete your garden – you still need to get a garden bridge.

You’ve never heard of a garden bridge? Or maybe you didn’t even know that these specialty items were even built for the end consumer? In the words of those more famous than I: Believe it! Garden bridges are one of the most charming accents you can add to your garden, because of their uniqueness and rarity they offer your outdoor escape.

With your patio set intact, you’re still unsure that you really have use for a garden bridge. Yes, you have your luxury patio furniture on the deck, and your grill ready to go…why exactly would you need a bridge to tie everything in together? By knowing the charm and fun that a garden bridge can add to your back yard, you may be inclined to think twice about what it can do for you.

Bridges of any kind are used to connect two areas of land separated by a natural (or in some cases, man-made) gap, in order to move people and items from point a to point b with the least possible resistance. While your garden bridge is not necessarily made to connect two land masses of epic proportions, it can bring a newfound charm to your garden that you would not otherwise find. For instance, your backyard may have a man-made creek, that feeds into a pond. Why not use a bridge to connect both sides of the creek? By doing this, you will not only allow a shortcut for your guests to cut across your garden with, but you will also provide a unique and fun perspective for you and your guests to watch the water go by on a lazy summer afternoon.

Maybe you’re looking for the right piece to tie together your entire garden with your patio and home. For instance, perhaps your outdoor furniture has a Far East feel about it, but your garden screams “contemporary America.” This is the perfect application for a garden bridge to bring all the pieces together. Bridges come in a variety of styles and variations, and can commonly be built to custom order – or at least can be decorated to fit the feeling of the entire garden. So if you have a garden that doesn’t fit your patio furniture (like the Far East patio furniture in a Near West garden), use one to “bridge” the pieces together: a garden bridge built with a Japanese architecture influence will help marry your garden and outdoor furniture harmoniously.

While they may seem extraneous at first, knowing the aesthetic benefits of a garden bridge justify the investment. And depending on how your garden is developed, placing a bridge can be the missing factor that brings your entire landscape together.

About the Author:
Joseph Kortez is a freelance writer with diverse interests including home and garden, outdoor furniture and backyard living, http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/gardenbridges.html with an emphasis on garden bridges. As a media professional, his work has been featured on CNN and the CBS Evening News. He currently writes for http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/ Adams Cedar Company.

Keyword tags: Garden, Bridge, Patio, Furniture, Outdoor, Cedar, Cypress, Pine, Plastic, Resin, Wood, Pond, Creek