Posts Tagged ‘gardens’

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Are Garden Studios Affordable

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Work or a hobby can take up a lot of space in the home, so a garden shed can prove an ideal space to practice these. Children’s author Roald Dahl chose to write his books from his garden shed. Rapper Snoop Dogg wrote many of his hit singles from his shed, and the sculptor Henry Moore was known to love working from his shed. So can it be affordable to transform your shed into a working space?

The biggest cost is the shed itself, so if you already have one that’s half the cost gone. A small penthouse shed can cost from 380 and upwards depending on size. For 1,400 you can have something bigger like a summerhouse, suitable for a home office. If you’re intending to spend a large amount of time in your shed, you may require a few luxuries. A ready made home studio or office, with power sockets, roof windows and proper flooring can set you back between 10 and 25,000.

If that’s out of your budget then it is possible to do the work yourself. One of the first things to do is to make sure your shed is water tight, to ensure the safety of any working materials you might choose to store there. You’ll also have to seal the windows and insulate the walls against bad weather. Adding flooring is also something you could probably do yourself.

If you require electricity but aren’t a trained professional, you will need an electrician. Electricity can be directed from your home source, or you can add solar panels to the roof of your shed to make things more environmentally friendly. These will give you the bonus of never having to pay power bills, although they cost slightly more to set up.

For a small shed, with modern conveniences you’re going to be looking at least 600 to set up. Something larger will cost upwards of 3,000. The more creature comforts you add the higher the cost. However, a home studio or office can still prove cheaper than renting office space or a professional studio.

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Unusual Uses For Garden Sheds

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Traditionally an after dinner escape for dads and granddads. Or the resting place of long forgotten garden tools alongside spiders and moths. The garden shed is about to see a resurgence thanks to the 2010 winner of Shed of the Year.

One man has in Southend-on-sea in Essex has turned his humble garden shed into The Lady Sarah out of Worthing, a pirate’s paradise. After years of work and against 1,250 other UK sheds, The Lady Sarah won the competition judged by Sarah Beeny and the founder of readersheds.co.uk. Decorated with rum bottles, skulls, and anchors, The Lady Sarah also features its own Koi Carp pond, surrounded by decking, barrel shaped bar stools and its own parrot.

However, The Lady Sarah isn’t the only shed to be attracting attention at the moment. Ian Johnstone of London found his garden shed pub The White Witch, so popular with the neighbours he’s had to extend it twice, so it now boasts a full bar as well as karaoke, plasma television, pool table and fruit machine.

UK shed fanatics are also using their garden sheds as tributes to their favourite books and TV shows, with one man transforming his shed into Dr Who’s tardis as a gift to his wife, and Chris Almond of Derbyshire building his shed into the side of a hillside to resemble a Hobbit hole from J.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings trilogy.

However, if you want to see the true success of a whimsical shed, look no further than the disco shed. A regular at Latitude festival, as well as numerous London pubs and private events, the disco shed boasts a rooftop screen, DJ sets and a full light show, alongside the regular garden gnomes. So far disco shed has been featured on BBC 6 music, as well as in the Guardian. Not bad for a humble 8×6 garden shed.

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How The Garden Shed Got Classy

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Garden sheds have long been the refuge for soiled garden tools, to spare the cleanliness of the house. But the imagination of shed owners has changed all that, and people are now using sheds for a host of means. Garden sheds are being re-imagined as extra living rooms, studios for arts and crafts, or professional offices.

Rather than creating a mess in the home, a garden shed can prove the perfect place to practice a hobby which requires a lot of space. Shavings and dust are often the by products of wood working for example, which would be better practiced in a shed studio. One shed of the year contender transformed her shed into a sewing room to house her sewing machine and various tools on custom designed shelving.

Making a garden studio can prove a great way to work from home. A resourceful shed owner turned her shed into the perfect base for her book restoration company, complete with library and reading loft. Another shed owner with her own graphic design company created her own home studio to run her business from.

Adding simple heating and insulation to your shed can allow you to transform it into an extra room or even guest accommodation. One crafty shed owner built his shed atop an elevated platform, with a glass wall for guests to enjoy the country views. Sky TV, bunk beds and a compost toilet room, provide all the creature comforts.

There are no boundaries to what the imaginative shed owner can do. From replica train carriages, to Dr Who’s tardis, or even a mini pub. Perhaps a small nightclub? For those with dedication and imaginative flair there really is nothing stopping you from turning your humble garden shed into something very special.

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How To Keep Thieves From Stealing Your Garden Pots

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

A few years ago, I wanted to put in a few large garden pots in my front yard as decoration. My only hesitation was that I live on a street that has quite a bit of foot traffic so I didn’t want them to get vandalized or stolen. Not much I can do about someone wanting to break them but I did come up with a solution to help secure them into the ground to deter someone from hauling them off.

I devised a solution that has kept them where they are supposed to be for over two years now. It’s pretty simple so anyone can really do it. I have three large garden pots in a grouping in my yard but this method will work on any number of pots.

You have to start by determining where to place your garden pots. Around the base of each pot, draw a circle. Next, remove the pot to one side and dig a circular hole using the outline you just made in the dirt. Dig it out about one foot deep. Mix about half of a plastic five gallon bucket of cement.

Fill the hole until it is about half way full with the cement. Next, take one end of the chain and stick it into the wet cement. Leave at least six inches or so of chain if you were to pull it tight through the hole in the bottom of the pot. To do this, hold the chain up tight over the drying cement by threading a wire or dowel through one of the links and bracing it over the hole.

Fill the remainder of the hole with dirt once the cement has had enough time to dry. A short length of chain coming out of the ground is the only thing you should see. Bring the pot back over and thread the length of chain up through the drain hole that is in the bottom of your garden pot. You may need to recruit some help to do this.

Using a carabiner that I picked up at a nearby outdoor sporting goods store, I looped it through the link that kept the garden pot securely to the ground and the chain tight. You may wish to use something other that a carabiner and that is fine as well.

Using dirt as weight, fill the pots to about three quarters full. This will keep anyone from simply sticking their hand into the pot and removing the carabiner that is locking the pot into place. By using this method to secure the garden pots, it should be enough to deter anyone from trying to steal them.

Bill Richardson has been working in gardens since his early childhood and has always been interested in educating others on garden pot and landscaping techniques. If you would like to know more about container gardening, visit AllGardenPots.com

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Top 10 Tips for Using Garden Pots As A Container Garden

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Gardening in containers is gaining in popularity. Its no wonder since container gardening has been around for centuries. Sometimes there is no other option BUT to use garden pots, such as apartment or high-rise living. If you are looking into using garden pots in your own garden, here is a list of considerations:

1. Choosing the Proper Material for Your Garden Pots

Garden pots can be made from a variety of materials. Some heavier, some more durable and some more stylish. By thinking about how the pots will be used, you can narrow down your options.

2. As a Matter of Fact, Size Does Matter

The kind of plant you will be planting (and the number of plants) will help determine how big the pots you will need to have. Obviously, small trees will require a larger pot than, say, a tulip.

3. Vary The Sizes

If you want your garden to “pop”, then vary the sizes of the pots (and plants) you use. Scale your pots so the farther back they are, the larger they get.

4. Group Your Pots

By grouping small and mid-sized pots near and around a larger pot, you will add a lot of interest and a focal point in your garden.

5. Place Plants That Require The Same Amount of Watering In Each Pot

I know it seems obvious, but you shouldn’t put a fern that requires a fair amount of water in with a group of cactus.

6. Group Plants Requiring Similar Sunlight In Each Pot

Pots left in direct sunlight dry up very quickly because of their small size. Try to place them where they get some shade at least part of the day.

7. Choose Plants That Require Less Water

Small pots tend to dry up fast since they can’t hold much water. Picking out plants that don’t need much water in the first place will make your container garden easier to maintain.

8. Proper Drainage Is Essential

You will have to drill holes in the bottoms of your pots if they don’t already come with one – most do. Now place a shard from a broken pot over the hole to keep the soil from spilling out the bottom but allowing excess water to drain.

9. Waterproof Terracotta Pots

Terracotta left unsealed (on the inside of the pot) will soak up a lot of your plant’s water before the plant does. Brush on a good water sealant to prevent this from happening.

10. Potting Soil

For pots, its best to use a good potting soil as they are specially blended for this purpose. Potting soils are lighter in weight than normal soil and they hold water much better.

Before you purchase any garden pot for your container garden, visit Keith Maiden’s web site: All Garden Pots for more information on container gardening.

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How To Care For A Container Garden With Garden Pots

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

With some basic gardening skills, you can ensure a successful container garden. Starting with the containers themselves, make sure that any garden pots made from porous materials (such as terracotta or wood) are sealed on the inside with a quality water sealant. Otherwise, the pots will soak up much of the water meant for your plants.

Water

Not over watering is just as important as it is not to underwater. Placing a bowl or saucer underneath your garden pots will catch any extra water and keep the water from rotting and staining your deck or patio. Filling the saucers up with water is the best way to water your container garden. By doing it this way, you avoid over watering and you keep the water from spilling over the top rim of the saucer. The water actually feeds the roots of your plants by seeping up through the garden pot’s hole in the bottom.

You can also choose to water your plants on the top surface. If so, make sure to fill it a little at a time (about a cup or so) and keep an eye on how much water ends up in the saucer. Its best not to overfill the saucer. Your plants will always welcome a fresh spray of water from a hand sprayer. If you have really hard water from your sink, use bottled or rain water so calcium won’t build up on the leaves.

Plant Food

The nutrients in most potting soils don’t last much more than five or six weeks since garden pots are generally small. So, vital nutrients will need to be replenished. Plant food, for the most part, comes in granular and liquid forms. Since they last a long time and keep a steady supply of food going to the plants, slow-release granules are recommended.

Keeping Control Of Pests

Systemic and Contact insecticides are the two main types. The first, systemic insecticide works by pouring it right onto the soil where it gets absorbed through to the root system of the plant. From here it goes right up the stalk and to the leaves where it is ingested by the bugs when they eat.

The next type of insecticide is the contact type which is sprayed directly onto the insects. It should work rather quickly but you might have to repeat the application after a few days depending on the amount of infestation is going on.

With sufficient monitoring and loving care, you are sure to have a thriving container garden with satisfying results.

David Haines has been working in gardens since his early childhood and has always been interested in educating others regarding garden pot and landscaping techniques. If you like to know more about garden pots, visit AllGardenPots.com

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Interesting Alternatives to Ordinary Garden Pots

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Garden pots are a great and versatile way to bring new life your existing garden. But, there are a lot objects you can use in place of your standard garden pot. For instance, you could use an old watering can to place plants in. Simply drill or cut a hole in the bottom for drainage and you’ve got yourself an instant charming plant container.

If you happen to have a large stump close to your garden, you can hollow it out deep enough to sink a pot into. Just use a wide boring drill bit to drill out holes that make the outside diameter of the circle. When you have the circle all drilled out, keep drilling as many holes as you can on the inside of the circle. Once you have as much material drilled out as you can, remove the remaining wood with a chisel. Then fill in the gaps around the pot with dirt.

If you break a large garden pot, don’t throw it away. Simply cut off the bottom half at an angle and place it on the ground in your desired location or just bury it halfway into the ground. This will give the illusion that it is more like an artifact that’s been unearthed.

For a less permanent but really fun idea, you can take a pair of old boots and fill them with dirt and top with a plant of your choice. You can even paint the boots with spray paint to make them blend in or stand out.

Wood barrels that are cut in half are a common alternative as well. Even though they are made to hold liquids, its still a good idea to coat the inside with a water sealant (they weren’t exactly made for dirt).

A simple idea is to take a used car tire, lay it down level and fill that with dirt. They can even be stacked to make a very interesting garden.

Look around and you will see that there are plenty of objects you can use as containers for your garden. Your only limit is your imagination.

Daniel Rapier has been working in gardens since his early childhood. He has always been interested in learning new gardening and landscaping techniques and helping educate others. If you would like to know more about the subject of garden pots, visit AllGardenPots.com

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Start A Container Garden Using Garden Pots

Friday, March 5th, 2010

Its simple to start a successful container garden from scratch by just following a few guidelines. For the gardeners that already have them, one of their reasons is the flexibility you have with containers. Not only are they interesting, but they can also be very beautiful and for urban environments, your only option may be to place all your plants in garden pots.

Choosing Your Containers

You should try to have a variety in the size of your pots. A few larger pots (say three or four) followed by a few more medium pots and then several smaller pots. If you pick out a bright colored large pot, this will definitely draw your attention to that area – which is fine if that is what you are trying to achieve.

Location, Location, Location

Depending on the size of your space, start with larger pots that are about two or three feet tall. This will become a focal point to draw your eye in. Use existing focal point to place these large pots such as, a corner, next to a permanent pole, or near an important piece of furniture. You can also achieve the opposite effect to draw the eye AWAY from sore spots, like air conditioners, electric boxes, etc.

Once you have placed all the large pots where you like them (they aren’t permanent so you can move them at any time), take your medium sized pots and place a few around the larger ones. Since they will be pretty close to each other, try and imagine how it will look when there are trailing plants coming down from the larger pots. In most cases, two to three medium sized pots will be enough.

Small pots are used to fill in the remaining areas. Once the plants start growing, you will probably want to move these around since there are no set rules to what looks good.

Prepare The Pots

Using a good water sealant, seal the insides of any terracotta pots. All of your pots should have drainage holes in the bottoms. If not, drill half inch holes (one per square foot). This is particularly important with wood containers. Now, to keep the potting soil from falling out the bottom, cover the holes with either shards from broken pots, a piece of screen, or a couple layers of newspaper. This keeps the dirt from falling out the bottom of the pot. Make sure to place a bowl under each pot if they are on a wood patio or deck.

Plant Selection

In the larger pots, its best to have up to three types of plants. A main upright plant, a cover plant to fill in the middle and a trailing plant that grows down the sides and covers up the top of the pot. Feel free to experiment with different types and colors. I would stick to neutral colors for your filler plants. Use your imagination and have fun!

Chuck Wherty has been working in gardens since his early childhood and has always been interested in educating others on garden pot and landscaping techniques. If you’d like to know more about container gardening, visit AllGardenPots.com

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Start With Wrought Iron Weathervanes

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

There are few items that one can add to their home for functionality and artistic value. A wrought iron weathervane is one such item. In the days of old, the wrought iron weathervane was used to identify the direction of the wind. Today they are a beautiful accent to any yard and home regardless of the theme of your home.

The weathervane became particularly important to farmers. Men have realized for many years that wind direction was an almost certain indicator of weather patterns. So farmers relied heavily on the weathervane mounted on their outhouse roof. Many linked their livelihoods to those weathervanes. As time has gone on, the wrought iron weathervane has taken on a more creative form and purpose so that now they are sought after more for decoration then livelihood.

There functionality and eye pleasing characteristics make them versatile when it comes to placement around your home. The wrought iron weathervanes are most often given a nice black finish and are often designed to look like they are antiques. Wrought iron is much more durable; they do not corrode and are still very pleasing to the eye.

Wrought iron weather vanes and wrought iron wind vanes are complimentary home decor whether you prefer vintage or modern furnishings. Finding the perfect wrought iron wind vane adds just the right touch of whimsy to your home or yard.

Not interested in putting a weathervane in your yard or atop your house? Try placing it on your outside deck or on top of your patio table. They make wonderful centerpieces and are always in vogue. Don’t feel obligated to go “whole hog” and invest in the largest weathervane you can find. There are smaller wrought iron windvanes that fit perfectly on fences and even inside the home. Keep looking until you find the perfect windvane for your home.

Did you know that the rooster weather vane is the most popular model of all time? It is true, and this model is often called the weathercock and roof cockerels. However, by any name they are charming and no longer limited to the rooftop. A wrought iron wind vane can be displayed anywhere you please.

Ever wonder how the rooster became the weathervane spokesman? Centuries ago, the residing Pope commented that every church should have a rooster placed on their rooftop. This was in honor of the apostle Peter and to remind Catholic believers to live a life for Christ and to never deny him.

Despite the advanced technological age we live in, artists find comfort recreating the antique wrought iron weather vanes. Obviously their customers find the same enjoyment as the weather vane refuses to lose popularity. In fact, a highly detailed wrought iron wind vane has been known to fetch up to five figures! Now that’s one weather vane I will not be putting outside. Edited by Glinda Zuladra

This summer is the perfect time for wrought iron. Weathervane s are definately a purchase you need to make for your barn or front deck.

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How To Make A Fountain From Three Garden Pots

Monday, March 1st, 2010

I came across a way of building a garden fountain out of pots that I hadn’t seen before. The idea of using pots as fountains is not new but I think this version makes a wonderful addition to any garden and its very easy to do. The first thing to do is choose the pots for your fountain. The three pots will be used for a basin, a base and the larger pot that will be used as the fountain. When choosing the shape of pot for the main fountain, keep in mind how it will function and not just how it looks. Slightly tapered pots that are smooth will be quieter since the water clings to the sides as it goes down. Other pots having rings or ridges will cause the falling water to produce more sound.

Start with a large stone or terracotta bowl for the foundation of your fountain. This is the pot that catches the overflowing water from the large main pot. Turn the pot upside down and drill a hole in the bottom center (if necessary). Turn it back over and run the cord from your pump out through the hole. Now cover the hole with duct tape and seal it with a body filler used for repairing cars. Once its dry, fill in around the cord with silicon. Next, use a water sealant to coat the inside of the basin. Its now ready to place in your desired location. The basin should be somewhat level, but this is not crucial.

The pump is housed inside the base pot that is turned upside down. The diameter of the base should match the diameter of the main large fountain pot. Cut out three or four notches around the top rim of the pot. Its easier to do this if you soak the pot in water overnight. The purpose of the notches is to let water pass in to the base to the pump.

Take a length of tubing a little longer than the height of the main fountain pot and attach it to the pump. Feed the base pot down through the hole in its bottom and seal the gap between the tubing and the hole with silicon. The whole set up should be your basin with an upside down pot sitting in the middle with a tube sticking out from the pump inside it.

Test fit the large fountain pot by sliding it down over the pipe and onto the top of the base pot. Don’t apply any glue just yet. If it all looks good (the pot is plumb and level with the pipe sticking out past the top of the pot), then you can take it back off to run a couple of thick beads of silicon around the top of the base pot. The bead on the inside closest to the hole will keep water from running in between the pots while the bead on the outside helps hold the two pots together.

Once everything has dried, fill with water and test. Now you will have to adjust the height of the tubing to get the desired effect you are looking for. Finish by filling in the basin with rocks.

Donald Rickerby has been working in gardens since his early childhood and has always been interested in educating others on gardening and landscaping techniques. If you would like to know more about garden pot and landscaping, visit AllGardenPots.com

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