Garden tours or garden hopping is a very unique way to gather insight on other people’s garden to pick up some proven and tested tips and hints on gardening. Aside from this, gardening enthusiasts will have a chance to view some of the most spectacular gardens.

So, what will you do if you are on a garden tour? First, don’t forget to bring a notebook, pen or pencil, a tape measure and of course, a camera to document your garden tour. Your notebook will become your reference book. It will be loaded with priceless tips, guides, hints, notes and answers to your gardening problems. Don’t be afraid or hesitate to ask questions, even stupid ones. Most garden owners will gladly answer your questions and inquiries. They will also recommend some plants that will be great for your own garden. You can prepare these questions before going on a garden tour. This way, you won’t forget to ask some answers to your gardening delimmas.

Pay close attention as to how each garden layout compliments the house or how the garden is presented. Take note of the location of the garden and most of all, the plants that are used and how they are positioned in the garden. Notice also how the plants complement each other and of the general design and layout of the entire garden and lawn. You can measure the length and width of the garden plots, the width of the paths between the flower beds and take note of its shape. You can discover as to how the garden owner cleverly hides her compost pile behind a large shrub. Take note of each detail of all the gardens that you have visited for your future reference. Most of all, enjoy the day out in the sun with the
various blooms and gardens.

Soil fertility is one of the most important things need for your plants to grow healthy. But sometimes, you need to add  something to your garden soil in order to increase its nutritional value. These things that you will add to the soil are called soil amendments. Soil amendments are soil additives to make it more fertile so that it can provide what the plants will need to grow healthy. There are two ways to add soil amendments. The first way is to just place it on top of the soil. An example of this is mulching which is done mainly to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil and for artistic appeal. The second way to add soil amendment is by mixing it with the soil. An example of this is adding fertilizer. You must mix the amendment with the soil throughly and properly. You must be careful to add amendments in the right amount,
otherwise, it can lead to an adverse effect.There are two types of soil amendments. These are the organic amendments and the inorganic amendments. Organic amendments are made from natural ingredients. Some common organic soil amendments are sphagnum peat, wood chips, straw, saw dust, compost and manure. Inorganic soil amendments, on the other hand, are man-made amendments. These include chemicals that are used to make the soil more fertile. Inorganic soil amendments are used for good output but they deplete the soil’s natural nutrients if they are used for a long period of time.

Choosing the right soil amendment will depend on several factors. These factors are:
a. type of plant you want to grow
b. salinity of the soil
c. texture of the soil
d. how long the amendment will stay in the soil
e. type of soil
f. required soil improvement needed

It is recommended that you use different types of soil amendments in order to gain the optimum benefit that these amendments can give. Soil amendments compliment each other in their use and benefit, so you have to choose carefully and wisely. An example of this is when you use wood chips for mulching during summer to prevent evaporation of moisture and in winter to retain warmth. The wood chips will tie up the nitrogen in the soil, so you will be needing nitrogen fertilizers to avoid nitrogen deficiency in plants. If you choose the appropriate soil amendments, you can benefit from any type of soil.

When we say Japanese garden, what comes to our mind is the picture of slender bamboos swaying in the light breeze or of the awesome sight of Japanese maples in the fall. Well, a Japanese garden is like that and much more. Japanese gardens are very soothing to the soul and encourage relaxation, communing with nature, peacefulness and meditation.

There are different types of Japanese gardens with each having its own distinct characteristics. One classic example of a Japanese garden is the Ryoan-ji garden in Japan. The Ryoan-ji rock garden almost has no plants in it except for carefully tended seas and lakes of fine gravel that surrounds rock groupings. Maybe you will think that Japanese gardens are only this, but it’s not. Another good example of a Japanese garden is of a large pond with brightly colored koi fishes swimming in it. Some Japanese gardens just blend in with the natural scenery thereby enhancing its natural appearance. The garden is incorporated with the view of the natural surroundings which give the notion of a much bigger size that it originally is.

Japanese gardens tend to be simple yet have a big impact on the visitors of the garden. It leaves a lasting impression on ones soul, even if you are not a garden enthusiast. Careful planning is the key to creating Japanese gardens in order for it to be simple enough yet has a great impact and it need not be big. If you find Japanese gardens fascinating and you want to create your own, it is recommended that you visit one first and study what makes it tick. If there is none in your locality, there is no need to visit Japan just to have a closer look. You can browse the net for all the information that you will need. You can also read some books about Japanese gardens.

Growing your own herbs has a two-fold advantage. First, you don’t have to buy herbs anymore, so that means savings. Second is you will experience the joys and benefits of gardening. Land space is not a problem because you will be growing your herbs in containers which mean you can place them where ever you like such as your countertop, beside the coffee pot or if you have a little space in the backyard, you can place the containers there. Herb gardening in containers doesn’t need much space, it will only take much love and patience. If you have friends or family member that likes to cook, your herbs in containers will make an excellent gift.

There are three basic rules to herb gardening in containers. The first one is selecting the herbs that you will want to grow. Grow herbs
that you will actually cook with. You will only use a little because they are fresh. If you never cook Italian foods, then don’t grow basil. You should never grow something you won’t use just because it looks nice, smells nice, or seems like something that ought to be in your garden. You can also try easy to grow herbs like parsley, chives, cilantro or thyme.

The second one is whether starting your herb garden from seeds or budding plants. You can actually do both by going to your local plant nursery and asking what herbs that you want are available. You can grow the rest from seeds. Herbs like parsley, cilantro, chives, mint and other similar plants with small grassy stems are easy to grow from seeds. Rosemary, thyme and oregano are better grown from budding or established plants. If you will choose growing thriving plants, you can harvest from it almost immediately because all you have to do is to trim a little from it. If you will choose to grow from seeds, then you will have to call on your patience and nurturing nature. Whatever you choose, make sure that you water it and check on them often because Mother Nature can only do so much.

So, now that you know a little more about herb gardening in containers, you can begin making one now. When your herb garden is already thriving, you can then say good bye to those herbs in tin cans.

Rooftop Gardens

The lack of land space for gardening should not hinder city dwellers from enjoying the benefits of gardening. All you need to do is to figure out how to lay out your garden on your rooftop. But what if you don’t have a rooftop? No problem. You can have window boxes instead or ornamentals along your sidewalk or steps.

Cramping is not a problem with plants because they love to be grouped together. The only thing that you have to check frequently if you have a rooftop garden is the moisture. Because rooftops get a lot of sun, your plants might dry out so to check if your plants are not dehydrated, stick your finger in the soil and then you be the judge. If you grow vegetables in your rooftop garden, make sure to check frequently because vegetables in particular need to be kept moist.

If you choose to have a rooftop garden, you are not hindered by planting only sun-loving plants. You can shift some plants that don’t need much sun at the back or maybe you can place it behind other plants so that it will be shaded.

The trick to this kind of gardening is the plant container. Plastic containers are ideal because they are lightweight and does’t add much to the weight being put on your rooftop. They can also be moved easily. Make sure that the containers have enough holes for drainage. Place few broken pieces of terracotta on the bottom of your container before you put soil in it will allow water to drain while helping to keep the soil in place. It helps to lock in moisture too.

Another thing to consider is the soil that you place in your plant containers. Buy soil that is part compost, perlite and vermiculite. It is good for your plants and it is light weight too. Don’t forget to add mulch on top to help lock in the moisture.

As for the plants, you can have rosemary, Japanese grass, sweet potato and small vines. You can also include some vegetables, perrenials and annuals.

QUEEN ANNE’S LACE

The delicately branching flower heads of ammi majus are reminiscent of fine lace or dill, although the appearance of the latter is closer to that of Ammi visnaga, which is featured below. Ammi majus is one of the most satisfactory plants for adding volume to a bouquet, and its presence in natural borders is not to be despised.

The species originally grew in southern Europe and the neighboring areas of Asia and Africa. Its development, unfortunately, is rather slow. The plants need about 4 months to come into flower, which means that they do not usually start flowering until late July, after which they continue until September. In the period before flowering, the plants look rather tenuous, although their feathery greyish-green foliage is quite pretty. When in flower, however, the approximately 3-ft tall plants fill out considerably and then need space to achieve their full spread.

If the seeds are sown indoors in winter or early spring, flowering may be brought forward considerably, but in that case the small plants should be transplanted with their balls of soil in May, because they dislike having their roots disturbed. Early cultivation does not affect the length of their flowering season. The plants begin to set seed several weeks after coming into flower, but their yellow-green umbels will remain in the border for weeks and new flower heads will continue to be produced for some time. Give them a sunny position and average amounts of water.

Short on space and time? Then a tabletop garden is for you. Though it lacks in bulk, it can be big on creativity and interest. There are a few things to consider in making a tabletop garden.

The first is the container selection. In selecting the containers, choose something that is low in height, about 6 inches tall. There is a wide range of selection available. Make sure that the container that you have selected will allow for proper drainage. If your chosen container doesn’t allow for proper drainage, you either slip your plant inside in its plastic nursery container or you can drill some more holes in the pot.

In watering your plants, make sure that you leave no mess. You can buy an ornamental tray like a seed tray to catch the excess water. You can also water the plant outside and take it back in when it has fully drained the water so that there will be no mess.

In selecting your plant, make sure that when it is already planted, you can see the person on the other side of the table. Use plants that are low growing as well as slow growing. This way, you will maximize the longevity and usefulness of the tabletop garden. In a tabletop garden, bigger is not necessarily better. Keep in mind also that the amount of light your plants will need varies, so make sure that you check with a reputable nursery if you don’t know.

Tabletop garden plants need not be ornamental, you can also plant edible plants. You can plant leaf lettuce, herbs and other greens. Once these fill in, you will have a beautiful display and you can also harvest right from your tabletop. You can also grow your greens from seeds like mesclun and micro green. Simply scatter the seeds on a bed of soil, cover with a thin layer of soil on top and water it. In about a week, the seeds will start to grow and when these are a few inches high, you can snip them with scissors and garnish your dish right at the tabletop.

Another great plant choice for tabletop gardens are succulents because they are slow growing. They also look great up close. When planting succulents, use a special potting mix designed just for these low-water plants. For variation of texture and color, you can choose sedums, cacti and sempervivums. Cacti and succulents don’t need as much water as some other plants so just water once every two weeks.

One of the advantages to working in miniature is that you can rearrange things again and again until they’re absolutely perfect. Use colorful aquarium pebbles as decorative mulch. You can also add a little piece of sculpture for a touch of the whimsical.

1. Tabletop Garden
This product is a small scale garden sunctuary. This is a model scale garden. You can put this on the table or desktop. The Tabletop garden product is a complete kit garden set where you can grow real plants. The kit goes with grass seeds, bricks, gravel, miracle coco soil, 2 urns and a garden tray. The beautiful small scale garden sunctuary is customize with flower seeds that are arrange for formal English style or casual country feel.

If you are new to gardening or even those who are not so new, here are some gardening ideas that will make your gardening easy and will make you appreciate your garden more.

1. Start small
   One way to get frustrated is when you can’t seem to finish planting all your garden plots. Start planting in a small area first then slowly work your way through your garden and take your time. Do not pressure yourself because you will surely get frustrated if you haven’t attained your goal. An advantage of working in a small garden is that you will learn the basics without being overwhelmed. As you learn more skills and confidence, you can slowly expand your garden area.
2. Start your own compost pile
   It does not matter if you make an elaborate compost or just a simple one, the important thing is you have a compost and of course, you use it. You can spread the compost over your garden beds, mix it with the soil when planting, use as a top dressing to your lawn, top plant containers and make compost tea. You can make your own compost by buying a commercial composter or making it yourself in an out-of-the-way corner of your property. But if you can’t make your own compost, you can buy compost one.
3. Maintain a healthy garden soil
   The prime reason of compost is to make your garden soil healthy. But composting is not everything. When making and plotting your garden beds, make sure that you have a space in between the beds so that you have an area to walk on as well as a working area. This way, you will not step on the garden bed and making the soil compact. Avoid working when the soil is wet because once it dries, you will have big clumps of hard-packed soil in your hands to deal with. Avoid over working the soil especially with a rototiller because it will disturb the complex structure of the soil.
4. Mulch
   Use mulch liberally on your garden. Mulch hinders weed growth, preserve the soil’s moisture as well as the temperature. Use organic mulch as much as possible.
5. Water properly
   When watering, deep soak so that the roots will grow deep down into the soil. It is recommended to water in the morning so that the leaves will have time to dry thereby minimizing fungal diseases.
6. Opt for native plants
   Native plants are easier to and have fewer problems. Non-native plants are prone to pest and diseases and require special care. You can visit your local plant nursery for more information about native plants and non-native plants that are well adapted to your area.
7. Minimize maintenance
   Cut back on the fertilizers and prune only when necessary. Fertilizing and pruning cause plants to produce tender, succulent growth, which is what bugs prefer most. Besides, why will you fertilize often if have put already mixed some compost in the soil when you planted and you have spread on some mulch.
8. Visit your garden regularly
   Visit your garden regularly so that you will know immediately if you your plants need special attention. If you take just say 10 minutes every day just wandering around your garden, then you will form an invaluable bond with your plants.

This is one of those “Whatever-is-that?” plants, species which make visitors to your garden stop in their tracks to enquire about their strange appearance. The small pink flowers, 5/8 in wide, have a very remarkable shape resembling that of a small devil with a retrousse nose and ears like table-tennis bats. The British liken it to a mosquito and call the species “mosquito flower.” The plant grows to about 20 in in height, and its large leaves are undoubtedly its principal decorative feature. Pinching out the growing tips will encourage the plant to branch out and produce more flower stems.

It is best to sow the seed directly in the garden from the end of April or, alternatively, sow indoors in March-April. The plants dislike full sunlight and keep their looks far better in partial shade.

Ewins St. Thomas Premium Poly Hammock

This solid hammock is made from weather resistant and color fast yarn which makes the Ewins St. Thomas hammock fade, stain and mildew resistant. This hammock is attached to its bamboo spreader bars with hand macramé  clew knots using strong bowline knots which are designed to tighten with use. The bamboo spreaders are triple dipped in marine spar varnish to make it weather resistant as well as strong.

This hammock can comfortably accommodated two adults and even plus a kid because it has a weight limit of 450 pounds. It is very comfortable and its cushions are buttoned to the hammock so it won’t come off but can be removed for washing. This hammock also includes short chains and S hooks for mounting. Measures 156″ L x 55″ W. the stand is sold separately.

This hammock is excellent outside your house in your garden or lawn. It is built to withstand nature. Not only that, it is built in good quality to last long. The Ewins St. Thomas Premium Poly Hammock is weather resistant. The premium hammock gives comfort when you relax outside your home. This is a nice product and surely you will love it.