Indoor Lighting fixtures for your home :

Indoor lighting forms a very important part of interior designing. Different types of light fixtures assist in lighting up each room differently. They not only supply light, but also set the atmosphere of the room. Home lighting can be a tricky task since each room has to be handled in a different way. Interior designers normally opt for long-lasting and light-weight lighting fixtures. Indoor lighting fixtures can be obtained in several shapes, designs, colors and power options. Hence, you have a lot of options to choose from whether it is bedroom lighting, bathroom lighting, cabinet lighting, picture lighting, art lighting, vanity strips, mood lighting, puck lighting and so on.

Indoor lighting fixtures have grown from the extravagant creations with semi-precious stones to affordable and stylish elements of art. They are the choice of an increasing number of home owners all over the world. Fixtures for indoor lighting are not really expensive to buy and it all depends on the buyer's budget and how much he wants to indulge in. Simple models are available for $50 to $75. The more sophisticated light fixtures could cost upwards of $500. You could take the advice of an interior decorator before making your purchase.

Most companies that produce indoor lighting fixtures give you a guarantee of one year besides information on new designs of lighting fixtures that might be introduced. Indoor lighting fixtures can be set up by consulting the manual that comes with them but it is advised that it be done under a professional's guidance.

The bedroom should be the most comfy place in your home and hence you should plan your bedroom lighting meticulously. A lot of people use their bedroom to read books, write diaries or use the PC. Hence, the bedroom should have the right light for this kind of activities at the same time providing a peaceful ambience so that the owner gets a nice place to rest; rejuvenating the mind and body.

The first thing you should decide in bedroom lighting is how much you are ready to spend on artificial lights. There is a wide range of models to choose from. Then you should have a fine mix of background and task lighting so you don't leave your house wearing black trousers and a navy coat. Lights of halogen and tungsten are the main types used for bedroom lighting. Halogen lights are whiter, crisper and newer. Tungsten lights, on the other hand, are of the traditional type - giving you soft, gold tinted light and are your best bet for background lighting. Halogen light works well for task lighting and is especially suited for reading in bed - you get fittings that you can mount on the wall or attach to the head of your bed.

One of the most common mistakes you find in bedroom lighting is the use of downward lighting directly over the bed. This can result in a lot of glare and does not make reading enjoyable at all. So you should not rely on overhead lighting for reading. This kind of light is bad for reading giving added strain to your eyes. If you love to read or write in bed, make sure that you have a table lamp placed on the night stand which is a behind your head and close to the wall. If you read in bed while your spouse sleeps, it would be a good idea to test some light fixtures that will keep the other side of the rook quite dark while you stay awake reading a book. While dealing with the ambience of the room, bedroom lighting can be softened through floor lighting or directing lighting through plants.

How to have a green thumb without an aching back:

Ruth Stout, who passed on in 2006 at a grand old age, left behind a rich legacy for gardeners. Ruth's study highlighted aspects found in the world of nature, like the presence of a layer of mulch, as well as leaving the ground unbroken (in effect, letting the inhabitants of the soil do the "turning" - earthworms, microbes, and such). Through her observation of various natural settings, followed by strategic implementation of these features, gardening was shown to become more productive, while reducing the work load.

Application of organic plant waste material directly onto the soil to a depth of an inch or more generates the following results:

- The bottom layer of mulch will gradually rot into the soil, providing a constant supply of nutrients, while eliminating the need for maintaining a compost pile.

- Moisture retention due to the mulch layer means reduced need for watering - saving on both resources and labor.

- Mulch effectively prevents weeds from growing, thus reducing another laborious chore.

- Because of greater nutrient levels, plants can be positioned twice as densely as normally recommended.

- Even so, those plants will actually produce more than non-mulched plants. In real terms the combination of denser spacing and higher production means a fourfold increase overall.

In addition, leaving the soil unbroken saves the laborious task of turning the soil, while the soil's compactness allows the "wicking" action of moisture and nutrients to flow.

I have had the pleasure of proving these results in my own garden, as have countless other practitioners of mulch gardening.

Gardeners and farmers are advised to study the finer points of the system before implementation.

See the links below, which expand on this system of applying nature-wisdom for increased productivity while saving on resources and labor.

J Graf is the coordinator of Insight21 and Earth Vision - doorways for the 21st Century.

Not all lights need to be functional and decorative lighting is one of them :

The type of lights you use in your home can make a big difference to the design of your home's interiors. Today, more than ever before, there is a vast choice in light fixtures and more and more people are opting for decorative lighting to add some cheer and revelry in their homes. No longer do decorative lighting fixtures need to be used during festivals or special occasions; now these interesting products can be used to beautify a specific area of your home or simply add more 'spark' to an entire space, outdoors or indoors. Easy to install and not very expensive, lights have become an integral part of the any home today and it's easy to understand the reasons behind it. Let's look at them closely.

Reasons to Use Decorative Lighting

Want to give your home a character? Want to beautify a corner or a room? Do you want to spread some cheer and usher in an atmosphere of joy and cheer in your house? Decorative lighting is the best way to go it all. These lights make a HUGE impression and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Today, lights form an integral and important part of interior design and these products offer more than just practical benefits. Most lights are not just sources of illuminating a space, but they are also used as a design element. Decorative lighting fixtures are available in a wide array of shapes, sizes, materials, and finishes. Of course, there is a whole range of decorative lights in the markets that are designed to meet all your needs. Some of these are:

1) Classy lamps in brushed nickel, or stainless steel or copper finish. Popular amongst them is brass. These decorative lighting pieces easily blend with colorful d�cor found in most homes nowadays.

2) Decorative lights are also available in different colors and you can choose the exact colors that meet your requirements. From painted to textured to gold or silver finish, these lights are trendy, attractive, and long lasting.

3) Decorative lights are also popular in antique finish. Try portable light fixtures in an antique finish to create a timeless look in your home. Conventional, yet liked this look is quite in.

How to Buy Decorative Lighting

With so much choice, how do you select the right lights for your home? Here's how:

1) Use the services of a certified and reputable lighting consultant. Allow him to make the choices.
2) Carry the picture or mental image of your light when you go shopping for decorative lighting.
3) Always have a budget in mind. Try not to exceed it unless it's something you simply can't resist.
4) Try buying lights that match the color of the room's walls.
5) Always remember the function of a decorative lighting product so that you can make the right choice.

Install the best bedroom lighting to give you a good night's rest :

No matter what style of a decorating scheme it is that you have at home, one of the best ways to add some drama and a certain unique style to it is with the help of some indoor lighting. When looking for lighting fixtures, there are a few things that you need to take into consideration. First, what brand of lighting fixture it is that can give you the best quality possible? Second, will you purchasing your lighting fixtures from a physical store or online? The second option is usually more cost-effective - because online stores usually do not maintain a physical store - so they can afford to give online consumers a great discount. Third, make sure that the brand of lighting fixture that you will buy offers a wide selection in terms of style, design and cost. Now, if you are looking for some quality bedroom lighting, Metropolitan lighting has a range of lighting fixtures that you can purchase.

Aside from your living room and kitchen, your bedroom is another part of the house that you need to pay attention to. Getting a good night's sleep is essential for everyone, especially if you've had a long day at work. Now, with the proper bedroom lighting, that is exactly what you will have - a good night's sleep. The atmosphere in your bedroom should be relaxing and restful. For this, you can purchase Metropolitan lighting fixtures which are specifically designed as bedroom lighting. Pendant lights which can be dimmed, accent lights, spot lights, under the cabinet lights, bathroom and vanity lighting - these are more are the types of bedroom lighting fixtures that you can choose from.

So are the bedroom lighting fixtures from Metropolitan Lighting considered to be reliable and of high quality? They definitely are! Metropolitan Lighting products are manufactures by the Minka Group, and they are among the most trusted brands of lighting fixture manufacturers in the industry. The unique line of products that they offer are made with different finishes such as brass, bronze, iron, wood and Murano glass. The designs offered by Metropolitan lighting which are suitable as bedroom lighting fixtures offer a mixture of functionality and style.

Now, aside from bedroom lighting, Metropolitan Lighting also offers a line of indoor lighting products including the following: Metropolitan chandeliers, Metropolitan close-to-ceiling lamps, island or billiard lights, ceiling medallions, wall sconces, pendant lights, bath and vanity lighting, pendant lights and a lot more. They also have a complete line of outdoor lighting fixtures that you can choose from. Again, Metropolitan Lighting is a brand that you can trust. As such, you can rest assured that the line of products that they have offers the best in terms of quality, design, price, durability - and the service that they provide for their clients. By placing strategically the bedroom lighting products from Metropolitan Lighting, you can easily get a good night's rest while at the same time enjoying the aesthetic quality that the lighting fixtures will provide for your favorite room in the house.

Indoor and outdoor lighting: illuminating & designing your house at the same time :

Your home is probably one of the biggest investments that you will ever make in one lifetime - which is the reason why it pays to exert every effort in making sure that your home looks and 'feels' like the best that it can be. First of all, you need to consider the materials that you will be using for the structure itself. A secure and sound building is the foundation of a strong house that is built to last. Now, when it comes to the decorating - you should take into consideration the quality of the materials that you will be using, as well as its aesthetic effect. One of the best ways to make any part of the house a focal point in your decorating is with the help of strategic outdoor lighting and indoor lighting fixtures. In no time at all, your home can be transformed from ordinary into something dramatic and extraordinary.

Now, let us take a look at some of the indoor lighting fixtures that you can use, not just to illuminate but to decorate your house as well. The best place to start is your living room - where chandeliers should be the main attraction. Once the furniture has already been strategically placed, your indoor lighting fixtures can be installed to put some finishing touches on your decorating scheme. Again, chandeliers can be the focal point of your living room. This type of indoor lighting fixture comes in different shapes, sizes and styles, but the best part is that the little crystal or glass detailing used on each piece can provide your living room with the design factor that you are looking for. Next, for other parts of the house, you can use accent or spot lights to illuminate walls or light up walkways. It is a good idea to have lights that can be dimmed. This type of indoor lighting fixture will not just create drama but help you save on energy as well.

The living room is not just the other parts of your indoor lighting scheme that you can have fun decorating. You should also think about installing bath and vanity lighting fixtures. Or how about the kitchen? If you have a love for cooking, this part of the house should be well-illuminated so that you can clearly see your work. In bedrooms or guest rooms, a typical table lamp would do, but you can also install pendant lights for some added drama.

Next, for your outdoor lighting, here are some of the products that you can choose from: exterior sconces, post lanterns, landscape lighting, exterior ceiling fixtures, exterior pendant lights and security and flood lights. The good thing about installing outdoor lighting fixtures is that you are not just adding to the beauty of your house, but you are also ensuring its security. Outdoor lighting fixtures, when strategically placed, can serve as a good distraction for any intruders who might think about barging into a house it is not well-lit. With such a wide array of indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures to choose from, you can rest assured that your home can be the best that it can be when you combine illumination with style and great designs.

Hinkley & Fine Art Lighting chandeliers: a glimpse of the past with a modern twist :

Have you ever noticed how even a small chandelier can lend an almost 'royal' aura to a room? This branched decorative lighting fixture have dozens of lamps, as well as crystal and grass prisms which make the illuminating effect look grand and glorious. The history of chandeliers can be traced back to the medieval times, but it was during the 15th century that the designs of these lighting fixtures became a bit more complicated. Today, chandeliers can easily be seen in a typical home - and is often used as the focal point of one's decorating scheme. Now, if you are looking for a brand of chandelier which you can use to light up and serve as the centerpiece of your home decorating, there are a couple of brands that you can rely on: Hinkley and Fine Art Lighting.

So what do these two brands have to offer if you are looking for a chandelier to serve as the focal point in your home? First, let us take a look at the brand Hinkley. It may be true that when it comes to the lighting industry, a typical consumer has a number of brands to choose from - but not all of them are created equal. When it comes to Hinkley Lighting, their focus relies on using lighting fixtures such as chandeliers, to add that final touch to you decorating scheme. The good thing about the types of chandeliers offered by Hinkley is that there are different styles to choose from. Take your pick from Hinkley chandeliers which have the following styles: contemporary, craftsman style, mission style, rustic, country, traditional, Tuscan and transitional. Moreover you can select from a variety of finishes that they have. Depending on the color scheme of the room, you can choose Hinkley chandeliers which have a silver, nickel, gold, copper, bronze, brass, black or a painted finish for a more contemporary look.

Another brand of chandeliers that you can choose from is the Fine Art Lighting brand. If you are thinking of an Asian decorating scheme, you can select an Asian chandelier which has that influence from the Far East. Renaissance, traditional, transitional, Tuscan and contemporary chandeliers are also available form Fine Art Lighting. When it comes to the finish of the lighting fixture, you can take your pick from silver, gold, copper or bronze.

As you can see, whether you will select Fine Art lighting chandeliers or Hinkley chandeliers, you can definitely find the exact size, design, style and finish that you are looking for because of the comprehensive selection that these two brands offer. If you are on a budget, you can even select one of the more affordable Fine Art Lighting chandeliers which are below $10,000. Again, chandeliers are a great way to revisit the past in your house - but still have that modern, contemporary touch that you need. Take your pick from the many Hinkley and Fine Art lighting fixtures and you can rest assured that you will find exactly what you are looking for.

Cocoa Farmers Go Straight to Chocolate Manufacturers:

The chocolate industry is ever improving and developing. If before, middlemen are involved whenever a big chocolate company has to order tons of raw cocoa beans from farmers, now things are different.

The middlemen can now be eliminated from the equation and cocoa farmers could go straight to chocolate manufacturers and strike an agreement with them. And this development is actually a good thing - because the interests of both the parties involved are best served.

When chocolate manufacturers can confer directly to the farmers, they can provide the farmers with definite instructions as to how they want their cocoa beans produced. Cocoa beans are especially cultivated and fermented to meet the manufacturer's exacting standards. With the presence of a middleman, getting the right quality and aroma of beans can be a very difficult feat. Middlemen rarely know anything about cocoa or any other product they carry. This is another reason why direct communication with farmers is essential.

Cocoa farmers are doubly benefited if they have the means to negotiate straight with a chocolate manufacturer. This is because they can get premium prices for their products. Most cocoa bean farmers depend on their produce to earn a decent living. So when middlemen are eliminated from the equation, their products get the best possible rate in the market.

And when cocoa bean farmers and chocolate manufacturers bargain on a price, the result will always be a discount for the chocolate makers and a mark up for the cocoa bean farmers. This is the advantage best obtained when no middlemen are involved, as both industries are given premium rates for the products they need or provide.

However, rarely do cocoa bean farmers get the chance to discuss sales matters directly with the actual people who require their products. This is primarily due to topographical difference and language barriers. The finest cocoa beans in the world come from the Dominican Republic. However, the biggest market for such beans is the U.S. It is also in the U.S. where world-renowned chocolate makers are holding business.

The need for business expansion is very important to be able to link cocoa farmers and chocolate makers to one another. It is either the chocolate manufacturers open up an office in the Dominican Republic or the Dominican Republic farm owners send representatives to permanently work in U.S. soil.

It's a good thing that there are indeed several cocoa bean farms that had invested in opening up offices in the key cities of the U.S. to facilitate cocoa bean sales and distribution. Dealing with these types of companies is strongly advised because they can deliver exactly what you need. Furthermore, they also follow U.S. business codes and ethics, which is very important in the exportation business. By going straight to the U.S. office of your preferred Dominican Republic cocoa bean farm, then it is almost a guarantee that you'll get exactly what you paid for. And if in rare case you weren't pleased, their office is just within the city. You can always call them whenever you've got problems with the shipment.

Organic Gardening Is Cool:

Gardening can add more quality to the way you live, and might even add quantity to your life. There are many benefits of gardening, particularly organic gardening. It's so much fun you may even forget what's bothering you.

Organic gardening is growing vegetables and fruits using whatever nature provides.

Organic gardening is cool.

1. It's not as boring.

You can easily make his own compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though composting takes a little longer than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it's surely less expensive and more rewarding.

2. Fewer chemicals on the food you and your family consume.

Pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose -- to kill living things. One of the best known benefits of organic gardening is the zero tolerance for pesticide use, also the biggest reason for the boom of organic gardening.

3. Less harm to the environment.

Organic gardening has a beneficial effect on ground water. The Environmental Protection Agency says 38 states have multiple cases of contaminated ground water.

Organic gardening helps fight topsoil erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says commercial farming causes an estimated 30-32 billion tons of soil erosion from U.S. farmlands every year.

4. Saving money.

You don't need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic gardeners continually come up with great ideas, like fertilizing with stale coffee or used coffee grounds. And planting marigolds nearby to draw aphids away from vegetables.

Make a quart of garden pest spray with water and three tablespoons of a simple mixture of one 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil.

Mulch, used to keep moisture in and weeds out, can be created from grass clippings and pine needles.

5. Organic gardening feels good. You know you're helping safeguard future generations.

On the average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult, which can lead to numerous diseases later in life. The organic gardener is helping give today's children a healthier tomorrow.

Who wouldn't want that?

Go ahead. Search for "organic gardening" and learn more right now. By spring you'll be raring to go organic.

Common Gardening Mistakes: Mistake Number 1:

This is the first in a series of articles on common gardening mistakes. The first mistake is gardening without a plan. In this article, I'll give you some suggestions how to form one.

I've made this mistake myself: finding an interesting plant at the garden center and buying it with little or no idea of what I'm going to do with it, then returning home and walking around the yard looking for a place to plant it.

Being a plant enthusiast, I've done this type of thing very often with wild abandon. I've bought strange-looking plants, begged for cuttings, shaken seeds into my pocket and pinched off tiny branches in passing. I've tried growing things where anyone who knows anything said they couldn't be grown. I've bought plants, not for the plants themselves but for the epiphytes that were growing on them. I've espaliered apples and hybrid cherry trees to the walls of my home in south Georgia. To indulge myself further, I've enlisted with government programs to help with new plant trials. Several years ago, a visitor from a department of agriculture said it looked like I was running a one-man "experiment station."

On the other hand, there have been days when I've not wanted to see another plant, much less to care for it. So you can see I'm a hopeless case.

Why then am I presuming to advise you about developing a landscape plan? Because I'm learning from my mistakes and I want to share what I've learned with you.

There is something to be said for the thrill of finding an exciting new plant and adding it to your collection. It seems therapeutic. To be sure, the opportunity to buy that plant at that price may not present itself again. But if this pattern is followed consistently, your yard will look more like a confusing jumble than a thoughtful expression of yourself. In fact, it can become a source of frustration for you.

So I suggest that you begin with a basic plan for your landscape. It doesn't matter whether you live on a five-acre mini-estate, or have a patio garden; you need a plan. Obviously, the smaller garden is simpler and easier to deal with. You should be flexible about it, for the garden is almost like a living, ever-changing organism. Not only does your garden change, but so do you. Your desires and needs tomorrow may be a different from what they are today. But it you have a basic plan, you can flesh it out as you go. You can even change it fundamentally if you need to so so in the future.

Sometimes the idea of developing a plan seems intimidating. I understand that all too well. We may be stymied by the enormity of it all and end up doing nothing. But begin we must. Keep in mind that your plan does not need to be comprehensive. You don't need to include every single plant and color. A very, VERY "bare-bones" plan is all that you need at first.

Here are a few questions you should answer in order to get started with your plan.

1. Shall I develop the plan myself, or enlist the aid of another?

Sometimes we don't know where to begin, so a little assistance is needed. If that is true for you, consider seeking an adviser. Find one that meets your needs.

Perhaps you need a lot of help, especially if you have a larger property. If so, consider using a Landscape Architect. You can find some in your area by going to the website of the American Society of Landscape Architects and clicking on Firm Finder. Fill in the search fields, and in a few moments you will have plenty to choose from.

Many garden centers offer consultation and installation services. A quick search through your phone book or online should turn up a few. These are often quite flexible, ready to help when you need them without requiring big commitments.

Your Cooperative Extension Service can provide a wealth of information, and so may docents and staff at public gardens.

2. What is my lifestyle, and how can my landscape enhance it?

Consider your vocation, family and friends, hobbies and various interests. How does your garden fit with all that?

3. What is the size of my landscape?

This is something that you may not be able to change at the moment, if ever. But your plan should take it into consideration to your best advantage. If your landscape is large, perhaps you should consider dividing your plan into smaller segments. Work outward from your home. Those areas you use more often should be treated first. Those that you use less often should be given less priority.

4. How much time do I have to devote to it?

Don't confuse this with how much time you'd LIKE to devote. Come on now! Be realistic. Count the hours in your day and in your week and ask yourself, "Self! How much time can I devote to my garden?"

5. Is gardening among my favorite activities, or not?

I believe that the urge to do a little gardening and nurturing is part of our human nature. But if gardening isn't your top priority or favorite hobby, that is okay. What is a pleasure for some is a distraction for others. By being honest about it, you can develop a plan that fits your lifestyle.

You have many interests and desires. Your landscape, however large or small, should contribute to your personal fulfillment. With that in mind, posing and answering questions like those above should help you determine how your landscape can become a source of pleasure rather than of frustration. Then, whether you intend to develop your own plan or seek assistance, your ideas can begin to form around your personal needs.

Learn more at http://www.goGardenNow.com and at http://gogardennow.blogspot.com/

Should Plumbago auriculata Be Grown As A Trimmed Hedge Or A Regular Landscaping Shrub?:

Plumbago auriculata, or Cape Plumbago, is a somewhat strange landscaping shrub. It has many fine qualities, not least its profuse blooming of sky blue flowers through most of the warm, growing season. For Mediterranean and dry climate gardeners in particular, its capacity to withstand drought, neglect and poor, alkaline soils makes it one of the most useful landscaping shrubs available. Yet it often induces negative reactions from home gardeners. Why is this?

I think the main reason is that it tends to be used incorrectly - as a trimmed hedge by a walkway for instance. As with all plants however, an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses gives one the chance of planting it in situations where it will perform well. Here are a few reasons why Plumbago auriculata is a poor choice for a trimmed hedge, and why it has sometimes earned a bad reputation for itself.

*Firstly, it looks poor at close range. If viewed at a distance, it can create a lovely splash of cool, blue color. Close up though, it tends to appear ragged and messy.

*Secondly, both its flowers and leaves are somewhat sticky, a fact that can turn the bush into a nuisance in narrow spaces.

*The plant is a major litterbug, constantly shedding its sticky leaves and flowers on the pavement, or onto parked cars.

Cape Plumbago is best planted therefore, as a large-scale ground cover, or as a foundation plant, in the more spacious areas of the garden. It grows as a loose, mounding bush to about 2 meters in height (6ft) with almost double the spread. It can be pruned back hard every few years or so, to create a more compact, dense growth habit. Established plants flower beautifully without the addition of chemical fertilizer, although adding compost once a year will always be beneficial.

Growing Requirements

Plumbago can grow in most garden soils, providing there is adequate drainage. It is sensitive to cold and is inappropriate where winter temperatures drop below -2c (28f).Its hardiness to heat and drought, make it ideal for water conserving gardens. In Mediterranean climates, it can get through the summer with virtually no irrigation, but in regions where average highs are over 35c it will benefit from about 100-200mm of extra water a year. It should not be planted in proximity to plants that need regular irrigating, as not only are its water conserving properties wasted, but is a type of shrub that actually flowers better in dry soils!

Fall Bulbs For Warm Climates:

Well, of course fall is on the way. And though some parts of the U.S. are already enjoying moderating temperatures, we in the Deep South are not. So it's difficult for us to get into the mood to think about planting fall bulbs. In fact, one customer recently wondered whether there are any fall bulbs that perform reliably in our heat. For some of us, average minimum winter temperature is only 40 degrees Fahrenheit. So I decided to put together a quick list of fall bulbs that do well in warm climates.

As you scan the list below, you'll notice that a number and, usually, a letter follows each plant name. That is the warmest USDA climate zone where that plant is reported to succeed. If the plant does well in much colder zones, I feel it's unnecessary to state the climate range. However, there are some bulbs that are only successful in the warmest zones, so I noted their range, e.g. "9-11."

Rather than post a very long article including descriptions of these bulbs, let me refer you to the Resource Box which lists my web sites that contain this information according to the appropriate season. You will find the most complete and comprehensive information during the late summer and fall season when these bulbs are just becoming available.

* Allium aflatunense 9b

* Allium giganteum 9b

* Allium sphaerocephalum 'Hair' 9b

* Allium moly 9b

* Allium 'Mount Everest' 9b

* Allium neapolitanum 9b

* Allium oreophilum syn. ostrowskianum 10b

* Allium schubertii 9b

* Allium siculum syn. bulgaricum) 9b

* Allium sphaerocephalum 10b

* Anemone blanda 10b

* Anemone coronaria (De Caen) 10b

* Camassia cusickii 9b

* Camassia leichtlinii 9b

* Chionodoxa forbesii 9b

* Chionodoxa luciliae 9b

* Colchicum spp. 11

* Crocus sativus 9b

* Crocus speciosus 10b

* Crocus vernus 11

* Crocus zonatus 10b

* Erythronium revolutum 9b

* Freesia 8-11

* Fritillaria persica 10a

* Fritillaria uva-vulpis 9b

* Hippeastrum papilio (Butterfly Amaryllis) 8 - 10

* Hippeastrum hybrids ( Dutch and South African Amaryllis) 8 - 11

* Ipheion uniflorum 9b

* Iris danfordiae 9b

* Iris x hollandica 9b

* Iris reticulata 9b

* Lycoris aurea 10b

* Lycoris radiata 9b

* Lycoris squamigera 11

* Muscari latifolium 9b

* Muscari macrocarpum 9-11

* Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica 9b

* Ranunculus asiaticus 8a - 11

* Scilla hyacinthoides (syn. campanulata) 10b

The following narcissus are known to do well into zone 10b:

* Narcissus Accent

* Narcissus Actaea

* Narcissus Barrett Browning

* Narcissus Bell Song

* Narcissus Carlton

* Narcissus Chinese Sacred Lily

* Narcissus Dutch Master

* Narcissus February Gold

* Narcissus Fortissimo

* Narcissus Golden Bells

* Narcissus Grand Soleil d'Or

* Narcissus Hawera

* Narcissus Ice Follies

* Narcissus Jetfire

* Narcissus Mount Hood

* Narcissus Pheasant Eye

* Narcissus Pipit

* Narcissus Replete

* Narcissus Rijnveld's Early Sensation

* Narcissus Rip Van Winkle

* Narcissus Tahiti

* Narcissus Sir Winston Churchill

* Narcissus Tete-a-Tete

* Narcissus Thalia

* Narcissus Yellow Cheerfulness

To learn more, go to goGardenNow.com and click on the Bulbs and Such category. Also, be sure and read the blog.

Garden Composting Tips- The Art of Composting:

Even a composting neophyte can create top-notch compost. Akin to cooking, composting is half art, and half science. Awareness of these basic factors will help you getting started.
Just like a chef demands high quality ingredients, successful composting needs the best ingredients too. Good materials for composting include these: grass clippings, leaves, plant stalks, hedge trimmings, old potting soil, twigs, vegetable scraps, coffee filters, and tea bags.
Bad composting materials include: diseased plants, weeds with seed heads, invasive weeds, pet feces, dead animals, bread and grains, meat or fish parts, dairy products, grease, cooking oil, or oily foods.

To prepare compost, you need organic materials, microorganisms, air, water, and a small quantity of nitrogen.
Organic material is what you are trying to decompose (see above for Do's and Don'ts). Microorganisms are tiny forms of plant and animal life, which break down organic material. A small amount of garden soil or manure supplies adequate microorganisms. The air, nitrogen, and water offer an encouraging environment for the microorganisms to produce your compost. You can add enough nitrogen to the compost with small amount of nitrogen fertilizer., which can be purchased at hardware stores or nurseries. Air is the one ingredient which you can't have too much of. Too much nitrogen can kill microbes; too much water causes insufficient air in the pile.

If microorganisms have more surface area to feed off of, the materials will decompose faster. Chopping your organic materials with a machete, or using a shredder or lawnmower to shred materials will help them break down faster.

The compost pile is your oven. Compost piles catch heat created by the activity of millions of microorganisms. The minimum size for hot, fast composting is a 3-foot by 3-foot by 3-foot. But piles wider or taller than 5 feet don't permit enough air to reach the microorganisms at the center.

Your compost pile's microorganisms work their hardest when the materials have about the moistness of a wrung-out sponge and as many air passages. The air in the pile is usually consumed faster than the moisture, so the pile should be turned or mixed up now and then to add more air; this maintains high temperatures and controls odor. Use a pitchfork, rake, or other garden tool can to turn materials with.

ORGANIC VERSUS NATURAL:

During these times when almost everything from our lifestyle has to use or has been mixed with chemical-based items, it is worth noting that there are still organic and natural based products that we can use. When it comes to cleaning products for our household, we actually have three choices we can opt to use chemical based, organic based or natural based. While all three items are proven to be effective, they differ largely based on method of preparation, the ingredients used to create them, and the level of exposure they have had with chemicals. These aspects are also put into consideration when costing and retail price is being made.

We can also say that compared to chemical based items, natural based products and organic products are 'healthier'. While it is a generally known fact that when it comes to food, organic and natural are really healthier, the same concept applies also to cleaning products.

With the same way you can take in chemicals when you eat your food, you can also get chemicals with your exposure with them.

When you clean your homes with chemical based products instead of natural cleaning products, you can inhale harmful substances (as vapor) when you use them. These vapors and toxic substances can linger in your home and be inhaled by your family members.

Switching to natural and organic can make a big difference.

Natural cleaning products means these are products that use natural ingredients and has undergone a very minimal processing and treatment to be converted in to a cleaning product. Organic products on the other means these are products that even the growing standards of the ingredients have been checked. Some of the items checked are - the pesticides that are used, the machinery that are used to ensure that no bacteria will touch it, and the over-all health of the natural or biological items.

With this we are emphasizing that the use of either natural based products or organic products are both efficient.

Natural based cleaning products are very easy to create, very effective to use, and very gentle to you, your family, and the environment.

For cleaning products, natural cleaners also mean these are items that are homemade. Using items such as vinegar, cornstarch or olive oil, you can already clean major areas and household items in your home. Very simple recipes can be used to clean glass, carpets and bathrooms and cabinets.

There are recipes available that you can use a mix of just two items and you can already use it as a substitute for your chemical based cleaner. There are a lot of combinations that you can use and can already have different purposes. For some, you just have to wipe it and rinse it off, while for others, you have to set it first or soak it for a few minutes before rinsing. Switching to either organic or natural based products is over-all very beneficial. Start doing it now and we can hope that soon, we can already forget about chemical based items and start using natural products for our day to day use.

Wells in History:

Wishing wells are a unique part of history that has survived through the ages. Their origins are hidden deep in history. It is thought that the roots could come from numerous mentions of wells in history.

Wells in the Bible

Many pagan wells were rededicated to Catholic Saints. However, wells have also been mentioned in the Bible as well. Abraham was instructed to set aside female lambs as an offering after digging a well. The Jews also believed in the healing powers of wells, as evidenced in the crowds gathering around the pools at Siloam and Bethesda.

Wells in other works

The Bible is not the only religious text that speaks of wells. The Koran also speaks of them, with Mohammed saying that when wells were abandoned, this was a case of desolation of the city.

Homer talks about seeing signs in a stream when recounting the battle of Troy. And other texts mention how men were once dominated by rivers and fountains and had once held much respect for their powers.

Well worship looked down on

However, well worship has not always been looked upon favorably. Since 567, well worship has been outlawed and ridiculed. King Egbert, for example, called for a fast of three years for anyone who worshipped anywhere but in a church.

The Saxon homily against witchcraft put well worship in the same category as witchcraft. Despite this, however, well waking continued throughout the Middle Ages.

In 963, Edgar encourages the clergy to advance Christianity and to extinguish the worship of wells and other heathen practices. And the laws of Knut, written in 1018, prohibited the worship of water sources and other natural items.

In 1102, St. Anselm ordered that no one could make a well holy without previous authority of the Bishop. However, it is thought that the wells attributed to the saints were originally used for pagan worship prior to the arrival of Christianity.

Modern customs, ancient roots

Some customs that are still in use today have been in use for some time. Here is a look at some things you might recognize today:

Having streams of water come out of the mouth of a lion is said to come from the Egyptians and their worship of the river. The Nile flooded when the sun was under the zodiac of Leo (during the summer). You often see gargoyles and lions on the waterspouts of modern buildings.

Attaching a ladle or bucket by a chain to a well hails back to Edwine, who ordered that they be placed there so that travelers could get a drink when they passed by.

Churches are often built near rivers because the pastor needed fresh clean water to perform the baptism ceremony. Churches have also been erected over the wells that were rededicated to saints.

Well worship has continued throughout history, despite numerous attempts to destroy it. Many of the practices that are still used today hail back to the worship of rivers, pools, and wells.

Trend Watch: Black Cabinets Make a Fashionable Statement:

Black is always in fashion, but when it comes to kitchen cabinets, black is not something we usually think of. Yet black cabinets can be just as striking and versatile as that little black dress that every woman needs to have in her closet. And the nice thing is, as we all know, black goes with everything. So you can redecorate as often as you'd like and your cabinets will always keep up with the pace. Feel free to change out the hardware on black cabinets too. You can hardly go wrong since black is a great backdrop for any type of hardware including stainless steel, brushed nickel, pewter, glass or porcelain.

Black cabinets are crossing all design boundaries and showing up dressed in modern, traditional and contemporary styling. So no matter you tastes or your home's current design, you can still choose black cabinets and have the look you want. Black cabinets are fitting right in with some of today's latest trends including stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, and glass backsplash tiles.

One great added benefit of black cabinets is their easy maintenance and ability to hide fingerprints and other smudges. They have a lower tendency to show wear so retain their good looks longer than some other types of cabinetry. So if you have children and your kitchen is the hub of you home, black cabinets can take the wear and tear and survive a growing family.

Since cabinets can take up a large part of the kitchen, it's important to remember to balance the black cabinets with other colors or to use them as a feature or accent piece such as a kitchen island or by mixing with another color of cabinet. This works especially well when blended with cherry cabinets and natural granite counter tops or when combined with light birch to create a very striking contrast.

Black is no longer the somber and depressing color of the past. Today black is chic, sophisticated, modern and versatile. No where is this more evident than in the use of black cabinets, one of the latest up and coming trends for today's fashionable kitchens.

BASIC TIPS FOR THE NATURAL CLEANERS':

If you are interested to switch to natural cleaning products instead of chemical based cleaners, we will help you by providing you with the basic recipes for these natural products that are equally effective.

Over time, you can be more experimental and try other formulations and eventually, your home, health and family can enjoy the long-term benefits of you switching to natural based products.

As you may know, these products are readily available in your kitchen and a few mixtures of usually at least two items can create a natural cleaning product that is safe and gentle.

Baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate), apart from being a practical staple for baking, can neutralize acid, deodorize, as well as , softens fabrics, clean and polishes metals and plastics.

Borax deodorizes, prevents mold and mildew, and removes stains

Isopropyl alcohol disinfects

Lemon juice deodorizes, cleans glass, and removes stains

Mineral oil polishes furniture

Vinegar removes grease, mildew and wax; it deodorizes and it cleans stone, windows and brick.

Cornstarch polishes furniture and cleans windows and carpets.

Washing soda (or called sodium carbonate decahydrate) removes grease also.

Using those ingredients, a simple mixture can create a cleaner that is that is as equally efficient as its chemical based counterpart.

Now we have simple recipes that you can use on a day to day basis to clean your homes. These simple recipes are effective and take a little time to prepare. It is just a small sacrifice to make your homes, your health and the environment all better without the use of toxic chemical-based substances.


Place shallow plates of vinegar in rooms to absorb odors; sprinkle cup borax in the bottom of trash cans or diaper pails to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold that cause odors

Metal cleaner and polish: For stainless steel, use undiluted white vinegar; for tarnished copper, boil the item in a pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar.

For all purpose cleaner, you can use baking soda and warm water and shake them well to clean most areas of your home.

Mix one cup of borax to two gallons of water for disinfectants. Mix vinegar and baking soda and pour in you toilet and after five minutes, you can rinse it off already.

Aside from these recipes, below re practical ways you can do to 'switch to natural'.

If ever you have to purchase cleaning materials, buy ones from companies supporting a greener place by using natural substances.

Dispose properly all chemical based substance.

Encourage your community to practice proper disposal by segregation.

By knowing these basics, you are on your way to become a natural cleaner. While chemical based cleaners have always been proved effective, trend nowadays suggest that switching to natural based products can have more benefits than just simply having a clean household.

These recipes are simple to do and fun. Impress your friends and help them save on their budget by sharing these natural cleaning products and recipes.

Water Fountains Attract Birds and Butterflies:

Making a garden that is both beautiful to look at and friendly to the local wildlife incorporates many variables that make your garden a healthy place for you and for wildlife. Outdoor water fountains can be an important water source for birds, enabling them to drink and bathe in fresh water. Outdoor water fountains can be anything from a traditional birdbath or tiered fountain to something more modern.

Outdoor water fountains may be traditional, or they might be innovative and modern-looking. They can be as simple or elaborate as your tastes desire; either way, you can still attract birds to your garden with them. Modern styles include fountains made out of materials such as copper, stainless steel, and slate. Manufacturers often get creative in their design, so there is a wide variety of fountains from which you can choose. Today there are more fountains to choose from than there used to be.

Both traditional and contemporary outdoor water fountains are equally effective at attracting birds and wildlife. By providing a water source, water being the vital driving force of life, they complete your garden's ecosystem. Water fountains recycle water through their self-contained system, which means there will be a continuous pool of water for birds to use without running up your water bill. If you're a nature-lover, an excellent addition to your garden will be a water fountain that encourages birds to make your garden their home, or at least a regularly visited and favorite location.

If you already have a pond in your garden, imagine the ways in which an outdoor water fountain can complement your pond. By incorporating an outdoor fountain nearby, your garden will have even more wildlife-attracting water. Even if you only have a small amount of room available, there are outdoor water fountains of all shapes and sizes, so you are sure to be able to find one that can fit anywhere, even in small nooks and corners.

Outdoor fountains attract wildlife to places like balconies where normally very little life comes to visit. Add a fountain and some flowers to a balcony, and enjoy the birds and butterflies they attract.

Enliven your garden with an outdoor water fountain. They are both beautiful and attractive to beautiful birds. With some added plant life and stones, your garden will be a regularly visited place for the local critters.

The Benefits of Memory Foam:

Memory foam mattresses can provide you with your most comfortable sleep yet because they conform to your body's shape instead of pushing against it like ordinary innerspring mattresses. This keeps your spine in proper alignment and prevents pressure points from causing you pain. These hypoallergenic mattresses are even resistant to dust mites.

Memory foam was originally invented by NASA for use in their space program. While the material never made it into space, it made it into hospitals and bedrooms across the world in the form of memory foam. Memory foam is not only extremely comfortable, it is also very healthy for you.

Memory foam mattresses can help you to get a better night's sleep. Most people toss and turn dozens of times each night because of painful pressure points, the areas of the body that support the most weight. This prevents you from getting into your deepest sleep, and as a result you do not feel refreshed in the morning and may even require an unusually large amount of sleep.

Memory foam mattresses also prevent the neck and back from aching. Memory foam mattresses keep the spine in proper orthopedic alignment, preventing pain and improving comfort. The mattress does this by evenly distributing body weight and conforming to the shape of your body so that your back maintains good sleeping posture and no part of your body takes on too much weight.

Regular innerspring mattresses contain many allergens, especially dust mites, which many sleepers do not know about. Dust mites are microscopic critters that eat your dead skin cells while you sleep, and an innerspring mattress contains thousands of them. They are a major cause of allergies and asthma attacks, though they are often overlooked as the culprit. Memory foam mattresses cannot house dust mites because they are densely cell-packed, making it so there is no space for a dust mite to live.

Although memory foam mattresses may tend to be expensive, they last a very long time, meaning that you will spend the same amount or even less over a twenty-year period on mattresses if you choose to go the memory foam rout. Ordinary innerspring mattresses become dirty and misshaped over time, so they must be replaced every five years. But memory foam mattresses last about twenty years.

Artificial Grass in play Ground :

After intensive research, it is now agreed by all that artificial grass is tested and found to be a safe and durable as a playground surface. Synthetic turf playground systems are installed over a durable rubber pad. The turf pad is said to increase the shock-absorbing properties. The list of advantages of artificial grass for use in playgrounds is endless. The synthetic turf is an all-weather playing surface and is safer than sand, pea gravel, or wood chips. It requires no watering, mowing, or fertilizing and thus the maintenance costs are low. There are green and other colored turfs available in the market.

Playground with artificial grass has many advantages because it looks and feels like real grass. It is quite player-friendly and looks better than other, less natural alternatives. Artificial grass turf has proven durable in countless applications, and playground artificial grass comes with an eight year warranty. Artificial Playground with artificial grass can be an excellent, low maintenance alternative even to PIP rubber, rubber tiles or wood chip filler.

It is important to differentiate between artificial playground grass and other types of artificial turf. Regular artificial turf does not provide enough cushioning to protect players from injuries. It is also known to cause nasty slide burns. Playground with artificial grass has been designed to meet safety standards for impact resistance. Make sure the correct turf has been chosen for the playground

A typical playground with artificial grass will consist of a rubber pad with a thick layer nylon or polyethylene grass. The turf can be installed directly onto a hard surface like concrete or asphalt, or compacted road bed. The layer of compacted road bed should be at least 4 inches thick in order to properly cushion against any nasty falls.

With an increasing awareness of the importance of water conservation, many people are looking for alternatives to natural grass. Water restrictions, upkeep, and difficulties in maintaining playground are just some of the reasons why there is a growing demand for artificial grass that can replace natural grass. Synthetic has most of the benefits of natural grass, yet without any of the mowing, watering, or maintenance and is therefore proving to be the right replacement for natural grass in any sports area.
Synthetic grass, also called artificial grass or fake grass, has come a long way from the plastic grass seen during the 1970s. Nowadays there is great demand for artificial grass and the new synthetic grasses really do look and feel like real. Sure it does not look exactly the same, but it looks real enough to make it very difficult to tell the difference without closer examination. Eco-friendly waterless grass is being increasingly installed in stadiums where football teams and baseball teams play. Synthetic grass can be changed according to the sport event.

Playgrounds with artificial grass have been approved by FIFA for use as a surface for football fields. Since the long pile grasses are softer they allow footballers to slide without getting "carpet burns", and yet provide the required traction underfoot. Playing grounds with artificial grass surfaces can manage harsh weather conditions as it can absorb water and retain heat. Most players are very happy playing on artificial turf than on natural grass. Natural grass cannot absorb water due to which the ground becomes slippery and the players can meet with the accidents. Due to artificial turf the players do not have to worry about climate and can practice anytime.

Good quality synthetic grass is of course expensive and that is impeding its popularity and growth. Yet in many cases the higher costs is outweighed by the advantages.

New hand tool sets:

There are so many tools we need in daily housework, most of them are difficult to take, manage and even use. But if we had got a tool set, things will be easier. A good tool set must include tools for daily use, listed as followed:

Screwdrivers
A household should also have several screwdrivers. There are some screwdrivers, which allow the worker to switch quickly between the straight slot and a standard Phillips-head.

Power Drill
Most find use in a good power drill, which can drill holes and push screws through walls and materials faster than an average hand tool. Power drills come with various options. For example, there are power drills which come corded and others that are cordless. Most prefer cordless power drills with rechargeable batteries.

Circular Saw
Another important basic is the circular saw, which can be used for cutting lumber or plywood. Some choose to buy a cheap saw, but these saws are often not powerful enough to tackle certain jobs. A powerful circular saw can usually cut through dense material.

There are several tools that are essential for those attempting do-it-yourself projects. But before you operate any power tool, make sure you read the directions thoroughly and understand how to operate the implement. Safety is a must when using powerful machinery. When you use power tools make sure you use eye protection that extends over the entire eye area.

Creative Landscaping With Berms and Raised Beds:

What is a berm? For centuries, berms have been used for privacy, to protect certain areas, to fortify or insulate structures, and to add spice to one's landscape. These are nothing more than raised earthen areas; more recently, their popularity as raised gardening areas is on the rise. Surrounded with heavy timbers, stone retaining walls, or free-standing, they are an attractive means by which you can create the illusion of more topography, a more three-dimensional site, in level areas.

Gently sloped berms are great for erosion control and can be also be useful for adding eco-friendly privacy while waiting for your new plantings to achieve a nice buffer height. Berms should fit subtly into your landscape, recommended heights being from 1 to 2 feet above ground level. Like raised garden beds, they can be interspersed throughout your landscape or used to create a border-like feel in a corner or at its edges.

Gardening berms, as do raised beds, save money: you only need to add fertilizer, compost, and mulch to the beds and berms. Same goes for watering efforts and costs; these conserve water as you only need to water the raised areas. For creating gardens from scratch, berms are ideal; it is easy to amend soil with nutrients, add mulch, and blend everything together while building the height of each mound. Berms lend themselves nicely to feng shui landscaping: add cedar chips, some colorful blooms, a ground cover or juniper bush, a water fountain, some ornamental grasses, and an edging of rounded stones and you've create beautiful garden oasis.

Raised gardening beds are a handy way to lengthen your growing season, whether flower or vegetable growing or both. They seem to warm up faster in the spring months and retain more heat in the autumn months. Thus, they tend to produce blooms and produce earlier in the year and continue to yield later as well. Gardeners state that these small spaces tend to produce more of both flowers and vegetables.

Raised beds can be bordered or contained by pavers, stone walls, slate or vinyl enclosures, bricks, etc. or can be more geometrical, formal-style yet freestanding berm-like beds. They can be temporary, such as low-lying enclosures in a vegetable garden for different plantings, or more permanent. With either, be sure to amend and loosed topsoil and blend your soil amendments well. Raised beds can also be used to buffer, border, or highlight certain areas of your landscape or, they can themselves become a highlight. Either way, one of my favorite features of both berms and raised garden beds is that not only are they easier to tend and weed, my back doesn't get stiff from long periods of bending over to do it.

Creative Landscaping - Attracting Birds in the Summer:

Summertime, and the livin is easy! That is, unless you are trying to grow a garden. In late spring and early summer, garden pests are on the rampage and can cause many headaches for a backyard gardener. However, there is help on the wing.

When it comes to pest control, birds can be an awesome benefit. When bugs are at their worst, birds are at their best. Late spring and early summer, birds are busy feeding this years crop of hatchlings and given their choice of entrees from Nature menu, baby birds list bugs at the top of the list.

Before the birds begin to look for bugs to feed their hungry babies, they need to find a place to build their nests. If you take pains to keep your landscape just so-so and trimmed immaculately, you might want to find a spot where you can ick-back-and-relax Dedicate this area to a more nature look to help attract birds. In doing so, the more nesting birds you can get in your yard, the more hungry babies there will be to feed and the more natural pest control will be at your disposal. Small trees and twiggy shrubs tend to attract the attention of parent birds looking for a new home.

Along with food, birds also need water, for both drinking and bathing. If the water is moving, it really catches their interest. Check with your garden center for a bubbler if you have a birdbath. Otherwise, consider installing an outdoor fountain.

In return for all the hard work the birds will do for you ridding your garden of pests, consider offering them a special snack now and then. Rather than removing all your feeders when winter has said goodbye for awhile, keep at least one out and fill it with quality seeds. A combination of seeds will help attract sparrows, cardinals, chickadees and grosbeaks. Also consider adding a non-melt suet cake and the titmice and woodpeckers will be regulars as well. While they are in the area, you can count on them to round out their diet with a few insect larvae and other etymological delicacies.

Be sure as you work to attract birds to your garden, you take precautions to help ensure their safety. You want to protect these pest control experts from predators and unnecessary accidents. Begin by placing bird feeders and houses in appropriate places. If you place feeders and houses close to windows, the likelihood of kamikaze birds into the reflective glass is greatly reduced. On the other hand, if you have a large area, place the houses and feeders far enough away you need binoculars to monitor the activity. In this way, the birds will not get close enough to the window reflections. The feeders also need to be kept in an area where predators cannot sneak up on the birds and at least five feet off the ground.

Follow these handy ideas and you should be rewarded with a number of friendly feathered worm warriors who will help to keep your garden pest free and your trees full of song.

Insects and Pruning of Window Gardens:

Insects

The only ones troubling house plants are the green fly, the mealy bug, the scale, and the red spider.

The green fly is to be killed by a smoking with tobacco. Put the plant under a barrel with smoking tobacco; let it remain, say fifteen minutes; then give it a syringing.

Mealy bug is to be searched for and destroyed. Frequent sponging does much to keep down this pest.

Scale is to be treated in the same way. Warm soap-suds are peculiarly distasteful to the creature.

Red spider, which is seldom found on house plants, is nourished by a dry, warm atmosphere. Water is certain death. Keep the foliage syringed and atmosphere moist, and you will have no red spider.

Pruning

Is but little required. Should a branch grow out of place or die, it should be neatly cut off; and a judicious pinching does much to regulate the shape of a plant. Of course all dead leaves and old blossoms should be cut off at once. Not only will they infect other branches and blossoms, but they will make your garden statuary look terrible.

In the selection of our plants, we must be much influenced by the extent and location of our accommodations. Some plants thrive with less heat and light than others. As a general rule, choose only green-house plants, avoiding any usually catalogued by nurserymen as stove plants.

Discard ferns and lycopodia. With but few exceptions, these perish in the hot, dry, dusty air of our rooms. The Wardian case is their proper place. Remember it is better to grow one plant well than two badly. Because you have roses, geraniums, and daphnes, which do well, it is no reason you should also grow verbenas, fuchsias, and azaleas; your space is sufficient for the first three only; then be content, and do not crowd your plants.

The camellia is an ideal plant for window gardening and looks great amongst large water features. It is a native of China or Japan, from whence it was introduced to British gardens about the year 1739. The name was given in honor of Father Kamel, a Moravian priest, whose name, Latinized, became Camellus.

The plants first introduced were fairly killed by kindness; an error not infrequently repeated in our day with newly-discovered plants. They were planted in a stove where the extreme heat soon dried the leaves and parched the plant. We find no further mention of the plant till 1792, when the single red variety (Camellia Japonica) was introduced, and flowered profusely in a common greenhouse; during the next year many plants of this variety were obtained from China; next we find mention of the double red; soon after, the fringed double white, and many varieties too numerous to mention. Strange to say, the single white was not imported till about the year 1820, and even now it is not common, though a showy and free-blooming variety.

The camellia, in its native country, is a shrub or small tree, though Mr. Fortune mentions specimens of the single red as sometimes exceeding twenty feet in height, with trunks of proportionate size. This variety is almost hardy, and in the Middle States will often endure the winter; we have known it to survive even our climate, when well protected; all other varieties are more delicate, and few will
bear any severe frost without injury. Most of the kinds in our green-houses are derived from Camellia Japonica, though other varieties have, we believe, afforded fine seedlings.

Natural Swimming Pools or Natural Swimming Ponds � a European Development:

Natural swimming pools (NSP's) utilize a biological purification system to clean the water. This invention, which has been developed and refined over the last 20 years in Europe, has now found its way to North America. A wide range of design options are available today, from a nature-oriented swimming pond to a super luxurious pool with fully biological water treatment. What is common to all the designs is that costly disinfection technology and UV radiation are no longer needed.

Being close to nature - in naturally purified water in a natural landscape has a calming and relaxing effect. Here shallow sand and gravel beaches that are reminiscent of a beach vacation; there a stately, luxury pool atmosphere. Here inviting boardwalks that swing over lush shores and turn the pool into the artistic highlight of a garden. There entire water landscapes with streams and small waterfalls. The NSP fits in with all property styles. You can even build a classic, geometrically shaped swimming pool And an existing swimming pool can be converted into an NSP.

The basic idea of the NSP is simple: A part of the pool is used for bathing while the other part serves for regeneration and treatment of the pool water. No chemicals are used. Only the natural, biological purification processes that occur in the water treatment area ensure hygienic, clean water. The task of the planner is to create the framework conditions for a stable ecological balance and to integrate them into a closed system based on nature. As a rule, the swimming zone and the regeneration zone of a pool exist in a 1:1 area ratio. The more water there is, the more stable it is and thus the smaller the water treatment facility needs to be. For NSP's, experts recommend supporting technology for water circulation.

Growing Grapes:

Soil preparation

It is important to carefully select the planting site. Grapes can grow in a wide variety of soil types and pH ranges, certain conditions induce better growth and yields. First, grapes prefer well-drained and slightly acidic soil. The best pH is typically between 6.0 to 6.5, but grapes will grow in soils with pHs ranging from 5.5 to 7.5. If your soil is a little basic, you can add in sulphur or ammonium sulphate to decrease the soil pH. Ideally, grapes should be planted on a south-facing hillside, although in a home garden you may not have this luxury. You should choose a site in your garden that receives full sunlight - grapes do not like the shade. You will need to ensure that the soil at your selected site is worked over well before planting to remove any perennial weeds. Addition of peat moss or manure to the site will also help to improve soil quality.

Planting methods

The way you plant your grape vines is important for their health and productivity. Vines need to be planted approximately eight feet apart in rows that are between eight and ten feet apart. If you are planting on a sloped site, ensure that the rows run perpendicular to the slope. If your site is exposed to a strong prevailing wind, orientate your rows in the direction of the wind to minimize damage. It's preferable to choose one- or two-year-old, dormant, bare-root vines from a reputable provider. Soak the roots of the vines for several hours prior to planting. When planting, ensure that the hole is slightly larger than the root system of the plant and that the vines are set at a depth equivalent to the one they grew in at the nursery. If your vines are grafted, ensure that the grafting union is approximately two inches above the soil. Once you have planted the vines, you'll need to remove all but the most vigorously growing cane and cut this back to just one or two buds.

Training your grape vines

To facilitate cultivation, harvesting, pest control and to maximize yield, grapes are trained to a specific system. There are many different training systems, however the single curtain and four- or six-cane Kniffin systems are most suitable for home gardeners. The four-cane Kniffin system trains four fruiting canes to two trellis wires whilst the six-cane Kniffin system trains six canes to three wires. The six-cane system is best for less vigorous grape varieties. Using the single curtain system, the main trunk of the vine is attached to a horizontal wire approximately six feet above the ground. Two cordons (extensions of the main trunk) grow along the wire to the left and the right of the trunk, with five or six fruiting canes on each cordon.

Pruning your grape vines

Annual pruning of your vines will be necessary to ensure optimum yield and sufficient vine growth to produce next year's crop. The best time for pruning is late Winter or early Spring, during the vine's dormant phase. You'll need to keep a few things in mind when pruning; fruit is borne on one-year old canes, the most productive of which are between 0.25 and 0.30 inches in diameter. The most productive buds occur in the middle of the cane, so it is best to prune canes to between eight and 16 buds. New farmers may find the advice of an experienced viticulturist helpful.

Harvesting your grapes

Harvesting should occur when the grapes are fully ripe. Colour isn't always a reliable indicator of maturity, so taste-testing is essential! Cut the grape clusters from the vine with a sharp knife and handle the grapes by their stems. Grapes do not handle or store well, so enjoy the fruits of your labour as soon as possible!

This is only a summary of how to grow grapes. For a more complete and much more helpful explanation of how to really sky rocket your grape crops, you need the get YOUR copy of the The Complete Grape Growers Guide.