Fragrant Fine Art: Give your Garden a Design That’s All Your Own

The very best gardeners are those who recognize gardening as an art form and not just as a hobby. There are several things to consider when you begin to plant your garden this season. From your potted plants to your flowerbeds, and even accessories like waterfalls, stone walkways, garden benches, statuettes and more, there are many options for you before you begin. So take the time to select carefully.

The creative gardener will plot out his or her floral décor, not only in a way that accommodates his or her personal taste, but also considering the needs of the plant or flower and where it should be placed outdoors.

For example: many flowers need excessive sunlight, if you can find a few different kinds of flowers to place in a bed that gets direct sunlight for a good portion of the day, you can then design a color scheme suitable for that bed. Consider that some flowers will grow taller, and some will remain small, that some will fill out across the bed and some will remain exactly where you plant them. You will want to have a somewhat specific design in mind for your garden décor before getting started—and even before you purchase your plants.

The art of gardening is a wonderful thing. You can enjoy the outdoors while you create. And then, aside from the maintenance your garden will require, you can enjoy the garden you have made, sit outside and relax—observing the beauty of your own creation.

Find out about the kinds of flowers you want to plant before you plant them. Check on how much light they need, how much water they need, and what are the typical kinds of surroundings that will be best for a successful result. There will be some types of plants or flowers that you cannot use in your garden unless you create the conditions in your garden under which they will thrive.

However, it is possible to do this, to design an area suited for the particular flower or plant you want in your garden. Let’s say that you want to plant a flower that needs to remain somewhat cool and does not want much sunlight at all. Well, the summer will be hot and the plant, if simply planted, will not survive. Nevertheless there are ways to work around the special needs of your plant or flowers. For example: if a flower you really want in your garden has the special needs I mentioned above, consider a waterfall to keep it cooler, if there is not enough shade provided beside the waterfall, perhaps you can build or install something to induce shade, like a covered walkway or a canopy, maybe a gazebo—or maybe something as simple as planting a tree that will provide enough shade.

Let your garden be a perfect reflection of your own personal style and luxurious taste, whether your garden is elegant and simplistic, or elaborate and luxurious. Your garden should be something to be proud of.

Check out our website for more artistic gardening ideas today. There is a lot to learn, but be creative and inventive, too. You will be thrilled with your garden when you purchase the right plants and flowers, use the best garden equipment there is, and have an idea planned out for how your garden will work, thrive and be a pleasant, fragrant place for you to be this season.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on gardening please visit garden art.

Choosing the Right Pipes and Plumbing System for Log Cabin

Choosing the Right Pipes and Plumbing System for Log Cabin

Galvanized steel pipe is usually used for the line from your
well to the pump. There is another type of pipe that can be used
on the cold water services of your system. This pipe is made of
polyethylene. It looks like a garden hose but is many times
stronger. It has the advantage of being much more flexible and
lighter than any of the rigid types. Never use this type of pipe
on hot-water lines.

One cubic foot of storage space holds 7.48 gallons. The capacity
of a round container is 1/2 the diameter multiplied by itself X
3.14 X the depth X 7.48. If a cistern is 10 feet in diameter and
6 feet deep, the capacity is (5 X 5 X 3.14 X 6 X 7.48) 3,523.08
gallons. Sea level: In talking about the lift of various pumps,
I have said that certain pumps would be satisfactory if the
water level was within 22 feet of the surface of the earth.

Such a pump would lose about I foot of suction lift for each
1,000 feet of elevation above sea level. If the altitude at your
camp site is 2,000 feet, a shallow-well pump will have to be
located within 20 feet vertical distance from the working normal
water level, instead of 22 feet.

As you would expect, cottages include space for bathrooms. Some
camps show a shower instead of a tub. The plumbing problems are
similar for all the camps.

The locality in which you build may have some special
requirements. Do check with local authorities. You may decide to
have the local plumber install all your piping and fixtures. If
so, you probably aren’t interested in this section. But if you
have decided to turn plumber, the description below should be
helpful.

All the necessary parts can be bought from your local plumbing
dealer, or from the major mail-order houses. It is also possible
to rent the necessary tools. Where do we start? If I were doing
the job, I’d start with the fitting that drains the seat and
tub. On the floor of the bathroom mark where this fitting (I) is
to go.

Most seats measure 14 inches or less from the back of the tank
to the center of the closet bowl. Cut a hole large enough to
take the small end of the closet collar. Install this fitting
permanently in position with the closet bend sticking up to
within 1/2 to % inches of the floor surface. It will be
necessary to support the fitting with wood or metal hangers.

The stack base (part 2) is usually connected to part I.
Sometimes it is necessary to add an extension piece if the stack
base is to be located in a basement or if your camp is on a
steep hillside. The stack base has two tappings: to one you can
connect the drain from the shower or tub; to the other you can
connect the kitchen sink drain, if necessary. If concrete slab
is used, pipes below floor level must be installed before slab
is poured.

Calking the joints is done by packing them with strands of
oakum. A yarning iron is helpful in getting the oakum well
pushed down. When the joint is about two-thirds full, hammer it
all down tight. Fill the remainder of the opening with molten
lead.

When the lead is cooler but not set, tap lightly around the hub.
When it is cool, pound with more force. The stack base end
should point toward your septic tank or sewer. I would install
the lavatory basin next. Part 3 goes on top of part I. You’ll
find that this fitting will slip up and down in part I. This
allows you to adjust the height of the lavatory basin.

This fitting has three tappings. One is for the lavatory basin,
the second is for the kitchen sink, and the third for laundry
tubs if there are any. Close any unused tappings with cast-iron
plugs. Before calking fitting 3, mark on the wall where the
waste pipe from each fixture will enter the wall.

Adjust the height of part 3 so that the height of the lower
tapping is at the same height as the lowest waste pipe. Then
lower part 3 about 1/4 inch per foot of horizontal run to allow
for drainage. You are now ready to calk this fitting as you did
parts I and 2.

The next step is to install the vent pipe. Measure the distance
from the top of part 3 to about I foot above the roof. Cut and
thread the pipe and screw it into the lavatory fitting 3. Some
systems use an increaser at the top of this pipe. If you are
going to use the cottage only during the summer, the increaser
is an unnecessary part.

Use a standard vent-pipe flashing around the top of the pipe.
You’re over the worst of it now. The only thing left to do is to
run the various pipes from the fixtures to parts I and 3. Drum
trap (4) should be installed below the floor, trap cover down,
between the tub or shower and the closet-tub fitting (I).

Where it is necessary to make turns in the drainage lines, use
90-degree fittings. To install the seat, place the closet bolts
in the closet collar so that the threaded ends extend upward
through the flange. Set the collar in the floor over the top of
the closet bend and calk in place (5, 6, and 7). The asbestos
gasket that comes with the seat should be put over the closet
bottom outlet, the seat moved into place, and the nuts tightened.

There is the drainage system of your cottage–except for the
disposal unit. If there is a central disposal system or sewer
that you can use, it is probable that the connections to it will
have to be made by a licensed plumber. On the other hand, if you
are going to install a septic tank, you will want to read on
into the next section to find out what to do.

About the Author

About the Author: Jack Hudson is a writer for
http://www.log-cabin-plans-n-kits.com and
http://www.best-house-n-home-plans.com/. These two sites work
collectively as a resouce for the planning and building of log
cabins as well as choosing from different house plans. Visit one
of these sites for informative articles as well as free TIPS for
building a log home or choosing a house plan.

Let Life and Energy Flow from the Garden

Gardening offers a visual experience that can open the portals to the emotions, to the psyche and to the senses. It’s also inspirational.

A garden is more than an array of colors and scents. Given a chance, a garden offers relaxation,a place to contemplate and a place to heal.

A garden is a bridge between our inner world and the outside world. The sight of a garden on the way out, provides a smooth transition as you greet the outside world.

Coming home after a day’s work, a garden gives a calming effect, reminding you to leave the cares and woes of the day outside as you enter your inner sanctum.

Not everyone can enjoy the luxury of a rambling country garden. A container garden off the balcony,on the window sill, a small porch or backyard can be just as enjoyable. What do you imagine your garden should look?

Color
The choice of color announces the mood of your environment. It reflects the inner person, whether you are vibrant and inspired, traditional and laid back, focused or scatter- brained, quiet, spiritual, calm, passionate or even boring.

Colors can be complementary and in harmony,contrasting or conflicting. Choosing the colors in your garden can at times be a hit-or-miss choice. Don’t be discouraged. Plants are forgiving. You can re-arrange the colors to create harmony , provide enough contrast, and when there is conflict, remedy by adding or removing a color.

Solid colors give out a dramatic show in a bigger garden. A dominance of red does not invite one to sit and relax. This color is too strong. A complementary color can soften the fire of a mass of red.White or silver blends well with this vibrant color.

An all white garden is boring, the energy is stale.Some may feel it is calming, clean and fresh.At night, under a luminous light, white can be attractive. It stands out over all colors under soft lights. It lends itself to a meditative mood.
To brighten it up, add different shades of green or other bright colors. White and silver plants can provide a beautiful contrast mixed with any color.

Yellow is a cheerful color, mostly associated with Spring and late Summer. A pale yellow color does not blend well with white. This combination stifles the energy with its dullness.

Various shapes and foliage of green gives a garden a feeling of tranquility. Adding pots of colored plants can enhance the beauty of the atmosphere. This is a nourishing color. For that warm and welcoming feeling, orange is the color. It is a rich and happy color. Added to a background of green, orange gives a warm glow .

Purple is an inviting color. It teases you to rest and relax. To project a feeling of calmness, mix purple with whites, pinks or blues.

Need a moment of tranquility, of peace and quiet? Blue offers a sedative effect when mixed with whites and silver or soft pink flowers. Planted around edges and borders, mixed with different colors, it can be most appealing. However, blue by itself gives a gloomy feeling.

To invite love and other romantic notions, go for pink Its warmth draws people to it.

Time

Consider carefully how much time you are willing to devote to your garden and time you have to enjoy it. Gardens need more than good soil and water. Weeds in the garden do not encourage growth. This also translates to stagnant energy in the garden.

A garden overgrown with weeds and plants that go wild stifle the potential for an appealing garden. Add to this dead flowers, dead leaves and other debris that accumulate throughout the season. Energy is blocked by clutter. This defeats the purpose of a garden. You want positive energy to flow into your life, into your home. Taking the time to look after your garden will definitely enhance the flow of good energy all around.

Take time to enjoy the scenery. Plants offer a form of stress release. Go ahead and talk to your plants.Need to de-stress? Place your hands, with palms down over a pot of flowers.Take a few deep breathes as you let go of your frustration. Don’t forget to thank the plant! Weeding and dead-heading plants provide a form of exercise, it is grounding too.

Summer is too short- the garden offers a respite from the hurry and scurry of life. It connects us to the beauty of this earth and beyond.

Bonnie Moss writes to inspire and to motivate her readers to explore the depths of their heart and soul. She draws from personal experience and her interest in the New Age Visit her website :
goldencupcafe.tripod.com

A Brief History of Candles

For centuries man’s progress has been lighted by candles. However, people know only very few things about the origin of candles. It has been written that the first candles were made by the Ancient Egyptians. They used rushlights, or torches, made by soaking the pithy core of reeds in molten tallow. Unlike the candles, the rushlights had no wick. The Romans were the ones who it is said to have developed the wick candle. They used it to help travellers at dark, and to light homes and places of worship during the night.

America’s first contribution to candle-making was made by colonial women who discovered that if they boiled the grayish green berries of bayberry bushes they got a sweet-smelling wax that burned clean. But it was extremely tedious to extract the wax from the bayberries so their popularity soon diminished. The first important change in candle making since the Middle Ages was bought by the growth of the whaling industry in the late 18th century. Spermaceti, a wax obtained by crystallizing sperm whale oil, was available in large quantities. The spermaceti wax, as well as beeswax, did not smell unpleasantly when burned. Even more importantly, spermaceti wax was harder than tallow and beeswax and it did not soften or bend because of the summer heat. Historians write that the first candles as we know them were made from spermaceti wax.

During the 19th century, people made most of the changes in candle making. In 1834, Joseph Morgan, invented a machine, which allowed continuous production of candles by the use of a cylinder, which had a movable piston that ejected candles as they solidified. Today, they are no longer a major source of light for people, but candles continue to be very popular and useful. Candles mean celebration, romance, ceremony, and can be an object of décor, while casting the same warm and enjoyable well-known glow.

About The Author

Dominic is the author of this article. This article may be reproduced on websites subject to credit being given to the author, and a link to his website. If you would like more information go to http://www.candlesources.com.

Bluebirds

Copyright © 2005 Tammy Clayton

This brightly colored bird has always been a romantic symbol for their unusual coloring as well as their gentle loving nature. In Victorian times, they were a common artful addition to romantic floral artwork on greeting cards and calling cards. Today, it is a rare thing to see a Bluebird flitting about.

The Bluebird is a native American. When European colonists originally settled this land, they had been here for thousands of years. It is believed that when the virgin forest on the east coast was in the first stages of being cleared, the Bluebird flourished and became more abundant. Its original adversary the Wren also became more plentiful right along with them though. The Wren is far more aggressive that the Bluebird and searches for a very similar type of abode. So as both species multiplied, the wrens made it hard for the Bluebird to make a home unless it faced due east.

Two events in history caused the dwindling of our brilliant blue native’s numbers. The ships that carried the influx of human immigrants to our shores in 1851 and 1890 also gave passage to two feathered immigrants from Europe; the House Sparrow and the Starling. Both of these newcomers were adapted to the crowded industrial environments of urban and suburban Germany and England. The Sparrow already was known to have spread on that continent. Being resourceful, they quickly adapted to living in rural farmland. Both Sparrows and Starlings like a roof over their head. The new squatters aggressively put pressure on the gentle Bluebirds and took over their nests.

With so many people inhabiting the United States today, it is little wonder we see very little of the country loving Bluebird. There is a growing interest in the creation of housing for this beloved species beyond the bird-watching enthusiasts. The Bluebird house is becoming a popular addition to backyards, school property lines and farms again.

Bluebird houses were first put up in the late 1800’s by bird lovers trying to accommodate their need for housing after the Sparrows and Starlings took over the easily accessible barn rafters, nooks in houses, hollow trees and fence posts across America. Natural nesting sites have also grown more scarce as farmers now manicure their orchards, and wooden fence posts have fallen out of use in exchange for metal ones. By the 1930’s bird watchers were already wondering what happened to all those sweet singing beauties of days not so long gone by.

The first studies of Bluebird nesting habits were conducted in 1919 in Minnesota. Successful nest sites were measured for the size of the holes, as well as for the exact location and the role of predators and competitors. The tests were done in open pastures, orchards and suburban back yards. Concluding that only with massive saturations of scientifically designed predator-competitor proof nesting boxes could the decline of the Bluebird be stopped. So they established and monitored Bluebird trails with tens to hundreds of nesting boxes strung out across the land. The monitors set up communication networks in newspapers, magazines and the mail. Wherever there were Bluebird trail sponsors, Bluebirds began to reappear for people to enjoy. It is quite a thrill to see one, especially when one understands the odds against their gentle souls.

It needn’t be inevitable that Bluebirds, once the most common thing in a yard, continue to loose ground against these alien intruders. Their population has dwindled and become so low, they are almost like a myth. Our Eastern Bluebird has suffered the most serious in loss. Amateurs and bird lovers alike can accomplish the hob in restoring the numbers of our native azure friends. The trails already in existence across the UDA and Canada form a network of hope across the continent. Armies of trail tenders and box erectors will bring more and more of them back to your yards as the number of boxes grows greater.

Found only in North America, these sweet noted dwellers of fence posts have a tender voice to go along with their gentle nature. No other species of bird has been used as much as the Bluebird in poetry and songs as a symbol of love, hope and happiness. The early settlers looked upon this bird as the sign that spring had arrived, and fondly called it the Blue Robin.

In Michigan, as all the other states east of the Rocky Mountains, we have the Eastern Bluebird. There are only two others—Western and Mountain. Their diet is mainly insects, most of which are yard and garden pests. In the spring they love the cutworms that ruin crops and garden plants. Later in the summer through fall they dine on huge quantities of grasshoppers and wild berries. It is said that their courtship is beautiful and amazing, but it is a rare sight to behold.

The Bluebird is very territorial, the male protecting his food supplies from other male Bluebirds’ trespassing. The nesting site must have sufficient food for them to raise their young and exist themselves for them to be tempted to set up housekeeping. Only the female builds the nest in the chosen shelter, while the male accompanies her solely by singing his encouragement while she works.

Nest building starts in mid-May in Michigan and 3 to 5 clear blue eggs are laid in the clutch. The baby birds grow alarmingly fast, ready to leave the next in 15 to 20 days after hatching. By that time they are strong enough to fly fifty to one hundred feet their first attempt at flight to the nearest perch.

By early September most Bluebirds have finished up their family responsibilities for the season. A fortunate pair will have raised two or even three broods by that time. During the fall, families of Bluebirds roam leisurely through the countryside on a quest for insects and berries in great abundance.

Over these travels, different families join together in a loose flock, as they get ready for migrating. The date of their heading south is timed more by the weather and food supply than by the calendar. They migrate in search for food and congregate in more southern parts of their regions.

It is not that the Bluebird cannot spend winter in the northern areas like Michigan, quite to the contrary they will stay as long as the food supply lasts. Planting trees, shrubs and vines with berries that last through the winter will provide much needed foor for wintering birds. Bittersweet, flowering Dogwood, Cotoneasters, Washington Hawthorns, Privet, Sumac, Pyracantha, flowering Crabapples, Virginia Creeper, multiflora Roses (rose hips), and Mountain Ash are all favorite food sources in the cold season for birds that thrive in the northern climates. They can sometimes be tempted to feeding stations with raisins, other fruits and berries and chopped unsalted peanuts, but they are not seed eaters so you will never find them eating from normal bird feeders. Should the small fruits and berries they depend on become crusted with ice and snow, the effort of providing food will keep them from starving to death. If they are forced to go to roost hungry, bitter cold will cause many of them to die.

Properly built winter houses are enough protection from severe weather for them to live year round even in the north. To accommodate them for winter roosting, the box should be large enough to shelter a number of birds. Floor dimensions should be 10” x 10”, with a depth of 18” and a width of 24”. The hole must be 1 1/2” or Starlings will move in on them, and needs to be at the bottom of the box with a perch placed beneath it. Several horizontal perches should be positioned inside at various levels at staggered intervals up one sidewall using 1/2” doweling The side of the box should be hinged to allow cleaning in the spring. The box must be at least 6 feet of the ground to protect them from predators while they sleep, using a smooth metal pole that is greased so that nothing can climb it to reach the box. Place the winter roosts facing south for the most warmth from the sun.

For nesting boxes, again the hole should measure only 1 1/2” and be situated about 5 foot off the ground for observance of the young in the nest. But for the nesting the hole should be toward the top of the box to protect the young from cold drafts. The nesting box must face due east. Nesting boxes cannot be any closer than 100 foot apart. Too many boxes will result in no Bluebirds—remember they are territorial and will only reside where they know there is enough food for themselves and their young.

Small air holes should be put next to the roof board, and drainage should be provided in the floor so it will not fill up with water. The roof should be slanted downward in the front to stop rain from blowing into the nest.

What a delightful preserve to add to your yard, create your own Bluebird Reserve. Stop spraying the cutworms and grasshoppers, plant oodles of berry-bearing plants, and erect proper housing for both seasons in a suburban to rural setting and trust me, they will inspect the site and set to building a nest.

——————–

For more great Gardening articles, visit:
http://www.LostInTheFlowers.com

About the Author

Raised by a highly respected & successful landscape contractor in the metro Detroit area, Clayton wanted a career in anything but landscaping! Now an award-winning landscape designer, Clayton runs Flowerville Farms, a mail-order nursery in Michigan. Read more at LostInTheFlowers.com.

INSTALLING VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS IN A WOOD FRAME OPENING

When we left off last week, we had removed the old wood sash windows and prepared the opening for the vinyl replacement windows. Now it’s time to install your new windows. You should have someone there to help you when doing the installation. First, Remove all shipping materials from the window. Now, if you are installing several different sizes, make sure you are putting the correct window in the correct opening. You need to put the window into the opening to make sure it’s going to fit, then remove it and run a bead of caulk on the face of the outside blind stop where the window will rest. You don’t want to caulk, only to discover the windows are too big. It’s worth the extra few minutes to make sure it’s going to fit. Lift the window and set the bottom in first. Then raise the top until it rests against the outside blind stops. Sometimes, when raising the top into position, the window frame will hit the top of the wood frame. You need to tap down on the top of the vinyl frame while keeping pressure towards the outside.

Once you determine that it’s going to fit, remove the new window and set it aside. Run a bead of caulk on the face of the outside blind stops. White latex painters caulk works fine. Raise the window into position again. Now have your helper hold the window in position while you raise and lower the sashes, making certain that the window is square in the opening. Remember how you ordered the windows 3/16″- 1/4″ shorter than the tightest measurement? This is where you use this space to adjust the frame to be the most plumb and level. Get a box of popsicle sticks and wood coffee stirrers at the grocery store. The coffee stirrers are about 1/16″ thick, and the popsicle sticks are approximately twice as thick. You want to put the shims in the four corners. Then caulk the gap on both sides and along the top before installing the inside stops. I don’t recommend putting any screws in the sides, but you can put one screw in the top center and one in the bottom center. You really dont have to use any screws in this kind of installation, since the shims will eliminate any side play, and the caulk on the blind stops will hold the frame in place as well. Remember, we still need to re-install the inside stops.

Before installing the inside stops, remove all the old nails and replace them with new nails. A 1″- 1 1/4″ finish nail is fine. Before installing the inside stops, scrape all old caulk off the stops. Then, while your helper holds the window in place, nail your stops back on. If the window has 4 stops, install the shortest ones first. That way you can bend the longer stops into place between the two short ones. Use a nail punch to sink the head past the surface of the stop. If you have several windows to do, i suggest doing the first window to this point before going to the next. How frustrating would it be to have a helper removing the old sashes, only to discover that the windows aren’t going to fit!? If the first one goes in fine, then you can send your helper ahead of you to start removing old sashes. The best way to avoid the nightmare of having a bunch of new windows that won’t fit is to make sure you measure CORRECTLY. Remember, tight minus 1/4″ on the width and height should be fine.

Finish the inside by caulking the area of the inside stop where it meets the casing, and the point where the stop meets the new frame. Fill the nail holes in the inside stops with caulk to hide the nail heads. Now it’s time to finish the outside. A quality replacement window will either have a sloped frame to match the slope sill, or it will come with an insert that fits under the new frame to fill the gap created by the sloping wood sill. If you buy a lower grade window that doesn’t come with anything to fill the gap underneath, you can buy some wood trim to fill the space, or you can get a flat vinyl trim that attaches to the face of the bottom of the new frame. The flat trim is available on my website under the “shop” tab. Once you cover the bottom gap, it’s time to caulk where the outside blind stops meet the vinyl frame, and where the bottom gap filler meets the wood sill.

That’s it! You’re done! You can buy accessories to cover your old wood sills with a vinyl wrap extrusion. That can also be found on the website under the “shop” tab. Next week we are going to start on replacing old aluminum windows.

John Rocco has been installing
replacement windows since 1978
To learn more, visit How To Install Windows

About the Author

John Rocco has been installing
replacement windows since 1978
To learn more, visit http://www.how-to-install-windows.com

Boundaries and Rooms in Your Garden

Creating structural elements in your garden will transform it from the ordinary, to the extraordinary. A well-planned framework of supports and dividers will create visual interest throughout the year, as well as allow your plants greater depth and perspective by incorporating the walls, fences, arbors, trellis and forms, into their growth pattern. Boundaries and divisions also create the stage setting for each area in your garden, while keeping the rest of the world (and its problems) out.

The feeling of going through a rose covered arbor with a boxwood hedge, into a wide expanse of lawn with a central feature, is inspiring. The sight of a stonewall with climbers in bloom, cascading over its surface with the light dappling through its leaves, allowing just a glimpse of the plantings behind it, overwhelms the viewer with joy. Everyone can easily create this feeling and look in their garden, by incorporating structure and by understanding the method of dividing your property.

Firstly, you need to analyze your gardens:

Foreground – The area closest to your home and the most visible. This is often your entertaining feature and utility area. Very small gardens usually have only a foreground, and thus require considerable planning.
Midground – This is the middle area of your property where you can show off with large perennial beds and special features. This is also the best area for lawn, larger ponds and garden structures.

Background – This is the furthest area from your home and is generally best suited for larger trees, greenhouses, vegetable gardens, wild life cultivation (birding), composting and larger perimeter fencing and hedges.
The garden divisions you would use in the first zones (foreground and midground) should be lower in height and semi transparent in nature (picket fences, wattle, low hedges, stone walls, trellis and varying ground levels). In both very small gardens and large gardens, view your outer most perimeters as an opportunity to create a sense of enclosure and privacy for your garden. External boundaries create privacy, shield you from noise and wind and allow you to create your own personal theme. Internal boundaries are used to inspire and entice both yourself and your guests to lose oneself in the garden. These semi transparent or small-scale internal divisions are to create a psychological break between zones and usage’s.

Methods of Division

Lattice – Indispensable! This is the only word that can encapsulate its many benefits and uses in your garden. From the French “treillage”, you can make it yourself, buy it off the shelf, or have it customized. Fencing created with lattice, gives an open, seductive quality to it, while allowing the passage of air and light, with a degree of privacy. Lattice can be mounted on your external boundaries to create both visual depth and foliage support. Anything that cannot be moved from your garden (garage, shed, and block wall) can be easily covered with lattice. In a formal setting, lattice (treillage) can be arched with tapering lines to give a classical perspective, while providing winter interest. In small gardens, lattice provides a horizontal growing space for foliage and hanging containers.

Natural Stone Walls – Walls built of flagstone, slate or rubble, provide a sense of permanence and comfort. Natural stone internal boundaries create a visual strength and power to your design while being both functional and ornamental. You can construct internal walls yourself, however, anything over 36” will require professional advice. Plant moss in the cracks and train your plants to cascade over them to create a sense of antiquity.
Fencing – The spectrum of choices includes: country style picket fences; woven twig mesh fences; lattice fencing; panel fences; split rails and imposing palisades. Whatever your choice, remember to first examine your space and determine which style will best suit your design, internally and externally. For example, if you are creating a Japanese garden, then your external walls will be tall, of natural materials and will provide complete privacy from the “outside world”. Internal divisions may be created to direct your eye on featured elements, while also providing a sense of intimacy to secluded areas in your garden. When choosing the materials for your fencing, think about their size, alignment, pattern, colour, configuration and style.

Cast Iron – Popular since the early 19th century, this style is best suited for formal gardens, particularly for their external boundaries. Iron can be left in its natural state, or can be painted.

Arbors – This type of garden divider is essentially an area for seating, with a canopy structure above. Arbors, in all their forms (pergola, arch, etc.), create a sense of romance and mystery. An arbor will create an internal division in your garden, while also providing support for climbing plants, focusing your view and directing traffic flow. The contrast of the shaded retreat within and the sunlit garden surrounding it, gives a greater sense of depth to your design. These structures (arbors, pergolas, archways, etc.) frame the garden view beyond them, while providing an enjoyable means of emerging from your foreground, to your mid ground.

Hedges – A natural method of creating boundaries, while providing yearlong visual interest. Hedges, like fences, will filter the wind, afford privacy and depending upon your plant selection, bloom throughout the summer. In a formal garden, hedges are usually clipped into geometric forms; thus, you need to select a plant with a dense growth pattern. Boxwood (Boxus Sempervirens) is perfect for parterre gardens and topiary forms. Yew, white cedar, privet and juniper are also all well suited for training and heavy clipping, allowing you to create any form your design requires. In an informal garden, a softer, unclipped hedge is best suited. While they will take more space, you can achieve a cascade of blossoms with this design. Dwarf lilac, Potentila, Roses and Bride Wreath (Spirea X Vanhouttei) are just a few examples. Prune your informal hedge only when your plants are becoming too large.

By incorporating some or all of these elements within your garden you will transform it from merely having summer interest, into a garden that is equally beautiful throughout every season of the year.

Great Design in essence is about the creation of an exquisite stage for the beauty and quality of life we all desire. From ultra urban to ornate opulence, Robin and his team have passionately and successfully designed it all. Robin’s interiors have graced the pages of magazines Worldwide. Robin has designed interiors for feature films, major retailers such as Home Depot (Style Ideas Magazine) and the Designer Showhouse. From smaller scale interior projects to full scale restorations and developments, Robin’s passionate and creative eye overseas all aspects. While fluent in all design trends and philosophies, Robin is most passionate about historic preservation and the creation of elegant, functional and memorable spaces that convey the best attributes of each owner while respecting and celebrating the architecture that encompasses them. Visit http://www.robindegroot.ca

The History of Vacuum Cleaner Bags

The debris picked up by all of the different types of vacuum cleaners and units on the market has to be deposited somewhere — usually in a vacuum cleaner bag.

In 1920 the Air Way Sanitizer Company of Ohio introduced the first vacuum cleaner with a disposable bag. Up until that time, vacuum cleaner bags resembled the type of bags golfers use to carry their clubs. They were heavy and unwieldy devices made out of thick, stiff canvas, designed to be somewhat flexible and yet keep the dust and debris from the carpets from escaping.

The improvement made by the Air Way Sanitizer disposable vacuum cleaner bag went a long way towards improving the overall effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner. The bag, made out of paper, was designed to fit inside the cloth bag typically used. It not only made cleaning the vacuum easier but it kept the insides of the stationary bag clean at all times so that less of the dust and debris could be blown back out of the vacuum cleaner and throughout the house once again.

Early on, each manufacturer designed its own disposable vacuum cleaner bag made out of different types of paper. The bags were not interchangeable from one machine to another, as the fittings were of different sizes with different configurations for the intake opening. Manufacturers, once dependent solely on the sales of their machines, had discovered an entire new market for the disposable bags and once again sales soared.

Previously, a housewife had her machine and the only thing it needed was occasional cleaning and service. If the man of the house was handy, that job usually went to him. But after a while, repair shops specializing in vacuum cleaners were springing up everywhere.

But now, every vacuum cleaner in America was going to need at least one new, disposable vacuum cleaner bag every month and that represented an unanticipated windfall for the companies. It was not until many years later, when the dimensions of the air inlets became uniform and the advent of the bag-less machine that this lucrative aftermarket began to slow down.
Vacuum Cleaners Info provides detailed information about industrial, upright, and bagless vacuum cleaners, as well as vacuum cleaner bags, parts, and repair, plus reviews of best vacuum cleaners. Vacuum Cleaners Info is the sister site of Sewing Machines Web.

Garlic: The Stinking Rose

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Known as the ‘stinking rose’ and Russian penicillin, its medicinal purposes have been documented for centuries and have always been a popular remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. Garlic was used in World War I and World War II to cure many diseases and because it is a potent antiseptic. Garlic is universally known for its health benefits. It is an excellent source of phytochemicals and contains vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), C, iron, phosphorous, sulphur compounds, and calcium. Medical studies have shown that it lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and hypertension, prevents some cancerous tumours, protects against bacterial and fungal infections, and is good for the blood and heart. It is useful as an expectorant in respiratory ailments, eliminates toxic metals, and supports the immune system. Garlic may prove to be useful for diabetics, as it seems to regulate blood sugar levels.

As a culinary spice, the Indians, Egyptians, and Europeans have appreciated garlic for thousands of years, and most notably the Italians and Chinese who have made extensive use of this much-loved plant. There are records of garlic use dating back 3,000 years and botanists believe that garlic probably originated in central Asia thousands of years ago. In North America, early colonists discovered that the First Nations people were using a native species of garlic to treat a variety of medical problems including snakebite and intestinal worms.

Garlic is a moderately hardy herbaceous (herbaceous means a plant that lacks woody tissue and dies to the ground at the end of the growing season) perennial. It grows from 2-3 feet (0.6-1m) tall and has flat, long, pointed green leaves extending from the base. The young leaves grow 2 feet (0.6 m) tall and have a delicate chive-like flavour. Garlic has erect, hollow, green stalks that support pink or whitish flowering clusters or bulbils that appear in mid-summer. The leaves are organised into segments called cloves and may have anywhere from 4–15 cloves in a bulb. Garlic does best in rich, well-drained, highly organic soils, prefers full sun, although it will grow in partial shade. Avoid over-watering or the bulbs will rot. Garlic has white energy for chromotherapy purposes.

Garlic is available throughout the year but it is easy to grow your own. To plant, separate cloves from the head and plant cloves with the pointed end up. Garlic can be planted in early spring or late fall. It is best to plant cloves or bulbils available from nurseries or garden catalogues as store bought garlic is often sprayed with a sprout and root inhibitor that confuses its natural growth cycle. Fall plantings produce the best yields, as garlic needs a long growing period and a cool period below 10° C (50° F) for two months. If over-wintering in zones 3 or 4, plant cloves at least 3 inches (8 cm) deep and mulch with leaves or straw; otherwise plant bulbs 2 inches (5 cm) deep and 6 inches (15 cm) apart. (In the winter, I plant store-bought garlic in pots and snip the leaves to impart a fresh garlic flavour to salads and soups.) Garlic is generally pest and disease free.

Harvest garlic when the leaves die back and begin to turn brown and collapse. Pull up the mature plants and dry in the sun for a week; then trim or braid the stalks and hang the garlic braids in the shade to dry further. To store, keep in a dry, dark place with good air circulation. Garlic will keep for up to 6 months if stored in temperatures no higher than 0° C (32° F). Leaves, bulbs, and bulbils may all be eaten.

In the garden, garlic helps protect plants from fungus and pests. Scientists at New Castle University have shown that a barrier of garlic oil is an effective slug and snail repellent. Planted near roses, it aids in fighting black spot. Garlic spray is used to discourage many insects and combats various blights found on vegetables and flowers. To make garlic spray, mince garlic and add water. Some people add a few drops of vegetable oil to the spray to make it cling to flowers and foliage. Garlic spray is a non-toxic alternative to using harmful chemicals in the garden.

In the kitchen, garlic can be used fresh, dried, or powdered. Fresh is best. To peel, place the garlic cloves on the work surface and whack with the flat edge of a knife. The garlic will crack out of the skin making it easier to peel. You can also put the garlic in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, and then peel when cool. Crush with the flat edge of a knife and slice or chop as necessary. Garlic can be used to enhance the flavour of seafood, salad dressings, stews, casseroles, vegetables, soups, meat dishes, pasta, vegetables, and poultry. When roasting meat, make slits in the meat, sliver garlic, and stuff into the slits. Roast the meat as usual. Roasting or baking garlic mellows the taste. To eliminate garlic breath, chew the traditional breath fresheners: parsley, fenugreek, or fennel.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace – Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen’s Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 – 2005. All rights reserved.

Email Marketing Is Alive And Well

Email marketing is alive and well! If done correctly it will
build your business faster than any other marketing method!
Email marketing is the number one way to promote your business
online. If you want to succeed with your online business, email
marketing is a MUST. Marketing itself is a never ending task. As
long as you’re in business, you will have to actively market
your product or service. There are advantages to marketing
through email;

It is free. Not only is your message/advertisement delivered
instantly, so are customer orders! Following up with new
products/services is free. Having a fantastic website is great,
but it alone won’t bring in customers. That’s what email
marketing will do for you! Without an effective and aggressive
marketing plan, no one will even know your great
website/product/service exists! Let’s look at some ways to
market your product or service through email. Opt-In List
———– “Opt-In” is a list of prospects that have contacted
you and have given you permission to email them about your
product/service. Prospects contact you requesting more
information or to join your ezine/e-newsletter and you add them
to your Opt-In list of contacts. This is the safest way to
handle your marketing campaigns. If you do not have a person’s
permission to email them with your advertising/marketing
campaigns, you are spamming that person. Spam is unsolicited
commercial email. It is email you send to someone who you’ve had
no prior relationship with. This is not the way to handle your
marketing campaigns. Most likely the person you have spammed
will report you and you risk losing your hosting/ISP etc.

Build your opt-in list instead and market safely. Ways you can
build your opt-in list; Your current customers. Your best source
of contacts is your current customer list. It is easy to sell to
satisfied customers who already know you. Since they are willing
to receive your campaigns, your chance of success is greatly
increased. Your targeted list will bring you more orders and
profit. Referrals. Contact your prospects and offer to send
information to their friends who may be interested in your
product or service. Joint Venture with a non-competitive,
related business. Exchange a split of the profit for an endorsed
mailing of your offer to their customer list. Advertising.
Include your email address in ALL advertising you do! Website
Visitors. Include a “subscribe to” form for your
e-newsletter/ezine onto your website. Don’t have a e-newsletter
or ezine? Start one! This is a great way to boost your business.
You can follow up and sell to your opt-in list over and over and
over again! Autoresponders ————– A great way to free up
some time and automate your campaign is to use an autoresponder.
Setting up an autoresponder means having a system that can make
sales 24/7 automatically! Use your autoresponder as the contact
email address your prospects use to receive more information
about your product/service. Store this list in a safe place, you
will be able to sell to this list over and over again. Make sure
the message your prospects receive from your autoresponder is
professional, thorough, personable and check your grammar and
spelling. Your autoresponder should also be able to send
multiple messages at set intervals you determine. It takes a
customer 7-12 times of seeing your offer before they decide to
buy! If you are going to use your autoresponder to handle your
ezine/e-newsletter, make sure it can handle your subscribe and
unsubscribe tasks. Your autoresponder can stay in contact with
your customers informing them of new products/services,
follow-up on sales, reminder of your products benefits, etc.
Ezine Advertising —————– You can find ezines on
practically every subject under the sun. Most people subscribe
to at least one ezine that they receive by email on a regular
basis. Ezine advertising is a great way to market your
product/service. Do a search for ezines relative to what you
offer and sign up (the majority of ezine/e-newsletters are free
to join!). Some offer free advertising, some offer contests to
win free advertising, most offer very reasonable advertising
rates. Solo mailings are the most effective form of
ezine/e-newsletter advertising. Your ad is sent, alone, to the
ezine’s entire subscriber base! You could also find affordable
advertising through ezine co-ops. Purchasing advertising through
an ezine co-op will place your classified ad in numerous ezines
for one price. You’ll be added to each ezine’s subscriber base.
Most ask that you stay subscribed until your ad is run. Here are
some great co-ops to check out; Essential Team http:/
inyurl.com/1ey2 EzineAd.Net http:/ inyurl.com/1ey9EzineAd.Net
2Bucks an Ad http:/ inyurl.com/1ezg My Wizard Ads http:/
inyrul.com/1ezh Here are two sites where you can earn free
advertising; Free Solo Ads http://wetrack.it/soloads/af.cgi?531
Free Ezine Advertising
http://www.ezineadventure.com/default.asp?id=8699 Signature Tags
————– Signature tags are little blurbs at the end of
your email messages. They should be about 2-3 lines total
length. Make sure they include your website address or business
email address. Signature tags are a great way to get in some
free advertising. Include them each email you send out! You
could also partner with someone who has a product/service
relative to yours. Each time they send out an email your
signature tag is included and vice versa. Letterhead ———-
Make and save an email template (in notepad or similar program)
and put your advertisement at the top of each email you send
out! Again, keep this short, about 2-3 lines maximum. Each time
you send out an email, insert your template first before
composing your message. Your ad will be the first thing seen
each time your message is read!

Yes, email marketing is alive and well! With aggressive and
effective email marketing you should successfully grow your
business! Marketing = prospects = customers!