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   Jun 17

Learning How to Use Garden Accents

By admin
Twitt

When it comes to creating a beautiful and personalized garden, the use of beautiful plants are typically the focus. Yet, sometimes it can be beneficial to add a few non-living decorative features. These garden accents can range from planters, to birdbaths, to statuary to stepping stones to name a few. Using unique accessories like these give your garden flair and a personal touch, perfect for creating surprising focal points.

The addition of garden accessories is a great because they can be put out in the garden even if it is too cold to plant still. It is easy to find accents in many different styles and themes. Consider creating an Asian themed garden, incorporating cast stone lanterns or pagodas as exciting statuary for your setting. A tranquil birdbath will bring serenity of water as well as harmony with birds! Consider an Americana theme, using wooden barrel planters and wagon wheels for decoration. If you enjoy the whimsical, adding gnomes and fairy statuary can create a magical world for your garden setting!

Once you have chosen a particular theme, incorporating accessories can be a fun and exciting task. Simply make sure all the accents you choose create a cohesive look, which can often be easily achieved by adding the same materials, whether it be wood, iron, or cast stone. Make sure the color scheme is pleasing as well, tones of the same color is a great way to add color, while making sure to overall effect is pleasant!

Adding accessories should be done sporadically throughout the garden setting. They should not all be placed in one specific location, but sprinkled throughout the setting. The idea is to create lovely little surprises, but not take away from the beauty of your blooms that you work so hard to create and maintain. Place a small statue among a flower bed, or a bird bath in a patch of ivy. Be careful not to add to many accessories though, the goal is not to make the garden look cluttered, but to accentuate your plants and flowers. Remember it is a natural setting, adding too many unnatural items will take away from the beauty of nature.

What makes a garden so special is the sensory journey it takes a viewer on. Exciting sounds and sights and smells will bring complete enjoyment! Accessories can help you to accomplish these features. For instance, a carefully placed water feature will bring the peaceful sounds of trickling water, or a beautiful wooden birdhouse hung from a low branch allows for the beauty and sweet songs of birds. Windchimes bring lovely melodies as well. A garden bench is a wonderful addition to your garden, allowing you to just sit back and enjoy the wildlife that comes into your landscape.

There are many accessories that have been used for over centuries, their concept dating back to ancient times. The obelisk, used in ancient Egypt, adds style and can be used as a focal point, or is a wonderful tool for plants that like to climb. Adding a decorative statue can be just as exciting. Whether you choose to add a animal statue in honor of a favorite pet, creating a memorial garden. You may also choose to add stepping stones that lead from one section of your garden to another, choose stone that fit with your theme!

These are just some examples of the many types of garden accents and accessories. They add beauty and excitement while highlighting the blooms and greens that grow in your setting. They are delightful additions that add surprise and personality to your garden!
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in 2013 Garden Trends, Garden Accents and Accessories, garden ideas, Lawn Ornament , , , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 30

Creating Tiny Water Gardens

By admin
Twitt

Water gardens are an exciting way to add a fun feature to your setting. A water garden does not need to be large, and in fact they can come in tiny sizes, that are exciting and allow the gardener to get up close and personal with the plant. These small water gardens allow the viewer to get a good look at the aquatic plants, their flower, their foliage, and their vibrant scents.

Water gardens a foolproof. If you do not like what you create you can easily rearrange the plants. All water plants are simple submerged in water, and therefore can be easily moved. The water plants are also very tough and hard to kill, and often they require little to no maintenance. To make a successful water container simply place it in a spot where the sun shines directly on it for at least 6 hours a day, add water, and some plants and you are done.

What kind of container makes a good home for a water garden? Well, the easy answer is anything that holds water can be a water garden container. If there is a container you really like, but it has holes in the bottom, they can usually be plugged by adding inexpensive corks into the holes to make the container water tight. If you are using a barrel to create a dramatic display, it is a good idea to buy an inexpensive liner for the barrel as this will keep any deadly toxins from entering the water which can make it dirty or harm your plants. Clay and plastic containers are also great choices for water garden containers. For these containers it is a good idea to apply two coats of a sealer to keep water from seeping into the porous material.When creating a water garden try to use contrasting shaped plants to make an aesthetically pleasing piece. Water is always a pleasing feature for a garden setting, but the addition of plants to a water pool creates a whole new look! Often with water gardens, the more contrast you can create the more dramatic the piece will be. Use bold colors and different shapes, and the end result will be a stunning and exciting accent for your garden setting.

For example, in your water garden container, use a variety of plants, like spiky tall plants like the sweet flag or the yellow flag iris. Mix that plant with the broad leaved foliage of the tropical taro which has the dark purple leaves. Marginal plants are often the best to use, as these naturally grow in shallow water. You can add bold color by adding a cut water lily, which typically last three days. You can try to grow water lilies in your container garden, but they often take up a lot of space.There is a lot of exciting water plants that bring a dramatic element into your water garden. Some of these plants include the variegated spider lily, chameleon plants, and the pitcher plant. These will bring a whole new level of excitement to your water gardens!

Water gardens are not only a beautiful accent, but they are a fun hobby as well. Creating a water garden is a fun experience, as there are endless possibilities for design, size, and shape. The water will also help to add a soothing element to your setting as well.

By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in Garden Containers, garden ideas, Garden Planter, Garden Pot , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 23

Fountain Accessories You May Need

By admin
Twitt

Picking out the perfect fountain for your outdoor space may have been a difficult task, but now that you have that beautiful water feature, you may be thinking that you are missing something.  We have a few wonderful fountain accessories that may make your days easier and your fountain quite a bit more enjoyable!

The first addition we have for fountain is the Automatic Refill Device For Fountains.  Designed for Campania International fountains, this wonderful gadget can be a true gift.  Whether your fountain is up against the extreme heat of a desert area, or maybe in an area where excessive splashing occurs, an automatic refill device can be a great option.  This gadget works  by using a float to notify the device when the water levels in your fountain are too low.  This ensures that you pump will never be without water (this is important because when a pump runs dry and is without water, it can ruin the pump). The only thing you truly need to use this wonderful device is a garden hose.  The garden hose simply gets hooked up to the device and will refill the fountain when it needs water.  No more making sure to check the fountain to make sure the pump is under water!

The second fountain device we think is truly amazon is the fountain remote control.  This wonderful gadget hooks right into your existing pump.  It comes with a remote control that allows you to turn the fountain on and off, whenever you wish!  No more walking up behind the fountain and plugging it in!  A true wonder to make sure you are getting the most out of the water feature in your backyard! This remote control can easily be used with most fountains and makes a great gift too!

The third accessory we think makes life quite a bit easier are fountain covers.  While you may not be thinking you need a fountain cover now that spring and summer are here, you will still need this nifty cover once the cooler weather arrives.  Fountain covers are designed to protect fountains and other outdoor garden accessories that are made out of cast stone.  They work by covering the fountain to ensure that no moisture, whether it be snow, rain or ice, can collect within the fountain.  When precipitation collects within these areas and freezes, it can actually cause cast stone fountains to crack.  While you can cover your fountain with a breathable material and then wrap in plastic, fountain covers make the job so much easier year after year.

Owning a fountain is a true delight, but with a few fountain accessories, you will be loving your fountain more and more each day!
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in Fountain Care, Fountains, Garden Accents and Accessories, Garden Fountains, Outdoor Fountains, Wall fountains, waterfalls , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 21

No Time? Try these Plants and Flowers

By admin
Twitt

As the spring rolls into summer, you may start thinking about your outdoor space, or lack thereof.  While you drive around town and notice all of the beautifully groomed yards with their colorful flowers and plants, you may start thinking about dressing up your very own outdoor space.  Once you start thinking about it though, you may hit a road block and think, how in the world can I take care of outdoor plants while I am working full time and taking care of my family?  Well we have the perfect choice for planting outside that require little to no care so you can still have an outdoor area you are proud of, but don’t have to spend an entire evening grooming and taking care of it!

One of the best plants for an outdoor space is a hosta.  Hostas come in quite a few varieties, but they are a beautiful green plant that will grow year after with very little care.  From smaller leaves, to larger leaves, hostas can easily fill up a large empty garden bed with some beautiful greenage.   If you are in an area that receives at least a little bit of rain, hostas will grow beautifully.  Each year, they seem to come back even bigger and better than the year before. Some hostas even have flowers that bloom.

Another great option for an outdoor space if you live in a dry climate is cacti or succulents. These plants truly need little to no care, some even have beautiful blooming flowers at times.  They can also be brought indoors if you live in an area where tempatures drop into the freezing mark and make a great accent in indoor spaces.  Think of brightly colored indoor pots that can accent your existing decor.

Another beautiful option is creeping phlox.  You may have seen these driving around your area planted on homeowners yards where they have a large sloping hill out front.  These flowers are an excellent choice for creating a bed of beautiful colored flowers. They are available in many different colors and will truly give your outdoor space that added pop of color.  If you decide to go daring and plant other flowers that require more care, creating phlox can easily be placed around other flowers to provide even more coloring. Creeping phlox will grow in just about any soil condition whether rocky or not. Making it an excellent choice for many spaces.

You don’t have to spend hours upon hours in your garden to get the perfect coloring.  Just taking some time to plant a selection of specific plants and flowers is all you need and a little bit of time to water now and then!
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in garden ideas, Garden Planter, Garden Projects , , , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 16

Overlooked Outdoor Garden Accents

By admin
Twitt

When creating the perfect outdoor space, we often look to plants, flowers, containers, water features, and statuary to decorate the setting.  Although these are certainly wonderful additions to your setting, and create strong focal points, there are some items that are often overlooked that can truly enhance and organize your setting!

One really great item for your garden setting is a hose pot. Hoses can be unruly and no one wants to have them lying out. The Hose Pot Collection that we offer provides a wonderful way to keep your hose hidden, while adding a beautiful accent to your setting! These pots can be placed out in the open allowing your hose to be easily accessed and tangle free! So those beautiful flowers you have just planted can easily be watered and you won’t have to dread giving them their daily moisture.

Another idea for a garden setting is stepping-stones! If you have a flower bed that is hard to maneuver around, adding a few carefully placed stepping stones allows for room to move around the plants to weed and water without harming them, plus by standing on the stones you avoid mud and dirt! There are many unique types of stepping stones, from the very creative and ornate to simplistic and basic. They are great for heavily traveled grass paths as well, to help keep your grass from being worn away! Many people think stepping stones are just bland corner pieces of concrete.  But, Garden-Fountains.com offers many different stepping stones that can fit any garden theme or even bring your favorite things into the garden, like the Flip Flop Stepping Stones.

Some simple and practical options to add to your setting include accents like birdhouses, wind chimes, and rain chains. A carefully placed birdhouse will bring wildlife into your setting, while adding a small focal point to your setting. Wind chimes are stylish, and add a musical appeal and soft glisten to your space. Rain Chains are practical and beautiful. Taking the place of a downspout, they create a lovely sound as rain falls down them while adding a beautiful accent to your home!

Consider some of these items for your setting, and bring style, practicality and purpose to your environment.  These features should not be overlooked, and why not create beauty will organizing your setting.
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in garden ideas, Garden Projects, Landscape Ideas , , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 14

Creating Outdoor Sanctuaries with an Empty Corner

By admin
Twitt

One of the most fickle places to decorate is an empty corner? The size is often to small for furniture, so what kind of accents can fit into these corners, both indoors or outside? Here at Garden-Fountains.com we have may creative and beautiful accents to full in those empty spots to create eye-catching focal point!

For an outdoor patio, porch, or garden corner there are many wonderful accents to choose from! A small pedestal fountain will add a soothing and serene touch in a garden corner. The Acorn Fountain is the perfect style to fit into a corner, adding a unique accent to your setting. For those empty porch and patio corners consider tall and shapely planters, like the Azura Jar or the Isleta Planter. These tall planters can be planted with beautiful cascading flowers and greens, to create welcoming arrangements. They can also be left empty, as the sheer beauty of the piece alone will stand out! Tall and graceful planters also make stunning accents for indoor empty corners. They can be set right by the door to hold umbrellas or canes for more practical purposes as well as aesthetics!

Many manufacturers actually make water features that are specifically designed to be placed in corners.  These water features are an excellent choice because they will easily create a beautiful space with just one single piece. Highlighted at the top of this article is a tall corner water feature.  If you have a smaller space, consider a water feature like the Corner Fountain, Small. You can then place some of your beautifully planter containers around the base of this fountain to create the perfect corner nook.

Another great idea for an indoor or outdoor corner is placing a classical piece of statuary on a decorative pedestal. Some great combinations we offer include the Art Deco Maiden on the Tall Octagonal Pedestal or the Soaring Owl on the Plain Round Pedestal. Statuary creates interesting and creative visuals for your setting, and become wonderful conversational pieces. We offer a wide variety of statues and pedestals that you can create the perfect combination to suit your own personal style and theme!

Decorating corners is a great way to add style and personality to your settings, creating focal points that often go missed! There are so many ideas and combinations available that you are sure to find the perfect accent for that empty corner! An empty corner is also a great way to bring a theme into your outdoor space.  Whether it is a tribute to someone who has passed or maybe just that zen feeling garden you have always wanted.  Garden-Fountains.com has everything you need to turn your bleak corner into your most loved sanctuary.
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in 2013 Garden Trends, Fountains, Garden Accents and Accessories, Garden Containers, Garden Fountains, garden ideas, Garden Planter, Garden Pot, Garden Projects, Outdoor Fountains, Outdoor Statuary , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 08

Options with Homegrown Herbs

By admin
Twitt

Cooking with your own herbs is an amazing experience, full of rich flavors and bold scents! Growing your own herb garden is actually a very easy task to undertake!  The key is to provide nutritious soil, plenty of water, and of course, the correct container! We offer a variety of small pots that are perfect for creating your own herb garden, while adding a beautiful accent to your setting!

For a cheerful and bright pop of color consider planting your herbs in the many colors of the Audrey planters! These small pots are perfect for creating a colorful set of three to four different herbs per pot. If your prefer a more neutral color scheme the Herb Pots provide three neutral colors, and can hold up to nine different herbs! Since these come in three different sets, you can easily keep one indoors as well as a couple outdoors to see how best your herbs will grow. If you are more apt to only want one container, consider the addition of the Daisies Window Box in Antique Glaze. This rectangular planter would make the perfect home for a combination of basil, parsley and oregano!

When planting herbs, choose types that you will use. Try to grow combinations that work well together as well. Herbs that are easy to care for, that are great for cooking, include basil, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, chives, mint, and sage. Each of these can be planted in herb pots, and many of them also make lovely additions to flower planters as a lovely green foliage accent. Not only do they make for wonderful additions to meals, but they will bring delightful scents into any space they are grow in.  If you aren’t sure what herbs may be your favorite, take some time to test out herbs from the grocery store in some of your favorite meals.  You may find that sprucing up bland healthy meals with fresh herbs keeps your diet on track!

The best part about any of our small planters is they can be brought in over the cooler months, keeping your herbs growing all winter long! These colorful and practical planters can be used for more that just herbs, they make great starter homes for vegetables as well. Start your plants indoors early in the season, and then transplant them into a garden once there is no chance of frost! The planters can then be used for herbs, or for lovely flower arrangements!

By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in 2013 Garden Trends, Garden Planter, Garden Pot, Garden Projects, Growing Flowers and Plants, Landscape Ideas , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 06

Enjoying Your Outdoor Space

By admin
Twitt

As the weather warms up, the desire to move out of doors calls to us! A patio or porch is a wonderful way to create a bridge a between the indoors and the outside! There are many ways to dress up your patio and the space around it, to create a welcoming and enjoyable outdoor room!

One key factor to creating a comforting outdoor room is noise control. The addition of a water feature to your patio or garden setting adds a tranquil and soothing sound to your setting. A simple tabletop fountain, like the Artifact Mini-Series Fountain, may be the perfect touch for a small setting. If your patio is larger, the addition of a pedestal fountain, like the Aya Fountain, would be a stunning accent for a corner space. Wall fountains are another great idea for a patio. The Winding Vine Wall Fountain brings the peacefulness of water in motion, while taking up little space on your patio.

Decoration is another aspect to consider for a patio. A perfectly placed flower pot, full or rich color and pleasant aromas will make an exciting accent for a setting.  Consider a classic urn, like the Litchfield Urn, and add a stylish and charming touch to your setting. For a more modern and colorful approach, add the Belen Planter, whose soothing glaze and tall stature can stand alone as a focal point. Or even use sets of planters to create a border between one living space and maybe a gardening space to stop visitors from walking through the growing garden.

Complete the look with charming sitting area. A great dining set will keep you outdoors and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air all summer long! If the space is not big enough for dining, consider a beautifully sculpted garden bench to sit along an empty wall. This will create a great focal point, while adding seating to your setting as well. You are sure to enjoy the sunny days on any outdoor seating area by enjoying a nice refreshing beverage or just spending a few moments to read your favorite book all while taking in nature.

There are many ways to turn a dreary patio setting into an enjoyable retreat! Choose a theme and then choose items that fit into your design! Be sure to account for sound, comfort, and general aesthetic appeal and you cannot go wrong! Explore our site and find products that will meet your needs and turn your outdoor space into an outdoor living room that can be enjoyed by all!
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in Bird Baths, Garden Fountains, garden ideas, Garden Planter, Garden Pot, Garden Projects , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

   May 01

Other Uses for Garden Pots and Planters

By admin
Twitt

Garden planters, whether cast stone, plastic, or ceramic look amazing when filled with beautiful flowers and foliage. The great thing about plant containers is that they can be used for so many other things besides just holding plants! Whether you buy planters for these purposes or use empty ones that you have lying about, consider some of these creative ideas for garden pots, urns, and tubs!

Many homes have fireplaces in them, and during the cold winters it is quite cheerful and pleasant to light a fire in them. Instead of purchasing a metal or brass rack to hold firewood, consider using a large terracotta or ceramic flowerpot to hold your firewood. Place the pot beside the hearth, and it will also create an attractive accent! This is an inexpensive way to store wood and kindling through the winter!

Flowerpots are great for fish tanks! If you have a home aquarium, consider adding small flower pots to the corner of a tank to create a dark corner for fish to hide in. Fish need to feel safe, and this is the perfect way to help them feel secure! The pot will also add a unique focal point to your aquarium!

Broken flowerpots should not be thrown out, especially if they are clay or terra cotta! These shards make great drainage tools for planting other planters. Place these shards in the bottom on a planter, and then add soil and the plant. As you water the plant, you will find that the water drains, but you will not lose your soil! Pots can be used as decorative features as well. They work great as useful gift baskets for example. Pots can be painted, decorated with ribbon or stickers, or any design you choose, and then filled with candies or cookies, or even teas or coffees. The planter then can be used by the receiver! Planters come in many shapes and sizes, so you are sure to find one that will fit the need of your gift basket.

Planters are great for indoor use as well. Small pots can be painted and decorated, and can be used in an office to hold pens, pencils, paper clips, and other office tools. Square planters can be made into organizational tools, to hold mail or important papers. Pots can be used in children’s rooms to hold small toys, jewelry or hair accessories. Planters are great bathroom accessories as well; they can be used to hold hand towels or soaps, while adding a decorative feature to your home! Like small round containers up on your table, add candles, and you have a magical table centerpiece. Finally, larger garden planters can make great waste paper baskets that can actually decorate your setting!

Outside, fill a flowerpot with sand, and create an ashtray to keep your yard clean and tidy! Garden pots make great storage for your garden tools, and help to keep your shed or garage organized! When it comes to being crafty, get come clay or paint, and allow your kids to make their own flower pots, adding designs or their names, and to make it even more special, let them plant something inside, and care for it!

By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in Garden Containers, garden ideas, Garden Planter, Garden Pot, Indoor Decor Ideas , , , , , | No Comments »

   Apr 30

Growing Japanese Red Maples

By admin
Twitt

The Japanese Red Maple is a popular tree that originate fro Japan, but it a popular choice all voer the world. They are often grown for their attractive colors and leaf shape. These are very popular trees, however they can be rather costly.

The Japanese Red Maple is a smaller tree, rarely growing past 33 feet tall. The shape of the tree is often a dome like form. The leaves are palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine pointed lobes. The tree produces small flowers as well; these have reddish purple sepals and five whitish petals. The seeds require stratification to germinate.The Japanese maple tree has a lot of genetic variations. These variations can cause different leaf shape, size, and color. The tree has been around since before the 1800’s, with the first specimen coming to England in the 1820’s. The tree was favored because of its small size. These are a popular choice for bonsai trees as well.The Japanese Maple has different growing conditioned based upon the particular species. Some species prefer to be in the sun, while others prefer the shade. These trees make great ornamental focal points, and are a good choice for borders. They have non-invasive and compact root systems. They need to have well drained soil, and they grow best when they are not overly fertilized. These trees are also great options for container growing.

These trees require very little pruning when it comes to caring for them. Be sure to remove any dead branches. Sometimes gardeners choose to artfully shape their trees, and this will require some constant maintenance to keep the shape. You may also choose to thin out the branches, and this should be done in the winter months.When you bring a red maple home, it should be planted right away. It needs to be planted in rich moist soil. The only exception to this is if the weather is hot and dry, then it is best to hold off on planting. Plant your tree in a container in the meantime and keep it in a shaded spot. Making sure the garden site is properly prepared will help to create a strong tree. Make sure you follow the planting instructions so you do not harm the plant.

The best season to plant a red maple is in the spring because it takes awhile for the tree to put out roots. Planting early in the spring will allow the roots to have time to spread before the cold weather hits. Trees may not experience very good growth during times of extreme temperatures, this is to be expected.

When it comes to caring for the tree, during its early years, it should be watered weekly with 1 ½ inches of water. Even once the tree has matured; make sure it receives water, especially during the hot summer months. Be sure not to over water though, as this can cause the leave to lighten and droop. Fertilizing is also a good idea, but during the first growing season the fertilizer should be a slow releasing one. There should be an area of mulching around the base of the plant, weeds and lawn should be kept 2-3 feet from your maple tree.

A maple is a wonderful ornamental tree, perfect for a stunning focal point for a garden setting because it is a smaller tree and it can be shaped. The rich color is a perfect addition to an ornamental garden.
By: Susan Soler of the Garden-Fountains.com Team

Posted in garden ideas, Garden Planter, Garden Pot, Garden Projects , , , , , | No Comments »
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