Archive for the ‘Home Garden’ Category

A Beginners Guide To Garden Bridges

Tuesday, December 13th, 2005

Just because you dont have huge, elaborate gardens does
not mean you cant accentuate what you do have with
garden bridges. Garden bridges could be just what you need
to turn those mediocre garden areas into something quite
splendid.

Garden bridges can add a touch of country or formal design
to a garden. Small garden bridges are easy to find. There
are many garden bridges that you can find in garden centers
or home improvement centers. One of the best places to find
small garden bridges may be online. There are lots of sites
that have many ideas for small garden bridges.

If you are good with a hammer and nails you may even be
able to make your own garden bridge. Plans are available at
building stores and at online sites. You will find many
choices for garden bridges at these online sites and you
can also see photos of many different bridge styles.

A garden bridge can be a big benefit for your garden space.
A small garden bridge will look attractive in a smaller
garden and draw attention to a specific area.

You can choose the right small garden bridge if you do a
little planning ahead of time. If you have a smaller garden
you will want a smaller garden bridge. Look at the space
you have and decide where a bridge would fit in. Consider
more than one area and then choose your favorite.

There are some lovely gardens that are small in size but
large in beauty because garden bridges have been added in
just the right places.

We have a large number of styles and varieties of garden
bridges available online. For more information and to learn
more about garden bridges, visit:
Garden Bridges Online

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Terrace Gardening And Landscaping Ideas

Friday, November 25th, 2005

Terraces present wonderful possibilities in the garden. They are outdoor living rooms during good weather and form a transition from the outdoors to the indoors throughout the year.

The terrace may be either at ground level, below ground level, or raised above it. The simplest type is ground level, which requires only the grading we have indicated. There is a wide choice of flooring materials to use. One may use cement, poured and levelled with a large board, but in maintaining the drainage grade or including shallow drainage paths, smooth turf may be used, in which case the preparation will be the same as for other lawn areas and various other types of bases.

The use of flagstones is made simple by applying a load of sand or gravel to the subsoil and digging the flagstones into the sand or gravel. The niches between the stones can be dug out and filled with top-soil and grass or other cover planted between them. This gives a very pleasing effect.

Hollow clay building tiles can be split and laid as units in the terrace floor, their rough edges in the soil. Another good surfacing material is “exposed aggregate,” which is free from glare because of its rough finish. For this type of surface, build a form of 2 x 4’s. Pour the flooring in squares, one square at a time, and level with a straight board. The material used is a mixture of cement, sharp sand and crushed rock or pebbles.

Redwood or cypress blocks may also be used for terrace floors and are very attractive, although somewhat less durable than stone or brick. You can buy the blocks cut to size and lay them directly in a bed of sand, which in turn has been laid on compacted gravel or cinder. Un-mortared brick, laid in a pattern, on 2 to 4 inches of well-tamped sand, with loose sand in the crevices for grass, makes a hardy and simple-to-construct terrace floor. The bricks may be laid flat or on end, and to keep them from spreading, drive an angle iron against the corners. Use a pattern that follows the lines of your terrace.

The Sunken Terrace Gardening

A sunken terrace is one which is below ground level. It can be very attractive, and it does give a feeling of coolness on a humid day or a hot night. The sunken terrace requires a retaining wall to prevent soil from continually eroding into it, and also to maintain the topsoil of the surrounding garden. The subsoil must be dug to a depth of about 5 or 6 inches below the level you wish to attain with the terrace itself. The use of sand or gravel as a base is of importance. The top treatment can follow your own dictates.

The Raised Terrace Gardening

The raised terrace is generally not fully raised, but starts at the house level and is raised at its outer edge. Again, a retaining wall is called for. The principle problem with the raised terrace is levelling. Once this is accomplished, and the retaining wall built, construction follows the same procedure as in any other case. Drainage is supplied either by a central drain, going into a tile line, or by underground piping through the retaining wall.

Landscaping and gardening hasn’t always been my occupation, but it has been my passion for a very long time. I inhale landscaping books and magazines. I have lots of landscaping ideas for all the enthusiasts at http://www.e-landscaping-ideas.com

Source: http://www.365articles.com

Popularity: 6% [?]


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