LANDSCAPE GARDENING

Landscape gardening has often been likened to the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a fine setting for it. So in landscape gardening there must be in the gardener's mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his work.

From this study we shall be able to work out a little theory of landscape gardening.

Let us go to the lawn. A good extent of open lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful. It adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. So we might generalize and say that it is well to keep open lawn spaces. If one covers his lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. It is a bit like an over-dressed person. One's grounds lose all individuality thus treated. A single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees one must keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree; the tree should be one of good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit. While the poplar is a rapid grower, it sheds its leaves early and so is left standing, bare and ugly, before the fall is old. Mind you, there are places where a row or double row of Lombardy poplars is very effective. But I think you'll agree with me that one lone poplar is not. The catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until away into the winter, add a bit of picture squeness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all these are beauty points to consider.

Place makes a difference in the selection of a tree. Suppose the lower portion of the grounds is a bit low and moist, then the spot is ideal for a willow. Don't group trees together which look awkward. A long-looking poplar does not go with a nice rather rounded little tulip tree. A juniper, so neat and prim, would look silly beside a spreading chestnut. One must keep proportion and suitability in mind.

I'd never advise the planting of a group of evergreens close to a house, and in the front yard. The effect is very gloomy indeed. Houses thus surrounded are overcapped by such trees and are not only gloomy to live in, but truly unhealthful. The chief requisite inside a house is sunlight and plenty of it.

As trees are chosen because of certain good points, so shrubs should be. In a clump I should wish some which bloomed early, some which bloomed late, some for the beauty of their fall foliage, some for the colour of their bark and others for the fruit. Some spireas and the forsythia bloom early. The red bark of the dogwood makes a bit of colour all winter, and the red berries of the barberry cling to the shrub well into the winter.

Certain shrubs are good to use for hedge purposes. A hedge is rather prettier usually than a fence. The Californian privet is excellent for this purpose. Osage orange, Japan barberry, buckthorn, Japan quince, and Van Houtte's spirea are other shrubs which make good hedges.

I forgot to say that in tree and shrub selection it is usually better to choose those of the locality one lives in. Unusual and foreign plants do less well, and often harmonize but poorly with their new setting.

Landscape gardening may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. There are danger points in each.

The formal arrangement is likely to look too stiff; the informal, too fussy, too wiggly. As far as paths go, keep this in mind, that a path should always lead somewhere. That is its business to direct one to a definite place. Now, straight, even paths are not unpleasing if the effect is to be that of a formal garden. The danger in the curved path is an abrupt curve, a whirligig effect. It is far better for you to stick to straight paths unless you can make a really beautiful curve. No one can tell you how to do this.

Garden paths may be of gravel, of dirt, or of grass. One sees grass paths in some very lovely gardens. I doubt, however, if they would serve as well in your small gardens. Your garden areas are so limited that they should be re-spaded each season, and the grass paths are a great bother in this work. Of course, a gravel path makes a fine appearance, but again you may not have gravel at your command. It is possible for any of you to dig out the path for two feet. Then put in six inches of stone or clinker. Over this, pack in the dirt, rounding it slightly toward the centre of the path. There should never be depressions through the central part of paths, since these form convenient places for water to stand. The under layer of stone makes a natural drainage system.

A building often needs the help of vines or flowers or both to tie it to the grounds in such a way as to form a harmonious whole. Vines lend themselves well to this work. It is better to plant a perennial vine, and so let it form a permanent part of your landscape scheme. The Virginia creeper, wistaria, honeysuckle, a climbing rose, the clematis and trumpet vine are all most satisfactory.

close your eyes and picture a house of natural colour, that mellow gray of the weathered shingles. Now add to this old house a purple wistaria. Can you see the beauty of it? I shall not forget soon a rather ugly corner of my childhood home, where the dining room and kitchen met. Just there climbing over, and falling over a trellis was a trumpet vine. It made beautiful an awkward angle, an ugly bit of carpenter work.

Of course, the morning-glory is an annual vine, as is the moon-vine and wild cucumber. Now, these have their special function. For often, it is necessary to cover an ugly thing for just a time, until the better things and better times come. The annual is 'the chap' for this work.

Along an old fence a hop vine is a thing of beauty. One might try to rival the woods' landscape work. For often one sees festooned from one rotted tree to another the ampelopsis vine.

Flowers may well go along the side of the building, or bordering a walk. In general, though, keep the front lawn space open and unbroken by beds. What lovelier in early spring than a bed of daffodils close to the house? Hyacinths and tulips, too, form a blaze of glory. These are little or no bother, and start the spring aright. One may make of some bulbs an exception to the rule of unbroken front lawn. Snowdrops and crocuses planted through the lawn are beautiful. They do not disturb the general effect, but just blend with the whole. One expert bulb gardener says to take a basketful of bulbs in the fall, walk about your grounds, and just drop bulbs out here and there. Wherever the bulbs drop, plant them. Such small bulbs as those we plant in lawns should be in groups of four to six. Daffodils may be thus planted, too. You all remember the grape hyacinths that grow all through Katharine's side yard.

The place for a flower garden is generally at the side or rear of the house. The backyard garden is a lovely idea, is it not? Who wishes to leave a beautiful looking front yard, turn the corner of a house, and find a dump heap? Not I. The flower garden may be laid out formally in neat little beds, or it may be more of a careless, hit-or-miss sort. Both have their good points. Great masses of bloom are attractive.

You should have in mind some notion of the blending of colour. Nature appears not to consider this at all, and still gets wondrous effects. This is because of the tremendous amount of her perfect background of green, and the limitlessness of her space, while we are confined at the best to relatively small areas. So we should endeavour not to blind people's eyes with clashes of colours which do not at close range blend well. In order to break up extremes of colours you can always use masses of white flowers, or something like mignonette, which is in effect green.

Finally, let us sum up our landscape lesson. The grounds are a setting for the house or buildings. Open, free lawn spaces, a tree or a proper group well placed, flowers which do not clutter up the front yard, groups of shrubbery these are points to be remembered. The paths should lead somewhere, and be either straight or well curved. If one starts with a formal garden, one should not mix the informal with it before the work is done.

Tips for gardening work to popularize in your area.

Garden work is a positive and rewarding hobby invests your time and energy. Vegetables and fruit instead of flowers in your environment pleasant.

The plants need water and light to grow well. The water is an important aspect, because without enough water, you have little plants. Plants in the plots need more water than the plants on the ground.

Get the plants with nutrients in the soil and pull so the rich soil fertilizer. To this end, without the use of fertilizers produced in factories, they may be the garbage in the garden for the production of compost to your soil rich and the growth of healthy plants.

Home and Garden charitable work is also a force against the urbanization and the right source to obtain food and food for consumption in the family.

Here are some tips for the development of vegetable gardens in your area.
Use your lawn and flowers are being bred to the food areas such as vegetables and fruits.
Cultivation of fruit and vegetables to decorate your garden and a new perspective at home.
Vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, lettuce and herbs are pleasant to the eye.

They cultivate fruit trees, vines and vegetables in the front of the house and the house instead of flowers.

A program to promote the recovery of land to occupy and not for the production of fruit and vegetables for human consumption.
Use the gardens in the schools and churches for this purpose that the areas with the garden down urbanization.

Promotion of fruit, vegetables and herbs in small plots of garden, if not available.
A program for the cultivation of vegetables and fruit within, such as beans and other seeds germinate well in the interior and balconies.

Furnish instruction in the garden and knowledge society to potential gardeners.
A program to educate students about the importance of gardening, especially in the production of fruit and vegetables.

Fruit and vegetables in your garden will usually order your free time and he will help financially and contribute to the economy.

Better Homes and Gardens : Magazine reviews

"Better Homes & Gardens is a great magazine to read, always around you! Not only is he nice on your coffee table, where the company comes, but every month with hundreds of ideas for your house and your garden.

Every month you will find many ideas for your home. If you are a simplification of the kitchen, bathroom, your family, you’re in an elegant dining room to find out more about your family and your friends, or a little more space in your room EXIGU find sure the ideas in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine! You can also find many "how to" articles, decoration, renovation, and renovation of your home (interior and exterior) as well as detailed charts, you can follow. One of my favorite features is the "I've done it!" Item. It is an element of a page on a drive that is a room or in the region to home, that the beauty field. This is a photo from the drive and the newly renovated, with a brief description of the changes.

If you have a passion for gardening and landscaping, Better Homes and Gardens is a subscription for you! Whether you are a small lot or several acres landscape yard garden and you will find fantastic landscape ideas in every issue. Article gardening and landscape design is based on the season, which occurs when this month is published. Even if you were not born with a green, you are certainly the most colorful illustrated pages of Better Homes and Gardens magazine!

A major thing about Better Homes and Gardens, it is not only in your house and your garden. This is also on the life and your lifestyle. The magazine contains articles about style, fashion and beauty, as well as health, fitness and nutrition. You will find a lot of crafts, art projects, and the revenue on the back of the magazine. These professionals and projects are fun for adults and children!

Last but not least, Better Homes and Gardens is not just a magazine anymore. You have a very informative website where you read the articles that appear in the magazine, the design of virtual rooms (from the paint or wallpaper on the walls of floor coverings and furniture), printing, even for projects, and the great ideas and revenue the craft for people of all ages. If you by "Better Homes and Gardens Web site, but you can also very much about a new subscription.

Better Homes and Gardens is a beautiful publication that young people, the elderly, the whole world and between the final out!

HGTV: Home Tips Home & Garden Channel

better and homes and gardens
Have you ever wondered what would be moving to a new city where you know nobody in the state? Do you learn new ways to develop or renovate your house? Could be that you intend to sell your house and ask what you can do to his value? These are just a few reasons to watch HGTV, but the main reason is that it's fun.

HGTV is on the cable. It is entertainment, better homes and gardens. People buy Better Homes and Gardens magazines would like this channel. There are tips on how to paint your house and the respective colors of the furniture and decorations. I have all white walls, so that these events are a source of inspiration for me. Reality fans will not be disappointed, as all reality shows are based. But unlike other reality TV shows, the content is G rated. The whole family can watch these broadcasts.

Shopping for a new house? HGTV has shown for both the buyer and seller. For example, the buyers are three houses, the specific characteristics they are looking for in a house. You must decide which to buy. At the end the choice is shown. In another, the seller about the process for obtaining the value of their house, so he sets out for a higher value, and the house. Voltage to a buyer, against the offer and sale on the game. All for a good drama.

What you get is an interesting, informative, reality TV, the whole family can watch. There is a lot of information on the prices of houses in resettlement potential sale and purchase of houses, the renovation and design. Finally, his great channel to watch, in early childhood.

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