Discover color in foliage. I don’t know why people think of flowers
when a garden is mentioned. Blooming plants make a noticeable
accent only when in bloom and in sufficient numbers to be seen
from a distance. On the other hand, foliage is present in large quantities
all summer long, presenting their leafy faces to the sun and our own
admiring eyes.

Many plants qualify as colorful additions to our garden. One of
my favorites is the large leaf hosta in dusty blue shades. One
clump of this easily found plant covers a square yard of area,
nodding with the breezes and even sending up racemes of lilac
blooms in June. Large leafed coleus can be treated as a potted
plant for good effect as accent pieces. Platter sized caladiums
adds a point of focus in your garden. Don’t pass up decorative
grasses with their tall tan fronds supplying motion as well as color.

Evergreens that shine with sunny yellows and chartreuse are
the golden arbor vitae and variegated hollies. Reds are
represented by Japanese maples, especially the finely divided
miniatures. When visiting your local nursery in the Spring, choose
plants with extra light or dark foliage for accenting the ubiquitous
leaf green. Flowering weeping varieties of some trees sport leaves
of a golden color like the golden chain tree. Twisted willow leaves
are of a jade green color. Large Norwegian maples are to be
avoided because they absorb too much light in the garden and
grow too large for most spaces.

With the instant effect of colorful leaves painting a picture in
your garden, you are then free to place the finishing touches with
your favorite flowers. Just think of the painting it would make!

Retirement downsized my garden but not my enthusiasm.

It can sometimes be difficult to visualize the importance and
direct effect simple conservation efforts can have when we
are bombarded with negative information regularly. Lets
take a look at what a few changes in the activities around
the kitchen sink can do.

Rather than running the tap when cleaning vegetables, use
a bowl of water. Later, reuse it to water outdoor plants.
Reusing water from rinsing out the coffeepot for outdoor
plants, the compost or lawn is something we do all the time.
Rich in nitrogen as well as some trace minerals, coffeepots
should be diluted with water before using. Choose a
different group of plants every day and you may find you no
longer have to water or fertilize them very often at all.

Cooking water (pasta, steamed vegetables, boiled potatoes
etc.) can be used in the same way - just let it cool first. All of
these water sources contain extra nutrients that will aid your
gardens immensely. Very hot cooking water can be used to
kill weeds - simply pour it directly on the weed and around
its roots.

After meals, scrape your dishes into the compost bucket
before rinsing. While rinsing, place other soiled dishes, jars
and utensils underneath while you work; it will begin the
presoaking process - reducing labor and water use.
Anything caught in the sink basket can be contributed to the
compost, too.

Save about 5 gallons of water per washing by doing dishes
in a few inches of hot soapy water. It may seem funny to do
this - but by turning the hot water tap on to rinse the dishes
into the sink the level will slowly increase and will maintain
a hot temperature. This way, another sink full of water solely
for rinsing is no longer necessary. We sometimes use rinse
water to pre-soak stuck on dishes as well.

In the winter, the water from washing or soaking dishes
should be left to cool. This way it releases its valuable heat
into the home, rather than the sewer. Dishwashers, that are
not built-in, allow reuse of the water for pre-rinsing heavily
soiled dishes because they drain into the sink. The water
can be trapped in the sink, or a soiled pot, where the heat is
slowly released into the home, saving energy costs in the
winter. Of course, the opposite applies in the summer,
when extra heat is not desirable.

Very hot water is not always necessary for all washing and
rinsing needs. Usually, by the time we are finished washing
our hands, the water is just beginning to warm up - so
really, all we have done is heat up our pipes. We can
conserve water easily by turning off the tap while lathering
hands. The running water is really only necessary for initial
wetting, then rinsing - so running water in between is really
a waste.

Now, if you measured the amount of water saved each day
by those simple methods we just described - there would
be dozens of gallons of pure, drinkable water left untouched
in the reservoir. By reducing hot water consumption, our
energy bills are a little bit smaller. All this, just from the
kitchen sink!

It’s fall - time to forget about the garden, right? Not so fast - getting your garden ready for winter can make a big difference next spring.

Instead of playing catch-up and fixing winter’s damage, you’ll be out gardening and enjoying your yard as soon as the first spring bulbs come up. A final garden cleanup is the first priority, so here’s a checklist for the fall jobs to do around the yard and flower garden.

To do: Around the yard and flowerbeds

• Until the ground freezes hard, continue to water woody plants, especially trees and shrubs just planted this season and all evergreens. Evergreens especially need a good store of moisture going into winter because they don’t lose their leaves, which means they continue to transpire (give off water vapor) through the cold months.
  
• This is a good time to transplant shrubs or small trees that you have earmarked for relocation. Do this job when the leaves turn color and begin to fall.
  
• In most regions, autumn is also an ideal time to plant new trees and shrubs, as there’s still time for woody plants to make good root growth.
  
• Put plastic or wire mesh tree guards around the slender trunks of any new trees and shrubs to protect them from gnawing animals such as rabbits and mice. Make sure tree guards reach high enough, over the snow line.
  
• Don’t cut roses back now - wait until early spring. Hill up hybrid tea roses with soil for winter protection if necessary.
  
• Pull out frost-killed annuals, and plant remains from the vegetable garden, and add spent plant material to your compost heap or home compost unit.
  
• Whether you cut down dying perennial foliage or not when you’re getting the garden ready for winter is up to you. Some gardeners like to leave seed heads and dried foliage for winter interest and to feed birds, while others prefer to leave neat beds ready for a show of spring-flowering bulbs. But remember: whatever you clean up now, you don’t have to worry about in the spring.
  
• Do one last weeding of your flowerbeds, and discard any weeds with seeds in the garbage instead of the compost. You don’t want those pesky seeds sprouting in your garden next spring.
  
• Consider shredding leaves and using them as winter mulch on flowerbeds. You can also add shredded leaves to the compost pile. In a season or so, they’ll make compost, the best organic treat your garden soil can get. (Use a chipper shredder, if you have one, or just run your lawn mower over leaves.)
  

To do: Last-minute lawn care

• Rake fall leaves off your lawn. Leaving them on will smother the grass.
  
• If you spray your lawn to kill weeds, the month of October is about the most effective time for this job.
  
• Apply winterizing lawn fertilizer.
  
• Do a final grass cutting. Long grass encourages low-temperature fungi.
  
• Why not get your mower serviced and its blade sharpened in late fall so it will be ready for you in the spring?
  

Now you can put your feet up and relax, sure in the knowledge that your garden is all snug for its winter nap.

Garden writer, photographer and lecturer Yvonne Cunnington gardens on a country acreage, where she has plenty of space to try out the new plants and garden design ideas that she writes about. She is the author of a book for beginner gardeners, Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless. For more gardening tips, visit her website, http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com

Kitchens have evolved in recent years they are now so much more than just a place to prepare food. If your home is your palace then the kitchen is king, providing a major social gathering point for the household.

You can never underestimate the importance of functional kitchens that look good as well. Research conducted by Real Estate companies has shown that kitchens are viewed as one of the most important features by potential purchasers. Therefore, any improvements are likely to add more value to your home.

Remodeling your kitchen is probably one of the biggest and most expensive renovation projects you are likely to undertake. If you’ve never attempted anything like this before, it can be a bit overwhelming. There are now so many new products, materials and appliances it can difficult to know where to start, what to buy, or more importantly what not to buy.

Before you even think about spending, make sure you set a budget and stick to it. A kitchen remodeling project can cost anything from $5,000 to $30,000 and above. When planning your kitchen, make sure you take into account the lifestyle of the household. There is no point in spending thousands on top of the range cooking appliances if you only cook once a fortnight.

It might seem like an extra expense to begin with, but engaging the services of a kitchen designer can definitely pay off in the long run. Kitchen design is a complex business and there are now so many factors to consider when planning kitchens.

A kitchen designer can help to introduce you to new ideas and products that you might not have considered. They can also help save you money by telling you where to go to get the best deals and trades people who will do a good job.

What better way to spend a lazy summer day than sitting on a beautiful garden bench. The humble garden bench can hold a special place in our hearts and our memories. Do you remember sitting with a grandparent, parent or other family member just relaxing and enjoying the view? On the other hand, does your garden bench have a more romantic memory shared with your significant other?

Location, location, location! The location of your bench should be placed some distance from your home, if possible, and within view from your home. The bench will then call out to you to take a walk, sit down, relax, and enjoy the view. A good tip to remember is it is not where the bench looks good, but what looks good when sitting on your bench!

Garden benches come in a variety of colors and materials. The type of bench you choose is a matter of taste, although when selecting your bench, consider practicality as well as being an ornamental garden feature.

Wood benches made from hardwood such as teak, redwood, mahogany, or cedar can stay outside year-round. While these benches are pricey, they are not rot-resistant and will turn a silver gray color when left unattended. These benches need to be washed once a year with mild soap and a bit of bleach. Benches made from pressure-treated wood (as seen on decks) are another option. Painted benches made from wood should remain inside or under cover.

Metal benches options are cast or tubular aluminum, wrought iron. Although wrought iron is nice to behold, it will rust and therefore should be saved for indoor use. Cast aluminum benches are poured into molds and therefore can simulate wood or wrought iron. Aluminum benches can come in all different colors and antique finishes. The paint is baked on for durability and these benches can easily be cleaned with soap and water.

Benches made from carved stone, stone slabs, and cast stone require no maintenance other than an occasional dusting off debris.

Wicker and rattan settees say “garden,” but save them for covered porches or inside. There are All-weather wicker benches, usually made from woven synthetics on an aluminum frame, which can go outside.

Also, do not rule out low-priced plastic or resin benches. They are lightweight and wash up with soap and water, though prolonged exposure to the elements can make them brittle.

For more information about garden benches, visit The Garden Bench Guide and Garden Furniture Info

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