Who doesn’t love to hear the water rushing and flowing through a very pretty orchid garden in a pond? Yes, this does not have to be only a dream. You can make it a reality.

Almost by definition orchids are a tropical plant dependent on the rain for their nutrition and health. They are used to humidity of about 40 - 60%. What better place to have this then in a beautiful orchid garden pond.

I think it the flow of the water that makes this site a very tranquil place. It is wonderful to have a sitting area near the orchid garden pond where you can relax and let the troubles of the day pass by.

Constructing a water garden is fairly easy to do with many sites on the Web where you can get information. There are several points that you should take into consideration before you start your project according to expert Peter Mays at Pond Solutions.
the pond should be in full sun

it should be away from any trees that drop their leaves, especially Willow, Elder, Poplars, Laburnum, Yew and Oak
try to be sure that the garden pond is not exposed to the North winds
avoid water-logged areas
consider the closest water source
also should consider the source of electricity if you plan on having fountains or waterfalls. I urge you to do this.
Consider the safety of children who may fall head first into the pond.

Orchid plants can go into any garden pond but an orchid garden pond is super. If you are living in the South USA they can stay out all year round. In the North USA they would need to come in once the temps start going below 5055 degrees F.

Having higher humidity will normally allow you to water less frequently. If they are in full sun be sure that you have orchids like dendrobiums, cattleyas or oncidiums.

Then all you will need to do is sit back, relax, listen to your orchid garden pond and let you mind drift to some far away place. Wow.

Visit our Orchid Store: http://www.orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com

** This article can be used freely as long as the author and the Orchids-Plus-More.com are identified within the article.

It is great to learn more about orchids at Orchids-Plus-More.com. You will find many articles loaded with information about orchids. Our site also includes the Orchid Store which we hope you enjoy.
Have fun and come back often. Join our free monthly newsletter with more tips and some great photos.
Our RSS URL is:
http://www.orchids-plus-more.com/support-files/orchids-rss.xml

Your choice in kitchen cabinets can affect all the ideas you may have for the new feeling that you have for your kitchen. This allows you to try to understand alternate facets to the usage and life of your kitchen from day to day. In addition, if you have the means to creating a different perspective for yourself about some of the older ideas that had been previously held, this can also be done. There are times when you may want or need the difference to create a more positive outlook from day to day.

If you want to find the best in quality and craftsmanship of kitchen cabinets to incorporate into your kitchen, then perhaps you will need to start to outline the varying facets of what you may see as being a further definition to your ideas on what a kitchen cabinet should be, and yet allow you to utilize the cabinets and space in such a way as to make its’ ease in use a very plausible reality. Making the work and time spent in your kitchen worthwhile, and styling all the time and memories yet to come, into a sentimental journey for you and your family.

When you have a certain perspective on the ideal that a kitchen can be, you must realize that all the time spent in your kitchen can have an impact upon the life of the family there to live in the home, and all to understand what it is to be human and to enjoy our customs.

A kitchen is at times the center of that social setting that a home can become, whether enlivened by your close family or a tight-knit group of friends, and creating a warm environment to allow for the growth of feelings that you may have here.

There are many probable ways to acquire the kitchen cabinets to further accentuate the vision that you may have for that setting, creating an interesting foundation to build an outlet for your particular expressionistic outlet, and there are many who see a kitchen as means to express themselves further when trying to make their home an expression for their personalities.

It is sometimes difficult to foresee any kind of particular idea for your kitchen, and may need guides or professionals to turn to for the necessary advice.

Perhaps a stroll through your local phone directory or even a glimpse through the advertisements or classifieds in your newspaper will provide the information you need, the Internet can also be a useful means to finding what you particularly wish to utilize as far as information and professional advice, and might be a means to finding a professional interior designer if you would rather not commit yourself to this comprehensive task. Unless the layers and difficulties of the challenge further propel you to seek doing it for yourself.

Either way that you choose to start going about looking for your ideal kitchen piece by piece, you must have some understanding behind what you would like to see, and when you think that you have the right means to an end with the whole process then you can begin to progress forward to integrating the kitchen cabinets you would like into your design.

The selection of roses you can grow in your home garden is enormous. With so many to choose from, finding just the right ones may seem more like work than play. To make this process easier, here are a few important factors to help you narrow down your field of choices.

Color

How will the color of your roses affect your garden? For color ideas, look at rose catalogs, at nurseries, and at your neighbors’ gardens.

You should consider the colors of nearby plants and flowers that will be sharing the garden. Will the assortment of colors look good together, or will they clash? For some gardeners, color is a priority; for others, it’s no big deal.

Climate

Choosing the right roses for your particular climate zone is essential. In order for roses to grow healthy and bloom generously, they must be able to adjust to your climate.

If your climate is too hot or too cold, or has the wrong amount of humidity, it could weaken your roses and make them vulnerable to pests and diseases.

Size

The size of the roses you choose is also very important. Consider the height of the rose at full growth. If the rose grows 15 feet tall, will it look unattractive in your garden? Remember, roses vary in size. While some roses may grow up to 8 feet, others can grow as high as 20 feet.

Measure the area of your garden prior to choosing your roses. Compare your width and height measurements with roses you’d like to purchase. Your roses will need plenty of space to grow as well as room for exposure to the air.

If you have only a small amount of space to dedicate to roses, you may want to grow miniature roses. These roses do not take up much space and they are easy to plant and care for.

Maintenance

How much time will you be able to spend maintaining your roses? Are you one of those people who lives to be in the garden, or are you more of a low-maintenance gardener?

There are several types of roses which are very high-maintenance. Although they’ll be dazzling in your garden, they’ll require a lot of your time. The classification known as “Modern Roses” are very stunning, long blooming, and highly fragrant; however, they are very high maintenance and are prone to disease.

The rose classification known as “Old Garden Roses”, on the other hand, have been bred to be very disease-resistant and require less maintenance. “Old Garden Roses” bloom for several months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful scent. The bad news is that people with strong allergies to fragrances will have a terrible time around them. If that could be a problem for you, then consider any of the variety known as “shrub roses”. They are also disease-resistant and long blooming, but produce a mild scent.

If you’re new to gardening and want to try your hand at growing roses, landscape roses may be your best option. These roses are easy to care for and disease-resistant. They’ll look gorgeous just about anywhere. If your garden has trellises, you can add several climbing roses as well. Although climbing roses look very similar to landscape roses, climbing roses have been trained to grow upward like vines. They add a beautiful touch to any home.

Whatever variety you choose, roses will be a wonderful addition to your home.

Visit Ron’s website Grow-Roses-Now to learn more about this popular gardening activity.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer.

Nothing can help freshen up an older home, or help in the sale of a property or inspire your kitchen workspace like a new or remodeled kitchen. Kitchen design is becoming increasingly more important as space is rapidly growing smaller. Designing or remodeling your kitchen can be an incredibly exciting adventure but with it can come a lot of stress, and complication! Although there will always be some element of stress felt through a kitchen renovation it is possible to eliminate much of it with a solid plan. If a kitchen make-over is in your near future you should consider the following and make the best of this otherwise stressful period.

Build a Foundation

During the design process the most important question you can ask yourself is “Why do I want a new kitchen?” Is it because you are looking for more storage space? Is your space not being maximized? Does your cabinetry need to be replaced? Are your appliances in need of change as well? Is your kitchen too dark? Is your space too small or too big? Too Boring? Or simply, too much??!

By asking yourself these important questions you will have a much better idea of what you need to get out of your kitchen space. This information will become the foundation for your kitchen design plan.

Make a wish list

Once you have your “foundation” in place it is important to ask yourself a few more questions. Now that I know what I need, what is it I want? What you would like to have in your kitchen? Give this a lot of thought because design today can incorporate special storage and space savers into the cabinetry design today! Write a list of everything you could not live without. This list will also become a very important guideline for you, your contractor, or designer to follow. Here are a few questions to paint an example for you:

Do you want stainless steel appliances? Granite counter tops? Tiled flooring? Is it heated? Gas or electric? What will your color palette be? What kind of cabinetry will you use? What can I not live without?

Budget

How much can you afford to spend on your kitchen space? This is a big question that can affect the entire project. Kitchen design projects are rarely inexpensive so you must get out and do some pricing on items that are necessary for you to fulfill your foundation and wish list. Beware that if you plan on replacing your cabinetry it will account for more than half of your budget!!
When building your kitchen design budget you also want to include the cost of all labor (electricians, carpenters, gas technicians, plumbers, contractors etc.) and then consider the possibility of hiring a designer.

You must stay within your budget when planning a new kitchen. Account for as much as possible and add on another 20% or more just incase. Unexpected costs arise all the time in kitchen renovations and the best way to overcome it is to create a great budget. Dreaming big is one thing, but placing importance on price and affordability will ensure that you get what you are expecting and save some money for unexpected emergencies.

Time Frame

It is also very important to know when your project needs to be completed. Kitchen projects are notorious for being drawn out. Set realistic goals. The remodeling and new construction industry is booming and this can have a direct affect on your project. Many crew are working on several projects at a time so be sure to communicate your completion date with your contractor and demand a realistic response. Labor is not cheap so the shorter the time frame the higher the cost. It is also helpful to plan for you and your family to prepare meals at an alternate location or account for dining out into your budget. Remember that being inconvenienced at home can also cost you more money at the end of the day.

Designers

Hiring a designer can really help you get onto the right path sooner. These professional consultants can take care of every aspect of the design process like choosing the appropriate layout for you and your home. Coordinating color & lighting that is appropriate. Making sure all your trades and contractors are working in unison and of course ensuring that your dream kitchen becomes a reality. Designers will sit with you and go through a detailed interview process to get the best idea of what you are looking for. Their objective is to design a plan and develop a kitchen that works best for you. Your designer will combine your foundation and wish lists and weigh the pros and cons to balance them against your needs, space limitations and budget. Your designer will put together all the planning, logistical needs and contractors for your project. They can be expensive but many kitchen and bath showrooms will have in house designers working for them. You can set up an appointment or walk in and speak with someone almost immediately. This service helps the supplier get your business and they will do everything for you, from measuring your space to arranging packages for you that suit any budget.

Designers are usually well worth it, but do your research and find a design consultant with a portfolio that really connects with your own personal style.

You can also use your contractor to help you in planning out your workspace or even use a kitchen design software to personally plan out your kitchen space if you think you have what it takes!

Contractors

If you plan to do the design work yourself, make sure you use a professional contractor. There are lots of contractors out there who will undercut prices and offer you promises that are not realistic. Ask to see some portfolio work or for references. Make sure that your contractor is using accredited plumbers and electricians. Be wary of anyone willing to start immediately or who asks for cash upfront? Do not proceed with any payments unless you have an agreement with your contractor and make sure they detail all work on labor and materials. You do not want a poorly installed kitchen and any subsequent repairs will far outweigh the cost of using a professional.

A kitchen renovation can be a very stressful time, but it does not have to be. Stress is no good for anyone, besides getting a new kitchen should be an exciting journey not a nightmare! Enjoy your new kitchen and let the cooking begin!!

Tips for winter care of trees and shrubs

With the garden season drawing to a close, it’s awfully tempting to forget about your plants. But you should continue to water all woody plants - especially newly planted trees and shrubs and all evergreens. Helping your valuable garden trees and shrubs sail through winter starts with thorough watering in the fall.

Water your plants well until the ground freezes, and make sure you water enough through a dry fall. Your plants will need the equivalent of one inch of rain per week. (In a wet fall, you can relax.)

Evergreens and broadleaf evergreens (shrubs such as rhododendron and boxwood) don’t lose their leaves, so they need a good store of moisture going into winter because they continue to transpire (give off water vapor) through the cold months.

Most winter damage to evergreens doesn’t actually come from cold, but from the drying effects of late winter sun and wind. With the soil frozen hard, plant roots can’t take up water to make up for moisture losses from transpiration and, as a result, dehydration can cause browning or burning of foliage.

Winterizing trees and shrubs: To wrap or not to wrap?

When considering winter care of trees and shrubs, don’t go crazy with burlap wrap. It’s extra work and doesn’t look great.

After all, the whole point of evergreens is to give you something green to look at in the winter! Contrary to popular belief, most established evergreens hardy in your region don’t need to be wrapped.

However, as with many things in gardening, there are exceptions. Some evergreens, such as dwarf Alberta spruce, are prone to winter-burn, so they should be covered, as should newly planted evergreens. (New plants haven’t had time grow extensive roots that help them take up enough moisture to prevent excessive water losses.)

To make a windbreak around vulnerable plants, hammer four stakes into the ground and staple on a burlap covering. Never use plastic, or your plants could “cook” on sunny days. (Remember the greenhouse effect?)

More tips for winter care of woody plants:

• If your plants get salt spray from the road,
  burlap may help, but wrap them with a
  double layer, not a single layer. To avoid
  having to cover your evergreens, don’t plant them near a road that gets salted, or plant salt-tolerant species such as junipers.

• Protect broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendron, pieris and laurel from the drying effects of winter sun and wind with an anti-desiccant spray such as Wilt-Pruf, which coats foliage with a protective waxy film. You can also wrap with burlap, if you must.
• To help preserve moisture, cover the root area of evergreens and broadleaf evergreens with a three-inch thick layer of leaf or bark mulch.
• Protect upright evergreen junipers and cedars from breakage due to ice and snow by wrapping branches with heavy string or mesh covers sold for this purpose. Once fastened into place, you’ll hardly see the string or mesh.
• Protect young trees by putting plastic tree guards around the bottom of their trunks to prevent damage from gnawers such as rabbits and mice. Make sure the tree guards go high enough - over the snow line. (Remove them in the spring because it looks better and avoids the problem of the guards trapping moisture against the bark in the summer and attracting insects.)
• If rabbits are a big problem in your area, put chicken wire cages around the plants they find most tasty.
• Prevent rabbit and rodent damage with a repellent spray that you apply on lower trunks, branches and stems. Such products generally have to be reapplied after wet weather.

Yvonne Cunnington is a garden writer and photographer and author of a how-to book for novice gardeners, Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless. For more infomation, visit her website http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/