Gardens of Rest

Herb Garden Design need not be something which is for your entire garden it may be an addition to your existing garden or just some pots and containers placed in strategic positions.When looking at the design my first consideration is always to ask why and what am I doing this for. Simple question but necessary as we often forget why we are thinking Herb Garden Design. Most of us will be looking at our garden and thinking we could put some helps in there, but think what do we want to use them for? What herbs do we use in our cooking and will we get some benefit from growing them here.No point using up our garden space on a Herb Garden if we are not going to use the herbs, I do realise that a herb garden can in itself look quite stunning and also have some magnificent flowers .. more»

If we cherish the belief that a garden design must be a place of restfulness as well as a place of visual beauty, then water must surely be the essential ingre?dient. Of all nature's elements, water is the one that brings a feeling of peace to the landscape. It plays on all the senses- sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste- and offers a cornucopia of design possi?bilities in gardens of all sizes and styles.On a grand scale, imagine a country garden design complete with a lake edged by gently sloping banks, a meandering stream spanned by a Monet-style bridge; on a minimal scale, think of a Japanese water fountain with a stone water bowl providing a cool resting place for native birds.Our Past Heritage of Water Garden Design The role of water in garden design has a long and illustrious history, both in the East and in Western gardens. During .. more»

Through the use of an effective vegetable garden design scheme you will have a vegetable plot to supply most, if not all of your vegetable needs through out the year.What a lot of people getting involved in the vegetable gardening field don't know is that you have to work at it all year round. You may only be harvesting crops in spring, summer and fall but you will be out in the late fall and through out the winter preparing it for the coming year.Through the utilisation of proper vegetable garden design you will have chores to do all year long and this is turn will reward you hopefully with a bumper crop year on year. Some of the chores that have to be attended to in the late fall / early winter are-Dig the ground to get hard lumps to the surface - the frost will break it down .. more»

Materials, accessories, and, of course, appropriate plant life are all important aspects of a romantic cottage style garden design that brings elegance and beauty to your outdoor space, as well as your home. Natural, twisting walkways, edged with flourishing plants and shaded by majestic trees, thriving lawns for relaxing and playing, and traditional county cottage style accessories create a simple outdoor living area full of beauty that complements your home.Building English Garden PathsSecluded walkways with graceful curves and abundant, free-flowing plant life are the foundation to creating a genuine English landscape design. Garden paths meander through the landscape, allowing peaceful enjoyment of nature's pleasures. The materials used to build the walkways are the key to a romantic, English atmosphere.These materials and design tips are perfect for your English garden style outdoor living area: Natural materials, like gravel and bark, make beautiful paths with a simplistic look. These materials are .. more»

Herbs can be grown anywhere you like but a having a herb garden design makes it more appealing. If you are a beginner herb grower, you might have some questions about the space required and the suitable herbs to plant. Don't make the mistake of disregarding your design plans altogether because you are confused of the many things you read about designing a herb garden. To make things simpler for you, I would like to share some effective tips on herb garden design:1. Where do you want to grow your herbs? - You can choose a sunny spot preferably near the kitchen. This way, things will be a lot simpler for you. For example, you can water and maintain your garden while you cook. If your problem is limited space, you can choose to grow your herbs in a box. Your garden can be anything you want it to be - .. more»

Nothing is more enjoyable than sitting around a camp fire with family and friends; the conversations, the laughs, the guitar sing-alongs and of course the marshmallows. Why not bring the county into the city with a backyard fire pit.I've had a fire pit at every house since I was kid. I remember the 1st one my father made out of old furnace parts. The fire was on top of a cast iron piece that we could then easily shovel out the ashes from below (my father wasted nothing!)The first thing you will need to decide when choosing a fire pit is whether you want a portable or permanent one. Portable ones include the popular Chiminea. Chimineas can be made out of cast iron, clay, aluminum and copper to list a few.Another type of portable looks basically like a big bowl made out of many of the same materials as the .. more»