Green Education: Organic Gardening

When making design decisions regarding an outdoor space like a yard or garden, many people don't stop to consider how to make a yard childproof and family friendly Images of elaborate flowerbeds and well manicured lawns are a more likely to come to mind than swing sets and security gates

There is nothing quite like a landscaping project to enliven a space and make the whole home look and feel like new While it could take an entire summer to complete, such a project can do wonders for the value of the home, and even raise the values of adjacent homes, as well as make for a more attractive living space for the people already there

Many gardeners want to get started from the earliest stage of the process This involves planting flowers and vegetables from seeds

For many, feeding the birds on a warm summer's day in the garden invokes incomparable feelings of tranquillity and delight Providing these captivating and wondrous little creatures with food brings them close enough for you to marvel at their charming behaviour and often-magnificent colours, and not only gives you a sense of goodwill, but also acts as an ideal way of motivating children about wildlife

Wooden fencing has several clear advantages over other types of fencing material - it is versatile, relatively inexpensive and can be either painted or left in an unfinished state Not surprisingly, wood has become one of the most popular fencing materials around today and there are several different types of wood that you can choose from, although cedar, known for its aroma, appearance and strength, is one of the most popular woods for fencing and other uses

Installing a new edging instantly tidies up the periphery of a border and makes you feel good about your garden Some edging designs have a rigid, formal appearance, while others are more relaxed and informal

Gardens comprise a medley of plants, from herbaceous perennials to shrubs, trees, annuals, biennials, bulbs, ferns and grasses They look good on their own, but when planted in attractive groups they are even better

Informal raised beds are ideal for bringing 'height' to a garden, where they create attractive focal points as well as enabling plants to be grown at waist-height so that they can be easily seen and tended Once again, they can be surprisingly quick, easy and economical to construct, and they will repay the initial effort with many years of eye-catching service, if planted up and regularly maintained

People hoping to grow a lush, beautiful lawn often face many challenges in the form of less-than-perfect soil conditions, inadequate sunlight or water, or even possible damage from pet wastes The search for the best type of grass to meet these challenges can lead to real frustration

A handsome lawn acts as an attractive foil for flowering and foliage plants and is usually the first feature to be noticed on entering a garden However, it is often the most abused of all garden features, having to survive the full force of the weather and the ravages of dogs and children

With the opportunity to create a wide range of colors each year, it is difficult to understand why flower borders formed of hardy annuals are not more popular It is true that these beds involve quite a lot of work, in relative terms, but this pales into insignificance when you see the superb results and gain the opportunity each year to experiment with new varieties and their positions within a border

Shrubs in tubs look good anywhere in the garden - and can help keep people off cobbled areas, as in this case - but they need careful protection in the winter months Tidying up hedges Shaping hedges: In areas where heavy snow falls are an annual occurrence, trim the tops of hedges with a slight slope so that snow has a better chance of falling off

Herbs are some of the oldest cultivated plants, and include annuals, biennials, herbaceous perennials and evergreen shrubs Some herbs are grown for their leaves, which are used to flavour a wide range of dishes, while others have seeds that introduce rich, spicy flavours to food and drinks

If you and your children like to garden, the beginning of the year is ideal for getting ready for the approaching planting time As you all browse through garden and seed catalogs, it is exciting to decide which types of flowers, fruits and veggies you want to enjoy once the garden season begins

Biochar is a product that some have heard of, others have not However, the buzz over biochar is growing daily