The factors we have to take into account when starting such a project are the following :

1. The purpose of a Greenhouse

In order to be able to access the other tips you need to know what will you use the greenhouse for, will it be just a space used for starting seeds in late winter to get a jump start on spring planting? Another thing you have to take into account is what types you want to grow so that from this you can find out what size your greenhouse has to have.

2. The size of your Greenhouse

Greenhouse kits come in a variety of styles and sizes. Some are rounded, others are square with pitched roofs, some are shaped like a barn. Most come with coated aluminum frames that resist corrosion and have coverings that are made of twin-walled or triple-walled plastic that allows in filtered light. The coverings generally come in 3.5mm to 8mm. Greenhouse kits made with thicker 5mm to 8mm plastic coverings work particularly well in mountainous area and in areas with heavy snow, extreme cold and strong winds. Greenhouses kits can be as small as 4′ x 6′ or much larger at 8′ x 24′. Greenhouse kits come in two types, freestanding or lean-to’s.

3. The location of your greenhouse

A greenhouse may be placed on the lawn, over bare gravel, on a brick patio, or on a concrete slab. Greenhouse kits generally do not require a fixed concrete slab as a base. It is important to place the greenhouse on a surface with good drainage. A lawn or gravel will provide good drainage.The best location for a greenhouse is on the south or southeast side of the house in a sunny location. The next best location is on the east side, since it will continue to get sunshine in November and December. After these locations, the next best locations are southwest and west. It is not a good idea to place a greenhouse on the north side.

Greenhouses need at least five or six hours of unobstructed light during the winter, so placement under trees is not recommended. Putting a greenhouse under a tree can also create the risk of falling branches or tree limbs that can damage the greenhouse.

One should try to avoid placing the greenhouse where it may be exposed to heavy winds. If a location is generally windy, the greenhouse should be anchored using long stakes in addition to any anchors that may come with the greenhouse kit.

Unity should be one of your main goals in your design. It may be better understood and applied as consistency and repetition. Repetition creates unity by repeating alike elements like plants, plant groups, or decor throughout the landscape. Consistency creates unity in the sense that some or all of the different elements of the landscape fit together to create a whole. Unity can be achieved by the consistency of character of elements in the design. By character, I mean the height, size, texture, color schemes, etc. of different elements.  The principle applies to all other elements such as groups of plants and materials. A simple way to create unity in your landscape is by creating themes.

Simplicity is actually one of the principles in design and art. It’s one of the best guidelines you can follow as a beginner or do it yourselfer. Just keep things simple to begin with. You can do more later. Simplicity in planting, for instance, would be to pick two or three colors and repeat them throughout the garden or landscape. Keeping decor to a minimum and within a specific theme as well as keeping hardscapes such as boulders consistent is also practicing simplicity.

Balance in design is just as the word implies. Equality. There are basically two types of balance in landscape design. Symmetrical and Asymmetrical. Symmetrical balance is where there are more or less equally spaced matching elements of the garden design. With a garden equally divided, both sides could share the same shape, form, plant height, plant groupings, colors, bed shapes, theme, etc. You may remember creating something like this when you were a kid in art class at school. Where you take a piece of paper, splash paint on it, fold it in half, unfold it, and then it magically creates an interesting symmetrical design. So symmetrical balance or design is somewhat of a mirror image or reflection. Asymmetrical balance on the other hand is one of the principles of landscape design that’s a little more complex. While textures, forms, colors, etc. may remain constant to create some unity, shapes and hardscapes may be more random. This form of balance often has separate or different themes with each having an equal but different type of attraction.

Color adds the dimension of real life and interest to the landscape. Bright colors like reds, yellows and oranges seem to advance toward you and can actually make an object seem closer to you. Cool colors like greens, blues, and pastels seem to move away from you and can make an object seem farther from you. Grays, blacks, and whites are considered neutral colors and are best used in the background with bright colors in the foreground. However, to increase depth in a landscape, you can use dark and coarse textured plants in the foreground and use fine textured and light colored plants in the background.

Natural transition can be applied to avoid radical or abrupt changes in your landscape design. Transition is basically gradual change. It can best be illustrated in terms of plant height or color but can also be applied to all elements in the landscape including but not limited to textures, foliage shape or size, and the size and shape of different elements. In other words transition can be achieved by the gradual, ascending or descending, arrangement of different elements with varying textures, forms, colors, or sizes.

Line is of the more structural principles of landscape design. It can mostly be related to the way beds, walkways, and entryways move and flow. Straight lines are forceful and direct while curvy lines have a more natural, gentle, flowing effect.

Proportion simply refers to the size of elements in relation to each other. Of all the principles of landscape design, this one is quite obvious but still requires a little thought and planning. Most of the elements in landscape design can be intentionally planned to meet the proper proportions. For instance if you are creating a small courtyard garden, an enormous seven foot garden statue placed in the center would be way out of proportion and a little tacky to say the least. Or a small four foot waterfall and pond placed in the center of a large open yard would get lost in the expanse.  Proportion is relative and elements can be scaled to fit by creating different rooms in the garden. The goal is to create a pleasing relationship among the three dimensions of length, breadth, and depth or height.

Repetition is directly related to unity. Its good to have a variety of elements and forms in the garden but repeating these elements gives variety expression. Unity is achieved by repeating objects or elements that are alike. Too many unrelated objects can make the garden look cluttered and unplanned. There’s a fine line here. It’s possible that too much of one element can make a garden or landscape feel uninteresting, boring and monotonous.

Understand how much space each of the plants need. There are some plants that require more room for their root systems than others. If you choose one plant that tends to grow everywhere, and you do not have adequate space, you will find that your other plants may be crowded out or that they may choke and die. Also, make sure you understand the spacing requirements for between plants. Many shrubs and small trees need to be planted at least three to four feet apart to have enough room to grow.

Use native plants in your landscape design. One of the most effective things you can do to ensure a good-looking yard is to make use of native plants. Find out what plants grow best in your area, and what plants are indigenous to the region. This way you will already be ahead, in that you know that the plants you choose are adapted to the climate. You will not have to struggle against natural inclinations to keep your landscape looking beautiful. If you due use non-native plants, assure yourself that they come from a place that shares a climate similar to the one in which you live.

Plan your landscape around different blooming times. Different plants bloom at various times throughout the year. If all of the plants in your landscape are at their most attractive all at the same time, then your yard will look beautiful for a few weeks each year, but quite possible ugly the rest of the year. One way to help avoid this is to choose attractive bushes and shrubs that look good green, but also have some sort flower. However, it is a good idea to stagger plants among each other. Plant tulips and crocus among later-blooming plants so that in early spring the bulbs bloom, and then when those flowers’ time is up, the next plants will be in bloom. In this way the cycle of your landscape is in keeping with the seasons, and looks attractive all year round.

Use wood chips around shrubs, bushes and trees. Wood chips can help the ground around shrubs, bushes, and trees look more attractive. Not only do the chips cover the ground (often looking better than dirt), but they also help keep in moisture, repel weeds, and provide natural food as they break down. Likewise, attractive groundcover like chicks and hens placed around trees and shrubs can make the area more interesting and pleasing to the eye.

The first thing to do when starting your rock garden is to carefully look over the proposed site for your garden. You should clear the area of unwanted plants, such as spindly grass varieties and diseased trees and plants. Be sure to dig out the roots as well as the tops, or you may find your rock garden invaded at some later time by an unwanted fern or intrusive perennials.

If you plan to do some planting, make sure you test the soil to determine its level of acidity and its general pH. It is a good idea, even after you have placed your rocks and mapped out where you want to put any plants, to wait a full growing season before you attempt to plant in your rock garden. This will ensure that the soil has settled, and it will give you a chance to make sure that you have got rid of any pesky weeds by hoeing them out, root and all, as soon as they make their appearances above the ground. It is also desirable to mix in such soil enhancements as mulch, compost, and other compounds. If you plan to use plants that like soils with alkali, you should mix in crushed oyster shells or limestone.

After you have improved the soil, then it is time to place your rocks. It is important for aesthetic purposes not to evenly space your rocks, or to choose rocks of the same size and shape. A little variety in the types of rocks used is as desirable as a little variety of plants chosen to place in a more conventional garden. If you wish to have a great deal of plants, then your rocks should be spaced further apart to give more room for the vegetation. If, however, you plan to use plants only sparingly, arrange them closer together, but make sure that you allow some room for plants to grow. Try to make the design look as natural as possible, as it will be more attractive.

When placing the rocks in a garden that is sloped, it is best to start at the low parts of slopes and work up. Try to slope the top of the rock back toward the slope so that water from rain and sprinklers is guided downward. Additionally, try to keep outcroppings from overshadowing rocks and plants below. The goal is to create a feeling of stability. Set each rock so that its widest side serves a base. You can also set a larger rock on top of smaller rocks and then fill in the cracks with soil.

If you are placing the rocks on flat ground, work from the inside toward the outer edges of the garden. If you are planning a circular garden, or a rock garden in some other shape that is surrounded by other landscape features, this can be tricky. Therefore, it is a good idea to mark out which rocks you would like on a map so that you can ensure their proper placement in the garden. It may be necessary, on a flat site, to build up small mounds of dirt in different places to give the rock garden an interesting appearance.

If you plan to use plants in your garden, you should be careful to plant them after everything else is in place, and after you have a chance to make sure the soil is properly settled. Early spring or early autumn are the best times to do any planting, including planting in rock gardens. Make sure you choose plants that are suited for rugged terrain and adapted to your climate. Then, plant them in the spaces you have designated. The end result should be a beautiful garden that requires little upkeep.

Do you want to see your walls beginning to come alive with greenery?

Getting your home to smell and look fresh is a really tiresome task?

That means that you didn’t find out about handy innovations like the Vertical Living Walls, designed by Giulio Sbarigia, which will certainly make  all of the above possible by bringing the freshness of a garden in your home.

Designed to purify and cleanse the air inside closed spaces naturally, the wall-mounted planters can easily house air-cleansing greens such as Edera, Ficus, Vaudosie and Nephrolepsis. Retractable wheels make moving the planters almost effortless while water vaporizers and an in-built LED backlight help create a calm and relaxed ambiance inside your home.

The water vaporizers in the Vertical Living Walls help recycle the air inside homes more naturally and without any of the side effects that chemical based air purifiers may have. And since the design is created to be mounted on the wall, it takes up less floor space, while adding to the décor beautifully.

The design exists for the time being only as a concept though the sheer appeal of the innovation warrant that it should be commercially produced in the future. As a costumer i can’t wait to see it into stores and be able to purchase it.

Fletcher & Myburgh

Both artists have been led by their desire for a natural and organic lifestyle and by choosing precious recycled metals they’ve achieved a just this. By drawing inspiration from the terrains in which they both grew up, rolling hills and curving lanes, heat and sunshine, the passion for form is evident. The result is uber chic pieces of copper and fire that work with all the elements, come rain or shine.

Fletcher & Myburgh’s magical mood swings draw their inspiration from nature and the world of fantasy and wonderment.

The Fletcher & Myburgh Swing Collection contains seven awesome types of swings as it follows:

Jasmin Swing

The classic Jasmin swing is the most delicate of Fletcher and Myburgh’s mystical swings. Its twisted curls of wrought iron create a blissful hanging retreat that let’s you just go with the flow. The best thing about this swing is that although it looks delicate it can carry more than one, so pile in, share abedtime story, escape or just float.

Imagine being able to climb into a tree and become a part of it. Twist yourself in scents of Jasmin and just float for a while? Sounds good doesn’t it? Well imagine no longer. The classic Jasmin swing is the most delicate of Fletcher and Myburgh’s mystical swings. Its twisted curls of wrought iron create a blissful hanging retreat that let’s you just go with the flow. Climb into the wicker basket, curl up in the Indian Silk cushions and swing magically in the breeze. No oak tree in town? Don’t worry as the Jasmin weighs in at just 45kg, a small apple tree is perfect too. If you’ve fallen in love with the Jasmin but have no trees or outside space, fear not…it’s also possible to buy a stand, alternatively wall brackets, beams and conservatory roofs are frequently used.

Bubble Swing

The Bubbles swing is the ultimate tree accessory for anyone wishing to float away in the privacy of his or her own garden. One of the more recent designs, it fuses a modern eclectic circular design with delicate stainless steel metal work. Can you imagine clambering into your own private bauble? Imagine no longer as here it is and after a very rock and roll journey too! Have you ever just wanted to run off and hide in your own bubble, escape from the rat race and return to a childlike freedom in a, well, grown up way? Well you can and all with a very stylish and ephemeral twist!

The Bubbles swing is the ultimate tree accessory for anyone wishing to float away in the privacy of their own garden! These swings not only form a permanent art fixture in your garden but are also the ultimate rock and roll party accessory.

Mypod Swing

The most adventurous creation to date this swing is not only an architectural triumph but also a visionary
masterpiece. Sitting in this piece gives you a feeling of utter escape both in movement and sound. The newest member of the mood family its ridges of pure golden copper encircle you and you’ll find the swing magically turning itself into an acoustic cocoon.

In ridges of pure golden copper that encircle you, the swing turns itself into an acoustic cocoon. Not only is it an architectural and visionary masterpiece it also gives you the sense of utter escape both in movement and sound. When you climb into this swing and sink into the bed of cushions inside you enter a world that totally envelopes you…a throwback to the moment you feel the sensation of hearing your favourite song, smell a childhood memory or escape in your head to a tropical beach.

Ostara Swing

Suspended from either a tree or the circular stand, the Ostara swing is the ultimate swing for two. Nestled inside you can escape the elements and really curl up in its beaten copper walls. The two tone effect looks stunning as an art piece but even better with company – a seductive copper cocoon, which lets you go with the flow.

Suspended from either a tree or the circular stand, the Ostara swing is the ultimate swing for two. Nestled inside you can escape the elements and really curl up in its beaten copper walls. The two-tone effect looks stunning as an art piece but even better with company – a seductive copper cocoon, which lets you go with the flow.

Moon Swing

With its gorgeous full and half moon feel, detailed copper lining and blissful comfort this piece provides total escape, a quiet place to rest away from everyday life. Hang it beneath the bows of a huge tree at the bottom of a garden, amongst the woods or in an open space from one of the specially made frames.

Pumpkin Swing

The pumpkin swing allows you to climb in and sit within its gorgeous copper ridges ensuring the perfect hidey-hole feel. A wonderful enclosed space has been created in its walls and with extras like a 12-volt light, shaped windows and a secret music box at your fingertips – it really is the smashing pumpkin of the swing world. What’s more, you don’t have to keep it to yourself…

These awesome Swing could be the perfect choice for your garden or any of your outdoor space. Swings are perfect for both children and grown ups so don’t worry if you are an adult and sometimes feel the need to swing, swing.. SWING!

In 1986 Peter had the idea of growing a chair. Nine years later Peter and Becky became partners. Pooktre was born. Together they have mastered the art they call Pooktre, which is the shaping of trees as they grow in predetermined designs. Some are intended for harvest to be high quality indoor furniture and others will remain living art. And this is how a beautiful story started…

Pooktre is the art of gently shaping trees as they grow. The designing and setting up is fundamental to the success of the piece. The growing of the idea is the magic of time bringing the piece to fruition. The tree’s growth is guided onto predetermined design pathways. This is a very gentle but time consuming way of shaping.

The tree species that they have used the most is wild plum (Prunus myrobalan). They have been trailing Black Cheery (Prunus Serotina) and they are happy with the process so far. The type of tree is not the reason for the even and balanced growth however – it’s the method of shaping the trees that results in even or uneven growth. They guild out tree’s growth onto predetermined design pathways. They “evolved their techniques of shaping trees in complete isolation from the rest of the world”. With their techniques they know what will or won’t work and they can reproduce any of their pieces.

About a year ago they decided to write a book about their process Knowledge to grow shaped trees. This book consists mainly of photos with explanation text. It goes through how to choose a tree type to the finished piece. They are “flat out trying to finish the book and they plan to release it as a printed book and then an ebook”.

Peter and Becky have two different styles of art. One is the trees that are to remain alive and the other is the trees the are to be harvested so that they can be enjoyed indoors. The shaping of the tree takes place in the first few years, depending on the length of the piece as to the time needed. Once the shaping is finished most people don’t see the tree/trees and will walk right pass the young trees. The trees need to mature in girth before people notice them. A grown neck piece takes about 1 year from seedling to be ready to be worn. Other pieces have taken 8 or 10 years before they mature enough be photographed. The people trees are one example. Most of our pieces take 8 to 10 years as we like to do the bigger projects. Their photos have the date of planting marked on them for the living pieces. The harvested pieces have the date of planting and harvest marked on them.

As they have two types of art, the moving process is different for each type. For the living pieces they grow, when the piece reaches the perfect moment they transplant it to the new owner as in for the harvested one, they just cut it off and transport it.

Their work has only been shown once, at the World Expo 2005 in Japan. After that, they have been told that the effect of their trees on the bonsai community has been profound. The producer of the Growing Village John Gathright said that they have the most refined pieces in the world, and that they rarer that the finest jewels.

A word from the artists who create Pooktre: “Most people seem to think tree shaping takes too long. That’s not how it should be viewed, rather think of it like this: the time you spend shaping a tree is captured by the tree, then amplified. Twenty, thirty, fifty or maybe a few hundred years from now people will be able it see a tree shaping that you did today. Whether or not you chose to shape a tree, the time passes.”

The system let you know if you have over watered the plant and automatically drains the excess water. The pot also has a USB connection using which you can record the moods of your plant, plus it also recharges the batteries for the system.

The smiley faces make you have the sensation that your plant is now your friend, The Digital Pot helps the plant to comunicate it’s needs.

Add a new dimension to your garden with Ecocube.

How does your garden grow? Simple – with ecocube.

Perfect for those with limited outdoor space, ecocube is a contemporary garden space made from sustainable cedar wood and bespoke to your garden. Relax, entertain, and give your garden space to grow with ecocube.

Create your ecocube in 3 easy steps

1. Pick a suitable space in your garden, then choose the right ecocube frame size to fit.

2. Select the position and number of screens to blend in with your garden. How you position your screens is very important – it can help you create a sense of depth and space or privacy and enclosure. But if you’re not sure, don’t worry, we’ll help you.

3. Finally, decide how many planter boxes you think you’ll need and whether you’d like a roller canopy. Each planter is 1m in length giving you generous space so you can grow your garden upwards rather than outwards.

A typical ecocube costs in the region of £8,000+VAT ex delivery.

]]> http://www.designshell.com/articles/gardening/get-a-bigger-garden-with-ecocube.html/feed 0 http://www.designshell.com/articles/gardening/jurassic-coast-garden.html http://www.designshell.com/articles/gardening/jurassic-coast-garden.html#comments Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:23:55 +0000 admin http://www.designshell.com/?p=271

Did you ever think how it would be if you could rebuild a corner of nature which existed millions of years ago? This is the idea from which Nick Williams-Ellis started. He realized in 2006 a garden with which he participated at the design contest Chelsea Flower Show and won the silver medal. Important is not only the original idea but also the fact that he wanted to bring in the attention of the public the necessity to conservate zones and species of natural importance.

As well as using exotic plant material transported from the Sub Tropical Gardens at Abbotsbury, stone and fossil remains from the Purbeck quarries will also feature within this garden and will hint at the incredible environment that once characterised these shores some 150 million years ago.

The Jurassic Coast Garden has as its background a wild garden of sub-tropical vegetation scrambling over a rocky landscape. This represents its prehistoric past when this area was densely covered by tropical vegetation of giant cypress and monkey puzzle trees, cycads and lush ferns. In the foreground this wildness is tamed into a much more designed and man-made setting with close mown grass and cultivated beds, such as can be found at Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens today.

The design of the garden takes the ammonite as its key motif. The line of the path and the seat around the tree reflect this spiral shape. The oak seat will be finely detailed on the leading edge to reflect the distinctive ribbing of an ammonite. The path will be of specially cut, pale grey Purbeck stone and contrasting Lyme Bay pebbles, suggesting the appearance of a sliced ammonite, but unwinding into a more broken, spine-like path that leads to the rough scree garden at the back.

Water is an important element in the design. In the garden, water will cascade into a naturalistic pool and then run along a shallow stream bed, laid with ripple-surfaced Purbeck stone from prehistoric waterways. As the water nears the front of the garden it will be canalised between cut stone. In addition, a discreet trackway of dinosaur footprints, specially loaned from the quarry where they were found will weave through the garden from front to back as a reminder of our connection with the distant past.

The planting will be the dominant feature of the garden. This, too, will reflect the transition from wildness to cultivation, from the prehistoric to the modern plant. Some plants – such as ginkgo and ferns – with prehistoric origins, will populate the back of the garden, while the foreground will contain more modern and floriferous hybrids. The planting will demonstrate the unusual range of sub-tropical and half-hardy material, much of it having dramatic foliage and texture, which is successfully grown at Abbotsbury today.

This is Nick Williams-Ellis’ first time at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Nick set up his own garden design business after moving to West Dorset 11 years ago and counts himself as incredibly fortunate to be doing a job that gives him so much pleasure.