General

A dry stream bed can be an attractive and functional garden asset.  While yard size will dictate its scale, your imagination will determine how the steam can accent your landscape.  If you have a back yard where drainage is a problem after heavy rains, you can design a feature that stops the rain from pooling, and even keeps the mulch on beds from washing away.

Though primarily used to redirect heavy rainfall, adding stepping stones down the centre will also make a lovely winding path through a narrow garden.  Incorporate a bench or a bridge into your design to make the dry stream an even stronger focal point.  It’s also a great way to add variety and interest to your landscape and showcase specimen plants.  You can place selected species along the edges; plants that spread will add softness to its edges.

However you decide to create your dry stream bed, it’s important to make it look as though it naturally belongs in your garden by using curves, varying its width and adding assorted stone sizes.

If you are building your dry stream to control runoff, start by making sure your grade is correct by following your yard’s natural drainage pattern.  The […]

Need a cost effective, environmentally conscious fence or garden room divider?  Build it yourself with pruned twigs and branches from trees and shrubs.

Pound two rows of poles (pressure-treated tree stakes or steel T-bars work well) 60 centimetres into the ground one metre apart, with the rows 45 centimetres apart and parallel to each other.  Then, simply start laying your pruned branches horizontally between the poles, making sure that each branch spans at least two posts in order to hold it in place.  Use primarily deciduous branches if you can, but anything goes.  New branches can be added as the older ones settle, making space for more.

The fence makes a great trellis for annual, perennial or vegetable vines.  They love to weave their stems through the branches, further strengthening and binding the fence together.  Once you get started, you’ll find yourself scoping out your neighbourhood for more branches to feed your fence.  The prunings are transformed from waste into a beautiful, natural and unique addition to any garden.

Turn Your Garden Into A Living Landscape

By making your garden environmentally-friendly, you can help to preserve the beautiful and fascinating natural world around you. Plenty of insects, birds, and other creatures are in danger due to land development and it is becoming a concern to naturalists and amateur nature-lovers alike. By making your garden friendly to wildlife, you will have the deep satisfaction of ‘doing good’ and the added bonus of creating a sanctuary of beauty for you and your family. Whether you are starting from scratch or are intending to adapt an existing garden, you will need to make a plan. A lot will depend on the size of your space, but keep in mind that there are a wide variety of features that will fit nicely into any size garden.

Bountiful Boundaries

Fences and walls provide all sorts of benefits- they allow perches for birds and perfect nooks for butterflies to make their cocoons. You can enhance their attractiveness by clothing them with vines and climbers such as Morning Glory, Cardinal Climber, Sweet Pea, and Baltic Ivy.

Birdbaths

Birdbaths are a perfect ornamental piece to bring all types of birds around your garden, enhancing the atmosphere and becoming a focal point […]