“There is a corner of the garden that is forever unloved,” says Guy Henderson, echoing Rupert Brooke and betraying his roots as an English teacher. And when Henderson decided the time was right to quit teaching and start his own educational software company, it was towards that unloved corner (“full of rusty old bikes and slimy breezeblocks”) that he looked to solve the problem of a dedicated home office space.
Trying to avoid overheads, Henderson needed to make an office space in the family home but, with four teenagers creating a never-ending whirl of activity around him, the question was: ‘Where?’
Henderson gave serious thought to a loft conversion but the thought of builders, dust and debris littering the house for months, along with the expense, meant he became one of a growing number of people who started looking into offices in the garden. Henderson contacted one of the specialist installers of this latest trend in urban living. A fortnight later, he had his own dedicated office in that ‘unloved corner’: lined, insulated, double-glazed and spacious. His office, which Henderson says has “changed [his] life,” also boasts a shower room, enabling it to double as a guest bedroom.
The dank old sheds we remember from our childhoods bear no relation to the garden rooms of today. Able to be used all-year-round, they are an elegant solution to the need for extra space that are said to add up to 20% to the value of your property. Crucially too, from the point of view of the homeworker, they are away from the main body of the house, offering a measure of peace and seclusion.
Garden rooms can be bought off-the-peg or designed to order and unlike a loft conversion are not constrained by the dimensions of the house. Popular as offices, they can also be turned into a therapy room, games room, gyms, home cinema, kids’ play room or simply a luxury summer house cum dining room where you can entertain guests in a natural setting.
For Henderson, the transformation of that unloved corner has not only given him the “perfect working space” but also improved the whole look of the garden. The installation company, Bakers’ Timber, came back at his behest to do landscaping work, creating an integrated patio/barbecue area which has ensured the unloved corner is now the “most used part” of the house.
To not only make your house more flexible when it comes to working from home, you’ll be amazed what building in your garden can do for you and your family. The opportunities for your new room are endless; it can be your den, hobby room, your own gym, a spare room for guests … take your pick!
Filed under Organic Gardening by on May 19th, 2012. Comment. 
A landscaping project is commonly thought of incomplete without an excellent swimming pool unless the area accessible is limited. It has the possible to include majesty and aura to your prized possession. A pool can be a source of fun and delight to your loved ones in summer. The swimming pool can host a remarkable ceremony or other events like family reunions or even the more informal get togethers.
One ought to get numerous pool landscaping ideas prior to literally designing their amazing swimming pool for their property. There are three significant factors which should be taken into consideration while including a swimming pool into your landscape designs.
Shade
Personal privacy
Physical appeal
While designing your dream swimming pool you ought to include some kind of shade in order to get the defense from the merciless sunlight once you are out of the swimming pool. One can put cottages or huge umbrellas. One can also plant trees as they will certainly also be a source of shade once they grow up. The next important thing is to maintain personal privacy. One can encompass the swimming pool area with bushes and trees. They will certainly offer you personal privacy from the prying community eyes. You and your family can appreciate without having to worry about someone meddling. Last but not the least physical appeal can never ever be neglected. A water body simply includes in the magnificence of the landscape. Including colourful flowers softens the concrete look as well as breathes in life to the whole landscape.
Some other landscape designs principles to consider:
Pool type: One can construct either a vinyl or a concrete swimming pool. Vinyl swimming pools are significantly more affordable than concrete ones but the concrete swimming pools are a bit more functional. One can select from an extensive range of semi in-ground pools according to taste or requirement. The concrete ones are more glamorous and have a broad range of colors while the vinyl swimming pools being cost-effective have certainly regulated possibilities.
Decks and patio areas: Such attributes are incredible swimming pool landscape designs principles. One can place them near to the swimming pool as one can relax by locateding beside the swimming pool. Decks and patios can be put by making use of varied kind of pavers like natural gemstones and bricks that may surely include aura to the swimming pool.
Landscaping rocks: Add a natural and pastoral appeal to your prized swimming pool with the help of rocks and boulders of different sizes and forms. Producing a natural looking rock development near the swimming pool can include appeal to the whole look.
All the above ideas are merely couple of what you can think of while involving in your very own landscape designs project. It is extremely suggested that one ought to pursue help from a knowledgeable professional or from a certified landscape architect as this will certainly be really helpful and user-friendly throughout your swimming pool landscape designs project.
Filed under Organic Gardening by on May 18th, 2012. Comment.
Patio ideas that include a patio enclosure is an excellent idea especially for multi-story dwellings and residences.
With an outdoor patio enclosure your are essentially adding an extra room to the house. For example, a screened in patio enclosure allows you a space to enjoy the fresh outdoor air with the protection from mosquitoes and other insects.
The enclosed patio space is a great place for a ping-pong table. It is also a secluded and comfortable space for reading in the fresh air. Being enclosed and protected from the elements a patio ceiling fan could be added for additional comfort.
Most patio enclosures are not only screens but glass could be used also. This would create a wonderful sun room. In the winter months, with the sun shining through the glass, the solar energy could make this space the warmest area in the home without using any electrical or gas energy.
Outdoor patio enclosures are a cost effective way of adding a room to the home. In most cases, the foundation for this room would already be there if there was an existing cement patio floor. There may also be a patio roof already in place requiring the addition of just a few studs with screen or glass in between.
However, there are outdoor patio enclosures that can function as both without a lot of headache. With large, opening windows that can be closed in bad weather and opened during the summer, they can have the best of both worlds.
Homeowners who want the look and feel of an outdoor patio may choose open wall outdoor patio enclosures design that provides overhead protection only, leaving three sides of the patio open to the elements, having no plans, or desire to use it during the dead of winter.
Does Your Family Need Another Room?
Outdoor patio enclosures are much more than just room additions. They provide a sanctuary for you and your family. The combination of natural light and comfort ensures that this new room will be the most used room in your home. Sunrooms are significantly more cost effective, easier to install, and cause less mess than construction of ordinary room additions; not to mention take much less time to construct. You’ll save money on heating and cooling costs and get to enjoy outdoor living indoors all year long in your spectacular Four Seasons Sunroom.
These outdoor rooms are significantly more cost effective and easier to install, and cause less mess than construction of ordinary room additions. This type of room addition also takes much less time to construct. Again, you’ll save money on heating and cooling costs and get to enjoy outdoor living indoors all year long.
Be sure to consider the addition of electrical and plumbing in your outdoor patio enclosures. Your existing patio may already have outlets for an electrical source. Get advice from an electrician or plumber if doing it yourself.
Filed under Organic Gardening by on May 17th, 2012. Comment.
Are you thinking about enhancing the look of your garden shed? If you are then you must think of ways to take some action by considering every part of it including its overall appeal against your garden. Typically, many people observe there are narrow areas fronting their own garden sheds. In order to landscape the front spaces in garden sheds, owners can consider doing these.
• Take a measurement in the front portion of the shed where the narrow area is especially found then transfers it to your quarter inch graph paper. Find the direction in the sun in your plan then observe how much sunlight that the area receives in a day. If the space is entirely shaded then it can be hard to grow plants in it. Instead, you can opt to put a sculpture or other ornament to boost the look of the spot.
• Make a sketch in the wall spaces above your narrow planting bed. If you have a huge wall expanse then you can take into account applying a trellis and growing a flower or plant that blooms above the trellis.
• Another option is always to put many huge box pots on either side in the shed door. Make a sketch of your design to see how it appears prior to gathering the necessary materials. Evidently, containers are a good option for slender spaces. Position them consistent with height wherein smaller pots are to the front while taller ones are at the back. Meanwhile, it is also smart to add objects such for a vintage garden tools or furniture on the reason for elevating pots at various heights. Planting vertically is ways to fill up the breathing space appropriately.
• Find ways to stay ornamental solar lights on the path fronting the outdoor shed or garden sheds applying shepherds hooks, lights and hanging flowering plants. Generate a pathway to the shed. Arrange strongly contrasting tiny stones in patterns such as a mosaic to frame your shed then put the border using a standing metal arbor bordering the shed door to make it appear inviting.
• Choose and sketch definite or metal exterior sculptures for narrow spaces where plants will not grow then combine your sculptures with rocks, dyed glass mulch, pebbles and bundles of bamboo among others. Contemplate about kinetic sculptures that transfer to the breeze in bringing the look up.
• Select a favorite surroundings options among your sketches then realize your design at the shed. Having a plan it makes it easier to find pots, objects, arbors, lights and sculptures among others for a lively surroundings.
Filed under Organic Gardening by on May 16th, 2012. Comment.
The folks in the Southwest part of our country get to enjoy the beauty and ease of gardening with desert landscaping plants. They need little water, are hardy and also easy to transplant. They come in many interesting types, some with beautiful blossoms and others with unique shapes.
In addition to using plants for landscaping ideas, which might include yucca, various types of cacti, and so on, you will also find that desert gardens can be used in vegetable garden plans. For instance, fruits and vegetables usually grow exceptionally well in dry climates although you would need to make sure they get adequate watering.
While creating a look using desert landscaping plants, you might find that you have some areas of the property or perhaps a side of the home with lots of shade. Obviously, this would require you to use landscape shade plants, those that will handle the hot and dry climate but also do well growing in shade. Again, the possibilities are tremendous, giving you great coverage and beautiful blooms during the year.
Regarding some of the desert landscaping plants and landscape shade plants, we wanted to provide you with some excellent options that you might consider. Those listed below are just a few samples of the hundreds of possibilities.
Agave Americana: The interesting form and the plant’s high tolerance to heat, drought, cold, sun, and even poor soils makes this an ideal all-around plant. The Agave Americana will grow anywhere from one to six feet tall, developing into unique styles of leafs and beautiful colors.
Desert Spoon: This particular plant does best in arid climates and was at one time, used for fiber and food by Native Americans. The plant will grow between five and eight feet high and depending on the exact species, some will produce a bloom topped with red, long plumes that complement the gray green foliage.
The Agave or “century plant,” so named due to the flower stalk that is said to only bloom every one hundred years. In reality, the flower stalk appears at the end of its life, which can be as long as twenty to thirty five years. It has been used for ropes with the fiber, some for tequila, and baked and eaten.
Using Landscape Shade Plants in your Desert Garden
Astilbes: These plants have wonderful, plume like flowers of red, pink, and white that will bloom for a long time. As a perennial, the flower will grow back year after year while growing perfectly in a shaded area.
The hosta plant is another great shade plant. The large variety available range from some with variegated leaves, solid green, gold or bluish green. They are perennials, returning each year larger than the last.
Liriope Spicata: Another excellent shade plant, this one appears like grass, which is why it is more often referred to as border grass. The flowers are spiked in shape and while in bloom the color changes from white to purple then in the fall, a dark berry grows.
Foxglove: Known more commonly as day lilies, these plants grow extremely well in shade and sun, producing long stems that grow exotic looking flowers of varying colors depending on the species but keep in mind, Foxglove is poisonous so you want to keep it out of reach of pets and smaller children.
Visit http://outdoorlandscapingideas.com to get more ideas for your outdoor landscaping projects.
Filed under Organic Gardening by on May 15th, 2012. Comment.
