Growlights for the Greenhouse

You may think that greenhouse lighting sounds like a very odd idea. Isn't the whole point of greenhouses that they let in plenty of light from the sun? Well, yes, but when the weather is gloomy or winter days are short sometimes the sun just isn't there as much as your plants would like. Those are the times when extra lighting can really come in handy, keeping your plants happy and healthy no matter what conditions are like outside.

Lighting accessories for greenhouses have improved a great deal over the past few years. No only have they come down in price, but they've diversified to meet a wider range of gardening needs. Traditional fluorescent grow lights are still an option, relatively cheap and easy to install.

They're good if you want to minimize heat output in a small greenhouse where it can be difficult to maintain temperature control. The newest grow lights to the market, the T5 fluorescent lights provide even more light intensity to your plants and use less energy!

Also available are high intensity discharge lights which concentrate their output in those regions of the spectrum which are most useful for photosynthesis. This means that it takes less power and fewer units of lighting to produce a comparable amount of growth.

There are grow lights designed to help your plants with vegetative growth or lights developed to aid with flowering. However, HID lights give off a lot more heat, so you should attach them high up in your greenhouse where they won't bake your plants.

The advent of more sophisticated greenhouse lighting accessories means that even under the worst conditions, it's possible to raise plants which look as if they've enjoyed full sunlight every day. However, it's important to remember that, even with these options available; plants still need a distinct day and night cycle.

This is essential to the way they respire and the way they get rid of waste - so don't be tempted to leave your greenhouse lights on too late into the night. Greenhouse lighting should not try to overcome nature - rather, it should complement it, to make the most of nature's bounty.

About the author

Michelle Torres has nearly 20 years experience using and designing greenhouses and is an avid gardener. You can find additional useful information about greenhouses and greenhouse gardening at http://www.greenhousecatalog.com

WHAT ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HYDROPONICS

Hydroponic systems are distinguished by their being active or passive. In an active hydroponics system the nutrients are provided to the plants by making use of a pump while in a passive hydroponics system the passing of the nutrients to the plant depend upon the growing medium.

However the passive Hydroponics system do not provide sufficient oxygen to the plant and hence the growth rate of the plants are not optimum. Hydroponic systems are also different on recovery and non recovery type. In recovery system the nutrients are recycled while in a non recovery system it is just the opposite. Here are some different types of hydroponics - 1. Wick system: wick system is passive as well as non recovery type. They are quite easy to handle and relatively inexpensive. However characteristically of a passive hydroponics system, it does not supply enough oxygen to the roots which in turn hampers the growth of the plant. Wick system is not much preferred way of Hydroponic gardening. 2. Ebb and flow system: ebb and flow is one of the most preferred ways of doing Hydroponics gardening.

This system is active as well as recovery type. Also known as flood and drain this system is quite easy to understand. The plant is kept in a reservoir containing nutrient solution. When the pump is started the nutrient are pumped in to the plant. After the water reaches the determined level, it is drained in to a river while the oxygen is sucked by the roots. 3. Nutrient film technique: nutrient technique is also a recovery type active Hydroponic system. In this kind of hydroponics system a submersible pump is used and the roots are suspended in a grow tube. The grow tube is in such an angle that the solution of the nutrients get recycled by flowing over the roots and then coming back to the reservoir. The oxygen requirement is solved by making use of air stones or air stones.

This system is highly effective and a bit difficult to build. A single mistake can cause the whole plant to dry. 4. Continuous drip: this system is also active type but it can be both recovery and non recovery type. In this kind of system a drip tray is kept under each and every row of plants and the solution is recycled to the reservoir. The dip emitter enables the gardener to adjust the amount of nutrient flow for each plant.

About the author

For more insights and further information on Hydroponics Systems and an understanding of Hydroponics Gardening as well as getting an online How to Hydroponics Guide please visit our web site at http://www.hydroponicsmadeeasy.com/

Tips for Hydroponics Gardening

Hydroponics gardening is better known as soiless gardening. Carrying its legacy right from the times of the Aztecs civilizations this type of gardening has always fascinated human kind. The famous hanging hardens of Babylonia are also based on the same technique of Hydroponics Gardening . Hydroponics gardening basically means gardening on false soil where the plant and the soil layer float on the water. With the help of Hydroponics you can have your favorite plants planted in your rooms. Generally, Hydroponics gardening is used for decoration purposes. With the help of Hydroponics you can also have flower plants which will fill your rooms with their faint fragrance. However, hydroponic plants also require a lot of care and nutrition.

There are various Hydroponics guide and tips through which you can give the plants the exact nutrition and care which they require. Following tips will help you in making your hydroponic gardening productive and healthy: - 1. Getting a good start: - The germination period of the seeds in case of hydroponics gardening is carried on a medium. Thus it is very important what sort of medium is used for this purpose. Well you can use peat moss, expanded clay, composted bark, gravel or sand. The ones to be avoided are oasis, vermiculite, perlite and rockwool. Thus the above mentioned favorable mediums will help the plants get a good start.

Now it is to be kept in mind each an every plant has a different requirement so the medium should be chosen accordingly. 2. Proper Light: - Another important requirement for Hydroponic plants is proper light. The light requirements depend upon the plant types and also the plant's different stages. For this purpose you can use Metal Halide as well High Pressure Sodium lights depending upon the stage of the plant. There are some LED lights which can be accordingly adjusted to feed the plants with lights in their different stages. 3. Giving the required Nutrition: - It is a well known fact that without proper nutrition the plants cannot grow. There are a total of sixteen nutrients which the plants require in order to grow properly. Some of them are macronutrients and some of them are micronutrients. 4. Disease Prevention: - In hydroponics gardening also you will face the same problem of insects and plant diseases. Thus you will have to battle it out. You can do this by selecting disease resistant plants, maintaining clean growing environment, temperature control, proper ventilation and constant monitoring of problems. Thus by following these tips you can have a pleasant experience of Hydroponics gardening.

About the author

For more insights and further information on Hydroponics Systems and an understanding of Hydroponics Gardening as well as getting an online How to Hydroponics Guide please visit our web site at http://www.hydroponicsmadeeasy.com/

Grow Herbs For Cooking, Companion Plants And Flowers

Herbs are such versatile plants. Their uses include medicinal, cosmetic, as essential oils for aromatherapy, as great companion plants, craft-work and of course to add mouth-watering flavours and aromas in our cooking.
I really wonder how some people get by without herbs in their garden. How wonderful is it wander outside and pick a variety of fresh herbs for your main meal? If you haven't grown herbs before, just start with some really easy to grow herbs that you find particularly useful. I have an organic garden, so everything is free from chemicals.

Most people would use parsley, oregano and thyme. These are very easy herbs to grow. Oregano and thyme may spread a little in your garden and if you let your parsley eventually go to seed you will find new plants (volunteers) pop up all over your garden by themselves. I love this natural process of self seeding. My garden is a little on the wild side. But if you prefer a very neat and tidy garden, don't let your herbs go to seed, or pull out any volunteers growing in an undesirable spot. You can either remove the old plant to make way for new plants or cut off the seed heads. I always let my parsley go to seed. Some seeds make it to the ground, producing volunteers, so I always have enough to cut for culinary uses. The rest of the seeds I dry and also use in cooking.

Borage will grow almost anywhere through the warmer months. It is a great companion plant to strawberries, tomatoes and squash. Plus it looks pretty in the garden with its purple / blue, star-shaped flowers. It will also readily self-seed. The chooks love it, so when I have too many seedlings pop up they go to the chooks.

Rosemary and lavender have multiple uses. Both can be used in craft. Both attract bees. Both can be grown as wonderful looking and smelling hedges.

Grow at least a few clumps of chives or garlic chives. They look amazing when grown in clumps - even as a border in your flower garden. Chives look stunning when they're in flower. Chives have pink, round flowers, while garlic chives have white star-shaped flowers. Grow garlic chives for times when you don't have any garlic, or you want a milder flavour.

A good tip is to make sure you keep all mints contained in some kind of pot. If it escapes into your garden it may take over! I love having mint available, so I grow it in an old laundry trough.
Lemon balm is another herb that can get out of control. Cutting off the seed heads will keep it in check.

A bay tree is a great addition to your garden. You can grow it in a pot if space is an issue - they look lovely clipped into a nice shape. Or you can grow it in the ground where it may grow to be a small to medium tree.

Once you've grown a few herbs and learn of their many uses I'm sure you'll be hooked. The herbs in this article are all very easy to grow and propagate, so start with these and try others as your knowledge grows. With a little research you will discover so many uses for herbs, including many wonderful health benefits. They are also excellent companion plants. Some have properties that confuse and deter pests, some attract predatory insects, while others give more vigour or flavour to plants grown near them.
Many herbs are also excellent activators for your compost heap. Most herbs are easy to grow, take very little time, space or effort and the rewards are delicious. Good luck growing yours.

About the author

Julie is an avid organic gardener and recycler, living on a small country property in South Australia. Her mission is to encourage as many people as possible to garden organically. Please visit her website for great organic gardening tips & info or Companion Planting Guide
www.1stoporganicgardening.com

Flowers You Can Eat - Nasturtiums

Flowers, so bright and cheerful, raise your vibe without even trying. Edible flowers take that energy into the centre of your being, especially when they also have medicinal properties like the gorgeous nasturtium. Their flowers are bright trumpets, heralding sunny days. As children we used to pick the nasturtium flowers, bite off the point at the back of the flower and suck out the nectar, the merest fairy sized sip of sweetness.

The plants grow easily and prolifically from seed, tumbling out of planters with abandon, flowering all shades of fire colours from vermilion to ochre. All they need is moisture and not too rich a soil and you're guaranteed a harvest. Anyone with a herb garden can find a space for a few seeds, though if space is limited confine them to a container or they will happily tumble over all your other herbs.

Nasturtium flowers make cheerful posies as a centrepiece for a lunch table, especially if you have planted a mixture of colours, ranging from gold through bright orange to deep fiery red. Arrange them with a few sprigs of other herbs such as rosemary and fennel to add some texture, lavender flowers for contrast and you have an edible, scented bouquet, perfect to take as a gift when you visit friends.

The nasturtium's best kept secret though is that both the leaves and flowers are edible. Their sharp peppery tang lends a bite of interest to salads and can be a real boon to a jaded palate when the shops only offer bland varieties of lettuce. A few of the round green nasturtium leaves, that look like they could be parasols for mice or fairies, will lift a bland iceberg or butter lettuce into the realms of designer cooking, their bright flowers scattered over to delight the eye and bring an element of fun to your table.

Recipe for a Nasturtium Salad:

1 lettuce

- iceberg, butter or cossmall bunch of nasturtiums

- leaves and flowersripe red tomatoes1 tablespoon capersfeta cheese

Decide quantities to your own taste. The nasturtium leaves are peppery and the more you put in the hotter the salad gets. Wash and dry the lettuce and tear into the size pieces you prefer. Rinse the nasturtium leaves, and tear or chop into rough strips. If you're using baby tomatoes halve them, chop bigger ones into cubes. Cube the feta cheese and sprinkle over the salad with the capers. Top with the whole flowers and maybe one or two whole leaves. This peppery, bright salad is just right to accompany pizza, cold meats or as a starter on its own.

The round leaves are a potent medicinal weapon against sore throats. At the first sign of a sore throat, chew on a nasturtium leaf every two hours. This can sometimes get rid of the sore throat altogether, at others it just prevents it getting too bad. The leaves have natural anti-bacterial properties and are rich in vitamin C. They can also be made into a tea by infusing a few leaves in a cup of boiling water for five minutes and sipped either straight or with the addition of a teaspoon of honey.

In ancient times in its native Peru the nasturtium was used as a wound disinfectant and taken onto battle fields to be used as a poultice and a disinfectant wash. Not bad for a pretty garden flower!

Copyright2007 Kit Heathcock

About the Author
Kit Heathcock writes and copyedits for a number of websites from her own site Original Orange. She is currently working on a major travel website Just the Planet and is also co-creator of A Flower Gallery.

Life Secrets Of The Orchid

The grower of orchids is favored above other men. He belongs to a starry-eyed fraternity, to whom each small chore, accomplished in its turn for the better culture of his orchids, is a source of never-ending and absorbing delight. The beauty of the orchid's line and color is known to all who bask in the offerings of the florist's window.

The appearance of each new growth and root is cause for rejoicing; the slimy mark of a snail or the cottony warning of the presence of scale is cause for distress. The habits and idiosyncrasies of every species and plant are subject to absorbed study. Different methods of growing and the relative merits of hybrids and species are endlessly discussed among fellow growers. The orchid grower checks his mundane worries at the door of the greenhouse and enters a world that offers surcease even to the heart heavily burdened with sorrow and loss.

The beginnings of the orchid family are shrouded in mystery. Since most orchids are epiphytic - that is, having aerial roots through which they receive sustenance from the minerals in the moisture-laden air of the tropics - they have left no traces such as the fossilized remains of ground-growing plants.

Dr. E. Soysa, writing in Orchid Culture in Ceylon, advances the delightful and plausible, if unproved, theory that orchids antedated the fossil era, but in their love of light ascended trees to escape the advancing jungle. There they lived, died, dried up, and floated away, leaving no trace. Whatever the genesis of the orchid family, it cannot be doubted that the orchid family is very old, judging both by its great variety and its highly complex structural development, attainable only through the passage of time.

The orchid is among the largest and most highly developed of the plant families, with some fifteen to twenty thousand species. A provident nature has lavished every means to insure the perpetuation of this favorite child. She has provided the flower with all the charm and allure of a fairy princess to win insect vassals to perform the service of cross-pollination.

The insects performing the service of cross-pollination vary with the species and are as diverse as the ingenious contrivances by which the orchids utilize them. It is in every case a reciprocal arrangement, the plant receiving the benefits of fertilization, the insect the largess of food and drink. Each species usually has its particular insect, as is shown by the special means each flower uses to attract its insect.

Darwin first noted a striking example of this specialization. On a trip to South America he had an opportunity to see a plant of Angraecum sesquipedale. This starry-white flower, a rare orchid of Madagascar, has a weirdly elongated lip containing a nectary, about eleven inches long, that holds one-and-a-half ounces of the sweet fluid produced by the sugar-secreting glands.
Darwin immediately predicted that some day a moth with a proboscis at least twelve inches long would be discovered to be responsible for cross-pollination of this peculiar orchid. In time such a moth was found and was duly named Xanthopan morgani praedicta.

This specialization is reflected in the extremely varied forms of the reproductive organs. These organs lie within the lip, more scientifically known as the labellum, along a fleshy enlargement called the column.

The labellum serves in three capacities: it provides storage space for the pollen, an antechamber to the ovary, and a banquet room for the insect. On entering any orchid flower the insect must first brush the empty stigmatic cavity in his search for the nectar or other food.
Drunk with the repast, he blunders out, the narrow passage compelling him on the way to brush past the pollen masses, which become dislodged and, because of the sticky fluid, adhere to him. These masses hold firmly until he enters another flower of the same species. The feeding position is ideal for depositing the pollen.

Such are some of the secrets of the orchid. The wonders continue as the orchid grower learns more and more. Enjoy a lifetime of interest and delight with orchids!

About the Author

How to Grow Breathtaking Orchids - Even If You've Never Raised One Before. Simply Orchid Plant Care Website Reveals All The Secrets.
Click here for FREE online Ebook
http://www.orchidplantcare.net/

WILD-FLOWER GARDEN

A wild-flower garden has a most attractive sound. One thinks of long tramps in the woods, collecting material, and then of the fun in fixing up a real for sure wild garden.

Many people say they have no luck at all with such a garden. It is not a question of luck, but a question of understanding, for wild flowers are like people and each has its personality. What a plant has been accustomed to in Nature it desires always. In fact, when removed from its own sort of living conditions, it sickens and dies. That is enough to tell us that we should copy Nature herself. Suppose you are hunting wild flowers. As you choose certain flowers from the woods, notice the soil they are in, the place, conditions, the surroundings, and the neighbours.

Suppose you find dog-tooth violets and wind-flowers growing near together. Then place them so in your own new garden. Suppose you find a certain violet enjoying an open situation; then it should always have the same. You see the point, do you not? If you wish wild flowers to grow in a tame garden make them feel at home. Cheat them into almost believing that they are still in their native haunts.

Wild flowers ought to be transplanted after blossoming time is over. Take a trowel and a basket into the woods with you. As you take up a few, a columbine, or a hepatica, be sure to take with the roots some of the plant's own soil, which must be packed about it when replanted.

The bed into which these plants are to go should be prepared carefully before this trip of yours. Surely you do not wish to bring those plants back to wait over a day or night before planting. They should go into new quarters at once. The bed needs soil from the woods, deep and rich and full of leaf mold. The under drainage system should be excellent. Then plants are not to go into water-logged ground. Some people think that all wood plants should have a soil saturated with water. But the woods themselves are not water-logged. It may be that you will need to dig your garden up very deeply and put some stone in the bottom. Over this the top soil should go. And on top, where the top soil once was, put a new layer of the rich soil you brought from the woods.

Before planting water the soil well. Then as you make places for the plants put into each hole some of the soil which belongs to the plant which is to be put there.

I think it would be a rather nice plan to have a wild-flower garden giving a succession of bloom from early spring to late fall; so let us start off with March, the hepatica, spring beauty and saxifrage. Then comes April bearing in its arms the beautiful columbine, the tiny bluets and wild geranium. For May there are the dog-tooth violet and the wood anemone, false Solomon's seal, Jack-in-the-pulpit, wake robin, bloodroot and violets. June will give the bellflower, mullein, bee balm and foxglove. I would choose the gay butterfly weed for July. Let turtle head, aster, Joe Pye weed, and Queen Anne's lace make the rest of the season brilliant until frost.

Let us have a bit about the likes and dislikes of these plants. After you are once started you'll keep on adding to this wild-flower list.

There is no one who doesn't love the hepatica. Before the spring has really decided to come, this little flower pokes its head up and puts all else to shame. Tucked under a covering of dry leaves the blossoms wait for a ray of warm sunshine to bring them out. These embryo flowers are further protected by a fuzzy covering. This reminds one of a similar protective covering which new fern leaves have. In the spring a hepatica plant wastes no time on getting a new suit of leaves. It makes its old ones do until the blossom has had its day. Then the new leaves, started to be sure before this, have a chance. These delayed, are ready to help out next season. You will find hepaticas growing in clusters, sort of family groups. They are likely to be found in rather open places in the woods. The soil is found to be rich and loose. So these should go only in partly shaded places and under good soil conditions. If planted with other woods specimens give them the benefit of a rather exposed position, that they may catch the early spring sunshine. I should cover hepaticas over with a light litter of leaves in the fall. During the last days of February, unless the weather is extreme take this leaf covering away. You'll find the hepatica blossoms all ready to poke up their heads.

The spring beauty hardly allows the hepatica to get ahead of her. With a white flower which has dainty tracings of pink, a thin, wiry stem, and narrow, grass-like leaves, this spring flower cannot be mistaken. You will find spring beauties growing in great patches in rather open places. Plant a number of the roots and allow the sun good opportunity to get at them. For this plant loves the sun.

The other March flower mentioned is the saxifrage. This belongs in quite a different sort of environment. It is a plant which grows in dry and rocky places. Often one will find it in chinks of rock. There is an old tale to the effect that the saxifrage roots twine about rocks and work their way into them so that the rock itself splits. Anyway, it is a rock garden plant. I have found it in dry, sandy places right on the borders of a big rock. It has white flower clusters borne on hairy stems.

The columbine is another plant that is quite likely to be found in rocky places. Standing below a ledge and looking up, one sees nestled here and there in rocky crevices one plant or more of columbine. The nodding red heads bob on wiry, slender stems. The roots do not strike deeply into the soil; in fact, often the soil hardly covers them. Now, just because the columbine has little soil, it does not signify that it is indifferent to the soil conditions. For it always has lived, and always should live, under good drainage conditions. I wonder if it has struck you, how really hygienic plants are? Plenty of fresh air, proper drainage, and good food are fundamentals with plants.

It is evident from study of these plants how easy it is to find out what plants like. After studying their feelings, then do not make the mistake of huddling them all together under poor drainage conditions.

I always have a feeling of personal affection for the bluets. When they come I always feel that now things are beginning to settle down outdoors. They start with rich, lovely, little delicate blue blossoms. As June gets hotter and hotter their colour fades a bit, until at times they look quite worn and white. Some people call them Quaker ladies, others innocence. Under any name they are charming. They grow in colonies, sometimes in sunny fields, sometimes by the road-side. From this we learn that they are more particular about the open sunlight than about the soil.

If you desire a flower to pick and use for bouquets, then the wild geranium is not your flower. It droops very quickly after picking and almost immediately drops its petals. But the purplish flowers are showy, and the leaves, while rather coarse, are deeply cut. This latter effect gives a certain boldness to the plant that is rather attractive. The plant is found in rather moist, partly shaded portions of the woods. I like this plant in the garden. It adds good colour and permanent colour as long as blooming time lasts, since there is no object in picking it.

There are numbers and numbers of wild flowers I might have suggested. These I have mentioned were not given for the purpose of a flower guide, but with just one end in view your understanding of how to study soil conditions for the work of starting a wild-flower garden.

If you fear results, take but one or two flowers and study just what you select. Having mastered, or better, become acquainted with a few, add more another year to your garden. I think you will love your wild garden best of all before you are through with it. It is a real study, you see.

About the author

I have Unblock Myspace, Free Proxy Site, Motorola Cell Phone, Free Arcade Games, Reliable File Hosting

Garden Designs and Landscaping

Garden Design /Landscaping Turing your yard of grassland into a beautiful garden design through effective landscaping is challenging but not impossible. Although there is not one single magical formula that will transform a veritable blank space of mud and grass into a successful green landscape, you definitely have the freedom to select your plants and design a garden to make a lasting impression. In order to achieve the desired results, it is essential to plan every step of your gardening methodically.

Here are some essential landscaping tips that will help you to understand the basics of garden designing and landscaping with different flowers, trees and plants.

Planning your landscaping space The first step would be planning your landscaping space. Planning of the desired space has to be done according to the size and shape of your garden plot. If you like your space and openness to be pronounced, then you could consider covering a major part of the area with a neat and thick lawn and encircling it with trees and flowering plants. Of course, if you have sufficient garden area, then you have the option of putting together several elements that could make an impressive garden design.

Planning your gardening design space The next step would be to plan for gardening apparatus, its storage and access into the landscaping space. Since the lawn mower is an essential part of the gardening ensemble, plants should be carefully spaced for easy access to the lawn mower as well as to all parts of the lawn. Keep space for other equipment that may be required in the future when doing a landscape makeover or other major changes such as landscaping with trees.

Landscaping types - Hardscape and Softscape Planning the hardscape and the softscape in landscaping is very essential to acquire optimum results in a good garden design. While the former has to do with masonry work such as construction of patios, barbecues and stonewalls for any water body in the garden, the softscape is planning the grassy turf within that area. The details for the hardscape may also include low lighting around the perimeter which again would require some careful planning. Since the hardscaping involves building of permanent structures, garden designing and planning have to be meticulous and in conjunction with the other elements used in the landscaping.

Planning the softscape is enjoyable but challenging. You need to first decide the type of lawn or turf that is going to cover the surface area of your garden. The next step would be to choose trees - flowering as well as fruit trees that will help to embellish the landscaping of the area. While colourful plants, green foliage and borders can encircle the perimeter, you could also design a recreational spot sheltered with tall trees. While designing your landscape, care should be taken to arrange plants wisely so as to avoid excessive pruning as well as prevent pest infestation.

Ornamentation and wildlife in your landscaping You could incorporate garden statues among the greenery of your landscape; notwithstanding the style of landscaping you might have in your garden design. Ensure that you use materials that are appropriate to the mood you are setting and are able to withstand the vagaries of nature. If you are fond of birds, plant conifers and wood perennials to give them shelter. Shrubs and vines that bear edible berries are a natural attraction for birds. A simple birdbath or a fountain in a verdant landscaping is wonderfully alluring for birds and soothing for humans as well.

Once you have designed your garden, the next step would be to define your entryway. You can construct a grand entryway with arches and trellises. These can be adorned with vines and colourful flowering veils that make the landscaping inviting, intriguing and special.

Finally, the garden should look pretty, colourful and spacious. There are several plants you can choose from including birds of paradise, mauve verbena, red hibiscus, bougainvilleas etc. Bamboo and ornamental grasses will add life to your garden with their soft sounds.

Following these simple landscaping and garden designing tips, your special verdant space can turn into an oasis for fun, play and relaxation.

About the author

William Brister - http://www.beautifulgardens.tv - Landscaping Beautifully.

Choosing a Specialty Garden

When considering starting a garden, thematic issues always arise. Is it better to grow a multitude of types of plants or is it better to explore the immense variety of species within a particular variety of plant? It is possible to do both, of course, but if you decide to specialize in a particular type of plant, there are a few things to consider before getting started.

First and foremost, there must be a tremendous interest in the plant type. You will be embarking on growing plants that will have a life time of no less than a year and in most cases many years. You not only have to consider what will hold your interest, but your location and how the plants that you choose to grow will interact with your specific environment. Your specialty plant choice may depend on whether you have access to a large outdoor planting area or a small indoor space.

Some areas will have local resources for your specialty plants. If not, you will have to use mail order and internet sources to get the information and resources you need to make your garden a successful one. Starting your garden will involve choosing a propagation method, as well. You will need to decide between growing your plants from seed and purchasing young seedlings. For some plants, propagation by rooting cuttings may work best. Seasonal climates can also play a role in picking the specialty garden that is right for you. Harsher climates may require the use of greenhouses or relocating plants from time to time.

With so many factors, how can you choose what is best? Start by reading through some of the suggestions outlined here. See if you are interested in the plants themselves. You always have to start there. These plants will depend on you for the love and care it will take to grow them successfully. Once you have an idea of a few types that will maintain your gardening interests, take a survey of your environmental conditions. What are the characteristics of your growing space? Be sure to include things like rainfall, temperature, space (both height and width,) and if they will be in containers or planted straight into the ground.

Now is the time to be most honest with yourself: what are your goals concerning your specialty garden and how much time will have to spend with the garden each day. If you are planning on reselling your plants then you may want to choose differently from someone gardening strictly for pleasure. Where will you sell, if you do, and how will you sell, meaning via the internet or directly, et cetera. Gardening for resale will be quite time-consuming, but gardening for pleasure can take just as much time. Remember that plants grow constantly and do not stop jus because you go to work or go on holiday. Choosing your specialty plant properly can help reduce any concerns you may have if you cannot attend to your garden as often as you would like.
Here are some suggestions for types of specialty gardens:

Bonsai - The ancient Japanese art of creating dwarfed plants can be exceedingly rewarding. When considering starting a Bonsai garden, assess your growing space well. This garden may take less space, but may require more time and care. Bonsai can be grown and shaped with great success with proper guidance. Bonsai also provide a great opportunity for reselling or simply deep appreciation and rexlation.

Roses - This classic specialty garden choice allows you to explore a multitude of varieties of blooms. Some grow best as bushes outdoors while others are well-suited to indoor or container growing. This specialty garden may require slightly less time than a Bonsai garden, but will need lots of attention during various stages of growth. Roses also provide a great resale potential.
Square Watermelon - Potentially, this garden would be best geared towards resale of the fruits. Square Watermelons are in demand currently and the process by which they are grown can also be applied to other fruits and vegetables. This garden requires tremendous space, full sun, and a generous water supply. This garden would be strictly seasonal in most areas and may provide large blocks of free time during the off season.

Orchids - The sheer amount of variety here is highly attractive for choosing this specialty garden. Climate is very important, as orchids are quite temperamental regarding air, temperature, and water. These plants will be container grown in most areas. As with most specialty gardens, Orchids have a high resale value and will bring great pleasure when appreciated for their beauty.

Cacti and Succulents - Ease of growing is one of the traits that makes this specialty garden a great choice. Cacti and succulents provide a wide variety of flowers, shapes, and sizes with which you can sculpt a wondrous garden in any setting. They will grow well in containers or directly planted in the ground. Some areas will require a greenhouse for outdoor propagation or relocating of containers between indoor and outdoor areas. These plants can often fend for themselves for longer periods of time during the spring and fall allowing for some gardening "down-time" if necessary. Resale using full grown plants and properly taken cuttings are both possible. Growing cacti and succulents is amazingly rewarding and can be undertaken almost anywhere.

Use these as a starting point and research each one that interests you before you begin. Once you have settled on a particular type of garden, get started! Look for online guides to help you create a successful garden for the beginning. Simply use a search engine and type in "learning Bonsai gardening" or "how to grow cacti" and gather the information you need to get started. Seek out other gardeners and ask for tips. Attend garden shows, join gardening clubs, and get your hands dirty! You will be infinitely glad you did!

About the Author

The author is a Ph.D. student, percussionist, and avid gardener currently living between Honolulu, HI and London, England. Visit his review of Bonsai guides here: Bonsai Reviews

A Silk Rose Is A Rose That Lasts Longer

Anyone who has bought roses has experienced the drooping rose. You buy fresh flowers because they are the romantic thing to do, they get put in a vase and the next day the stems are drooped over. There are 1000's of web pages dedicated to the subject. The solutions are varied but all of them are a lot of work.

The sadder part is they aren't cheap. So you spend $50 on something that lasts less than a day. Not only does it look bad but the positive effect that was intended is replaced with the image of a dying and drooping rose. What does that say about love? Not a very healthy message.

So what is the solution you ask? The solution is simple, high quality Silk Roses. There are hundreds of choices of styles, color and sizes of Silk Roses. So you are not limited to a dozen red roses. These will cost about the same as a dozen real roses but they won't wilt.

Okay, so maybe you're not the most creative type? Here's detailed instructions, step be step.

1. Buy a dozen high quality roses. If you are creative, buy them in her favorite color, If you are not, buy red ones. If you're loved one is not offended/allergic to perfumes and fragrances you can buy a rose fragrance at the same time and sprinkle lightly (remember roses are not smelly).
2. Buy a bud vase and a medium size vase.
3. Put one stem in the bud vase, put 11 in the other vase (don't add water)
4. Set the vases somewhere obvious
5. Put a card in the 11, write something sincere, if you can't think of anything write something simple like "I Love You"
6. When she sees it tell her the bud vase is for her work area (so she can tell everyone how sweet and thoughtful you are.
7. Next year try the same thing with Lilies.

Simple, yes. Cheesy, maybe. Effective, definitely. A Silk Rose is made with high quality synthetic fabrics so they last a long time and maintain their shape. Realistically these can last decades, but better to not space your flower purchases (even silk flowers) that long.

See our large selection of Silk Roses at Amazonfoliages.com. Over 200 different styles to choose from.

About the author

See our large selection of Silk Roses at Amazonfoliages.com. Over 200 different styles to choose from.

Exotic Flowers: Luxurious and Impressive for Your Home and Garden Decor

There are several types of exotic flowers to best suit any occasion. And of course, depending on your personal taste, you will want to choose the best exotic flowers you can obtain to be the perfect flowers, the most adequate for the purpose they will be serving. For example: at someone's funeral, you may want to choose bouquet of flowers that the deceased would have loved. Here are some other examples (after all, these flowers are for happy occasions as well as the more tragic ones.

Musas:

The Chinese Musa flower is a stunning example of the kinds of exotic flowers that are perfect for gardens or bouquets.

Calatheas:

The exotic flower called the Genus Calathea is in the Marantaceae family of plowers, however it differs from other genera. The Marantaceae family of exotic flowers, in which Maranta and Ctenanthe are included, are unbranched inflorescences cone-like clusters.

The calathea comes from tropical South America, Calathea, it has about three hundred different species. These flowers love the shade and humidity, they are virtually all grown in much of the world only indoors. These flowers require full shade from the sun. However, if they must, they can handle a small amount of morning sun. These exotic flowers need their soil to be moist but well-drained soil, the use of a fertilizer is recommended.

When, on the rare occasion that these exotic flowers are grown outside--you must be sure that they are healthy, they must be free from all pests and diseases. Some of calathea will die midwinter, but will return again midsummer.

Cymbidiums:

Cymbidiums contain approximately forty-four species they are found in the tropics of the old world. The elegant, large flowered types of cymbidiums come from the higher regions of the Himalayas, and they must be kept in cool conditions in order to bloom well.

Dendrobiums:

Dendrobiums actually have about one thousand different species in their enormous family, they have countess hybrids as well. However, there are many varied growing conditions for this type of exotic flower. It is recommended that one establish from where in the world, and at what altitude their plant is accustom to, in order to determine how to best take care of the plant.

Miltonias:

Miltonias are referred to as the Pansy Orchid sometimes. There are approximately ten different kinds of species, and miltonias are found primarily in Brazil, therefore they are warm-weather flowers, and there are many hybrids with wonderful fragrance, because the militona is such a fragrant flower to begin with. These flowers will add a wonderful sensory ambiance to their surroundings, because in addition to their scent they are extremely pleasing to the eye.

Odontoglossums:

Odontoglossums also have a wide range of species, approximately 0ne hundred and seventy-five. These exotic flowers originated in the mountains of South America, as well as in higher altitudes and are used to wet clouded forests. Thus these wonderful flowers must be tended to under cool conditions, many hybrids exist as well, so there are many types to choose from.

Oncidiums:

These are among the most popular exotic flowers and there are approximately six hundred different species in existence. They come from the tropics of the Americas, and few of them even grow in high altitudes, these also must be supervised under cooler conditions. Fortunately, the hybrids are more tolerant than the species, you will find that this is true for most plants.

Paphiopedilums:

Paphiopedilums, the root word being Paphinia--who was the greek Goddess that the Romans later named Venus. Around sixty species exist, coming from Asia India and New Guinea. There are species with mottled leaved which need to be kept in warm conditions. And the paphiopedilums that are plain leaved and single flowered require intermediate/cool conditions, and plain leaved multiflowered species have to have warm environments to survive.

Phalaenopsis:

Phalaenopsis, or the exotic flower that is often called the Moth Orchid comes from Java and the South Seas, the Phillipines and Queensland Australia. Therefore, they are definitely warm weather growers, and they do prefer to be in the shade. Phalaenopsis would make the perfect houseplant, they are very free flowering and also make great gifts.

Vandas:

Vandas have approximately fifty species. Several hybrids have been derived from the tropics, Asia, and the orient--as far down as Australia. These hybrids require a warm environment that includes plenty of bright light. Many people hang them in their homes or gardens from wooden baskets.

Water Gardening:

Water Lilies and Lotuses are a beautiful touch to your pond, or waterfall etc. Major cultivars of water lilies and lotuses--almost all of which are hybridizers--explore the best landscapes in which to grow these exotic flowers.

Nymphaea and Nelumbo:

The genera Nymphaea and Nelumbo are beautiful species of exotic flowers, other genera in the waterlily family include Nuphar, Victoria, Euryale, Barclaya

Draecena:

Draecena (otherwise known as the dragon's tree) is an exotic flower that neither requires regular watering, nor does it need much light at all. It's a symbol of power and prosperity. These flowers may live up to one thousand years. A perfect gift for yourself or a friend or family member who does not have that much time for gardening, but would love to have a beautiful garden, however small, and something elegant and exotic to pass on for generations to come.

Anyone can add a striking touch of color to their home, or even the office with the elegant of wild exotic flowers. Exotic plants and flowers add a beautiful touch to any garden, home, patio or yard, as well as weddings, celebrations, banquets, and more solemn occasions.

About the author

Smith Chen is an author and internet marketing consultant.
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