Summer games in the garden

(ARA) – The sun is shining, birds are singing, butterflies are darting from colorful flower to colorful flower … and children across the country are complaining about being bored. Eliminate this by taking advantage of the weather. Get the family outside and interact with nature.

Head out to the garden toddlers in tow – or to a local park with flowers – and create a list of items to find and count. For example, ask them to find one blue object, two soft and fuzzy plants, three flowers that smell pretty and four objects that are round in shape. This game incorporates shape, smell, touch and counting – all into one fun activity. Taking or drawing pictures together is a great way to document each finding. When you get back inside, print the photos and hang them along with the pictures you have drawn as a collage on the refrigerator. Or, arrange photos or pictures together into your very own counting book, so that the days’ fun can be enjoyed again and again.

Colorful birds singing beautiful tunes and flitting from tree to tree are a great attraction for younger, elementary school children. To encourage birds to visit the backyard, work with your child to create a songbird habitat. It is simple – all you need to provide is food, water, shelter and a place for birds to raise their young. Supply food by making your own bird feeder out of recyclable materials like soda bottles and milk cartons. Fill these feeders with different kinds of foods – dried fruit, peanuts or Scotts Songbird Selections NutriThrive. Then, place a dish filled with water near the area and ensure there are nearby native plants or trees. Now that your habitat is ready, visit savethesongbirds.com to pledge to care for your habitat and receive an official songbird habitat certificate. Not only have you connected your children with nature, you have helped Scotts in its commitment to save 1 million songbirds by creating 50,000 acres of songbird habitat through the Save the Songbirds program.

Organize a scavenger hunt game for your children with some neighborhood kids in the garden or a local park. Make certain you have one adult to help every team. Equip each team with a camera – digital is better so you can review the photos quickly while still on site – and a plant identification book. Assign the teams to find and photograph items – both living and nonliving – that start with each alphabet letter. For example, an apple starts with A, so the teams would bring back a photograph of an apple, found in the orchard. Be sure to have a list of items that start with some of the more difficult letters handy. For example, share with the players that zinnia would work for the letter Z, but do not tell them what a zinnia looks like. Demonstrate how to use the plant identification book. Have a small garden-themed prize for teams that complete the entire alphabet. Seeds, watering cans, garden gloves and small kid-sized hand shovels work great.

For older kids, create seed bombs to share and plant in fun spots. This is a great, hands-on craft project that can be used to decorate not only your yard, but the community as well. First, use a mixture of either Miracle-Gro Potting Mix or Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix and flower seeds. Wild flower seeds work well here but a blend of annuals and perennials is also nice. Work with your children to pick the best seed mixture. Once the seeds are selected, carefully mix the ingredients together and form balls. Have your children wrap two or three seed bombs in colorful tulle, secure the package with a ribbon and hand them out to family and friends to plant. Once planted, the seeds will germinate and blossom beautifully all season. Find fun spots in the neighborhood or community that are available to plant. It is important to ask the property owner first. Continue the project by returning to the planting sites, keeping the mini-gardens watered and beautiful all summer long.

Visit Miracle-Gro for outdoor game ideas that are not only are fun, but educational as well.

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Ways To Add Variety To Your Garden

A garden is a very personal thing.  For me I love the look of my hydrangeas amidst the roses and azaleas.  For others it is a completely different gardening scheme.  Finding what makes you happy is part of the fun journey of gardening!

Here are some ideas to make your garden unique:

• Container Gardening – this is great for small spaces and adding unique details to your gardening space.
• Shrubs – shrubs are an inexpensive way to fill space and add different heights and uniqueness to your gardening space.
• Trees – planting a tree is one of the best things you can do!  I recently planted a crape myrtle to my flower bed and it added a lot of contrast and height to the visual lines of the garden.  The best part is the beautiful tree was only around $75, and will be the investment of a lifetime.
• Water gardening – a great idea to add some charm to a garden is with some water.  A small pool or stream can do wonders to a garden!

These are just a few ideas.  If you have any ideas, please let us know in the comment section!

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Don't let arthritis come between you and your garden

(NC)—Spring is a time of renewal. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians mark this rite of passage every year by raking, pruning and planting to make their gardens beautiful. Yet for the more than four million Canadians living with arthritis, the bending, stretching and lifting that gardening entails can seem daunting. Gardening is actually an excellent form of exercise that helps maintain strength and mobility without putting additional stress on your joints. The Arthritis Society offers the following tips for smart, safe gardening:

• Always be sure to stretch and warm up before working in the garden. This will help reduce stiffness and decrease your risk of injury.

• Use raised flower beds that allow you to stand or sit comfortably while you work.

• Search for garden products that have been designed to be used by people with arthritis. Tools bearing an “arthritis friendly” logo have received a passing grade by an independent third-party research organization.

• Use tools that have long handles to avoid bending or stooping. Handles should be as long as your own height.

• Pad the handles of your hand tools with foam to enlarge the grip.

• Wear a carpenter’s apron with large pockets for carrying frequently used tools.

• Make sure your tools are sharp and well oiled. It will make them easier to use.

• Switch tasks often and take lots of breaks.

• Plan rest areas in your garden—benches, chairs, etc.—or use a rolling stool that you can move easily.

• If kneeling, use kneepads or a foam kneeling pad.

More tips for living well with arthritis can be found online at www.arthritis.ca.

www.newscanada.com

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Summer entertaining: Spend less time preparing, more time enjoying

(ARA) – There’s no question why summer is the best-loved season of the year: it’s all about fun, relaxation and enjoying the beautiful outdoors. So, it follows that homeowners don’t want to waste a minute of those glorious months of sunshine. When planning traditional summer get-togethers, save time by taking steps to ensure that your outdoor spaces are as low-maintenance as possible so that the focus is on the party, rather than the prep.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of spending hours preparing your home and yard before throwing a party, whether it’s the week before or the day of the event. Focusing on outdoor living spaces ahead of time with plants and products that need minimal attention will save stress and give you more time to enjoy the season.

As summer arrives, keep these time-saving tips in mind for an outdoor environment that’s as beautiful as it is low-maintenance.

* Set the stage in just one step. Having the right set-up for outdoor entertaining can take your party from standard to superb. Installing a deck provides the perfect gathering space for get-togethers but also serves as a functional area for everyday family dining. Make it easy by choosing low-maintenance decking materials like those from TimberTech, including composite and PVC decking products that eliminate time-consuming sanding, staining and painting. Because the company also offers railing and lighting, you can opt for a package that coordinates seamlessly and is covered by a 25-year warranty.

* Pick plants wisely. Wilting plants can put a damper on party decor and tending finicky flowers can eat up a lot of time in the garden, so making the right plant choices is important. Select varieties that are suited to the regional climate – as well as their location in the yard. Once you’ve decided where to place the pots and containers, head to the garden store to pick out complementary arrangements that will thrive in full sun, partial shade or full shade, depending on your unique yard. When plants are in their preferred spots, they’ll do much of the work on their own – you’ll just need to water when appropriate.

* Keep it together. Since most summer gatherings involve food and beverages, it’s a good idea to keep a set of serving items that can withstand the outdoor exposure, like shatter-proof plates and drink ware. To save time and hassle when preparing for the party, keep all outdoor accessories in one place so that everything is easy to find. A bar cart can be a handy tool for keeping supplies together, and storing serving ware in airtight containers helps to keep it clean and in good condition.

* Take a seat. Everyone likes to do a little lounging on those sultry summer nights, so be sure to give guests a place to relax and sit back. If your outdoor furniture has seen better days, the wide availability of durable, weather-resistant chairs, chaises and benches makes it easy to furnish a deck in low-maintenance style. For a budget-friendly option, buying new cushions and covers can add a fresh touch to existing furniture if it’s still sturdy. With today’s high-quality weather-resistant materials, preparing furniture for a party can be as easy as a quick wipe-down.

Switching the focus from yard maintenance to outdoor enjoyment will make the summer season that much more pleasant. For more information about creating a beautiful outdoor living space, visit www.timbertech.com.

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Cool new concepts for gardening

(ARA) – One of the driving forces in gardening is many American’s pursuit of healthier eating and greener living. This means that the new face of gardening has begun to change considerably in recent years. Today’s gardeners are younger and more urban than traditional gardeners, therefore, making unique impressions on the green world.

So, what’s cool about gardening?

From growing vegetables in the front yard to creating an edible wall of green on the balcony, gardening is not limited to just a half-acre plot in the country anymore. Now, gardeners use any space available for a garden, no matter how urban or small. The key is adding individuality or personality to the garden in the form of handmade sculptures, water features, bird feeders or even the variety of unique heirloom plants that are used. Sustainability is also very important. Plants that serve a dual purpose – like low-growing thyme used as a ground cover in a small area or a cucumber plant that has been trained to grow up a trellis as a green screen – are excellent examples of how many gardeners have transformed traditional ideas of gardening. Looking at gardening and plants in new ways can lead to some great discoveries – and may even increase the productivity of a green space.

How can you join in the gardening movement? Here are some helpful tips to get started.

Maximize space:
Even if you only have a window, and no outdoor space, you can have a garden. An herb garden, like the Miracle-Gro Culinary Herb Kit, can be grown on a window ledge in the kitchen. No ledge? No problem. Just hang a hook from the ceiling and grow your plants in a hanging basket. For those with little outdoor space, try container gardening on the patio or use an outside fence or railing to grow a vertical garden. Simply hang pots on hooks or create your own “living wall” using chicken wire, coconut fiber lining and a quality potting mix. Then, plant trailing produce or flowers and watch your wall grow. If you have a sunny space in the yard, create a small garden using the new Miracle-Gro Ultimate Raised Garden Bed. This easy-to-use kit snaps together and can easily be customized to fit in nearly any space. Simply add nutrient-enriched soil, like Miracle-Gro Expand N Gro or Potting Mix, and plant the garden on a patio, deck, rooftop or balcony.

Redefine terms:
Produce plants are for vegetable gardens and landscaping plants are for the front yard … right? Not necessarily. The great thing about gardening is that the only necessary rules are the ones Mother Nature created: plants need sunlight, water, food and soil with good drainage. Other than that, do not be afraid to mix it up. Plant vegetables in the front yard, use strawberries in a hanging basket or plant an herb for groundcover along a path. Tomatoes will grow beautifully next to marigolds and sage will add a nice contrast when grown in a container alongside yellow daisies. Grow what you like that will thrive in your climate, even if it is not what your neighbors are growing.

Stay true to yourself:
If your favorite color is blue, then plant blue flowers. If you love salsa, then plant a “salsa garden” by using tomatoes, cilantro, onions and jalapenos. Add your own touch and make it personal. The materials used can represent your style and add interest in the garden as effectively as what is planted. With adequate drainage, even an old toolbox can come to life with some potting soil and impatiens. Collect stones and small objects with kids to make garden sculptures or bird feeders that the whole family can enjoy. Green plastic bottle caps can be turned into ornamental “trees” and grandma’s cracked tea cup could become a bird feeder with a little imagination. If you have extra produce, make sure to share it. Friends, neighbors, family and even many local food pantries will take donations of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Experiment:
Although gardening can be seen as a science, it should also be looked as an art. Gardeners should feel free to experiment and express themselves through their gardens. Let your green space reflect your home, your interests and your individuality. Make it a tradition to try at least one new thing every year and you may be surprised how much you learn along the way.

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Pointers for prepping your deck and backyard for summer fun

(ARA) – Warm weather is here to stay, which means people everywhere are spending more time outdoors. If the sunshine, gentle breeze and chirping birds are calling your family outside to enjoy some fresh air, it’s time to get your outdoor space ready for fun activities. With some smart home improvements, you can easily prep your patio and deck for a full season of enjoyment.

1: Tricks for properly cleaning patio furniture
Today’s patio furniture can be as comfortable and stylish as indoor options, and similarly, it needs to be periodically cleaned. Resin, resin wicker or metal furniture can typically be cleaned with mild soap, water and a sponge or nonabrasive brush. Metal pieces can be polished with a light coat of car wax to bring back shine and protect it from rusting. Insider tip: If you live in an area with a lot of pollen, you may want to wait to clean outdoor furniture until it is done dropping.

Wood pieces can benefit from a quick cleaning also. For finished wood, use an oil-based soap and a soft brush or cloth. If you have a treated wood deck, picnic table or Adirondack chairs, use a pressure washer and deck cleaner to remove dirt. Remember to use the low-pressure tip so you don’t damage the wood. If you have questions, visit www.lowescreativeideas.com for educational articles, videos and additional tips.

2: Get the grill ready for a season of tasty treats
Every warm day is better when you enjoy the succulent flavors of food cooked on the grill, but to keep the food tasting its best, the grill needs to be kept clean. At the start of the season, it’s wise to do a thorough, deep cleaning on your grill. If you have a gas grill, remove the propane tank, flame guards and disconnect the igniter wires, removing the igniters. Move the grill over a drop cloth and clean the inside with dish soap, water and a scrub brush. Grates may need to soak in a bucket before getting scrubbed. Once dry, reassemble and get cooking.

In addition to the deep cleaning, remember each time you cook to scrape the grates to get rid of any food residue from previous uses. Simply light the grill and after a few minutes, the heat will have loosened the residue and you can do a quick scraping with a wire brush before putting on your tasty meats and vegetables.

3. Prep the deck in half the time
Staining and sealing your deck is an important maintenance step so its beauty and integrity last for many years, but it’s also something most homeowners dread because it can be a lot of work. The good news is there are some new innovations that are making the process much easier.

Before you start this project, look for new products that both stain and seal at the same time, simplifying the project and saving you a lot of time. Staining and sealing simultaneously waterproofs, protects and beautifies your wood. Plus, if you do encounter unplanned precipitation in the middle of the project, your deck is still protected.

4. How to grow beautiful plants to enhance your space
With your deck prepped and your patio furniture and grill clean, now it’s time to dress the area up with some plants. You can easily incorporate splashes of color by adding containers full of your favorite varieties. Why not make it a family activity and visit your local Lowe’s nursery to pick out plants and supplies together? When shopping, keep in mind the color of your deck and furniture and pick plants in a complementary color scheme. You might also want to plant some fruits, vegetables or herbs for your own family garden. Ask a Lowe’s garden specialist for advice on what varieties thrive in a container environment.

Once home, spread out your supplies and let your entire family’s green thumb come alive. After your plants are nestled into pots and containers, place around your outdoor living space in clusters which provide a better visual look than a single plant standing alone. Remember to water regularly and monitor sun exposure so the plants aren’t getting too much or too little.

These few steps can help get your deck or patio ready and beautiful for months of enjoyment. From playing outdoor games to grilling traditional summer fare to relaxing as the sun sets, you’ll get a lot of use out of your outdoor space.

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Gardens

Gardens are a beautiful thing, after all that is what this magazine blog is all about.  However, have you ever stopped to think about the true meaning of the word, Garden?  That is what we are here to talk about today.  The fundamental basics of a true garden.

A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has traditionally been a more general one.  Another popular form of garden is urban gardening, or even roof top gardening.

Something you may not know is zoos, which display wild animals in simulated natural habitats, were formerly called zoological gardens. Western gardens are almost universally based on plants, with garden often signifying a shortened form of botanical garden.

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'Bold and beautiful' define this season's outdoor decor trends

(ARA) – When warm weather arrives, Mother Nature becomes a shameless show-off. From clear, bright skies to lush green grass and vibrant blooms, the outdoors go bold and beautiful. So is it any surprise that this season’s outdoor decor is following suit?

Bold is the watchword for beautiful outdoor decorating this year, and it’s easy to find items – from furniture to wallpaper – that play to this theme.

“Bright colors, bold patterns and showpiece accessories are top trends in outdoor decor this year,” says Dani Nichols, a design-trends watcher for wallpaper purveyor Murals Your Way. “Whether your personal style is modern and chic or country and homey, you can find design elements that both fit your style and follow this trend.”

If you’re looking to add pizzazz to your outdoor decor this year, here are some ideas for bringing the bold and beautiful trend to your patio, deck or backyard:

Fire and water

Celebrating the elements is a recurring theme in decor, both indoor and outdoor. Where better to fete two of the most powerful ones – fire and water – than in your outdoor design? Color is an easy-to-change, low-cost way to incorporate the appeal of these elements into decor.

Adding a fire pit or a water feature such as a fountain, however, can be even more satisfying. Whether you opt for a large, copper fire pit on tall legs or a simple clay chiminea, incorporating fire into your outdoor living spaces boldly creates warmth, drama and ambiance. A water feature, whether a wall-mounted waterfall or a free-standing fountain, is also a powerful statement – one that can generate calm or mirth, depending on the style, setting and circumstances. Home improvement stores now carry a variety of fire pits, chimineas and water fountains to enhance outdoor environments.

Wall power

In recent years, murals and wallpaper have been gaining popularity for outdoor spaces. Technology like Luxuriant Fabric-Backed Vinyl by Murals Your Way, makes it easy to decorate outdoors. The durable material goes on virtually any flat surface and can handle the elements when a layer or two of polyurethane is added on top of the outdoor mural.

This season’s wallpapers feature bright, saturated colors and eye-popping patterns. Whether you’re looking for an intensely hued geometric pattern or a striking nature scene, you can find wallpaper options that mesh well with the bold design trend.

Color and customization

Color sets the mood, and can act as a foundation or accent in virtually any design scheme. This year, bold hues are popping up in nearly every element of outdoor decor, from vivid metallics and exotic reds, to lush blues and boisterous yellows. Orange is particularly hot this season, with everyone from paint makers to furniture designers incorporating every shade of orange imaginable – from tangerine to pumpkin – in their designs.

Color customization is another exciting aspect of the boldness trend. Homeowners wanting a profoundly personal outdoor environment can customize the interplay of color in their decor. Online, it’s easy to find companies that will create fabrics and upholstery from a color or pattern sample submitted by a homeowner. You can even color match your wallpaper with companies like Murals Your Way who offer shoppers the ability to choose the pattern they prefer and alter the color to a myriad of choices.

This season, if you’re seeking a look that’s both on trend and timeless, emulate Mother Nature and go bold. Your outdoor living space will be a celebration of nature, and the perfect stage for all your warm-weather celebrations.

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Enlarge the look of your garden by painting with blue

(NC)—What is most commonly stated as a ‘favourite colour’ yet the one we paint with the least? Colour expert Janice Lindsay, owner of PINK colour + design, says it is cobalt blue; the blue of Lapis Lazuli, for centuries considered the most precious and divine of hues.

And now, this cool mystic blue is the hot colour for small gardens.

“Blue is the colour of sky and sea —a recessive colour that makes things look further away. It will create the feeling of ‘space,’” explains Lindsay. This quality makes it a good choice for the fence around a small garden. “It looks airy and creates a sense of openness.” Lindsay also likes to use it on sheds, because this colour of air and water dissolves the solidity of structure, softens edges, and is gentle on the psyche.

“Being analogous to nature’s greens, blue blends in, makes friends, and relaxes the palette,” says Lindsay. She recommends deep blues, like PPG Pittsburgh Paints Daring Indigo (347-7), because they take up less visual space than red or white and bring a sense of mystery to the garden. She also likes bright blue because it is a bit quirky—an element of fun that lightens the mood. “The appearance of cobalt blue in the garden (like Bright Cerulean, 247-7) is surprising and a bit surreal. The effect is enhanced by vibrant plantings in magenta and yellow-green.”

Lindsay shuns yellow with this celestial hue (too French Country), and feels that orange—its complement—interrupts its aura. Like all blues, she says, it looks good with white but this season, prefers unbleached linen as its neutral companion.

Many ancient cultures believed that bold blue on a gate kept evil from entering the garden. Do it too this summer and create an atmosphere that is both inviting and intriguing for your guests.

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How to get your garden growing

(NC)—The start of the gardening season is just around the corner and if you’re looking to have a blooming good summer, getting started early is your best bet! According to the lawn and garden experts at The Home Depot Canada, the following tips are sure-fir ways to make the most of your green space.

Lawn Revitalization

Brown, dry and suffocated sod can be brought back to life with lots of water, a hard rake and fertilizer. Start by loosening up the tangled lawn with a rake or aerator. Next, fill in any dips or dead areas with new top soil and finish off with a spring mix fertilizer and good dose of water (particularly if rain and snow have been limited over the winter). Remember to let your grass grow to about four inches high before the first cut.

Soil Solutions

Whether winter has been rainy or snow-filled, the soil in every gardening zone across Canada needs attention in spring. Creating fertile ground for annuals, perennials or an edible garden to thrive requires the right soil conditioner. Consider using a fertilizer like Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Fertilizer for a mix plants will love. Another alternative is to set up a compost in your backyard—it’s an all-purpose and cost-effective option for the Canadian gardener!

A New Leaf

To ensure your garden grows green this spring and summer, make it a practice to prune and deadhead old growth. This will revitalize and create new life in shrubs, trees and plants. And pruning is an easy task with the right tools, like Gardena’s trusted Boxwood Clippers and Fiskars’ far-reaching Anvil Lopper.

For more information on how to get your garden ready for the summer season visit www.homedepot.ca/gardencentre

www.newscanada.com

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