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The use of wall scones in home d

Deciduous shrubs are among the most versatile of all garden plants. Whether used to frame architecture, provide privacy or attract birds, deciduous shrubs are an indispensable part of the garden and are the starting point of great landscape design. In most cases deciduous shrubs are very low maintenance. In fact, most will thrive for years with only occasional pruning.

Deciduous shrubs offer year round interest in the garden. Along with their vibrant flowers, they offer lush summer foliage and brilliant fall colors. What many gardeners don’t realize are the winter attributes of deciduous shrubs. For example, the red twig dogwood has amazing red bark which contrasts strikingly against white snow and stands out among the barren winter landscape. Many shrubs, such as several species of viburnum, are fruit bearing and will produce colorful berries which last though the fall and winter.

Formal landscape designs may call for shrubs which are small and respond well to frequent pruning, such as daphne, privet and cotoneaster. Gardens which are meant to be informal and have a more natural feel should be planted with shrubs which, if allowed to grow, become unruly such as viburnum, spirea and forsythia. Specimen shrubs are those which have very distinct, eye catching qualities and are able to stand out as individual plants. Often, interestingly shaped or dwarf evergreens are used as specimen shrubs but there are deciduous shrubs which can have dramatic effects in the landscape as well. Butterfly bush, for example, with its profuse summer flowers, and witchhazel with its late winter/early spring flowers both can be considered specimens.

Proper planning is essential to a successful shrub planting. Before choosing shrubs for your garden, consider their intended function in the landscape. Shrubs can be used in a number of ways in the landscape. Planted as a hedge, shrubs can act as windbreaks, screens which provide privacy or to delineate sections of a property. Hedges generally consist of one type of shrub a can be both formal and neatly pruned or informal and allowed to grow.

Shrub borders use a variety of shrubs and are designed to be more decorative than useful. Plant an array of shrub sizes and shapes in the border. Start with a back drop of larger shrubs. Lower growing shrubs can then be planted between and in front the taller shrubs. Include plants which during different times of the season. While most bloom in the spring, some shrubs, hydrangea, bloom in late summer. Rather than using one of many species of shrubs in the border, use a few different varieties and repeat patterns which seem to work well. There are several distinct shapes of shrubs; columnar, globular, weeping, spreading, and pyramidal. When planting in a narrow space or on the corner of a tall building, columnar (or tall and narrow) shrubs should be utilized. Spreading shrubs are low growing and are well suited to a slope planting. Also, be aware of the shrub’s hardiness to be sure it will survive the winter.

When contemplating color for your garden don’t limit your thinking to the flowers. For much of the season green is the dominant color in the garden so chose shrubs with interesting foliage. There are many shades of green available to the gardener, from light pale greens to darker blue greens. There are also variegated varieties which can brighten up shady spots. Colors which are opposite on the color wheel will work well together, such as yellow and purple. White flowering shrubs can stand out on their own and, much like variegated foliage, are effective in brightening up shady spaces.

One characteristic of shrubs which is often overlooked while planning a garden is their mature height. Improper placement of shrubs is a main reason for unnecessary transplants and pruning. Deciduous shrubs grow quickly and plants which are 4′ at the nursery could very well end up being 15′ tall in a few years.

Shrubs should be planted soon after they are purchased. If this is not possible, keep the roots moist while the plant is out of the ground. Spring and fall are ideal times to plant new shrubs as the temperatures are cooler. When you’re ready to plant follow these general guidelines. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the root ball and just as deep. Place the plant in the hole making sure that the top of the root ball meets the existing grade of the garden. Never plant shrubs too low or too high, this a major cause of premature plant decline. If the roots are wrapped in natural burlap it won’t need to be removed, just pull it way from the trunk of the plants and tuck it down into the hole. Back fill about half way with a mix of existing soil, peat moss and compost or manure. At this point, water and let the soil settle. This will eliminate any air pockets and will water the deep roots immediately. Finish backfilling and construct a saucer around the trunk of the shrub and water again. Taller shrubs on an exposed windy site may require staking.

The standard rule of thumb when pruning deciduous shrubs is to prune those which bloom before July immediately after they’ve finished blooming. This gives them nearly an entire year to develop new bud-bearing branches. Prune those which bloom after July in the winter or early spring. Prune selectively. Remove any branches which grow inward toward the trunk or crisscrossing each other. Thinning out old branches and cutting back those that have become long and leggy will renew the shrub. By removing about one-third of the shrub’s old growth will result in a huge flush of healthy new growth.

With hundreds of shrubs to choose from, deciding what to plant can become overwhelming. Find shrubs which you like and use those. Include in you garden planning a visit to your local nursery or arboretum to become familiar with how shrubs grow; you may come across shrubs you don’t recognize which inspire new design ideas.

R Birch is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/Resources.htm

[tags]Gardening, Annuals, Garden Guides, Gardening Tips, Landscaping[/tags]

Growing Beetroots

Beetroots give salads colour, texture and bite; they can be preserved in vinegar and used as an accompaniment to dishes such as Hotpot or Hash, or cooked in main course meals.
There are two types, the round, which are sown a little earlier, and the longer varieties, which are known as the main beet crop.

Soil Preparation

Beetroots do best in light, sandy loam but will do well in other types of soil if they are first prepared to make them lighter. In clay soil dig the plot over the previous autumn adding plenty of manure at a rate of a bucketful to the yard. Let it stand rough so that the winter frosts and winds can break down the soil making it much easier to rake over the following season. In soils that are lighter add plenty of compost in autumn; root crops should not be fertilized the same season as they are planted. Just before sowing, add bone meal or fish manure with 6 per cent potash content at 4 oz. (120g) to the sq. yd. and rake in lightly.

Sowing

For the round or globe types, sow the seeds in rows 1 ft. (30cm) apart by 1 in. (25mm) deep; the longer varieties need a little more space, about 1

When people discuss marble for home renovations 95 percent of the time they are talking about countertops and floors for kitchens and bathrooms.

Marble is a natural stone product that has been used in construction projects throughout the ages. The Greeks and Romans used marble as a decoration, flooring, support columns and statues in many of the structures that still stand today. Marble provides the elegance of time and an overall sense of class. Marble is now being quarried all over the world, bringing the benefit of an unbelievable diverse range of colors and patterns, plus very competitive pricing. As with any natural stone product, no two pieces are the same, the fault lines and fossils that have engrained themselves into the stone over the centuries creates an everlasting beauty that cannot be matched by any man made reproduction.

Besides the most common use of kitchen and bathroom countertops and flooring, marble makes an excellent choice as a fireplace surround and mantel. In years past, the only way to purchase a marble mantel was to have it custom crafted and that usually took it out of many peoples home remodel budgets. Recently however, an industry producing a line of standard marble fireplace mantels has been created. These manufacturers are situated all over the world from the UK to China, the US and many of the South American countries. The products are being found in high end home remodelling centers and are relatively easy to install. Most home handymen are quite capable of performing the installation.

Marble does need some tender loving care in order to maintain its aesthetic richness. Most natural stone and this includes marble is porous and needs to be sealed, preferably with a penetrating sealer ever 12 months. A penetrating sealer will prevent dirt and grime from entering the microscopic cavities within the stone.

For those who can afford to remodel with a larger budget you can still have custom crafted fireplace mantels made from marble, most are now hollow, reducing an old problem of using marble, that being weight.

If you want to create a highlight or focal point in a room, a marble fireplace mantel will certainly do just that. Don’t forget to add the marble floor and table lamps to your showpiece!

For additional information on home decorating or other home renovation projects, visit Renovation Headquarters.

[tags]marble, stone, fireplace, mantel, tile, countertop, floor, home, remodel, renovation, improvement,[/tags]

If you want to add another dimension to your bedroom but it is too small for a separate sitting area, you can create a lounging area in less space by simply using floor pillows. Not only will this create interest in a boring corner, but the pillows can help add to the design elements already in the room.

A floor pillow is simply a large cushion that can be used for relaxing on. They are great for sitting on to chat with friends or reclining on when reading a book or watching TV. They are taller than regular pillows and make great foot rests as well as decorative accents.

The color combinations and the patterns used in floor pillows almost fit any decoration, any style. They come in a variety of fabrics as well. Wool, cotton, polyester and chenille are the primary material used to make floor pillows and floor pillow covers. These pillows are plump, soft, comfy and fun - a perfect look and use for any bedroom.

Floor pillows can also be custom made. You can get them to match your other fabrics and furniture which will help give a sense of completeness to the room by repeating fabrics throughout it. They lend a casual look to the room when used in a bedroom but you can get a more formal looking pillow if you prefer that type of look. These pillows are generally sturdier and firmer and do not flop. They are more rectangular or slightly squarer and used primarily for seating purposes only.

Floor pillows with removable covers are great for the bedroom. The covers can be taken off to change the look or to be washed. These floor cushions usually have zippers but may have other types of closures such as Velcro or snaps.

Since they need to be more durable than regular pillows, floor pillows are filled with tougher stuffing. This is to ensure that the shape of the pillow does not get distorted easily. One type of floor pillow that is seeing a resurge in interest are ban bags. These are great for sitting purposes, for playing, for lying and mould to ones posture easily. Bean bags are capable of being refilled and are washable.

Floor pillows are a great choice for the bedroom since they are soft and fluffy, like your bedding and bed pillows. They are decorative by nature and can add a little pizzaz to your room while not taking up too much space. They make excellent, inexpensive alternatives for extra seating as well as add an element of whimsy to your bedroom d

Decorating after remodeling your kitchen may seem like a daunting task. The money may not be there, but you can still get stellar decorating resuls on a budget!

Color! Color! Color!

Hanging your coffee mugs under a cabinet may seem old hat to some, but being able to buy individual pieces in most stores now can make it a colorful, unique, and inexpensive solution to a naked backsplash wall problem. Bold colors and designs are just the thing for small space. Keeping things from cluttering your counter top is always a good idea and hanging your coffee mugs can solve that problem while adding that extra flair!

Individual mugs can be bought for as little as $1.00 to $2.00 a piece. A large serving platter in the same design hung under the light behind your sink can tie it all together. Dishtowels in a color to match and you’ve Gotter-Done for as little as $25.00 to $30.00 total.

I suggest using a mug hanger with several hooks on it as opposed to individual hooks. This will create fewer holes in your cabinets. Be careful to space your mugs so that they hang comfortably next to each other. Careful planning in this area will definately help in making fewer holes.

Don’t be afraid to be bold and daring in your selection of coffee mugs. If your kitchen is simple, you may want to choose some fun designs on your mugs. If your kitchen is already a hodgepodge of colors, you may want to stay with more solid colors. The idea is to accent what you already have, to make it stand out and look fresh and new again!

Decorate Your Shelves With Something Other Than Dust!

Are you not sure what to put on your shelves? Try taking some of those clear, corked bottles and filling them with colored water. Inexpensive, yet wonderful when the light from your window or kitchen light reflects off of them. They will shine like jewels. Simple foodcoloring and water will get the job done. Experiment with color combinations. Combining colors can get you just about any shade you need. Doing a gradual light to dark can also be dramatic.

Be sure to fill the jar with water to the cork mark. Also take your colored water over to the spot you intend to display it in. See how the light reflects on it. This will help you determine if you need to lighted or darken the color for the effect you want. Less may be better in your greens and blues. They can often get too dense to let the light pass through. If you’re not happy with the color you’ve got, simply dump the water and try again. Add a candle next to the bottle and watch the colors glow.

When the budget is tight, try one or both of these simple accents to add additional color and flair to your kitchen!

About the Author Terri Oh is a mother and grandmother who spends her free time trying to come up with ways to make the old look new, and the boring look fresh and fun again! More tips on
[tags]kitchen remodeling, kitchen redecorating, remodeling, decorating, budget[/tags]

Planning a remodel, major repair or new home construction? Looking
for some terrific features to include that won’t be budget busters? We
can help! We started collecting over 1,000 uncommon, affordable
convenience built-ins in 1998, when we first began writing books and
consulting to help people have truly extraordinary but affordable
homes. Here are some of our favorite storage ideas as well as our 10
essential storage principles. Add any of these to your next project, and
you’ll be on your way toward creating a home that’s truly beyond the
ordinary!

1. First of all, the purpose of good storage is to help you keep organized.
(Contrary to what your spouse or teenagers might say, it’s not merely to
hide monster messes where they’ll get forgotten or require tons of time
to sort through whenever someone’s looking for something!)

Rollaway storage with lockable wheels can tuck into a stall built
into a lower cabinet, island, closet or under a sink. Or roll into place for
being used under a table, desk or countertop. Ideal for laundry hampers
and garbage cans; a cart for tableware (from walk-in pantry to the table
and from the dishwasher back to the pantry); file cabinets; a stack of
drawers; containers for toys, equipment, gift wrapping or craft supplies;
an entire island; a wagon or cart to wheel around the house while
putting various items it contains wherever they belong; and so much
more.

2. There must be adequate storage space for all your current
belongings, plus space for your future acquisitions. And if you’re likely to
start a family while living in this house, that may mean you need as
much space to grow into as you’ll fill when you move in.

Pullout shelves, bins, baskets and racks in lower cabinets allow easy
access to their contents. Don’t forget to add these under sinks, with
cutouts that fit around the plumbing. No more getting down on your
hands and knees to see and find things! And with these, you can get to
and therefore use the space that’s even at the very back of your
cabinets.

3. Next, I’d be sure each storage area is appropriate for whatever you
plan to store, and that each has compartments appropriate for its
contents. That means your sports equipment needs space that’s different
from the space for your music and video collections.

For hanging table linens, dowels bolted onto the back walls or mounted
on a frame bolted to the sides or bottom of pantries, closets or cabinets
make linens easily accessible while minimizing creases and fold lines.
No more digging to the bottom of a drawer of folded linens to find a
favorite tablecloth, or having to empty the entire drawer to get it out! And
no more linens that are too wrinkled to use “as is!” This is also a great
way to use a narrow area of otherwise wasted space.

4. Plan storage scattered throughout the whole house. Ideally,
everything will be stored near where you’ll be using it. No point in
hauling stuff through half the house!

You’ll love having closets and cabinets the pantry, too whose
lights go on automatically as their doors open, the way a refrigerator’s
does. (One of the many benefits of built-in cabinets is the inside lighting
that’s possible.) No more groping to find manual light switches,
especially when your hands are often too full to reach for a switch or
they’re wet! This is also wonderful for kids and adults in wheelchairs
who can’t easily reach a closet’s traditional light switch. A plunger
switch is inside most refrigerators, but magnetic contact switches
similar to those used in home security alarm systems can also do the
job throughout your house.

5. I’d also plan for your most frequently used items to be easiest and
quickest to reach, and to store your less frequently used things in the
remaining space only after all the popular things are stored.

Electrical outlets inside drawers, cabinets or in appliance barns on
countertops allow small appliances to be stored out of sight and used
without frequent plugging and unplugging. (Ideally, everything you store
in these spaces will be used nearby so you won’t need any extension
cords.) You avoid countertop clutter, the items never get dusty and are
always ready to use, and no one needs to fiddle with the plugs
especially when their hands are wet or arthritic. Just be sure to measure
the sizes of the appliances you plan to store before you finalize these
spaces’ dimensions, so you avoid any surprises about something not
fitting inside.

6. Your largest and heaviest possessions also need to be the easiest
and quickest to get to, and not be put up high or in a corner that’s tricky
to navigate. Fill the remaining storage spaces with your lightweight
items.

Separate activity areas in the kitchen will make everything efficiently at
hand exactly where you need it: baking and mixing, food preparation,
cooking, cleanup, entertaining, beverage service, etc.

7. Be sure storage minimizes wasted space.

Hang a detachable hamper inside a pullout or tiltout lower cabinet door
or storage bench, or inside a closet door. A cloth hamper hanging on a
frame makes transporting clothes or linens to the washing machine
especially easy, but wire or plastic hampers also work. No more
dropping items on the way to the laundry room that you might trip over!
Choose materials that allow ventilation in the hamper, to prevent mold
from forming on any damp or wet items that remain inside for more than
a few days.

8. Make your storage spaces accessible, so none of them are wasted
because they can’t easily be reached.

Full-extension drawers, pullout shelves and file cabinets all on easy-
gliding metal tracks allow you to reach and see all their contents, so
you can use all their space.

9. I’d also look at traffic flows in the house. If your most frequently used
items are stored in the major traffic paths, no one will have to go out of
their way to get what they need, and you’ll have a very efficient house.
On the other hand, you can also affect where the traffic detours through
the house via where you store popular items. So if you want to stop
frequent bottlenecks where people tend to collide with each other, you
can move the popular items into different locations in order to force
some of the traffic to flow along new paths.

Adequate clearance around every open drawer, hinged cabinet or door,
and appliance door will keep traffic flowing and save you some steps.
Be sure you have room to open and move around all the drawers and
cabinets you need to open at once when you’re emptying the
dishwasher, putting groceries away, working on a project, etc.

10. My final point is to make as much of the storage adjustable as
possible, so as your needs change, the storage that worked for you
initially can be modified to remain as effective as ever.

Open shelving or you can remove some cabinet doors gives you
instant identification of and access to your stored goods. Stored items
get more light around them and are easier to see, the motion of opening
cabinets is not required, and this saves some trial and error if you don’t
recall precisely what’s stored where.

Like this article? Then you’ll love our books that all have uncommon,
affordable storage ideas that increase your quality of life and your
home’s resale value! We also offer a free e-book at
www.extraordinaryhomes.com: The 34 ExtraOrdinary Home Principles:
Over 70 Fabulous, Affordable, Innovative Ideas That’ll Improve Your Life
and WOW You!

© Copyright 2005 by Carol Abrahamson/ExtraOrdinary Homes. All rights
reserved.

Carol Abrahamson consults, writes and makes presentations about
more than 1,000 of these fabulous features that can improve your life,
add value to your home and make you the talk of the town. She spent
years researching them via thousands of sources just so you can quickly
and easily use them to create your affordable, extraordinary Home of
Your Dreams

We put up drapes for privacy, to keep out the glare, the intense heat and cold, or simply to transform a building into something homey. Whatever the reason, necessity dictated the invention of the curtain rod. With the realization that curtain rods enhance or detract from the beauty of the drapes, these curtain ‘bearers’ were transformed from being a practical fixture of wood or metal into works of art, wrought with pride

A great deal of thought and inventiveness went into curtain designing, from the material to the styling. With window coverings getting more and more elaborate, hardware designers took up the challenge to bring out creations that would complement curtains in style.

Before installing curtain rods, it is necessary to measure the window. The supports, by way of brackets are put in next, one at each end and one in the center for added support. The latter keeps the curtain from sagging and ensures a longer life. The strength of the rod should be considered. Your choice would depend on the weight of your curtains. There’s no rule against fixing the rod on the window casing, but the better option is to go for brackets. They’re provided so why not use them! It is important to remember that the rod should be 2″ to 5″ longer than the window, so that the entire window is covered. If the curtain has a valance, a valance rod is also required. Curtain rods come with brackets, fasteners and toggle bolts.

Selecting curtain rods depends on the family’s needs. You can choose from wood or metal, have simple ones or go in for the more ornate kind. However, these fixtures should fit in with the rest of the d

The first thing to do when remodeling your kitchen is to come up with a definitive style. Defining the style of your kitchen will help you make decisions about what type of cabinetry will best suit your kitchen. Once you know what your kitchen will look like, and once you know the color scheme of the walls, cabinets, and floor, you’ll be better equipped to choose the perfect kitchen cabinets to match. If it’s a traditional style you want, your ideal kitchen cabinets will be more ornate; if it’s a contemporary style you want, your ideal kitchen cabinets will be sleek and simple.

When you are ready to go cabinet shopping always keep your kitchen design in mind, because your cabinetry must reflect your kitchen d

The carpet in your home is subject to a lot of abuse. Because of that abuse and because of the characteristics of carpet it can develop a number of problems. One of those problems is Traffic Lane Gray.

Traffic Lane Gray is a condition where the traffic lanes in a home start to look darker than the rest of the carpet. It is different from regular soiling because the darkness is not caused by soil but by scratched carpet fibers that no longer reflect as much light as the rest of the carpeting. So if you have had your carpets cleaned and the carpet still looks dark or gray in the traffic areas you probably have Traffic Lane Gray.

So how do you correct it? Well you can’t. Unfortunately the damage is permanent. When carpet fibers are designed, they are designed with edges that reflect light and hide soil. When these edges are worn down, through normal use, they do not reflect the same amount of light. You will probably notice that the carpet looks fine up close but when you look at it from a distance it appears dark. This is because of the fibers not reflecting as much light.

The only way to treat this condition is to prevent it. To prevent it you must limit wear on your carpet. To do that have it cleaned often, use entry rugs and rearrange your furniture regularly to spread out the wear. By doing those three things you can prevent or at least delay the condition know as Traffic Lane Gray.

The author operates a website where you can find qualified carpet cleaners and information on carpet and rug cleaning.

[tags]carpet, flooring, floors, home improvement, carpeting, rugs, cleaning, decorating, area rug[/tags]