This summer has been difficult in NW PA. Between cold nights, too much rain and flooding the gardens and yards have suffered. The most you can do is make the best of it. Or ignore it for a bit
photo credit: >>>WonderMike<<<

It’s also made me plan more for the future. I have switched most of my gardens to container gardens where I can move the containers indoors on cold nights. I have made raised beds that can be covered in colder weather and are protected from floods and can also be covered when we have too much rain.

The raised beds are being moved near a pond for easy watering and piping has been has been planned into the design for easy watering in case of drought. The uses of rain barrels for collecting excess rain are also in the plans.

And I have also switched to move “gardening under glass. I will be able to extend my gardening season, try new plants and hopefully be able to handle any climate problems that come my way.

I don’t know if it was global warming that lead to our horrendous summer or lack of summer but gardens and trees have really suffered this year.

I also suffered heavy loss due to flooding and property damage.

For this reason The Gardener’s Rake and its sister site, Backyard Oasis will have a week of topics covering how to deal and plan your backyard, front yard and garden areas for weather that is less than perfect.

Join us next week (August 24th, 2009) for topics on:

• Raised Bed Gardening
• Gardening under Glass
• Dry Creeks
• The Moveable Garden
• Climate problems
• Surviving drought
• landscape ideas
  
• and more.

My front yard backyard and garden areas are also being totally redone due to property damage.

The projects will probably last into next year but will be covered online. Ideas for healthy plants and trees will also be covered. I hope that these ideas will help you if you end up in a situation like I have.

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Gardens are places of beauty designed and enhanced with a touch of garden decor to capture a piece of nature and put it within the reach of a home owner at any time of the day. They are great spots to relax, unwind and refresh one’s mind and soul.
photo credit: stevendepolo

A stroll through a lovely garden full of flowers that are in full bloom would cheer up any manic depressive. Gardens have traditionally been places of relaxation and unwinding. Buddhist monks created versions that were also used as meditating spaces and were serene enough to bring spiritual tranquility to the soul.

Japanese monks have of yore tended to the idea of gardens being quiet places for soul searching and deep meditation and spiritual contemplation. Japanese miniature and mega versions have been long popular and the Buddhist techniques of landscaping and flora selection for a garden are still in vogue.

Sculptures and water fountains and patios are the most commonly sought after form of garden decors. Although gardens mainly consists of plants, flowers and shrubs that when carefully chosen and placed together are able to capture natural beauty, the inclusion of decorative items adds another dimension to this beauty. 
photo credit: carabou

Though most home gardens that are on a small scale are designed by the home owners themselves, it is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon to employ the services of a designer or a landscape architect to create a beautiful garden for oneself. The decor used is usually chosen by these specialists and would tend to reflect exactly those moods that are required by the home owner.

Garden decors come in many shapes and sizes from gargantuan water fountains that spew gallons of water per minute to tiny sparkling fountains that make sweet sounds. The home owner can choose the appropriate kind of decor by comparing costs and as per his aesthetic requirements.

Bird baths and feeds and bird houses are also popular decors for many gardens.

Many gardens sport patios that can be used both in summer as well as in cold climates, these patios coupled with sun roofs provide for great lounging spaces and excellent locations for barbecue parties and outdoor eating.

Properly lighted patios accompanied by heaters that keep people warm during cold weather can also become ideal venues for hosting outdoor dinners.

Most American home owners tend to spend at least 5 to 10 percent of the expenditure on their homes on gardens that are inclusive of barbecue, lawns and outdoor kitchens and patios. If you are located in places that are prone to fickle weather can sport water proof canopies and furniture.

Weather proof furniture, along with water proof canopies or coverings can allow the owner to enjoy the space during all seasons. Having night time lamps installed in strategic places around the garden can not only lend ethereal beauty to it but also make it an ideal spot for hosting dinner parties and the like.

A designer can help decide the right accessories to choose, that would lend beauty and aesthetic appeal and also make it an ideal partying location.

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A great, low maintenance way to decorate your garden is with the use of vines, since they look good on almost anything. If You’ve got a fence that stands out in your lush green garden, growing a vine over it can be a quick and beautiful solution. Depending on what look you want, there are many vines that can meet your needs.
photo credit: DominusVobiscum

Trying to find an alternative to grass? Ground vines are a great way to easily cover ground, and since they are so easily directed, you can use them to make a border around your garden, or even have them weave throughout your plants. Some varieties of the ground vine are resilient enough to survive being stepped on, and even survive dogs!

Along with ground vines, “twining” vines are vines that make their way up a lattice or any equally porous surface by sending out small tendrils that latch on and loop onto whatever is close enough to reach in their search for the sun. While they require a lot of direction at first, once these vines have grown a bit, they require almost no care.

Ivy is a vine that nearly everyone is used to seeing. It is this way because Ivy is one of the most adaptable and resilient types of vines growing, and it can grow pretty much anywhere. Ivy is great to use for ground cover, and it will also grow up any wall you put it near. Over the years, however, people have found that buildings covered in Ivy have been deteriorating because of it.

If you are looking for a natural way to improve the architecture of your home, or simply want to go green, vines are the way to go! A great way is with Virginia Creeper, a “twining” vine that can grow up a wall of any home in a matter of months. Make sure to keep your eye on it, though; while it looks great when its where you want it, it can very easily take over your home.

So no matter what you want to do with a vine, you should have no problem getting it to grow. You should always do your research beforehand and find out about any negative qualities the vine has (such as its ability to destroy buildings, as is the case with Ivy) and researching how fast the vine will grow, especially if you plan on using it on your home.

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