Each year is a new experience in gardening and garden planning is one area that helps shape and define you garden and backyard. In 2010 The Gardener’s Rake will emphasis more Do It Yourself ideas for gardening and backyards. Garden businesses and money saving gardening ideas are also top considerations for this site.

photo credit: Joshua Kaufman
How to start a perennial gardening business has been covered before but a more detailed plan and blogging results will follow. With times being tough for many the added income of growing your own plants, trees and shrubs will be helpful plus you may be able to add a little additional income from selling plants to friends or the neighborhood.

An herb garden or herb business is rather easy and easy to start with only a few plants. You may be able to trade herbs with someone else for a larger plant variety plus the benefits of herbs for cooking, crafting and your health are invaluable.

Fast and easy hand built greenhouse plans will be covered. I know they are easy. I put one up myself and it’s still standing. It’s made of old recycled windows and heated by solar heat. I picked up most of the windows for free so my main cost was for a fan and a door.

Plans and sharing ideas for a recession or community garden will also be covered more in-depth. By studying victory gardens from the past you can learn secrets from experienced gardeners.

Information on indoor plants, outdoor plants, fruits and vegetables will be covered. The information will either be covered here or links will be provided for the information you need to plant and harvest a successful garden.

There will be the addition of a forum to ask your gardening questions.

Gardening makes a great hobby, provides fresh air and exercise, it’s a time families can spend together and most importantly, its save money and at the same time provides healthy fresh food.

Technorati Tags: handmade greenhouse, money saving garden ideas, perennial gardening business, recession garden, the gardeners rake

I love junking, dumpster diving or heading to the auction looking for pieces I can turn into art and garden items. It adds fun to the backyard and what you create ofter turns into a focal point for the entire backyard. 
photo credit: Valerie Everett

Last Friday I went to the auction. I picked up a vintage window, which I removed the old glass from. It’s the type of windows with the small panes. I will keep the old bubbled glass for fused glass projects or stained glass creations.

I put screen on the back of the window frame and added half of an old wooden bowl to the bottom. I can line this with plastic and plant in it or fill it with old antiques for that funky look. This will look good hanging on the back patio.

The item that I will have the most fun with is an old heater. It’s one of those small upright kerosene heaters. This one is very old but in good shape. Someone painted it a barn red and it has faded from age. What I like to do with these is buy the white Christmas lights that flicker. You place them inside the stove and the flickering looks like a fire burning. It’s a great look for a porch or outdoor garden in the summer. In the winter it adds to a family room.

I also picked up an old metal bed head frame. It was in rough shape but it will make a great back to grow small vines on. I can leave it plain or if I decide to get creative cover the bed frame with chicken wire then coat with a cement mix to get a stone look. If I mixed that with hypertyfu pots that would have a fun look

I paid one dollar for these items. I also picked up two baskets and some pots for the garden for another dollar.
photo credit: bestfor

With spring on its way, it’s time to think Garden Art and what I can create over in the barn.

I have an area I have named creation corner and it’s where I store all my auction finding and items to turn into fun garden art.

Technorati Tags: Creative Organic Gardening, dumpster diving, garden crafting, making garden art, old items, old windows, recycling windows, the gardeners rake