Having An Attractive Rock Garden Anyone Would Be Proud Of

A rock garden can bring instant life, interest and intrigue to an otherwise bland area of your landscape. Many new gardeners think that rock gardens are hard to plan and expensive to make and fill with colorful plants but nothing could be further from the truth. Rock gardening is fun, easy and can be very economical depending on how you approach it. They are very popular and one of the most economical ways to enhance the landscape surrounding your home.

Rock gardens bring with them the assumption of having very few plants, or no plants at all but that’s not true. In fact it is the arrangement of the rocks in your garden, complemented by attractive plants with coordinating colors, that really adds to the beauty of the home and provides a low-maintenance landscape feature.

The first thing to do when starting your rock garden is to carefully check out where you are thinking of creating your rock garden. You should clear the area of unwanted plants, grasses and make sure there are no remnants left. Be sure to dig out the roots as well as the tops, or you may find your rock garden invaded at some later time by an unwanted fern or intrusive perennials.

After you make sure the soil is good (proper PH and well fertilized), then it is time to place your rocks. It is important to not choose rocks of the same size or shape and to not space your rocks evenly. Your want your garden to look natural. Variety in the types of rocks used is as desirable as variety of plants chosen to place in between them.

If you plan to have a lot of plants, then your rocks should be spaced further apart to give more room for the flowers. If, however, you plan to use plants only sparingly, arrange them closer together, but make sure that you allow some room for plants to grow. Try to make the design look as natural as possible, as it will be more attractive. A few large boulders usually look better than a number of small rocks and in a well-designed rock garden rocks are arranged so that there are various exposures. It is also a good idea to mix in some soil enhancements such as mulch, compost, and other compounds as you fill in the soil between the rocks.

It is advantageous, even after you have placed your rocks and decided where you want to put any plants, to wait a while before you attempt to plant the flowers in your rock garden. This will ensure that the soil has settled, and it will give you a chance to make sure that you have gotten rid of any pesky weeds. This way as soon as they make their appearances above the ground you can easily remove them.

It is best when placing the rocks in a garden that is sloped, to start at the low part of the slope and work up. Also try to slope the top of the rock back toward the slope so that water from rain and sprinklers is guided downward. You also want to try and keep the upper rocks from overshadowing rocks and plants below them. The goal is to create a sense of stability both visually and physically by setting each rock so that its widest side serves a base. To build the rocks up you can set a larger rock on top of smaller rocks and then fill in between with soil.

Placing the rocks on flat ground is a little different. Here you want to work from the inside toward the outer edges of the garden. It is always a good idea to lay out which rocks you would like where so that you can ensure your garden is balanced and look natural. It may be necessary, on a flat site, to build up small mounds of dirt in different places to give the rock garden an interesting appearance.

You should be careful to plant your flowers and plant only after everything else is in place, and after you make sure the soil is properly settled. Early spring or early fall are always the best times to do any planting. You want to make sure you choose plants that are suited for rugged terrain and adapted to your climate. The end result will be a beautiful garden that requires little upkeep.

Rock gardens are here to stay. They are a delightful feature in any home landscape and afford the opportunity to create charming pictorial effects as well as to grow a wide variety of plants, including many bulbs, in a comparatively small area.

Rock gardening “by the yard”

Beautify Your Garden with a Bridge

Have you ever imagined having your own little paradise right outside in your backyard? Smelling the fresh flowers and enjoying the colorful fish in your very own pond. I think all of us want to have our own private getaway to turn off the noise of our busy lives.

A Garden bridge could be just what you need to turn that mediocre garden area into something quite splendid. Just because you don’t have a huge, elaborate garden does not mean you can’t accentuate what you do have. Garden bridges can add either a touch of country or a formal design to a garden.

Why not consider a garden bridge to accentuate your sanctuary and create a focal point to your flower garden. Bridges are often placed over a small stream (either dry or with running water), pond or even over rough terrain. It is the perfect touch for an exquisitely made landscape whatever the setting may be.


1. Personalize Your Garden
These accents can give a more personalized touch in your garden revealing your true character and personality. All the choices and decisions you make in styling your garden are yours and should reflect your own personal taste and style. Having a garden bridge in a backyard is an influence of the Far East where they created quiet locations often for rejuvenation and meditation. Therefore, a good way to rejuvenate in your backyard is to create your own quiet place. Garden bridges can give serenity to your entire garden which can evoke peaceful feelings and help you clear your mind.

2. Bridge Selections
Garden bridges are most often made of wood because it gives an elegant and traditional style. There are three popular choices of woods used for building these bridges: cedar, pine and redwood. They are unique in their features and they each have their own desirable characteristics.

Cedar: Buyers of cedar bridges may be attracted to the timeless natural beauty of this light-colored wood. It is very good for any outdoor furnishing because it resists mold, decay and mildew and repels insects. The two popular types of cedar are the western red and white cedar. Though both have similar qualities, the western red cedar may last longer than white cedar due to lower levels of natural acid which preserve the cedar. Cedar wood ages well because it does not have the tendency to splinter.

Pine: This type of wood is prone to rot if not pressure-treated. If you are good with a hammer and nails you may even be able to make your own garden bridge. Plans can often be found online. Before building the bridge though, make sure that the wood is painted or stained and sealed to extend its life. Pine responds well to staining or painting.

Redwood: Redwood stands up well against the elements and resists rotting. Lack of maintenance and prolonged outdoor exposure though can steal the vibrancy of its color. But this can be easily restored by using a colored sealer. Having a durable redwood garden bridge adds style and elegance in your backyard.

3. Finding and choosing Your Garden Bridge
- Online sites of Garden Bridges provide you with the best choices, great deals and valuable information to help you get started on your backyard oasis.
- You need to choose the right garden bridge for your yard. If you have a smaller garden you will want a smaller garden bridge to draw attention to a specific area. Look at the space you have and decide where a bridge would fit in. Consider more than one area and then choose your favorite.

A garden bridge can be a big benefit for your garden space. There are some lovely gardens that are small in size but large in beauty because garden bridges have been added in just the right places.

Garden bridges “by the yard”