Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna found that as little as 30 minutes of gardening can improve a man’s sex life. Weeding, digging, or mowing the lawn for 30 minutes almost halved a man’s risk of impotence.
If you want to give your gorgeous landscape a certain ambiance, you may consider installing some specialty lights, such as string lights, torches, underwater lights, or lanterns. These not only light up your landscape, but also create a relaxing and soothing mood in your outdoor paradise.
If your plants are dying, check your soil’s acidity. Soil that is too acidic can kill off most plants, making it difficult to grow anything until you correct the problem.
Fire pit tables provide a great alternative for cooking food over an open fire in your backyard. These pits are surrounded by a table-like rim that's handy for holding food that you are grilling, as well as drinks and plates of food.
If you would like to grow an edible herb garden to enhance your flavorful homemade culinary delights, design an herb garden which includes popular kitchen herbs like basil, chives, dill, peppermint, parsley, rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme.
When it comes to xeriscape landscaping, you have a variety of options. For instance, you might replace a water guzzling lawn with an arrangement of drought-tolerant plants or simply an enlarged patio that needs no water whatsoever.
Succulents, sometimes called fat plants, are one of the hottest trends in desert gardens. They come in a wide variety of unusual, yet striking shapes and a magnitude of stunning colors, including blue-green, purple, orange, pink, yellow and white.
"Community gardening could be an option for anyone who does not have space for a garden at home," wiseGEEK writes. "Most cities that offer this will rent a small plot of land to someone for a fee, or allow them to use it free of charge."
One of the most important factors to consider when it comes to desert landscaping has to do with planning and design. By thinking ahead, you can maximize beauty and functionality while minimizing water needs.
Q: Are there any plants I should try to avoid putting coffee grounds on?
A: Many nitrogen-loving plants do well with grounds, but tomatoes do not seem to like them.
Trees that produce nuts will also attract birds to your yard. Try planting oaks, pines, walnuts, and many others. They will also add color and beauty to your yard.
Numerous tree varieties require minimal care and will thrive in the desert. Here are a few you might want to look at: desert willow, mulga, willow leaf acacia, Chihuahuan orchid tree, ghost gum, feather tree, and ironwood.
Accent plants like agave can grow to large sizes when fully mature, which can easily overwhelm a smaller garden. This can be a problem, since many have thorns or spines, but a desert plant expert can help you find the perfect plant.
If you are transplanting a new seedling during the hotter summer months, then it’s recommended you create a hot-weather shield to minimize stress on the plant. This shield should be made from lightweight material (cotton is always good) that is firmly grounded with stakes.
You may think it's impossible to grow herbs in the desert, but that's not true. A number of herb varieties grow well in hot, dry climates. They include: salvia (sage), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and Mexican tarragon (mint marigold).
A path or walkway can be creative and inspiring whether you create it yourself, or revamp an old one. Consider using stone or wood, planting borders around it and adding pathway lighting to add charm and style at a reasonable cost.
Unfortunately, any living thing has the potential to die sooner than you’d hoped. If you aren’t having great success keeping plants alive in your garden, we’re always ready to help you evaluate what could be going wrong so that you can plant your next round of greenery with more confidence.
Architectural elements are an excellent and often beautiful way to add interest to your outdoor living space. Statues, columns, fountains and even stone archways may be perfect for your outdoor room.
Irises are prized for their beautiful, delicate appearance, but they are surprisingly resilient flowers. These flowers bloom best in direct sunlight and are relatively drought-resistant. Birds and butterflies are especially drawn to this type of flower.
The Mexican Fan Palm is a beautiful but delicate palm tree that can reach high heights without taking up too much space. It flourishes in the full sun, can withstand temperatures to around 20 F and it looks lovely along long driveways and property boarders.
Your garden really wants you to be as green as you can. Instead of just throwing out your eggshells in the kitchen, take out your blender and grind them to a fine powder. This can give any garden a much needed calcium boost in no time.
Desert sunflowers offer clusters of sunflowers rather than the single giant on a tall singular stalk. These beauties bloom throughout the spring and often come back for a second showing in the fall.
