Gardening

Succulents for low-maintenance

Now is the time of year to focus on outdoor landscaping projects. One popular project involves redesigning the front yard or backyard to include an array of different flowers and foliage. While many people gravitate to the flashy and colorful annuals on display at nurseries and home centers, you may want to consider adding some succulents to your home landscape.
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Shopping for a garden storage shed

Storage space is often a coveted commodity. Apartment dwellers seek out more closet space, homeowners may desire more acreage, and even children may want more space for their toys and belongings. The purchase of a storage shed could alleviate some clutter issues and move items outdoors -- creating more space.

Household garages are no longer as popular for storing vehicles. Instead, garages are used to store the extra items that do not fit inside the home. Many people even turn to self-storage units for extra storage space. According to the Self Storage Association, the storage industry earned roughly $20 billion in revenues across North America in 2010. It has also been the fastest-growing segment of the commercial real estate industry for the last 30 years and is considered to be recession-proof.
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Garden injuries are a major concern

Gardening is often described as a relaxing and beneficial hobby regardless of a person's age. While time outdoors in the garden can prove calming and enjoyable, there is a dark side to gardening as well. Namely the injuries that may result from various activities.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, emergency rooms in the United States treat more than 400,000 outdoor garden-tool-related injuries each year. Additionally, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand has issued warnings that caution gardeners about hand-related injuries.
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How to maintain fresh-cut flowers

Fresh flowers serve many purposes. A bouquet of flowers can be a gift on a special holiday or birthday. Some people apologize with flowers, while others use flowers to convey feelings of love or appreciation. Many people like to display fresh-cut flowers in their homes because their beauty can brighten the mood indoors. Others plant rows and rows of flowers in a garden with the express purpose of cutting them and bringing them into the home.
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Fun facts about earthworms

There are more than 2,700 different types of earthworms residing on the planet. Earthworms are often known to be workhorses in the garden, helping to aerate and fertilize the soil while filling it with nutrients. Earthworms recycle materials like dead leaves, decaying animals and feces so new plant seedlings can grow and have the process begin anew.
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Protect your garden from hungry animals

Homes full of garden beds with blooming flowers and foliage can seem warm and inviting. Planting flowers is one of the easiest ways to transform the appearance of a home with minimal effort and expense. Too often homeowners plant annuals and perennials only to find their hard work has been damaged by hungry animals, like deer, rabbits and underground pests. There are ways to keep animals away from plants -- many of which are humane and environmentally safe.

Keeping furry marauders away from the garden is something individuals who live in rural or suburban areas have to consider when planting. Many communities are growing and encroaching on the natural habitats of wild animals. With some of their natural food sources diminishing, animals may decide to partake of the easy pickings that come from residential home gardens.
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Maps reveal new plant hardiness zones

Gardeners rely on a number of factors when deciding on what to plant in their gardens and around their property. One of the most important things to take into consideration is the climate.

Since 1960, the go-to source for climate and relation to agriculture has been the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Plant Hardiness Zone map. In 1967, Agriculture Canada developed their own map that took into consideration Canadian plant survival data and a wider range of climatic variables. The maps remained constant until now.
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Go green in your garden

Gardening can be a rewarding and relaxing hobby, one that allows gardeners to escape from the daily grind and soak up some sun. As rewarding as gardening can be, it's even more so when gardeners ply their trade in an eco-friendly way.

Gardening with the environment in mind is something many gardeners might do already without even knowing it. The following are a few ways to garden in a way that's mutually beneficial to gardeners and the environment.
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How to: Seaside gardening tips

Brisk winds and salt spray can enhance the experience of living by the seaside. But the same features of coastal living that attract residents can be unkind to many garden plants.

Sun, salt, a light breeze and some sand may make for a picturesque day at the beach, but they can be anything but favorable to the delicate plants and flowers in a garden. Further, the very warm temperatures and arid, sandy soil that are typical of seaside locales can make planting a lush garden difficult.
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Did you know?

If you're considering inspiration from Colonial gardens of yore for your landscape, certain pointers can turn that dream garden into a reality. First, Colonial gardens are largely geometric and symmetrical. Elements should be arranged with thought to the central axis of the planting bed. Color is used sparsely in Colonial-style gardens; therefore, stick to small patches of color used in moderation against monochromatic hues of green foliage. Linear pathways are also a dominating feature of Colonial gardens.
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