Gardens and Landscaping Archives - Page 5 of 5

Designing a Rose Garden

When it comes to designing a rose garden and then establishing, tending to, and growing a prospering garden of roses, there are a number of key ‘care points’ you need to consider and implement when you want to know how to make a rose garden design in your garden.

Its important that when you design a rose garden, you should select a plot in your garden (where you would like to be able see and enjoy the fruits of your labor) that has copious amounts of daily sunlight. Ideally around 7 hours of direct sun per day (during the summer) should suffice.

There a quite a variety of roses available, from bush roses, climbing roses, and miniature roses. Depending on the look you want for your garden area, the good old bush rose is always a good choice. Make sure you select the rose color you want for your garden because once they bloom, you will have an absolute sea of beauty if you’ve planned it correctly.

During your rose type selection process, give some consideration to the flowering frequency, as some rose varieties will bloom only once, whilst others can bloom for a much longer time over the summer. We always feel that its best to use the longer bloomers in your garden if you want to enjoy the sight of a long season of rose beauty.

Also decide early on in your decision process whether you want perfumed or scented roses. Most roses have a scent and some are highly scented although its unlikely you’ll be overwhelmed by the scent of a field of roses from a distance. They tend to be more subtle in the scent expressiveness.

When you first plant your young rose bushes, you need to ensure there is an adequate source of water available nearby as they tend to be very thirsty when first planted and also when placing them into their position, ensure you fill the hole with a mix of organic compost and/or ‘matured manure’ and also make sure it is well dug in and dispersed when you ill the hole as roses tend to prefer a nutrient rich soil.

During late fall, and the winter months, the roses will become ‘dormant’ and if left unpruned will form seeds from the dead rose heads.

These are known as rose-hips, which you should see as small, berry-sized, reddish seed balls, left on tips of the stems and they are often used in the food industry as well as sometimes even within floral decorations.

Its during the winter months that you need to chop them back (prune them) considerably, which gives the opportunity to have an input into the shape and the way they will grow in the spring months. If the roses are likely to be your main front garden display, you’ll need to accept that there will be nothing of interest to see during the winter months.

Make sure you do some research before you choose your rose plants. You can achieve this by taking a visit to your local garden centers, or a tour around the older, more established suburbs of your City (where rose bushes may be plentiful) and even wander through your local botanical gardens as these usually always have an area set aside just for roses.

Perhaps even take a look at online resources, or even your local bookstore, that will possibly also have books that cover the whole rose care process from start to finish. This can help you to get a feel for what you like and provide some real inspiration for you to copy or recreate a similar look in your own garden.

Outdoor Sculptures and Contemporary Garden Art

Outdoor Sculptures. The sculpted elephant trees in the park

These outdoor sculptures are sculpted trees in the shape of elephants in the park and they make a fantastic setting. Everyone loves elephants and so why not turn your boring old bushes into a magic piece of artwork like this?

Garden Art and outdoor sculptures create uniqueness to your garden and also provide some personality or flare that makes your garden or yard area interesting. Whether you are an accomplished artist in your own right and you like to create interesting and unique pieces or you just like to obtain and admire quality one off pieces of art created by others for your garden, nothing will give you garden more zing and pizazz than a noticeable, interesting and attention provoking piece of art.

Styles of artwork for gardens comes in many different designs and materials. Some choose to create smaller items of interest from moulds of either clay, concrete, cement or plaster. Others become a lot more creative and use a mix of different material, bronze, brass, tin, steel, and other metals. Part of the character of a piece of outdoors art is to let it naturally weather, for example, iron rusting to its typical rusty brown color often adds a special character to the piece, copper weathering to its typical greeny, blue oxide coloring and then there are those that chose to use what’s already in the environment and create something from rock, or stone or even from the plants themselves (like the image above).

This is a gallery of 27 interesting and thought provoking pieces of garden art and unique sculptures. Some are publicly displayed and others are from private homes. Hopefully these will inspire you to consider commissioning your own unique piece of garden art for your home, or perhaps even creating one yourself.

Colorful display of painted outdoor sculptures of cement snails in a beautiful garden. A very simple, easy and visually effective concept to replicate for the DIY’er in you

The Corridor pin, a giant blue safety pin outdoor piece of artwork. Visually interesting and set in a public park.

The quality of the finish of these types of sculptures is mind blowing. This is a wooden deer hand made from natural driftwood material where everything is carefully put together with random pieces of driftwood

Cement statues of rabbits in the garden add a great contrast and interest to what would potentially be a very plain outlook.

Modern outdoor colorful patterned art sculpture situated near a beach. Made from painted metal and embedded in a concrete plinth, the resemblance to nautical sailing and surfing themes is uncanny

Wire shaped animals in a residential rock garden. Made from recycled barbed, plain or rusty fencing wire.Image source www.wireart.co.nz.

Individual fingers of a large hand seemingly emanating from the ground holding a mature, mossy laden tree. Image Source www.whale.to

Large bronze garden sculpture of mother and child

Outside metal art work depicting four people sitting at table in a courtyard on a concrete plinth. The natural weathering of this display with rust spots adds to the overall character of the piece

Sculpture in front of a museum of modern art honoring Joan Miro Foundation.

A common type of garden sculpture used as an outdoor feature for a garden. Many of these types of ornaments in various characters from angels to cupid and even majestic maidens are used to decorate a garden, or add something different to a water feature or a pond.

Outdoor public park garden art structure

Clay hand sculptures

This is another public piece of art. Crafted in a mozaic style with mirror pieces, this art sculpture piece is of a dragon and features a water element

A contemporary modern outside piece of iron art. Representative of a couple of joined semi circular structures similar to engineering components. The natural weathering rusted effect adds to the appeal

Rusting metal outdoor art piece depicting a woman working at sewing machine.

Two beautiful young looking majestic bronze horses with water fountains at their feet recreate the visual effect of running through water

Faceless heads, a garden art contemporary spin on ancient art in Rome exhibition

Private collection of modern metal garden art pieces in a courtyard

This piece of contemporary garden art is visually appealing as it look completely natural in its park like setting utilizing a carved out log of wood to create a garden bench seat.

Interesting and unique outdoors body sculpture by Italian artist

Three garden shrubs with small red flowers shaped and decorated to look like ladybirds sitting on a stony area in a park

Bronze garden art statues of generalized people in specific poses
Abstract garden sculptures made of stone

Abstract sculpture of disproportionate nude woman inside an iron ring on a concrete plinth in a public park

A beautiful set of four hand carved chairs and a hand carved table with some feature horses in a private back yard with a green lawn

32 Amazing English Gardens & Gardening Ideas

English Gardens & Gardening Ideas with a classic English rear yard with trees, shrubs and steps set into the lawn

This is an image of a stunning English rear yard with trees, shrubs and steps set into the well trimmed lawn. A table and chairs looks out onto the landscape and must bewilder at the beauty.

English gardens are a part of England’s heritage and something that has taken often centuries to develop. It’s no surprise then that many people admire the look of a classic English garden and often seek out ideas as to how they can replicate the look for their own homes. Easier said than done, though due primarily to the unique English climate and the need to mix and match the right plants that will thrive in that very environment.

The first essential requirement for your English garden is of course the grass or lawn. This is one of the ‘foundations’ of the English garden look. It must also receive regular maintenance and attention so as to retain its lush greenness and its well manicured look. Next you have the flowers that will adorn the garden area. Typical for most English gardens are the perennial flowers like Aquilegia, Chrysanthemum,Asters, Daisies and various types of Lavender. For the annuals, the most commonly used are Begonias, Impatiens, Petunias and Dianthus. However, its imperative when choosing the flowers to consider the local climate and make a decision to include or not include various flowers depending on whether or not they have the hardiness to survive the weather extremes.

Then you need to consider the trees and shrubs that will set the scene for the garden and provide a framing to the whole setting. Truth is, you may need to select these first as they will take considerably longer to become established than other features in your garden. One all the plants have been chosen, you then need to look to other interesting features for the garden, such as artwork, pathways, ponds, lakes and foot bridges (if you have enough land). This gallery will give you sone great gardening ideas to create and establish your own English heritage in your own back yard. We know you’ll have lots of fun establishing it and tending to it over the years.

Stunning sculpted garden with feature rocks and layers of plantings set beside a paved pathway

This is a really classical English sight seen in many English villages. Red rose bushes in full bloom adorning the sides of houses and cottages.

A gracious English mansion with a well established and carefully tended to garden containing intricate small lawn paths and many topiary shaped trees

Traditional English thatched roof house with surrounding cottage gardens and wild flowers and a paved brick pathway. Its odd how the look we see here, is something truly lovely and romantic and yet in other countries or locations, this look may be considered untidy and weedy.

A natural English garden at its best, showing the lawn path with its daisies and surrounding trees and shrubs

A well tended to lawn area with a central feature fish pond containing a statue, lily pads. The mature garden in background frames the lawn area beautifully.

This shows a colorful English rear garden during spring. A narrow grassed walkway between copious plantings of annuals and perennials allows one to meander down the path to pick the flowers.

An arbour of pink roses leading to front door of an English cottage. The white picket fence (a thing many dreams are made of) completes the English-ness of this scene

English front cottage garden with wooden seat.

A stunning pathway of lavender with overhead structures and trees and bushes. A shingle path leads to a central spot for a seat

This is you typical hatched roof Hansel & Gretel style cottage during autumn (fall) with a carefully mowed lawn, well maintained garden and a gravel pathway

A beautiful piece of English countryside. This English canal setting with its traditional garden and canal-side lawn and plantings make you just want to lie down and soak up the atmosphere.

Brilliant lawned area with featured sundial, inset steps and sculpted topiary trees lining the walkway. Shrubs and flowers surround the sundial grassed area

Well thought out English garden with separate colorful planted areas

These English cottages are luckily situated within a stunning well planted mature garden scene. Different colored flowers, carefully shaped and trimmed hedging add to the interesting uniqueness of the area

Sculpted and shaped shrubs set amidst large rock forms in an English garden

A feeling of home comfort is evoked when I look at this image. A typical green English rear garden shed that wreaks of practicalities, romanticism and even brings back images of childhood.

There’s nothing like a pathway of dappled shade with overhanging trees ‘holding hands’ above you. A great place for romantics

A sundial set amidst pots of white flowers and on a bricked pathway planted with buxus hedging border and matching white and purple flowers

A beautiful pathway with rocks and manicured shrubs

Such an idyllic summer setting in an English garden with table and chairs and brightly colored trees and bushes highlighting the brilliance of the season

An elegant English garden with bench seat set on a brick paved pathway with carefully shaped trees and bushes and lots of buxus box hedging.

Rows of red tulips and contained by buxus heading with tree blossoms heralding in spring in this very English of garden settings

Another wondrous well planted mature English garden setting. Multiple tree species thrive and do well in this English climate

A beautiful English park-like lawn garden outlook over lake and footbridge during autumn. The serenity of the lake outlook provides a real sense of peace

An amazing planted English garden area with an abundance of different flower varieties and colors and a well manicured and cut lawn

Peaceful and relaxed English garden setting by a pond and an old tree. Velvet like grass and well trimmed hedges (in the distance) show a true labor of love

Beautiful private English garden area with bench seat and flower laden arbor. Small rocks inset into the lawn create a stepping stone pathway to the main path

An older English thatched roof cottage showing off its mature garden with a typical path, lawn and lots of distant mature trees

Small bench seat sitting amidst a shaped shrub and potted flowers against a shingle pathway.

Luxurious thought provoking English meadow. This is one of those images where you just want to go and frolic amongst the overgrown grass. Welcome back childhood!

Garden and Backyard Retaining Walls

backyard retaining walls -Rock wall with pebble fill and evergreen shrub

This lakeside property boasts a rock wall with pebble fill, bark edging and evergreen shrubs. Easy backyard retaining walls and wall construction techniques that result in a natural looking finish without the need for mortar or concreting into place.

Living on a sloping or undulating piece of land or on cliff edges often requires retaining walls. The implementation of retaining walls can help alleviate erosion as well as slippage. Retaining walls can therefore have a land protective mechanism as well as also a decorative effect.

Depending on the height a retaining wall needs to be and the type of land that is being retained, there may be the need or requirement to involve engineering assessment for land stability.

On the other hand, decorative garden walls and garden retaining walls can be a very effective tool with respect to garden landscaping, creating feature areas and the like. This gallery shows a number of retaining walls, some structural, some decorative. We hope it gives you some ideas of how this might apply to your home and garden

Block retaining wall with small decorative plantings

Retaining rock wall along walking path.

Brilliant examples of Gabion retaining rock walls used as both a practical feature and was as a decorative one. They actually look really good and just so happen to be one of the cheaper walling options

A low height slate rock retention wall for soil and plantings enabling a tiered level of plantings to offset the ground level plants and lawn

Tall rock retaining wall with multi colored rocks and created to be a feature

Rock retaining wall with plants growing above

Rock feature wall with in built water fountain and mature tree growth above

This is such a fascinating and amazing multi colored rock reinforcing wall, with a set of steps, utilized for both retaining and ground stabilizations

Beautiful pathway lined with a thick meandering cemented rock wall for plantings

Tiered gabions of layered rock encased within strong steel wire mesh cage. This scene is where the gabions are used for practical purposes of pure retaining with little thought given to the aesthetics

Garden block multi level tiered retaining wall with plants in backyard

Stunning block exterior retaining wall and shrub garden above

Park bench next to brick and rock retaining wall

Gabion rock wall retaining

Block garden wall with chairs and table

Simple paver garden edging with pink and white petunias

Beautiful patterned block retaining wall and patio

Beautiful paved steps and low height retaining wall

Garden retaining wall and structured paved path with planted garden

Garden showing a brick and a rock retaining wall

Rose garden with stone landscaping adjoining building

Retaining block wall with brick steps and garage building

Small height residential retaining wall

Tiered stone block retaining wall with Hosta and Shrubs

Natural stone landscaping and rock retaining wall

Stunning Visually Effective Landscaped Backyard Garden Areas

Backyard garden Landscape Ideas and Gardens

A stunning backyard garden with interesting backyard ideas that has been carefully landscaped to include interesting plants and features can create a real sense of peace and tranquility. Not only that, but every dollar invested in your backyard landscaping will pay you back many times over, both in the pleasure it brings you when you look out onto it and the enhanced value it also adds to your home.

A home without landscaping is a home without a soul. Even if you are short on space to have the garden that you would love, you should still spend some time and money bringing nature into your life at whatever level may be appropriate for you. Perhaps you live in an apartment and don’t have the options of creating your dream garden. Be innovative and creative. Bring the outdoors indoors. Life isnt about restrictions, but rather about capturing what brings you joy and embracing it.

When planning your landscaping, don’t rush into it. Spend some time measuring it out and then plan what plants you want or like and where you might want to include them. Consider the sun angles based on the seasons, your soil types, and whether or not you want a low maintenance, or no maintenance garden.

Lots of things to consider!

The brilliant contrast of topiary, edging and color makes a bold statement in style.

A vibrancy of color along a quarry stone pathway. Simple planting at its best.

A very natural looking landscape design with strategically placed rocks forming a natural pathway

A really effective visually appealing garden stone walled pathway. Easy care and low maintenance at its best.

A very simple but visually effective ‘portable garden’. Looks good and you can take it with you wherever you live.

Another no/low maintenance garden with instant visual appeal and creative flair.

Hello! Whoever said you can’t make a visually enticing practical back yard garden in a small space was wrong.

A real wonderland of green. Two levels separated by a set of old brick steps. A topiary lovers delight.

Cactus lovers would be in heaven with a succulent garden like this one.

A well planned garden of colors and layers. Its important to create a garden where its easy to see all the plants,(and they all have an equal chance of survival)

This little oasis is one of my personal favorites. The sense of privacy and seclusion away from the fast paced world is just fantastic.

An abundant array of flowers and flowering plants. It just goes to show what can be achieved with careful plantings.

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