Saturday, March 8, 2014

The Art in Patience

If I were to choose a word that would sum up the last few years, it would be that uncomfortable word Patience. So many of the projects that I have been involved in during this period have involved some element of long term planning.
Again, a gardening analogy is most apt - the process of preparation and sowing seed in one season only to reap the fruit years later applies so perfectly to so many areas of this business. Looked at in a cautious light - forgetting to sow seed in one season can so easily result in a lean period years later.
A selection of flowers found in the grassland above the Romead site
One of those projects which I began nearly two and a half years ago, has finally come to fruition. You can read about the start here. Over the last few months we have finally been able to begin the planting of some of the common areas - it feels so good to get our hands dirty at last.
The Romead site just after clearing
Originally on the actual site, there was a combination of grassland, aliens, and some garden escapes. But the site is nestled in between beautiful veld on the slopes below the Kloof escarpment, and the large riverine trees alongside the Umbilo tributary. The concept behind the design of the landscaped areas is an attempt to integrate the two vegetation types from within the park, but with an emphasis on grasses.
The dramatic entrance to Romead Business Park
In the next few days, once we have finished - I will go into a bit more detail of what we have planted, with the whys and hows.
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Friday, March 7, 2014

UPDATE

While I havent posted much on here over the past 2 months due to extremely high volume of work, Ill be posting some massive features over the summer. A few more features on plants ( running out of plants to write about ) and more on sustainability and environmentally safe landscape pest control / organic gardening coming your way. Also, check back on existing plant features...I been snapping alot of new plant pics on the job and have been adding some each night. While I dont think anyone has yet managed to photograph every plant hardy in temperate climate regions around the world, I am getting closer to m my goal. Hope you find my megablog a great resource for info on horticulture and the plant world. Feel free to write with any questions.
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Videos on How to Build Fire Pits

Now that spring is just around the corner, we here at Warming Trends wanted to offer you some videos we have created on how to build fire pits in your backyard. Bring a warm glow to your deck or patio and enjoy the warmth and beauty of a Warming Trends custom outdoor fire pit. An outdoor fire pit creates the perfect focal point and gathering place for backyard entertaining. A beautiful focal point by day and a great place to stay warm on cool evenings.

This video shows you, Step-By-Step, how to install a 24 Volt Crossfire Fire Pit in your backyard:



This video shows you how to install a remote controlled ignitor in a fire pit:



Finally, this video gives you a little background on our CSA Certified Crossfire Burning System which regulator was developed with a precise air to gas mixture ratio to produce a taller, brighter flame while using only half the fuel of conventional fire rings. This cutting edge technology has allowed our product to out perform all others on the market.

"I was looking for a fire pit burner with automatic ignition system and after much research I decided to go with Warming Trends Cross fire burners. I installed the unit after bleeding the gas line, turned on the switch and it worked perfect the first time my client and I were impressed. Thanks Warming Trends for a great product."

Aztec Restoration & Remodel, Albuquerque NM.



For more fire pit videos and information on Warming Trends, click here, or call today! 1-877-556-5255.
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Moonseed

Menispermum

Menispermum canadensis ( Common Moonseed )
A fast growing, twining perennial vine that is woody towards the base. It reaches a maximum height of 27 ( rarely over 15 ) feet. It is native to eastern North America ) Manitoba to Quebec; south to Arkansas to Georgia ). It can be used for its attractive tropical looking foliage on a lattice or trellis. The shallowly-lobed, rounded leaves are up to 10 x 7 inches in size. The flowers are tiny and not very noticable.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in partial to full shade on moist, well drained soil.

* photos taken on Aug 4 2013 in Bayfield, Ontario


Menispermum dauricum ( Asian Moonseed )
A perennial vine, reaching up to 15 feet, that is native from eastern Siberia to Kamchatka; south to China and Japan.
The large, 3 to 5 lobed, heart-shaped to rounded foliage is blue-green.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 ( 3 on protected sites ) in full sun to partial shade. It is clay tolerant.
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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Mongoose or Mongeese

Actually, theyre Mongooses... While dropping my wife off at work, we spotted a band of mongooses warming themselves in the sun. There are usually about 20 of them seen playing in the indigenous plants around the office development that she works at.


As part of the development plan for the area (using DMOSS as an example), there are quite strict guidelines for the planning of the spaces around the offices. The landscaping has been planned in such a way that there are corridors of indigenous vegetation throughout each of the office parks, through which small animals like mongoose, monkeys, birds and in some parks small buck can move.

As the natural habitat for these small creatures gets reduced through development, it will become more and more essential to plan the landscaping of the open spaces extremely carefully. In some cases where this has not been done, some animals that are found only in very small pockets have become quite threatened.
Fortunately though, as in the case of the black-headed dwarf chameleon, developers are becoming more aware of their responsibility to the environment (if sometimes only by the impact on their pockets.)

With half a dozen little babies following the adults around, at least these mongooses seem to be happy with the extra thought that has been put into their environment.
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landscaping ideas for front yard pictures

landscaping ideas for front yard pictures


In my previous article upon front yard landscaping I reviewed laying out drive ways and paths as your starting place and how it might help produce the entire platform for your front yard design. Consequently assuming that you happen to be to that level, well start working on a few things to consider of a key secondary aspect. Plants.

When selecting and describing plants inside the front yard or any kind of landscaping for that matter, you have to consider not only how points will look. Opt for other factors for example sun as well as shade, time period of sun or perhaps shade, earth type, function, the elements, and also what distinct plants will demand or perform in the future. Additionally, there are a few other things to consider such as precisely how close to grow to the residence and its base.

When aiming plants within the front yard, place tiny shrubs and shrubbery 4 to 6 toes away from the property. If arranged closer as compared to this, they are often deprived of sunshine or rainfall because of a extensive overhang from the roof structure. They could will also get fried through intense temperature reflecting off the wall. Inserted away from the residence in a broader staggered row instead of a narrow strip, they also include a 3d result to the landscape that produces the home look more substantial.

landscaping ideas for front yard pictures



An additional consideration that a lot of folks dont consider is the long lasting effects of sowing around the reasons for the home.

Bear in mind the space which plants as well as their roots may occupy with maturity. Beginnings are a potent force that will find their way by means of rock. Additionally they dont seem to own much challenge with foundations.

Nearly all plants, naturally, require normal water. Watering, especially flooding vegetation and mattresses around fundamentals creates a possibility of a harmed foundation. It doesnt always come about but it really does happen. If you are going to get plants towards the home, area watering particular person plants, a new drip technique, or even a minimal profile bottle of spray is less dangerous than surging the entire location.

Lime leach via concrete is a concern that I discover quite often. It is such a prevalent problem because it needs a long time to appear. Over time, lime green leaches out of the tangible into the earth causing the earth to become alkaline. If your ph with the soil becomes too high, crops will start to seem sick and also yellow. Typically, keeping your bunk beds tilled with many different organic make any difference will load and prevent this challenge. Adding sulfur and also organics to furniture that are previously affected may help turn the issue around.

pictures of landscaping ideas for front yard ranch house

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Box for the Birds

I dont normally feature products on my blog, but these two I could not resist.  Our good friends from graduate school have recently come up with two brilliant products that I wanted to share. Artist and designer Michael Oliveri created Box for the Birds in collaboration with his six year old daughter and wife, Laura Hoffman. Laura suggested the two of them make a birdhouse as a father/daughter project, thinking they’d go into the basement and start pounding nails into wood. Within a week, Michael had emerged with a computer prototype for a birdhouse that requires no nails, no saws, and no glue. Within minutes, you can slide together a fully functioning modern birdhouse. The entire ensemble comes minimally packaged.



Also for you bird lovers, Michael designed a set of sleek, folding bookends that uses the profile of a bird to hold a stack of books.  The product is called BENDZ:





Heres a link to where you can buy these.
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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

NZ Garden Designers

NZ Garden Designers.
NZ Garden Designers.
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Union Square Market Winter Images and Haiku


Union Square Market
farmers wake at four a.m.
Frost on the windshield

Cranberry cider
ladled from a metal pot
melts the ice and snow

Christmas evergreens
mingle with apples and gourds.
Stop light flashes red

Wood crates filled with squash
white potatoes and parsnips
grown organically




Click on first image




































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