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	<title>GardenGap.com</title>
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	<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog</link>
	<description>Get Started Width Gardening and Lanscaping</description>
	<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:47:41 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Landscape Contractor- a Source of Property Decoration</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/landscape-contractor-a-source-of-property-decoration/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/landscape-contractor-a-source-of-property-decoration/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:47:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Design Landscape]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
Magnificent landscape can enhance the worth of a home, office or any property but landscaping is not an easy work and it requires good skills. Only a professional contractor or designer can give a beautiful look to your office or home. In other words, no one has enough time to give a good touch to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/landscaping1.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/landscaping1.jpg" title='landscaping' alt='landscaping' /></a></div>
<div>Magnificent landscape can enhance the worth of a home, office or any property but landscaping is not an easy work and it requires good skills. Only a professional contractor or designer can give a beautiful look to your office or home. In other words, no one has enough time to give a good touch to his/her office, garden or home. People want to get the work finished by any professional. That is why, landscape contractors are required everywhere in the matter related to landscaping. An experienced landscape contractor can make a big difference to the value of your home or other property. For the different works related to landscaping, landscape contractors are perfect to complete the work. They are specializing in commercial or residential landscape design, landscape construction, gardening, and loaming, seeding, planting and commercial maintenance.</p>
<p>Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who are trained in performing techniques and designs onto a piece of land whether it is a small or large size projects. Such type of projects includes generally of landscape planning, landscape management, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism, modern garden designing and the list goes on. No doubt a vast difference on the creation of landscapes can be made by a skilled and experienced landscape contractor. With the introduction of the computer and the internet, finding details about anything is very easy. Search over the internet and there are numerous websites and soft wares alike that are not only providing details about landscaping but they also provide contractors. Experts are gathering more and more information day by day on topics related to landscaping. Select any one according to your work and place an order online by filling an online form because professional contractors have their own websites. They are also providing detailed information.</p>
<p>Various people called landscape contractors as landscape designers because they are the persons who have ability to renovate simple piece of land into great outdoor scenery by decorating and renovating. Their works start with the disposing of unused things. Creating the fence, patios and many other works are the responsibility of landscape contractor. Apart from creating the landscape they also took maintenance service of the landscape. Landscaping projects are quite different and complex therefore it requires qualified and trained professionals to complete the task in time. There are lots of people who have selected landscaping their full time professional because this kind of job not only gives them money but also satisfaction. Landscape projects are very much complex to deal with and they also required the need of professionals who have deep knowledge of landscaping.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Article Manager</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<p>Barnabylandscapes.co.uk provides <a href="http://www.barnabylandscapes.co.uk/">Landscape Contractor</a> services, garden designing, and tips of gardening for commercial clients as well as residential. Here you can also find <a href="http://www.barnabylandscapes.co.uk/">Garden Design</a> services to make your home as well as commercial area beautiful and attractive.</p>
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		<title>Grow a Beautiful Garden the Water Wise Way</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/grow-a-beautiful-garden-the-water-wise-way/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/grow-a-beautiful-garden-the-water-wise-way/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:26:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Water Wise Garden]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gardengap.com/blog/grow-a-beautiful-garden-the-water-wise-way/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way
Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). &#8220;Water Wise&#8221; gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:
Planning
Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/Gardening8.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/Gardening8.jpg" title='Gardening' alt='Gardening' /></a></div>
<div>Grow a beautiful garden the water wise way</p>
<p>Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). &#8220;Water Wise&#8221; gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:</p>
<p><strong>Planning</strong></p>
<p>Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.</p>
<p>Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features.  Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water penetration. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.</p>
<p><strong>Soil Improvement</strong></p>
<p>Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant&#8217;s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.</p>
<p>Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.  </p>
<p><strong>Wise Irrigation</strong></p>
<p>Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.</p>
<p>Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells.  Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m.   Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.</p>
<p><strong>Mulching</strong></p>
<p>Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.</p>
<p><strong>Maintenance</strong></p>
<p>Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.</p>
<p><strong>Water Wise Gardening Tips</strong></p>
<p>Follow these handy watering tips from AAN, and you&#8217;ll soon be started on your own environmentally sound garden or landscape.  For garden products mentioned in this article, please visit http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Organic Gardener</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
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</p>
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		<title>Classic Landscape Designs and Traditional Landscape Designs in Houston Texas</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/classic-landscape-designs-and-traditional-landscape-designs-in-houston-texas/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/classic-landscape-designs-and-traditional-landscape-designs-in-houston-texas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:10:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Wall Fountain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gardengap.com/blog/classic-landscape-designs-and-traditional-landscape-designs-in-houston-texas/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
In the first millennium, a wealthy Roman family would most likely have had a garden surrounding their home. In it, you might find an open-air palazzo, pergola-style structures dripping with vines and blooming flowers, a dining area with couches for relaxation, water features such as an outdoor water fountain or wall fountain, and walkways that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/landscaping.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/landscaping.jpg" title='landscaping' alt='landscaping' /></a></div>
<div>In the first millennium, a wealthy Roman family would most likely have had a garden surrounding their home. In it, you might find an open-air palazzo, pergola-style structures dripping with vines and blooming flowers, a dining area with couches for relaxation, water features such as an outdoor water fountain or wall fountain, and walkways that led out into the garden proper, perhaps to a prized rosebush or into an olive grove. These are some of the elements characterizing what is now called classical landscape design, also known as traditional landscape design.</p>
<p>Classical landscape design is a subset of formal landscape design that uses linear, clean lines to develop an uncluttered look. These lines can be drawn with rows of trees and well-trimmed hedges, perfect plantings for the classical landscape design. Or perhaps a seat wall made of regimented terra cotta tiles can do double-duty. Here and there, vines, such as ivy or wisteria, can soften any harshness. In this regard, this style is similar to the Mediterranean landscape design with its Roman and Greek influences.</p>
<p>The History of Classical Landscape Design</p>
<p>Borrowing influences from previous civilizations, classical landscape design solidified in Rome and the surrounding countryside. Villas were built with comfortable courtyards, sparkling with the sound of water, shaded by large trees, fragrant with rosemary and citrus fruits. It was from this setting that we got the term &#8220;pleasure garden.&#8221;</p>
<p>In England of the late 1700s, property owners started looking backwards, past the Baroque period and the Renaissance, to the beginnings of western civilization. There, they found classical landscapes making use of woods, water, indigenous plants and small temples. These elements were incorporated into the gardens of that day, further defining the principles of traditional landscape design.</p>
<p>By the way, when Rome fell to the barbarians, the gardens had become so exquisite that the barbarians chose not to ransack them. Instead they kept them up and learned from them. This development is one of the early examples of how we, as humans, learned that beauty can change the world: it can stop violence. This principle is now being used to good effect in gardens started as rehabilitation projects in prisons, inner cities and ghettos.</p>
<p>Choices in Classical Landscape Design</p>
<p>As with all landscape design, the architecture of the house needs to be considered when using a traditional landscape design. For this style, the home and landscape can be tied together through the subtle placement of a hardscape feature, such as the use of tumbled travertine for the courtyard flooring.</p>
<p>Because of the formal principles inherent in this style, you want to strike a balance when choosing materials between boring blandness and baroque lavishness. Think instead in terms of interesting variety. For instance, well-contained decorative gravel can provide color and texture. Courtyards, pool decking and patios should use materials that are symmetrical, in keeping with the formal style. Stone, terra cotta tiles and flagstone are appropriate choices. Granite benches, concrete grottoes and marble urns add sturdiness and reference antiquities.</p>
<p>Your preference for classical landscape design can also be demonstrated in the plants you choose. Your residential garden will be enhanced by fruit trees and other dwarf trees-or perhaps a stand of cypress, mulberry or fig trees. The cheery colors of marigolds, hyacinths and roses are well suited for the classical landscape design. Herbs planted in terra cotta pots scent the air and provide fresh flavor in your outdoor kitchen cooking.</p>
<p>Hardscapes in Classical Landscape Design</p>
<p>Color, form, line, scale, and texture are your means of expressing classical landscape design preferences just as they are with modern landscape design.</p>
<p>Hardscapes to include:</p>
<p> Outdoor rooms for outdoor living. These living areas, in effect, make your home bigger. They also serve to create transition areas that connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. Plus, they further the notion that a garden is a place of rejuvenation. In particular, outdoor kitchens are important to the traditional landscape design.</p>
<p> Outdoor water fountains. If you remember your ancient world history classes, you know that the Romans perfected the aqueduct. So water is prized within classical landscape design and nothing showcases it like a picture-perfect outdoor water fountain. Look for fountains in formal, Romanesque, Italianate, Mediterranean and rustic styles. Those made of tile, cast stone, cast iron and concrete work particularly well with this style.</p>
<p> Swimming pools. When placed within a classical landscape design, the shape of your swimming pool should tend towards basic geometric shapes like rectangles and ovals. Thus, the shape of the pool frames the water and turns it into a classical design element of the landscape. It is often efficient to combine the pool with an outdoor water fountain to eliminate some maintenance redundancies.</p>
<p> Landscape lighting. Landscape lighting is another important element of traditional landscape design as it creates ambiance and lets you enjoy the outdoors, night and day.</p>
<p>Classical Landscape Design: A Houston Setting</p>
<p>&#8220;We implemented a classical landscape design for one of our Houston clients, whose home was French Country. For the garden, we chose a design that closely resembles a famous garden in Florence,&#8221; says Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. &#8220;The landscape design makes good use of gravel and limestone, which looks very natural in a Houston garden. And we planted boxwoods, which we trim and shape regularly as part of a well-thought-out residential landscape maintenance plan. It is a lovely and relaxing space.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Jeff Halper</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<a href="http://www.exteriorworlds.com/Classic-Landscape-Design-Traditional-Landscape-Design.html">Classic Landsape Design</a> <a href="http://www.exteriorworlds.com">exterior worlds</a>
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		<title>Keeeping a Perfect Lawn, Ten Top Tips</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/keeeping-a-perfect-lawn-ten-top-tips/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/keeeping-a-perfect-lawn-ten-top-tips/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:37:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Scarifier]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
There&#8217;s nothing better than a lush green, weed-free lawn in your garden. A lawn can be used for so many things – sitting out on, playing games such as croquet or cricket on, as a soft area for children to play on and it also adds colour to your garden. Learn how to care for [...]]]></description>
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<div>There&#8217;s nothing better than a lush green, weed-free lawn in your garden. A lawn can be used for so many things – sitting out on, playing games such as croquet or cricket on, as a soft area for children to play on and it also adds colour to your garden. Learn how to care for your lawn properly and you will be rewarded with a lovely dense green lawn.</p>
<p>Here are some tips on how to care for your lawn properly:-</p>
<p>1. Mow your lawn regularly – Nowadays, there are so many lawnmowers available and you can find one to suit any budget. If you have a large lawn, it may be best to use a petrol driven lawnmower so you are not restricted by electrical leads. You could even invest in a ride on mower. If you really don&#8217;t have time to mow your lawn then you could hire a gardener to mow your lawn regularly for you.</p>
<p>Mowing regularity depends on the time of year and the growth rate of your lawn. You need to mow it regularly enough so that you never cut more than a third of the height in one mowing session.</p>
<p>2. Cut your lawn correctly – Your lawn should be about 4cm (1 and a half inches) when mown. Cutting your lawn to the correct height will keep it healthy, more resistant to disease and weed seed germination and will keep it green. Keeping the grass this long will also cut down on water evaporation, help the lawn to feed itself and keep the soil shaded. If you cut your lawn too short you may end up with a brown lawn – not a good look!</p>
<p>3. Keep edges tidy – However good your mowing, your lawn will look scruffy if you do not tidy the edges. Use a strimmer or edging tool to keep the edges neat.</p>
<p>4. Rake your lawn – Use a wire rake to remove dead leaves and to scarify the lawn so that sunlight can get to the grass. You can buy an electric scarifier if you have a large area.</p>
<p>5. Aerate the lawn – To aerate a lawn is to add air to it. You can use a garden fork to make holes in your lawn and you can even buy special forks or machines which remove cores/cylinders of soil to introduce air into the lawn. You need to make holes at regular intervals – every 10cm or 4 inches is ideal. Aeration helps to prevent soil compaction and enables oxygen and water to get to the roots of the grass.</p>
<p>6. Water your lawn – Water regularly with sprinklers, if you can, to keep your lawn healthy.</p>
<p>7. Feed your lawn – Grass needs nutrients such as phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium so feed your lawn with a good quality lawn feed. Follow the directions carefully.</p>
<p>8. Renovate – If you lawn is in poor condition, you may want to seed it. First, you need to aerate the lawn, then you should scarify it. Make sure that you remove all leaves and moss by raking them up or using a leaf blower. After this, you can see your lawn. Scatter grass seed thinly and consistently over the area and brush into the aeration holes with a brush or broom. If you have seed left over, go over the area again. You can then top dress with some soil if you want, making sure that this is also well brushed into the holes. Cover the whole lawn with fertilizer and make sure that you water the lawn regularly.</p>
<p>9. Cheat and use artificial grass – Some artificial grass can look very realistic and is great if you don&#8217;t have much time to spend on caring for a lawn.</p>
<p>10. Enjoy your lawn – It&#8217;s pointless having a well-manicured lawn if you never enjoy it!</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Roger Wakefield</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<p>R.Wakefield works for for Japanese Knotweed Solutions Ltd, (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.jksl.com),">http://www.jksl.com),</a> who are experts in <a href="http://www.jksl.com">japanese knotweed removal</a>. Japanese knotweed is widely considered one of the most virulent species of weed, and is responsible for millions of pounds worth of damage each year to gardens, walls and our natural countryside.</p>
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		<title>How to Determine if you Need a Lawn Care Professional</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/how-to-determine-if-you-need-a-lawn-care-professional/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/how-to-determine-if-you-need-a-lawn-care-professional/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:18:44 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Lawns]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
Lawn care is simply mowing the lawn and raking the leaves, right? Who needs help with that? Lawn care is much more than that and even the mowing alone can keep a person busy during a good growing season. So, the real question becomes: How do I know when I need a lawn care professional?
The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/lawn.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/lawn.jpg" title='lawn' alt='lawn' /></a></div>
<div>Lawn care is simply mowing the lawn and raking the leaves, right? Who needs help with that? Lawn care is much more than that and even the mowing alone can keep a person busy during a good growing season. So, the real question becomes: How do I know when I need a lawn care professional?</p>
<p>The first, and easiest, indicator is the condition of your lawn. If your lawn is &#8220;getting away from you&#8221; and you simply can&#8217;t keep up, a lawn care professional may be able to help. Many people work long hours at their job and, by the time they make it home, mowing the lawn is the last thing on their mind. Even with newer riding lawnmowers, a decent sized lawn can still take an hour or more to mow. This is time that could be spent with the family or doing other odd jobs around the house.</p>
<p>Of course, lawn mowing is not the only concern in the lawn care arena. The overall condition of the grass is important too. If your grass is spotty or simply not growing in areas, you may need some lawn care help. If you don&#8217;t know, or care to know, the difference between Kentucky Blue Grass and Annual Ryegrass or the differences in cool season grasses and warm season grasses, you may want to get a professional to come help you select the proper grass for your particular lawn. They will have the experience and knowledge to know what type of grass is best suited for your soil content and shade level.</p>
<p>These professionals can also help you determine your lawns water needs. They may be able to help you design and set up a watering system that will improve the lawn. A good sprinkler system can help keep a lawn hydrated, even during those sweltering summer months. Of course, it is important not to drown a lawn, also. This is where a professional can help you, by setting up a good watering schedule.</p>
<p>Although many lawn care professionals do not specialize in landscaping, they may be able to offer valuable insight in the selection, and placement, or various items on the lawn. They may be able to offer guidance on what particular plants will work well with the current structure of the lawn. They will be able to work with you to enhance the overall look and feel of the lawn by the addition of strategically placed plants and structures. They may even be able to tell you which plants will improve, or hurt, the pH of the soil you are working with, thereby preserving the beauty of the lawn.</p>
<p>Lawn care professionals are also very helpful when dealing with weed infestations. They often know, and have available, many solutions to counter the weeds. They can often stop the infestation before it gets out of hand. Bringing the lawn back to its original condition will be the goal. Nothing hurts a lawn quicker than an influx of weeds taking over. A good lawn care company can come in and take the lawn back.</p>
<p>Weeds are not the only dangerous infestations that may occur. Animals and insects can destroy a lawn. Knowing how to prevent this from occurring, or stopping it quickly when it does, can save a lot of stress on you, and the lawn. Many times these critters go unnoticed until it is too late. Once they get a hold on the lawn, they do not want to let go. It takes some serious interventions to drive them out and reclaim the lawn. That is where the experience of a lawn care professional comes in handy. They usually have the knowledge, and equipment, necessary to get the job done.</p>
<p>Finally, there is the convenience factor. Sometimes it is nice to just relax knowing your lawn is being taken care of. If you are going to be gone for an extended period of time, or if you have multiple properties, you don&#8217;t have to worry about the lawn. A lawn care professional will be there to take care of it and keep it green and lush. You can enjoy the benefits of a beautiful lawn without the labor.</p>
<p>When deciding if a lawn care professional is needed, it is important to look at your lawn. If you have a lush, green lawn that would rival most professional sports arenas, and you enjoy spending hours mowing, then you probably do not need one. If, like most people, you struggle to find the time to keep the grass cut, let alone lush and green, then you might want to consult with a lawn care company. See what they have to offer and decide if it is right for you. A lawn care professional can make the difference between a mediocre lawn and a &#8220;Wow the neighborhood&#8221; lawn.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Grant Eckert</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<p>Grant Eckert is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to home maintenance such as <a href="http://www.trugreen.com">Lawn Service | Lawn Services</a></p>
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		<title>Why you Need a Professional and Secure Garden Office</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/why-you-need-a-professional-and-secure-garden-office/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/why-you-need-a-professional-and-secure-garden-office/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:02:12 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
Garden offices are specially designed offices set up in a person’s garden. It provides a very convenient work atmosphere for people who want to work from home. With your home just a stone’s throw away you get to experience the same comfort as working from home without the usual distractions. New mothers, a person suffering [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/Gardening7.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/Gardening7.jpg" title='Gardening' alt='Gardening' /></a></div>
<div>Garden offices are specially designed offices set up in a person’s garden. It provides a very convenient work atmosphere for people who want to work from home. With your home just a stone’s throw away you get to experience the same comfort as working from home without the usual distractions. New mothers, a person suffering from disability, a person whose main office is very far away or even a person who just wants to work from home would be benefited from having a garden studio at home. A Garden office or lodge blends in beautifully with the garden and actually makes it more attractive. Even the materials used are eco-friendly. Not only can you use the garden office for work, but can also convert it into a guest room or an extra bedroom as and when required.</p>
<p>The dazzling range of garden offices offered by gardenlodges.co.uk is one of the most comprehensive available in the market. The flexible modular design of the structures allows you to customize the office according to your needs and also get it attuned to your beautifully manicured garden; thus solving adequately all your garden designing needs. The garden offices of gardenlodges.co.uk are built is such a way that you can stay and work in them throughout the year without any problems. A very negligible amount of heating is required and the same goes with air conditioning. Consumption of electricity is also minimal. Eco-friendliness is highlighted during the construction of the garden offices. The materials used and the technique, both put stress on that fact. Provisions to add a bathroom or even a kitchen allow you to use your garden office as a mini-home.</p>
<p>The garden offices available at gardenlodges.co.uk are constructed keeping with the standards of the British Building Regulations. Each garden office built by gardenlodges.co.uk is done following a careful study of the site conditions, and after taking into consideration other aspects like garden fencing. They are also carefully insulated and double-gazed. Environmental factors are also considered during construction and eco-friendly larch cladding is used to finish the construction. Cedar roofing shingles are used not only for protection but they also mellow as the years pass. Excellent soundproofing is provided that allows you to not worry about sound escaping out and extra care is taken to provide unrestricted passage of natural light.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Garden Lodges</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<p>David is a well-known author who has been writing for Gardenlodges. Established in 2003, Garden Lodges provide an exciting range of next generation modular <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk">garden offices</a>, <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk">garden studios</a> and lifestyle buildings that are factory built to perfection and genuinely habitable. For more information on <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk">garden design</a>, visit <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk" target="_blank">www.gardenlodges.co.uk</a></p>
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		<title>Stunning Contemporary Garden Studios by the Leading Brand Garden Lodges</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/stunning-contemporary-garden-studios-by-the-leading-brand-garden-lodges/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/stunning-contemporary-garden-studios-by-the-leading-brand-garden-lodges/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:14:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Walkway]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gardengap.com/blog/stunning-contemporary-garden-studios-by-the-leading-brand-garden-lodges/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Garden studios and garden offices are lifestyle buildings or offices that are set up in the garden. This is generally targeted towards those who wish to work out of their home but not in their home, at their own convenience.
There are multiple benefits of Garden Studios or Garden lodges. Besides the fact that it allows [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/Gardening6.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/Gardening6.jpg" title='Gardening' alt='Gardening' /></a></div>
<div>Garden studios and garden offices are lifestyle buildings or offices that are set up in the garden. This is generally targeted towards those who wish to work out of their home but not in their home, at their own convenience.</p>
<p>There are multiple benefits of Garden Studios or Garden lodges. Besides the fact that it allows you to work from the comfort of your home, you also get to work in a very beautiful place as the office is built after a careful site survey. The garden surrounding your office offers you a spectacular view, as the company building your garden office will also help you design your garden as well. The garden studios can be personalized according to your needs. You can set it up in such a manner that you enter your garden office by walking through a winding walkway. The serene, peaceful and relaxing atmosphere at your garden studio will be absolutely amazing. A little bit of customization can turn your studio into a guest room or even an extra bedroom. You won’t feel the need to return to your home.</p>
<p>Women who need to work and also look after their family would greatly benefit from these garden lodges that can serve as a home office for them. Besides, those with disabilities would love to work in an environment where everything has been personalized according to their needs, in addition to the fact that the surroundings of the office are so spectacular. The horror of daily commuting to the head office, thanks to traffic congestion or unreliable train services is the chief concern, apart from other issues. Not only are modern parents keen to spend more time with their kids, but most of us are looking for a better work/life balance. There’s more to life than making money, especially if you’re doing it for other people - and much more to working than being a cog in someone else’s machine.</p>
<p>Gardenlodges.co.uk offers the best services to construct garden studios in the UK. Each studio is built to meet the exact requirements of the individual. The customer’s tastes, preferences and needs are all kept in mind while constructing garden studios. Gardenlodges.co.uk doesn’t compromise on the quality of their products and offer a 10 year insurance backed guarantee. They also provide excellent after sales service. Maintaining good customer relations is another plus point of theirs. Constant interactions between the customer and the representatives of Gardenlodges result in the final quality product and service. Another special feature offered by gardenlodges.co.uk is that they conduct the Site Survey, free of charge. This helps the client to understand and then determine the exact nature of the product that he/she would like to purchase.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Garden Lodges</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<p>David is a well-known author who has been writing for Gardenlodges. Established in 2003, Garden Lodges provide an exciting range of next generation modular <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk">garden offices</a>, <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk">garden studios</a> and lifestyle buildings that are factory built to perfection and genuinely habitable. For more information on <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk">garden design</a>, visit <a href="http://www.gardenlodges.co.uk" target="_blank">www.gardenlodges.co.uk</a></p>
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		<title>Successful Landscape Contractor – a Perfect Balance of Talent &amp; Experience in Property Beautification</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/successful-landscape-contractor-%e2%80%93-a-perfect-balance-of-talent-experience-in-property-beautification/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/successful-landscape-contractor-%e2%80%93-a-perfect-balance-of-talent-experience-in-property-beautification/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:15:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Beautiful Designs]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
Landscaping projects are quite difficult and complex and it requires trained and qualified professionals to complete the task efficiently and timely. An experienced and talented landscape contractor can make a big difference to the value of your home. Landscape contractors are specialized in different forms of landscaping; mostly they specialize in commercial and residential landscape [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/landscaping2.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/landscaping2.jpg" title='landscaping' alt='landscaping' /></a></div>
<div>Landscaping projects are quite difficult and complex and it requires trained and qualified professionals to complete the task efficiently and timely. An experienced and talented landscape contractor can make a big difference to the value of your home. Landscape contractors are specialized in different forms of landscaping; mostly they specialize in commercial and residential landscape design, landscape construction, and grading, loaming, seeding, planting and commercial maintenance. According to a recent poll landscaping can add from 7% to 15% value to one&#8217;s home signifying 100% to 200% return on landscape investments.</p>
<p>The fact that beautiful landscape increases the worth of the house, has given much serious thought to this profession. People are spending their time and money in creating beautiful landscape that has also made landscape contracting a highly competitive field. Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who hold expertise in applying techniques for creating beautiful designs onto a piece of land. A landscape project comprises mainly of landscape management, landscape planning, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism and innovative garden designs. Skill and experience of landscape contractor make a huge difference on the creation of landscapes.</p>
<p>Landscape contractor are also known as landscape designer, who convert simple piece of land into great outdoor scenery by renovating and decorating that piece of land. They start their work by disposing unwanted things like pests, plants and unused things. Then they install irrigation and drainage systems so that water can be effectively used and drained out. After this they work according to the design of the landscape and creating walkways and then installing fences and patios. At last they plant garden flowers and assure their flowering. Landscape contractors provide with many attractive garden designs but they can also work according to their clients design. Apart from creating the landscape they also took maintenance service of the landscapes.</p>
<p>With the use of latest software on landscape project, a lot of variety has been added to the landscape service and more and more professionals are gaining knowledge and training to excel in this field. This has further added more attraction in this field and generated people interest in creation of the landscapes. Landscape contractors help one to create and maintain beautiful and stress free landscapes. They work mainly for the beautification of the property but they have complete knowledge from planning of the landscapes to the choosing and designing of right plants.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Article Manager</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
<p>Barnabylandscapes.co.uk provides <a href="http://www.barnabylandscapes.co.uk/">Garden Design</a> services, landscaping, and tips of gardening for commercial clients as well as residential. Here you can also find <a href="http://www.barnabylandscapes.co.uk/">Landscape Contractor</a> for the best service to make your home as well as commercial area beautiful and attractive.</p>
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		<title>Safety Checks Before Lawn Mowing</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/safety-checks-before-lawn-mowing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/safety-checks-before-lawn-mowing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:41:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Lumps]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gardengap.com/blog/safety-checks-before-lawn-mowing/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Smart lawn care means including safety checks in you lawn care and maintenance routines. Safety checks are especially done when in the mowing process. But what every homeowner should consider is the safety checks done before mowing the lawn. Pre-mowing routines are just as important as any other lawn care and maintenance procedure. In fact, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/lawn1.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/lawn1.jpg" title='lawn' alt='lawn' /></a></div>
<div>Smart lawn care means including safety checks in you lawn care and maintenance routines. Safety checks are especially done when in the mowing process. But what every homeowner should consider is the safety checks done before mowing the lawn. Pre-mowing routines are just as important as any other lawn care and maintenance procedure. In fact, safety checks before lawn mowing are recommended to avoid any future lawn problems.</p>
<p>The first and foremost pre-mowing check you have to do is to go over your lawn and remove any objects on the lawn surface. This includes twigs, stones, toys, and even pet droppings. One reason for this is to ensure safety for the people around when the lawn is being mowed. Lawn mowers can throw stones and other objects in various directions and can cause cuts, injuries, and maybe even broken bones.</p>
<p>Another reason to clear up the lawn is to avoid damage to the lawn mower. The lawn mower blades and other parts might get damaged because of stuck stones or other hard objects.</p>
<p>Clearing up the leaves or pet droppings from your lawn may not seem all that important because they are not hard objects and will not cause considerable damage to either you or the lawn mower. However, they will be scattered on your lawn by the lawn mower weight. It could then cause lumps or bumps on the lawn surface, which will block the penetration of sunlight. It could be the reason for the grass underneath to die or wither.</p>
<p>You should also check for waterlogged turfs or parts on the lawn surfaces. They will be compacted by the weight of the lawn mower and will be further pressed down. The outcome of this will be ugly depressions, markings, and tracks on your lawn.</p>
<p>Brushing your lawn with a besom broom is also a good idea. The broom will prevent the grass from lying flat and help you cut them thoroughly as you mow them. Brushing the lawn  will also disperse any worm casts that may be there on the lawn surface. It can also remove and remaining dew from the grass, which is important because mowing the grass when wet is not good for your lawn.</p>
<p>Before mowing your lawn, you also have to plan on which direction you want your stripes to go. It is recommended that you aim to make the stripes at right angles to the stripes you created on your previous mowing. This change in the stripe directions helps avoid washboarding.</p>
<p>The last task for a homeowner to do before mowing the lawn is to check the lawn mower itself. This is to ensure that the lawn mower is up for the job ahead of it. For those using a petrol mower, check to see if there is enough petrol in the tank. Check other parts of the lawn mower and see that all parts are not broken or in danger of being broken when used. The lawn mower blades, which are practically the most important part of the lawn mower, should also be checked. Don&#8217;t forget to set them to the correct height, as the length of the grass cut is a factor in the growth and health of the lawn. </p>
<p>These safety checks should be a normal routine for every homeowner who mows their lawn. Aside from preventing any accidents, these checks before lawn mowing also helps to provide your home a healthy and green lawn.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>Mary Ann Porsuelo</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
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<p>The author of this article is a webmaster and is currently working on <a href="http://www.wrightlawncare.com/">Boise Lawn Care</a>. Feel free to contact her at <a href="mailto:keywriterm@gmail.com">keywriterm@gmail.com</a> for any inquiries or concerns.</p>
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		<title>A Brief History Of Greenhouses And Its Advantages</title>
		<link>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-greenhouses-and-its-advantages/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gardengap.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-greenhouses-and-its-advantages/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:03:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Cucumber]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
Greenhouses are being used to protect and grow sensitive plant. The art of building greenhouses started from the Roman era and up to now many plant lovers are addicted to having one of their own.
Greenhouses are usually made of glass or plastic. Inside these greenhouses, there is a build up of heat. This is due [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/greenhouse1.jpg"><img src="/blog/wp-content/uploads/cc/greenhouse1.jpg" title='greenhouse' alt='greenhouse' /></a></div>
<div>Greenhouses are being used to protect and grow sensitive plant. The art of building greenhouses started from the Roman era and up to now many plant lovers are addicted to having one of their own.</p>
<p>Greenhouses are usually made of glass or plastic. Inside these greenhouses, there is a build up of heat. This is due to the incoming radiation from the sun that warms the plants and the soil. Even so, the air is retained and stocked inside the house, regardless of its entire size.</p>
<p>Aside form having plastic or glass paneled greenhouses; you will also encounter commercial-types of glass greenhouses, which would generally feature high technology when it comes having the facilities for the fast production of vegetables and flowers. These kinds of glass-type greenhouses are full of equipment, which would cater to protecting, heating, cooling and lighting of the, lighting of the greenhouse. What made it more remarkable is that these processes can be done with the help of a computer. Thus, it is actually the computer who controls the operation inside the greenhouse.</p>
<p>The reason why glass is more suitable for greenhouses is due to its ability to transmit average light frequencies. Aside from this, it can trap the heat inside the greenhouse and heating everything inside it. This is also why there is a small window at the top portion of the greenhouse that needs to be open all the time. It acts as a channel to drop the temperature inside the greenhouse.</p>
<p>This amazing process is termed as &#8220;the principle of auto-vent&#8221;. This would pertain to the automatic cooling system. Hence, greenhouses usually work by trapping or capturing electromagnetic radiation and therefore stopping convection.</p>
<p>With regards to the origin of the greenhouse, it was believed to start during the Roman times. This was when a certain Roman emperor had a craving and appetite for cucumbers. Since that Roman emperor requests cucumber everyday, the gardener had set up his own artificial method of growing cucumbers. The artificial technique he used then is still similar to the greenhouse being used these days, except for the added technology.</p>
<p>In the thirteenth century, Italy started the building of greenhouses to grow their exotic plants. Different explorers brought these in those times. Originally, it was named as the &#8220;Giardini Batanici&#8221; or &#8220;Botanical Garden in English. Later on, word about this spread and reached the Netherlands up to England. However, it took some time to build the perfect greenhouse that is similar to the ones you can see today. Some of the problems encountered were the insufficiency of air and the flow of normal heat.</p>
<p>Moreover, during the ancient times, only rich countries can afford this system of grow plants called botanical gardens. Sometime later, other areas of the world became attuned to this concept and known universities started their experimentation to perfect this convenient phenomenon.</p>
<p>Furthermore, various ideas along certain parts of Europe even designed the building of these greenhouses during the seventeenth century. With this, they started to implement the use of technology in order to produce quality glasses for the greenhouses. Aside from this, their way of constructing these greenhouses somehow improved.</p>
<p>Then, during the nineteenth century, the first and the largest perfected greenhouses ever built. A good example of this type of greenhouse is the one found in England, which they called Kew Gardens. It is a Victorian inspired greenhouse with a so-called &#8220;geodesic dome&#8221; design. It was then introduced for production during the twentieth century.</p>
<p>Greenhouses, which are particularly, used for growing sensitive flowers, vegetables, some fruits as well tobacco plants are now very much demanded by plant lovers. There are also times where in gardeners would allow bumblebees inside their greenhouses on order to attain pollination. The process of pollination has actually helped greenhouse gardeners produce more plants.</p>
<p>The advantage of growing plants inside a greenhouse would be due ton the unique supply of heat maintained there as compared to the heat outside. Moreover, greenhouses were also built in order to keep the plants away from insects, pets, extreme heat and humidity. Plants inside these greenhouses are also irrigated which means there should be sufficient water provided for the plants inside the greenhouse.</p>
<p>Hence, the recent development of plastic surfaces and glazing for building greenhouses paved way for the construction of greenhouses that would selectively organize a transmittance of both inward bound solar radiation wavelengths as well as outgoing thermal IR (infra red) wavelengths.</p>
<p>The new materials for construction also aim to provide insulation so as to limit the conductive losses throughout the glazing process. This is also in order to better manage or control the growing environment inside the greenhouse. Researchers have conceptualized the stopping of convective heat loss found in given isolated systems and tries to work hard in order to achieve a more improved Infra Red absorption and insulation. This, on the other hand, aims to supplement the reduction of radiation and conductive energy loss.</p>
<p>Lastly, gardeners would generally use this greenhouse, along with its proven technique of laying out an additional Infra Red permeable plastic sheeting so as to attain an additional supply of heat from the water pies to the isolated parts of the greenhouse.</p>
<p>Prices of greenhouses vary, depending on the size and material used for its construction. This would range from $1,000 up to $2,700. There are also those who sell this on sale, which would range from $800 up to $2,600.</p>
<p><em>By: <strong>David H. Urmann</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>About the Author:</strong>
<div padding:1em;">
For more information on <a href="http://www.greenhouseexpress.com">greenhouses</a> please visit our website.
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