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There are some practical considerations when deciding how many planters, pots and container to have on your deck or patio. There is first of all, some very practical considerations such as available space, sun exposure and traffic flow. We always seem to have more containers than we had intended, however, do not clutter up the deck or balcony area. Do a little purging each Spring and decide which ones can be relocated or given away. You do want to have enough room to sit and enjoy the flowers. Here are some basic thoughts about location.

The planters, urns and containers should be placed in groups or pairs with similar combinations to mark the location of doors, stairways and transition areas on the deck. This is a formal way to define or call attend to the entrance to the patio, and also creates the “doorway” between the house and deck. Now we have a definite space and a sense or order.

Be sure that you do not crowd doorways. Leave sufficient room for them to open properly and not hit the pots on your way in and out. The same is true for sliding doors, leave enough room for people to enter and exist without tripping over your groupings.

In order to create a very comfortable outdoor living space, your deck should not be so crowded with plants that you don’t have room for visitors – you will not want your visitors to be afraid to move for fear of knocking something over or damaging one of your plants. For two people to walk side by side easily, your walkways will need to be at least four and a half feet wide.

Don’t forget about your plants. It always seems that the plants spread and grow more than we anticipate and of course higher than the height of the pots. Plants in two foot tall containers will spread at least three feet.

In Utility Areas, before you think about filling your containers, consider that you may need to get to that hose connection, hot tub, electrical outlet or grill. Leave enough room to get around those areas or you will be the one knocking over or damaging one of your plants.

We will continue our discussion next time on how to protect your plants – or how to make your plants comfortable in their space.

Marion Stewart is an avid gardener. She loves sitting on her deck surrounded by so many varied flower-packed and herb planted containers. Her continued research has found these spectacular fine quality resin planters and garden containers and offers them in numerous colors, sizes and styles. Find your best planter at the GardenPlanterStore.com [http://gardenplanterstore.com]

It seems more and more men are forgetting all the things our ancestors knew, simple things like building a home, doing plumbing, putting on a roof, making a garden, building a fence or installing a pool. But why do you suppose this is? Well, it’s because they don’t have too, once they make enough money to have a home, they just buy one, leaving all the work to someone else. This is good and bad. Good for the home builder companies, but unfortunate that America is losing these skill sets.

Of course, it really doesn’t have to be that way. You can learn how to do all these things, even if you’ve never been involved in doing it yourself. How so you ask? Well, why not by a book that has everything you need to know in it, with step-by-step instructions that even a sixth grader can comprehend. Let me recommend just such a book to you:

“The Practical Handyman’s Encyclopedia – Everything You Need to Know for Home Maintenance, Home Improvement and Up keeping Your House” by Larry Eisinger (1963).

The editor of this book Larry Eisinger has put together a fabulous collection of how to articles, with complete instructions, all of which are fully illustrated. Want to build a garden on a part of your property that is on an incline? No problem, build a terrace system, steps, fill it in with the right soil, even drip irrigation. How about new solar panels so that you can harvest the Sun’s energy and be a green energy consumer, again, no problem, it is easier than you think.

In fact, just about anything you wish to do from building shelves for the garage or facilities for your dog (a dog house) they are all in this book. Everything you need from tools to hardware all included. You need to buy this book and you’ll save thousands of dollars doing it yourself too. Think on this.

Lance Winslow enjoys community philanthropy – Lance Winslow likes small business. Lance Winslow has also been involved in the Oil Industry; http://www.oilchangeguys.com/aboutus.shtml/.

It’s always nice to spice up your garden and home area with some good looking accessories and decorations that will add a beautiful ambiance to their entire area. You will find that there are plenty of places which you can go to in order to find these garden accessories and decorations. You can get everything from garden lights to pots, candles, and planters. Putting together a nice garden area is all about being creative and seeing what you can do with what you have. You might just be surprised at all the different types of things you can get to put in your garden. These are especially nice to have if the entire area is looking a little bit empty and boring. A lot of people choose to put in a good outdoor lighting system around the garden to illuminate it at night. This way people who drive by your home in the evening and at night can see just how beautiful it looks.

When you are considering which kinds of pots to use to put your plants in, you will also want to be creative here as well. You can buy a variety of pots for your plants in many different designs and colors. Just think about what would look best in your garden and go from there. You might even want to think about color-coordinating the plants with the pots that they are in. That way your garden area can look more stylish than ever. Garden candles can add a much more intimate and personal feeling to the garden area. It can breathe all new life into it if your garden seemed to have started becoming bland and lifeless. It should have a personality of its own and really say something about the person who created in. In your garden you will get the chance to express your personality.

There are a lot of different copper and metal plant holders that people are starting to put in their gardens, as well as wicker decorations. Both of these are becoming very popular and if you have a garden, you should start thinking about getting some of these for yours right away. It can transform the whole area into something completely different that will look a lot better. Putting an orb or a crown in your garden may be just the thing it needs to start feeling like a real garden again. These are available online and in many different stores that sell garden accessories. Even getting a few garden baskets isn’t a bad idea when it comes to making it look unique and different from all the other gardens in your neighborhood. It’s important to stop and take the time to be creative with just how you decide to decorate it.

There are many different home and garden accessories to make these areas a lot more beautiful and enjoyable for everyone. Recently garden baskets have become very popular and you might want to get one for your own garden.

To add accent and flair to your home, try solar outside lighting. You can use accents to highlight different areas of your yard, features of your home, or line a walkway or garden path.. With outdoor lighting, you can continue playing, cook outdoors, or enjoy the pool or patio after dark.

Outside lighting adds to the safety of your home. Lights along a path or walkway will prevent missteps and possible injuries. Having a well lit circumference to your property will discourage intruders. You can purchase solar exterior lighting that will operate on a motion sensor to turn the lights on when someone penetrates the borders of your property. Motion sensors are also popular along walks and around pools where someone not familiar with your homes could falter and be injured.

Lighting a drive or walkway with solar outside lights set low in the ground will give highlights to your drive or walk, while insuring safety. Because the lights are solar powered, you don’t need to worry about the cost of operating or maintaining. There will be no costly electrical bills when you are using beautiful solar lighting. They add beauty and value to your property without adding ongoing costs.

Solar pole lamps will cast a broad circle of light in areas where you want open spaces to play or work. Some are on poles over seven feet tall and will cast a circle of light over an area of 30 feet. Hanging lamps are also a good choice when you want open space.

Adding solar patio lights to your deck or pool area will allow you better use of the area. There are lamps and lanterns that are solar powered and will add flair to your outdoors areas. You can use accent lights to highlight special areas of your yard. A flag spotlighted with a solar light is quick to catch the eye of passers by. If you have a beautiful feature to the outside of your house that you wish to draw attention to, put a spotlight or accent light on it.

With so many types and styles of solar outside lights to choose from, you can design a lighting plan to fit your personal style. You can choose the motif you desire and set the stage for a design that fits your lifestyle and makes a statement about your personality.

Combining beauty with safety is a main concern in any outdoor lighting plan. You add value to your home by accenting the best features of your home and landscaping. Solar exterior lighting placed in the proper spots will ensure the safety of your home and your guests by providing adequate lighting for mobility and by discouraging intruders. Solar outdoor lighting is a good plan for increasing the value and safety of your home.

I’m homeowner who is always looking for ways to save money as well as being environmentally savvy. You can learn more about solar powered lights for your home at [http://www.SolarOutsideLight.com]

Landscape designs can be planned out in a variety of different ways, and there is no right or wrong way to design your own. It’s all about your visions of that perfect view. You don’t have to be a professional landscape designer to get the perfect look. Go ahead take a chance and be as creative as you wish with your design, incorporating many ideas into the final product.

With a little planning and a lot of creativity your visions of a beautiful landscape can be achieved.

The one thing that you want to remember is to make sure that you lay out the design of your landscape before breaking ground. To save yourself more unwanted work it would be best to draw the design out on paper first. Doing this will save yourself time and heartache by ripping out and rearranging your landscaping ideas. Don’t worry if you aren’t an artist, a rough sketch will do the trick.

When you are planning your new front or backyard the main thing that you want to do is make sure that all of the plants, shrubs, or trees you are planning on using compliment each other. You wouldn’t want your newly constructed landscape to look like a big collection of mismatched creations. You also wouldn’t want to decrease the value of your property when you are finished. The idea is to add value to your home, and make it more inviting to your visitors.

An important factor to great landscape designs is finding something that catches everyone’s attention, which will become the focal point in your design. You may want something that is extraordinary or maybe something simple, but ultimately eye catching. Choose something that gives your garden or landscape a warm and inviting feel for all those who grace it. A couple good examples are an arbor or large planter.

An important part of your landscape is accessibility and functionality. Keep in mind your intent for the space while you are designing that new look. If you’re someone who utilizes that particular space often for family gatherings, then you will want to keep the space open and comfortable for your guests. If the space you are creating is used for a peaceful getaway, then your design should include less space with more soothing features such as plants and flowers.

Another great way to bring peacefulness and attention to your space is to add water gardens or ponds. If you are wishing to install one of these magnificent eye catchers, you should shop around and find the best idea and products that fit your situation. There are many resources written on this subject, and also plenty of places and professionals to help you chose the best product for your design. Keep in mind that there may be more maintenance with this, depending on how you proceed with it.

There are some other excellent places to find even more great ideas. Browsing in a magazine, books, or on the internet are terrific places to start. You can also look at other landscaped designs to help you come up with that perfect layout you are searching for. You may want to take pictures of different designs throughout your community and incorporate your favorite looks into one magnificent design. Talk to your neighbors if they have something in their yard that you envy.

If you are planning on designing and constructing the landscape yourself remember to leave yourself time for creativity. You will undoubtedly think of things to add when you are partially through the project. By taking the extra time you will make your home into a place that you can enjoy, and show with extra pride knowing that you created it yourself. The last thing you want to think when you are finished is that you wish you could’ve added something else.

James McDonald writes for ‘Easy Landscaping Ideas’ which is an informative website regarding the many projects you can tackle around the yard. You can find easy landscaping ideas that any homeowner can do to improve the look of their property.