Being in the surroundings of the patio cushions, patio umbrellas and patio furniture market we have heard just about every concern that customers have when purchasing new items for their outdoor rooms. Some of the most frequently asked questions are fitting, comfort, and appearance. Often customers want us to tell them what size, color and style of patio cushions to purchase, but we can only make suggestions. It becomes a quest to find the perfect patio cushion that will suit your needs and desires.

The most important aspect in buying new outdoor furniture cushions is sizing. Most customers have had previous patio cushions and are now in the process of purchasing replacement cushions. Often, it is easiest to take the cushion off of the patio furniture and set it flat on the ground. By doing this, customers are able to get the total measurements of the patio cushion. Besides the length, width and thickness of the patio cushion, it is very important to know the break measurement or where the seat meets the back part of the cushion. Read the rest of this entry »

Here is a Camellia that has impressed us mightily over the past few years. ‘Spring’s Promise’ is aptly named because it blooms very freely during warm periods in the late fall, throughout the winter and early spring - a true harbinger of spring, with much more bloom over a longer period than we have seen on any other Camellia in Zone 6. ‘Spring’s Promise’ is one of the new winter-hardy ‘Ice Angels’ Camellias bred by Dr. Clifford Parks for hardiness in Zone 6 - a full zone hardier than regular Camellia japonicas.

The vivid single rose red blooms are two and a half inches wide with the petals radiating out from the center of golden yellow stamens - a real eye catcher. Shiny foliage is dark green. The plant matures with a spreading habit of six to eight feet by six to eight feet. Read the rest of this entry »

A patio can be a wonderful place to relax during the warm days of spring, summer and autumn; or all year if you live in warmer climes. At times when the lawn may be too wet or even muddy, the solid floor of a patio means you can sit outside even after heavy rain and make the most of the fresh air, and visual pleasure of your garden. You can even turn your patio into a patio garden to make it more interesting.

You can turn the plainest of patios into a patio garden with the good use of containers or outdoor planters. If you are starting from nothing, and designing and building (or having designed and built) a completely new patio, then it is worth giving the garden aspect of the patio some forethought.

The reason for the pre-planning is that you have an opportunity to create something very special with little extra expense beyond the foundation work and the patio floor. Here are just a few thoughts to build in at the design stage, so your patio garden can be more than just a flat area of paving slabs. Read the rest of this entry »

Roses are among the most popular, and certainly most beautiful, types of flowers there are. Everyone loves roses! But not everyone loves to grow them because some think that growing roses takes a lot of effort- and money. Rose gardening is an activity that can serve lots of purposes.

Potted roses are easier to plant and are ready for planting the whole season. Roses need good nutrition. A red rose (often held in a hand) is also a symbol of socialism or social democracy; it is also used as a symbol by the British and Irish Labour Parties, as well as by the French, Spanish (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party), Portuguese, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Brazilian, Dutch (Partij van de Arbeid) and European socialist parties.

With careful planning, good roses growing environment, and good maintenance, you can enjoy a beautiful blooming garden that your friends and neighbors will admire. When you choose organic rose gardens and organic materials to feed your roses, you’ll find that the rose garden maintains a much healthier balance. rose garden designs are most pleasant in appearance if they are geometric, so don’t plant a strange number of bushes keep the garden design simple, in a square pattern or at least with an even number of bushes in a row. Read the rest of this entry »

When the Oriental converges with the Occidental, in place of a fantastic synthesis, we more often end up with total chaos. However, when things slowly settle down, a new consciousness tiptoes in and the thrill and rapture of a completely new culture spreads all around. The same is true of Japanese gardens.

The perfect Japanese garden is the very epitome of minimalist beauty and appearance, frequently necessitating a total transformation of one’s outlook in order to set it up, but afterwards one discovers that it is much easier to preserve and admire.

Japanese gardening equipment comprise of a number of items we normally do not regard as gardening equipment, on account of their precision, clean lines and shape. Read the rest of this entry »