Germinating Adenium Seeds

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Adenium seeds

Seeds are the best way to increase your Adenium collection at low cost. Though some plants are sold for fancy prices depending on the color of the flower, in seeds you will not know which plant is going to produce what color. This is because, due to pollination, it may vary and only in some cases it will resemble that of parents. You can buy Adenium Seeds at economical costs. One pack of 20 multi color seeds will cost you lesser than a grown up plant cost. But the seeds will germinate well only if they are fresh.

The normal germination period for Adenium Seeds is 5 – 7 days with right conditions. Almost 95 % of Adenium Seeds germinate within 2 weeks. But the once that germinate first are strong and the rate of survival is more, but the once that germinate late are weak and the rate of survival is less



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Growing Adenium from seeds

• Fill a pot or tray with plenty of drain holes, with 50 % coarse river sand and 50 % garden soil mix.


• Soak the Adenium seeds for about 2 hours in normal water before planting.


• Spread the seeds in 2 – 3 inches interval and cover the seeds with 3 - 4 mm soil.


• Keep the seeds moist, but not wet, all times by spraying water once a day.


• Place the pot or tray in good not sun light.


• Keep the surrounding area warm.


• Adenium Seeds will germinate in 2 to 15 days.


• The seeds that germinate early will survive well and the once that germinate late will be weak and the rate of survival will be low.


• Repot as soon as you can handle the seedlings or in 8 weeks, using a very well drained soil mix.


• They should be kept in a humid environment, under hot sun light.


• The growth rate will be slow for the first six months or so, and then the growth will be better.

Note:

1. The Adenium Seeds should be always placed horizontally or flat only.


2. They should never be sown vertically or placed vertically in holes.


3. There is top side and bottom side for the Adenium Seeds, so they will not germinate if you place them upside down.


4. So if you place them horizontally, automatically the bottom side will take root and the upper side will tend to produce leaves.

Uses of Coccoloba uvifera

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Coccoloba uvifera is a medium sized tree belonging to the family Polygonaceae. It is commonly known as Sea grape tree or Bay grape tree, as it bears a grape like reddish or purplish fruits in clusters. Coccoloba uvifera is native of the tropical regions of coastal America and Caribbean islands.
Coccoloba uvifera is can survive extreme winter conditions till about 2 degrees Centigrade but it cannot withstand frost. The beauty of this tree is its fruits that are grape like in clusters and the leaves that turn reddish before withering off. The seeds cannot be stored for future planting, they should be planted immediately.

Coccoloba uvifera is shade and salt tolerant, and that is why it is seen in salty and sandy beach shores. It is also wind resistant that it is often planted in the beaches to stabilize beach edges. It is also planted in many common areas as an ornamental shrub. The fruits are so very tasty that they are often eaten directly from the trees or are used for making jams and jellies.
Coccoloba uvifera is a dioecious tree, that has male and female trees like Papaya that have male and female flowers on separate trees. It requires cross-pollination for the fruits to develop, and insects and honey bees help. A male tree can be easily distinguished from a female one by the flower appearance, as male flowers usually show dead stalks.

Coccoloba uvifera Uses

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• Coccoloba uvifera is a common ornamental plant which is used in landscaping, in south Florida.


• As this plant can withstand wind forces it is used as a dune stabilizer or wind breaker in coastal areas.


• Tall trees are made as a light barrier between the coastlines for the sea turtles protection.


• The grape like fruits of the tree may be eaten raw or cooked into jams or jellies, or fermented into wine.


• The tree sap is used for dyeing and leather tanning in the West Indies and Jamaica.


• Coccoloba uvifera is also used as a bonsai material, as it can attain beautiful shapes on regular pruning.

How to make an Outdoor Cactus Garden

 

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Although it is more satisfying to grow flowers and plants in the house and plants like cacti must be grown indoors for almost part of the year. However, like birds belong in the fields and trees, cacti, or just about any other plant, belong in the natural environment. True cacti lovers do their best to give their plants the opportunity of enjoying living in an outdoor garden for least half of the year. The good news is that growing an Outdoor Cactus Garden is actually easy and inexpensive.

You can grow a modest yet satisfactory outdoor cactus garden even in a very small space. As many as 50 medium-sized cacti can be accommodated in 3 ft. wide by 5 ft. long place, and each cactus you plant will give you constant pleasure. Depending on how many cacti you want to plant, the size of your outdoor cactus garden will vary accordingly. Before you begin planting an outdoor cactus garden, make sure you plan it out. Cactus gardens can be built in various shapes.

If you live in a colder region, then you can plan cacti plants by keeping them in flower pots the whole year. However, keep in mind that some cacti can resist low temperatures with dry air quite surprisingly, while others are not able to withstand the winters. Thus, cacti kept in flowering pots can be conveniently moved according to the weather and their roots are not disturbed. This will also make it easier to move the plants where there is plenty of fresh air and sunlight.

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Outdoor Cactus Garden

Different species of cacti have different moisture and soil requirements. In an outdoor cactus garden, treating the plants individually in their separate pots will allow you to easily supply these requirements. Some might need some extra water, some a little fresh soil and others might spoonful more of lime. If you have planted your cacti in separate containers, then you won't affect the others while treating one.

While a cactus garden can also be planted in a considerable plot of ground, but securing proper draining becomes easier in flower pots. Using flower pots also helps avoid water-logged soil during continuous, long rainy spells. It is easier to take cacti for examination, treatment and re-planting, whenever necessary, if they are growing in pots.

When planting cacti, it is also important to choose the right species that will grow well in your area. You can easily find this information while buying cacti to plant for your outdoor cactus garden. If the temperature where you live falls below 45 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, then you can still have a cactus garden by planting your cacti along with their pot, in the ground.

The great thing about growing an outdoor cactus garden is that very little maintenance is needed. You won't have to irrigate or water the garden, the rainfall will be sufficient enough. Once a year during the spring, you will simply have to feed your cacti with 10-10-10 and that is just about it. This is why it was mentioned earlier that growing a cactus garden is not as difficult as it might seem.

Do you know about the Nutritional Value of Cactus Fruit

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Most people don't even know that cacti do produce fruits, leave alone edible fruits. Well, fact is the do produce fruits and some fruits are edible. Other uses of cacti fruits include manufacture of intoxicants, dyes, earthen walls, detergents and drugs. Opuntia is the most prolific genus in the family Cactaceae for producing edible cacti fruits. The most common culinary species is the O. ficus-indica that produces fruits which are sometimes referred to as "prickly pears".

Cactus growing has been lately highly commercialized due to the realization of the above named applications. Most gardeners are however also involved in small scale production of cactus fruits in pursuit to its culinary benefits. Growing cactus in your home garden can be pretty easy and fun too. The following are tips for caring and preparing cactus fruits whether you intend to use them as food or as ornamental plants with their showy pink/red flowers and colorful purple/red fruits.

Cactus planting/propagation:

Cactus can be propagated both from cuttings and seeds. Seed propagations it however recommended for home and small scale gardeners.

Buy the commercially available cactus seeds of your choice or better still acquire the seeds from the previous mature plant.

If you are preparing the seeds at home ensure that the pods are mature and ready before harvesting the seed. Choose to harvest when the flower dies off but just before the pod dries.

Remove the mature seeds either by slicing the pods opens with a sharp razor or by twisting them a little.

Prepare your garden by finely tilling it and incorporate organic manure if available. Prickly pear cacti prefer sandy soils, if you can, incorporate a little sandy soil in the top soil of the garden.

Sow the seeds evenly in a finely tilled garden and water daily. The seeds germinate after 4 to 6 week.
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Nutritional Value of Cactus Fruit

Green cactus pear contains around 40 calories and is low in cholesterol and sodium. The Nutritional Value of Cactus Fruit of both the green and the red/purple cactus are rich in vitamin C and magnesium and are currently being studied for the possibility of hangover and high blood pressure treatment.
Mature cacti fruits are normally purple, reddish-orange or deep purple in skin color. When preparing cactus fruit, handle with protection, possible tongs and gloves to avoid injury. You can swirl them in a plastic colander for about three minutes to remove the spines
cut both ends off the fruit and then cut longitudinally to remove the skin
The inner pear pulp can be eaten directly or used to make jelly, jam, candy or wine.

How to Grow Miniature Cactus

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Miniature cactus types are great to be kept both indoors and outdoors. They are low maintenance. Their thick and round stems allow them to store water. They also occupy a minimal surface area. This is a great advantage because once you fall in love with these succulents, you will want to collect more. You can bring them outside during hot summer days, but be sure to put them inside on cold winter days or they will die.

If you are planning to Grow Miniature Cactus indoors, choose the sunniest part of your house. It should preferably be near a window, so it can get the maximum sunlight. If you are going to plant it outside in the garden, make sure that no taller plants obstruct it from receiving sunshine.

To Grow Miniature Cactus in a pot needs to be turned at least once a week. This keeps all sides of the cactus evenly illuminated. These plants produce colorful and fragrant flowers. When they are in bloom, do not move or turn them so that the flowers will not drop and fall.

Majority of the miniature cactus types has the desert as their natural habitat. It is amazing to know that despite this fact, they do get sunburned. Before moving your indoor cactus out, acclimatize it. Keep it in a shade for a week before planting it in the open air. If you notice a change in its pigmentation, either turning lighter or darker than its original color, it might be getting sunburned. Move it to a shady area before it shrivels.

Grow Miniature Cactus

These succulents need minimal watering. With a small stick, poke and prod the soil before watering it to check if it is totally dry. If it is, soak the cactus and the soil. Moist soil does not need watering because it just promotes fungal infection and will eventually lead to rotting.

Wide, unglazed clay pots that are not too large are perfect for your succulents because their roots tend to grow out laterally. Once you choose a pot, stick to it. Cactus does not thrive well with frequent transfers and handling. Layer the bottom of your pot with fine gravel, then top off with a soil that is alkaline and porous with good drainage and aeration. There is available cactus soil sold in the market. They are kind of pricey. So if you want to penny pinch, why not make your own? Just mix equal parts of commercial potting soil with builders sand. You can also add bone meal and ground limestone to this mixture.

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Two of the most common miniature cactus types are the button cactus and the rainbow cactus. The button cactus (Epithelantha unguispina) is tiny and grows up to 4 inches only. It is globular in shape and has beautiful light pink flowers, which then eventually become hot pink colored fruits. The rainbow cactus (Echinocereus rigidissimus), on the other hand, grows solitary and rarely exhibits branches. Its band of spine changes into a different color each year. It has a bright pink flower with a throat of a lighter color and has a greenish or purplish fruit.

You can never go wrong when caring for a cactus. All they need is just lots of sunshine and occasional water. Since miniature cactus types are well known for their spines, be sure to use a tong to handle the smaller ones or wrap the bigger ones in a newspaper when handling them.

Top 12 Types of Flowering Cactus

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Though there are numerous Types of Flowering Cactus, here is a list of Top 12 Types of Flowering Cactus

Barrel Cactus

All members of the ferocactus genus species have a barrel like cylindrical shape with long thorns. The flowers grow up to five or six inches in width. Some types of barrel cacti are:

The California or Compass Barrel Cactus:

This California or Compass Barrel Cactus is about four to eight feet tall with red colored ribs and curves. It produces bell shaped orange to yellow flowers.

Arizona or Wislizenus barrel cactus:

This Arizona or Wislizenus barrel cactus is often globule shaped when young and lengthened after it reaches one foot in diameter. This cactus has many white spines arranged like rays or the radii of a circle and normally grows to a height of about four to eleven feet. The flowers are yellow, red or orange and it usually blooms from July to September.

Sonora (Coville) barrel cactus:

Sonora (Coville) barrel cactus has colored spines and a purple look when it is young. This cactus can grow up to eight feet. The flowers are maroon, orange or yellow and bloom in July or August.

Texas barrel cactus

Texas barrel cactus is a small, globe shaped cactus, which is mostly green but may appear purple in direct sunlight. The central spine could be as long as six inches while the flowers are yellowish with red base. It blooms between May and July. It's one of the shortest type of barrel cacti which grows up to sixteen inches in height

Christmas Cactus

Not truly a cactus at all but a succulent. Still, it has beautiful flowers and can make for a great, low maintenance house plant.

Hedgehog Cactus

Strawberry hedgehog cactus: Its stems can grow two to four inches in diameter and four to twelve inches tall. The flowers are lavender, purple or bright pink and measure up to three inches in diameter and two to three inches long. They bloom in spring. The flowers tend to close at night while opening during the day. The plant normally grows six to eight feet tall.

Arizona hedgehog cactus:

It's a mounding cactus forming from only a few to numerous stems. The flowers have a funnel like shape, bloom between April and June as well as attract hummingbirds. The blooms would remain open for two or three days. The plant can grow up to 21/2 feet tall.

Crimson hedgehog cactus

Crimson hedgehog cactus is another small cactus. The cactus can grow up to one foot long, has no leaves and tends to bloom deep red flowers with petals that form a cup-like shape. It blooms between April and June while remaining open both day and night.

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Bunny ears cactus

Bunny ears cactus has thorny pears lying flat on the ground. It could grow up to 2 feet in height, bloom in mid-spring and the flowers are chartreuse or yellow.

Grizzly bear cactus

Grizzly bear cactus has reddish purple or green stems and black, gray, red-brown, brown, yellow or white spines. The spines can turn from gray to dark-brown then to black as the cactus ages. The plant can grow from six to eighteen inches in height.

Fishhook Pincushion Cactus

Fishhook Pincushion Cactus is a small cactus measuring just six inches or even less in height. Its spines tend to grow thickly on the ground that it's quite difficult to spot the green cactus below it. Around five days after the first summer rain, this plant produces bright-pink flowers with a yellow center. This cactus produces 2 or 3 flower batches during the summer. Fishhook pincushion cacti utilize other plants to cover it from harsh frost, wind or summer. Therefore, it's found under larger plants and trees.

The most common types of Indoor Cactus

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Cacti species of plants are well adapted to grow indoors where the levels of humidity are low. Furthermore, they are low maintenance plants; they require only small quantities of water, fertilizer and sunlight for them to grow. Below are some of the most common types of Indoor Cactus:

Hedgehog Cactus

The hedgehog cactus is an exceptional plant for your patio, and grows well in the drier southern climates. It small in size and produces radiant pink flowers during spring which mature into about 2.5 centimeter edible fruits. This type of cactus is also columnar and sprouts 10-15 closely packed clumps. While individual columns can grow up to one foot tall, their average heights do not exceed six inches. Just as the animal, hedgehog, this cactus is covered in of 2-3 inch long spines which appear in groups of four to six spines.

Old Man Cactus

The old man cactus is a popular houseplant that has its origin in Mexico. It is a columnar cactus renowned for its white wispy hair coverings that resemble those of an elderly, white haired man. This hair covering is a special adaptation to protect the plant from the extremely hot Mexican temperatures. In its native habitat, the old man cactus can grow up to 40-feet tall but it matures slowly when planted indoors, remaining manageable for several years.

Tom-Thumb Cactus

The tom-thumb cactus is thrives well in light shade surroundings, and is best planted in its own small pot. It is globe or column shaped with a height of 10 centimeters and a width of 7 centimeters. The tom-thumb cactus also features about 20 vertically inclined ribs, with each rib having about 10 emerging spines that surround the entire body of the cactus. Its large pink and yellow flowers blossom during spring.

Star Cactus Species

This type of cactus refers to a number of related species that include: the Sand Dollar cactus and the Bishop's Cap cactus. The Bishop's cactus emerges as a globe shape, but assumes a columnar shape as it grows older. It can grow to up to 8 inches tall, has lengthy arching spines and generates eye-catching golden yellow flowers during the mid-summer. The bishop cactus grows well indoors, but requires abundant quantities of sunlight.

The Sand Dollar cactus

The Sand Dollar cactus (Sea Urchin Cactus) is a spineless cactus in the shape of a globe that grows well indoors. Every year, it produces huge and shiny yellow flowers. During the dry season, if flattens into a circular shape making it look like a sand dollar.

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The Rat Tail's Cactus

This cactus has long strands of drooping tough flesh, and produces pink flowers that emerge at the bottom of each of strand. It can grow to a height of about 20 inches and can tolerate shade to some extent, but blooms radiantly when exposed to the sun.

Living Rock Cactus

This species of cactus matures slowly and requires very minimal quantities of water for it to survive. It best planted in sandy soils. The living rock cactus can grow to up to 4 inches tall, and contains several spiky lobes that cover the center of the plant. Ensure that the plant is not overwatered because this easily causes root rot. It is mandatory to repot the plant after every four years.

Small Garden Ideas: How to Get Started

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When looking for small garden ideas, many people jump online or browse magazines to get inspiration. Then armed with an exciting array of new ideas they jump into the project enthusiastically only to realize later that those ideas won’t work with their current landscape setup and they have to abandon the project. If you have small garden ideas for your yard, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few key questions before you get started to save yourself time, trouble and money on your next landscaping project.

When professional landscape architects take a look at a new project, the first thing they want to do is develop a conceptual plan with the homeowner. There is fancy computer software to do this but most often a simple hand-sketched drawing will do just fine. This conceptual plan will lay out what is to be done, break down the project into the specific steps to be completed and specify the order in which those steps are to be completed.

This way you begin the project with the end in mind so the process of getting to your goal of a beautiful garden is more smooth and enjoyable. Another benefit of a properly constructed conceptual plan for your small garden ideas is that once the plan is outlined, you can tackle certain steps in the plan and not the entire project at once. This can be very handy if you can’t afford to complete the full project with all of your small garden ideas at one time or if you run into a weather constraint due to the changing of seasons making it difficult to plant or excavate.

What is the first question you should ask when designing a conceptual plan around your small garden ideas?

One very important consideration in designing a small garden is the concept of location. Where your small garden is located in relation to the house has a significant impact on what you will want to plan there.

To get the best results, ask yourself which direction the garden is facing. Different plants, flowers, grasses and trees will thrive under different conditions and by knowing which direction the garden will face, you will be able to incorporate the best plant choices into your small garden design.

For a small garden that faces north, planting can be a challenge for many homes. Northern exposure tends to be difficult for a small garden because many plants have a hard time growing in this filtered light environment or will grow but not bloom and thrive.

Good plant choices for a small North-facing garden would be: shade loving plants like Rhododendrons and Camellias as well as, heuchera, autumn fern, and hydrangea. Avoid tropical plants and most grasses that thrive in direct sunlight.

For a small garden that faces South, there are many more options for including a dynamic range of yard plants that take full advantage of the increased exposure of the sun.

Good plant choices for South-facing small garden design would fit in well with: a micro climate landscape theme that can be tropical, Mediterranean or dessert in nature.

For East-facing small garden design, you will want to stick to shade plants and plants that enjoy the morning sun as opposed to the scorching afternoon sun.

Good plant choices for East-facing small garden design would be Bromelias, schefflera, and Philodendron plants.

For West-facing small garden design, you want to stick to plants that enjoy the scorching afternoon sun. Any plant that loves the sun and needs less water will be a good choice here.

Good plant choices for West-facing small gardens would be: Lavanders, Echium, or Phormium plants. Also any types of grasses, and Mellaluca will thrive in this setting.

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What is the second question you should ask when designing a conceptual plan around your small garden ideas?

Another major consideration in the design of small gardens has to do with the function of the space. Is it for entertaining? Will you need room for guests, a barbecue pit, or an ample seating area? Will access be needed to the area? If you will be entertaining how many people do you want to be able to accommodate in the space? Will they be smoking? Are there views that you want to preserve, take advantage of or accentuate?

All of these function related questions should be asked and evaluated when putting together your conceptual landscape design plan.

Where can you get more help with small garden ideas?

 

More Backyard Designs

More Backyard Designs
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If the thought of dreaming up and then implementing new backyard desigbs fills you with dread never fear, we have a few suggestions to help you get started. If your backyard landscape is dreary or plain and you don’t want to spend a lot of time or money, read on this post is for you.

The backyard can be one of the most prized aspects of home ownership. It’s a place where you entertain friends with a delicious barbeque, swing in the hammock on a warm summer day or simply doze off while reading a good book. Unfortunately, when your backyard landscape is more ugly mess than sanctuary, it’s hard to truly enjoy this prized bit of real estate.

The good news is that it’s not hard to come up with good backyard designs and implementing them can be a snap.

Good backyard designs begin with a plan for how you would like to use the space. You can invest in software to help you with this process. There are several good programs available through Amazon.com. Or you can simply sketch out your ideas yourself on a scrap of paper.

As you begin to sketch out your backyard designs, here are some things to keep in mind:

Don’t get overwhelmed. If you have a big yard, consider breaking it up into sections and working on a section each year until the project is finished. This is a particularly good strategy if you are doing all of the work yourself and have a limited season to work on your backyard landscape.

Remember what your overall objectives are for your backyard retreat. Do you like to entertain and have cookouts? Then you may need to have more open space in your yard and a backyard landscape design that focuses on plants and shrubs around the borders of your yard may make the most sense.

If you don’t need the open space, consider an island flower bed, walkway ideas with solar lights, or comfortable furniture that you can rest in.

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If you enjoy wildlife and think having wild butterflies float across your yard would be desirable, take a look at the National Wildlife Federation’s website for plants that attract different wildlife. You can create a nice flower bed that is filled with plants that will have butterflies filling your yard in no time.

Keep it simple. One simple strategy for beautifying your backyard landscape is to simply surround your patio with shrubs and or flowering plants.

It is always nice to have plants that are native to your area in mind as you sketch out your backyard ideas. A quick Google search or trip to your local nursery can provide you with a wide variety of options.

How to find more backyard designs.

A simple Google search for “Backyard Designs” can reveal dozens of pictures and ideas that you can incorporate into your plan. You can also search home and garden magazines, or tour other nearby houses for additional backyard ideas.

It doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive to create and bring your backyard ideas to life, all you need is a manageable plan and some fresh ideas

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5 Things you should know about Cactus Care and Maintenance

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Cacti can be great for your garden or even as house or office plants. They naturally don't require a lot of water or care. Some require higher temperatures but most indoor temperatures will be enough to keep many species alive.

Most people think that cactus has to grow in parched deserts while some of them relate to cacti from a scene they saw in an old western movie. However, cactus is not a plant meant only for desert conditions. Though there are many varieties that will do well in hot climates with scarce water, there are others that have been propagated for indoor use. Since cacti are low maintenance and drought resistance, they can be the ideal indoor plants for any individual.

Before you get some tips about their care, you should have the number one rule on keeping indoor cacti. The biggest mistake one can make with cacti is overwatering. Overwatering will cause problems that will include rot, fungi gnats and other diseases. Make sure the soil used by the plant is saturated completely and any excess water is removed. Keep an eye on the plant while checking any soft areas. It is good to have a natural fungicide on hand so as to combat any pests that you suspect to have taken residence.

The following are the 5 Things you should know about Cactus Care and Maintenance

What is a Cactus?

Cacti are considered to be succulent (meaning they are adept in string water): As this is the case, these plants are perfect for you if you have a busy life and watering is not in your priority list. However, it is important to water consistently even when the plants are in their dormant state. Watering is done less often for cacti and the normal frequency is once every three weeks.

How much sun is required for Cactus?

Plenty of sunlight: To thrive, cacti need to have filtered and direct sunlight depending on the variety you have. In the event sunlight is limited in supply, artificial lighting (fluorescent) can be used as well. If you are capable, move your cactus to various sunny locations within your home. Keep in mind that it has to be kept cool when it is in its dormant stages as this will help your plant become sturdier.

How to care for Cactus in winter

To encourage it to winter, you may need to move it to a cooler location that has less light (this is determined by the type of cactus). Such a move promotes flowering when it comes out of the dormant stage. A clay pot is the best for indoor cactus as it prevents excess soil saturation while encouraging quick water evaporation. However, the plant can thrive well in any container. The container you use should have an effective drainage system if rot is to be prevented.

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Do Cacti need to be repotted?

To keep the roots healthy and aerate the soil, it is advisable to re-pot on a regular basis as they grow. Addition of fresh soil regularly helps in the introduction of more nutrients for better growth.

Do Cactus need fertilizers?

Just like other plants, cacti need fertilizer. Since there are many types available, you should research you plants to know the most suitable type and the best time to fertilize them.

Cacti are basically highly tolerant and using these tips will help you have healthy plants.

Additional  Tips for caring and maintenance of the cactus plant

Always ensure that the garden is moist but do not overwater. Remember the cacti are desert plants and can survive with limited moisture. Overwatering or use of alkaline water can lead to rotting.

For more foliage and flowers, apply a nitrogenous fertilizer at least once in every 3 months.

For maximum fruit yield, apply a phosphoric fertilizer preferably 10-20-10 NPK

Keep your cacti free from pests and disease. Do occasional scouting to identify any growth abnormalities such as retarded growth, change in stem and leaf color, spots, presence of pests and insect bites. Most species of fruit cacti are susceptible to bacterial diseases which are characterized by black to brown spots on the stems and fruits. Common pets in cacti include aphids, mealy bugs, spider flies and white flies.

keep the garden weed free to reduce competition for available nutrients to ensure maximum fruit yield.

Do not expose the cacti plants to too much sunlight as this may lead to browning and small fruits. If the plants are potted, you can occasionally move them to avoid too much sunlight exposure.

 

Keys to Landscape Restoration

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So your yard has gotten a bit out of control, how do you know when you can roll up your sleeves and tame the mess yourself with a do-it-yourself landscaping project or when you need to call in a professional to do a full landscape restoration?

What is landscape restoration?

Let’s begin with the basics, the term “landscape restoration” is most often used to describe the process of regaining ecological integrity in natural areas that have been deforested or degraded over time. You may have heard the term landscape restoration used in conjunction with national forests, wilderness areas or other large tracts of public land. What is not as commonly known is the trend toward landscape restoration on smaller privately owned plots of land and even your own backyard.

When a lawn or garden has become more mature, over grown or has simply gotten out of control, there comes a time when it is necessary to bring the land back to its original state. This original state would be the way that the original landscape architect envisioned the project taking into account the function, needs for privacy, light and other uses of the space.

Although the full process of landscape restoration will be covered later in this post, the typical process includes: sprinkler repair, reconditioning soil with gypsum and organic matter, and trimming or removing plants that don’t fit in with the original plan palate laid out by the landscape architect.

What are the causes of landscape degradation?

Landscaping on the cheap

Landscapes get degraded for a variety of different reasons. Probably the most common reason is that the crew hired to maintain the yard simply loses sight of the original intent of the landscape. When a landscape architect puts together the conceptual idea and designs a plan palate, it incorporates the needs of the client as well as the various factors associated with the size of the house and lot, sun exposure, etc.

In an effort to save money, it is not uncommon for homeowners to hire cheap landscaping crews that employ time-saving but environmentally destructive gardening practices. The use of hedge trimmers and shaping shrubs and trees into balls and squares versus more time consuming but environmentally friendly lace trimming and natural trimming is a good example of this practice.

Another example of how cheap landscaping crews degrade land is when they don’t know what they are doing, and their inability to manage the land causes it to become overgrown.

Over time it is definitely better to pay a little extra to hire the right landscaping crew and make sure they are familiar with the original landscape architect’s vision so they can maintain your yard accordingly.

Original plants have a short lifespan

Sometimes the plants that are included in the original plan palate have a shorter lifespan. For example if the original plants had a 3-5 year life span and that time is up, the plants will die and need to be replaced to maintain the integrity of the garden.

The original plan doesn’t work anymore

One common occurrence in home landscapes is when trees grow and render the original plan obsolete. As trees mature their root structures will pervade the surrounding area and make it difficult for other plants to grow since they are now competing with the massive root networks of the maturing trees.

Maturing trees also produce more shade as they grow which may restrict the growth of plants that thrive in direct sunlight. Landscape architects call these changes, the creation of a new micro-climate. Barring removal of the tree, it is now necessary to re-plan the environment for a different type of planting due to the changes that the maturing trees have created.

Instant landscape gratification

It is also common for landscape architects to cave in to homeowner demands for instant gratification when it comes to the appearance of their landscapes. For example, in the original plan a landscape architect may allocate one plant to a certain area knowing that as it grows and matures it will fill in the space and provide a fuller and more complete appearance.

Dissatisfied with the appearance of the open space and impatient for natural growth to fill it in, the homeowner will often request that the landscape architect plant two or three more plants in the same space immediately rather than wait for the natural maturing process to occur.

When this initial over-planting occurs, it creates a growing problem as the plants mature and overcrowd each other on the limited space.

For these reasons, many landscape architects believe that it is easier to over-plant in the beginning and then come in later to remove plants than to under-plant in the beginning and have to come back and add new plants later. Either way, having the space overseen by a competent landscaper throuout the process is critical to keeping the landscape healthy and thriving.

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How do you know it’s time to call in a pro for a landscape restoration?

Here are some signs that a landscape restoration may be needed for your yard:

You notice dead areas of your lawn or garden.
Roots pop out and run along the surface of the ground.
Trees and plants start growing outside of the original planning area.
Plants start getting sick, especially in the summertime.
Plants are too round or boxy, not how they were intended to grow in nature.
What are the steps to professional landscape restoration?

The first step to successful landscape restoration is to step into the shoes of the original landscape architect and reconnect with the primary vision and original intent of the space when the design was created.

Step two would be replacing any sprinklers or other landscape infrastructure that is in need of repair.

Step three is to identify which plants should be removed, which plants can be trimmed or saved and which plants need to be cut down and trimmed back to original size.

Step four would be reconditioning the soil with gypsum and organic matter fertilizer as needed.

So if your yard is not where you would like for it to be, always remember to start any new landscape restoration project by reviewing the guidelines in this post. If you follow these guidelines you will know when tidying up your yard is a do-it-yourself affair and when you need to call in the pros to do a full landscape restoration for you. Making the right choice on a landscape restoration option can ensure that your open spaces stay beautiful and healthy for years to come.

 

Japanese Garden Stone Basins

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Japanese Garden Stone Basins Arrangement - Tsukubai

Tsukubai are found in Japanese gardens of all types and sizes. A tsukubai is an arrangement of a stone water basin and stones, often with a bamboo spout pouring water.

Tsukubai - Japanese Garden Stone Basins arrangement

A tsukubai is an arrangement found in very many Japanese gardens involving a stone water basin and four surrounding stones. A tsukubai provides a very Japanese touch for your garden.

'Tsukubai' literally means 'stooping basin' or 'crouching basin'; the stone basin (chozubachi) is placed on the ground, near the entrance to a garden or tea ceremony room, and guests stoop or crouch to wash their hands and rinse their mouths at the tsukubai before entering.

Often tsukubai have bamboo ladles placed across the top of the stone basin, and water pouring into the basin from a bamboo pipe (kakei). They usually have small pebbles scattered around the base, and larger stones placed around the tsukubai area – stones are very important in Japanese gardening.

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The basic tsukubai Japanese Garden Stone Basins arrangement has a large flat stone in front of the basin for the guest to stand on, small stones to either side where he can rest his lantern and perhaps a bowl of hot water, and a large standing stone at the back to provide contrast and balance. Often a stone lantern is placed at the back of the arrangement too – the strong vertical alignment of the lantern is also good for contrast and balance with the flat alignment of the tsukubai.

The area between the stones is called the 'sea', and is usually covered with pebbles or coarse sand/gravel. So when the tsukubai is arranged like this it's called a 'centre of sea' arrangement because the basin is in the middle of the sea. The alternative tsukubai arrangement is 'edge of sea', where the basin is placed – you guessed it – on the edge of the sea.

Benefits of Backyard Landscaping

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When people buy their dream household, the interiors stay their priority. The reason behind this really is that they spend most of the time inside their home and so would like to decorate the interiors in the most effective feasible way. Regrettably, most of the folks avoid decorating the outdoors space. It can be simply because they fail to understand how critical could be the exterior region of your residence.

Employ A professional Backyard Landscaping Gardener

Though it is actually an high-priced choice, it is possible to reap a whole lot of positive aspects if you employ an expert Backyard Landscaping gardener. Hiring a professional is usually a large financial investment. You might have to spend them a fairly great quantity. Therefore, you must be sure to employ a skilled professional who can completely transform the look of one’s backyard.

Advantages of Hiring A professional Landscape Gardener For your Backyard Landscaping

Aesthetics

One of the foremost advantages of hiring an expert is the fact that they could completely transform the look with the space. They are able to make the outdoors space appear wonderful together with the assist on the landscaping solutions. Landscapers are usually not only professionally trained to beautify the garden/ Backyard Landscaping but can also help you get a customized appear.

While an amateur gardener can generally do an excellent job, you can’t normally anticipate the very best services from them. As a result, it really is usually a great idea to employ an knowledgeable expert for the activity. Go through the credentials/client-testimonials prior to you determine to employ an expert.

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Add Worth To your Property

Don’t forget, initial impression normally counts. When you have a stunning and appealing lawn it’s going to certainly boost the value of the property. Moreover, in addition, it aids to have a far better price tag when you sell your home. When buyers stop by your home, it really is the lawn or exterior region which grabs their interest. Get your lawn landscaped with all the support of an expert for a long-lasting impression on your purchasers.

Save Your Time

Not only specialist landscapers enhance the value of your home, but also saves your time. They plan out every thing ahead of they go ahead together with the perform. This means that they’re able to complete the function promptly and effectively. On the other hand, a house gardener takes lots of time for you to program in detail and executes the operate gradually.

Among the key motives to have your garden revamped is the fact that you desire to relax and enjoy in the weekends. Landscaping not only adds worth to your house however it also enhances the beauty of one’s property.

3 Easy Care Flower bed ideas

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Flower Bed Ideas: Soil and Drainage Tips

Nothing caps off a beautiful yard like an exquisite flower bed, but don’t be tempted to jump in and try on flower bed ideas without considering the basics. Professional landscape architects always start with soil and drainage considerations in order to guarantee the best results when they bring their flower bed ideas to life. If you fail to take this step, you could end up with a swampy mess after the first rain or a barren mound of dirt where nothing will grow despite your best gardening efforts.

Flower bed ideas: soil considerations

When evaluating the soil conditions of a flower bed there are two major considerations to keep in mind: how porous the soil is, and the PH level.

When evaluating the porosity of soil the two most common types of soil you will run into are clay and sandy loam. Although there are many different variations based on combinations of these two soils, most often you will find that your flower bed soil will fall into one of these categories.

The best way to test what type of soil you have is to press together a handful of moist soil from your flower bed. If it sticks together and clumps, it has a high clay content which is not the most favorable environment to nurture a flower bed. If it breaks apart and crumbles this is a good sign and an indication that the clay content is low.

Clay soil is denser and doesn’t absorb water like sandy loam. As a result, if your soil has high clay content it is best not to leave sprinklers on as long when watering because the water will simply run off and not be absorbed. The best practice for watering a flower bed with a high clay content is to break up the watering into 2 equal segments which are each half as long. For example, if you were going to water for 20 minutes, break this up into two – 10 minute segments at different times of the day to maximize absorption into clay soil.

Sandy loam is a soil type that is most common in California. One of the ways you can tell if you have sandy loam is after a 15 minute rain you will see that the water has absorbed into the flower bed. On the other hand, if the clay content is high, you would have run off.

Next you will want to check the PH level of your flower bed. Get a good PH test kit from your local nursery or you can find a wide selection of PH test kits on Amazon.com.

If it turns out that the soil in your flower bed is acidic you have two choices: work with the soil, or neutralize it with gypsum. If you decide to work with the soil you will want to look for plants that like acidic PH such as, azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas. See below for instructions on neutralizing with gypsum if you decide to go that route.

If you have highly alkaline soil your options are limited as to what will grow in your flower bed. Pine trees and mountainous trees will thrive in alkaline soil but most plants and flowers will not take in water or fertilizer in this environment. What you want to do is neutralize the soil with gypsum.

Neutralizing flowerbed soil with gypsum and other nutrients: the landscapers secret for a beautiful flower bed

Gypsum is a mineral that plays a variety of important roles in your garden soil. First, it can help to loosen up clay soils to help improve air and water penetration. Next it can aid in minimizing salt damage to plants. It can also promote root growth by repelling the small insects that feed on fragile plant roots and maximize the beneficial effects of fertilizer. You can click here for excellent organic garden gypsum to try.

You will also want to include mycorrhizal inoculums to your flower bed along with organic gypsum. The addition of these beneficial bacteria will make roots grow twice as long for healthier plants and longer lasting blooms. Here is an excellent mycorrhizal inoculums mixture to try.

One last way to loosen soil with a high clay content is to add organic matter to your soil. Of course plants need nutrients to grow, but what is not as well known is that for a long-lasting growth cycle and healthy flowers you will want to have two different types of fertilizer in your soil.

Steer manure is an excellent source of nutrients and it is picked up very quickly by the plants because it is already broken down by the digestive process of the steer. Unfortunately since it is already broken down, it will only last three to four months before it’s nutrient value is dissipated. For longer lasting nutrient value your fertilizer should include organic matter in addition to steer manure. Organic matter breaks down slower and will provide highly beneficial nutrients to your flowers for years.

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Flower bed ideas: drainage considerations

Most plants need good drainage to thrive and when you are planning your flower bed ideas, here are a few pointers to follow.

Start by noticing where your flower bed will be located. Will it be at the bottom of your property? Is your entire property at the bottom of a hill? If so, consider incorporating French drains into your flower bed ideas in order to channel excess water away from the flower bed. A French drain is simply a trench dug around the flower bed that can be filled to ground level with fragments of brick, or rocks. Ideally this drain will lead away from the house and away from the flower bed to keep water from pooling in either area.

Another rule of thumb that professional landscape architects employ is the 5% drainage rule. This rule simply implies that you should have a 5% grade leading away from the house and or flower bed to avoid pooling water. In general, you should never plant in standing water unless you are growing rice or swamp foliage. What this looks like in practice is for every 100 feet in distance, the level of the soil should fall by 5 feet. This will produce a 5% grade and provide adequate drainage for your flower bed.

So always remember to start any new flower bed project by reviewing the soil and drainage guidelines in this post. If you follow these guidelines you will ensure that your flower bed ideas turn out just as beautiful in real life as you had planned them on paper.

Bamboo Fountains and Spouts

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Bamboo Fountains and Spouts (kakei)

Bamboo Fountains and Spouts (kakei) are very common in Japanese gardens. They can be used wherever running water is wanted - over ponds, Japanese stone basins, or as part of a tsukubai or shishi odoshi.

Kakei bamboo spouts

Bamboo spouts are a perfect water feature for a rustic style Japanese garden, and they're small enough for even a tiny urban garden. You can use them over a Japanese stone basin, as part of a tsukubai or pouring into a pond. There's also a kind of bamboo fountain called a shishi odoshi, or deer scarer, which makes a rhythmic noise.

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Natural bamboo is beautiful, and distinctively Japanese. As with all Japanese garden ornaments, bamboo fountains will weather, and this is part of their charm. However, bamboo tends to split over time if water is running through it, so typically a plastic pipe is used inside the bamboo fountain or spout to protect the bamboo. You may also want to varnish or oil your bamboo fountain before use. Varnish will last longer, but has a harder finish.

Normally, all you need to power a bamboo fountain is a small garden pump – look on the box for the 'head height' – this is how high the pump can lift water, so this number needs to be bigger than the distance from your reservoir to the top of the bamboo spout. See how to make a Japanese water feature for more information about pumps and reservoirs.

Shishi odoshi

The shishi-odoshi or deer chaser is intended to scare off animals and birds, but it's mostly used as an ornament. Water pours from one bamboo spout into another, causing the second spout to tilt back and forth and making a rhythmic knocking sound. More about shishi odoshi.

Top 21 Different types of Cactus plants

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Cactus is a part of the cactaceae family and is the world's largest family of juicy plants species. There are around 2000 different types of Cactus plants species around the world and most of them are found in America. Cactus is very well suitable for desert weather conditions, using their stems to store water in the dry and harsh climatic conditions. All cactus varieties are not suitable for desert weather. Each cactus variety differs from one another in shape as well as in size. Some varieties grow tall, some are slim and many of them are dwarf. Some of them also bear flowers.

Cactus plays a very important role in the ecosystem. They provide food, and shelter to the countless forms of animals, reptiles and birds. Some of the desert tortoise snack on the neighboring cacti stems for food. Some of the most hostile weather conditions in the world where water is difficult to find, you may find cactus surviving. They store water in their leaves and stems. The skins are thick and most of them have thorns. Some varieties of cactus bloom at night and are pollinated by moths and bats. Animals like goats, mice and ants eat cactus fruits for survival.

Cactus family consists of more than 200 different types of Cactus plants or varieties. Some of the most popular types of Cactus plants are listed below:



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Types of Cactus

We've listed cactus in alphabetical order and included, families, specific cacti species as well as general categories:

Ariocarpus

Also known as desert cactus, are well suitable for desert conditions. Some of these species of plants have thick and dense thin skin. The thick skin leaves become flat and hides itself in the ground for the dry weather, while some have sharp ribs for shade. Some of these plants also have thorns resembling a thick brush. The roots of these species are radish shaped and are able to store ample water in them. The fruits are white or green in color with a lot of seeds in them.

Astrophytum asterias

These cactus species is also known as the mountain cactus. They grow on rocky surfaces; they have a unique ability to cling to any surfaces. They survive hot humid weather in the day and bear the freezing mountain cold conditions. The thick wool like cover on this species of cactus protects the plant from sunburns and cold. They are white or golden in color. You need to take good care of this cactus by keeping them sufficiently dry and cold in winter and also enough sunlight in summer. They are bloom within two years.

Echinocactus

Barrel Cactus is a type of cactus under the Echinocactus family of cactus. There are around six species of these cacti and the most famous is the golden barrel. They grow fast as compared to other cactus. They are found in desert regions of North America. It grows towards the sun like most cacti. After many years of full growth they bloom with yellow flowers and fruits which resemble a pineapple. Their roots are perfect to absorb water very efficiently. They are very popular due to its barrel shape.

Eriosyce Senilis

This species of the cactus family is found in abundance in Chile. They are short and spherical with stems resembling a spine of 30 to 40 cm tall. The color of the spine varies from dark green to purple. The color of the spines vary from plant to plant, some turn to grey in color with age while some spines are short and thin. These cactus species bear flowers which are pink in color. It is a good summer plant needing sufficient air. They have good tolerance to heat and hence there is no need to water them regularly in summer months.

Cholla Cactus

Cholla Cactus is a word that represent Opuntia genus of the Cactacea family, which has more than 20 species. These species are shrubby in nature, and have segment-jointed cylindrical stems, which are useful for photosynthesis, water storage and production of flowers. The chollas have a distinctive appearance, thanks to the sheath on the spines, which is brightly colored.

Columnar Cactus

There is a vast array of cacti. These succulents can come in varied shapes and sizes - among which are tall, slender cacti called columnar cactus. Albeit the rarity of being under cultivation, columnar cacti is one of the most favorite picks of cactus enthusiasts for their grandiose sizes and artful upright branches. A typical cactus of this kind can stand 15 feet tall with each branch measuring up to 6 inches in diameter.

Coryphyanta

This is a savanna variety usually found in open grasslands, and under small trees. The savanna climate is most suitable for these species. They have the ability to bear cool and dry winters, while needing sufficient water and sunlight during the summer months. Beware of water stagnation near their roots; they need proper water drainage facilities. The stems are 5cms in diameter and roots are short tap roots. They flower early but need almost 10 years to attain full growth.

Epiphyllum Cactus

The Epiphyllum family of cacti are cacti prized for their spectacularly beautiful flowers, which give them the name orchid cacti. These blossoms can be large and come in colors of white, lemon yellow, lavender, pink or red. They're epiphytes, which means they grow in the wild on trees or other structures and their bare roots get their nutrients and water from the rain and air. A gardener who wants to grow epiphyllum cacti can buy them either rooted or unrooted. Cacti that are unrooted are less expensive to buy. However, the gardener will have to wait for flowers, as it can take an epiphyllum cacti up to four years to bloom. Many of these cacti bloom at night, and can also be propagated by cuttings from mature plants.

Ferocactus horridus

This species of cactus are found in Mexico. They are primarily of garden variety and grow on hill sides with sufficient water and sunlight for it to grow. These species of cactus are short and stocky. The stem is elongated and very dark green in color growing from 40 to 100 cm tall. The seeds are dark black and shining. They also bear fruits and flowers. The flowers are yellow or orange in color with lemon yellow fruits.

If you are looking for an indoor cactus or just looking to add color to your home or garden, there are a number of flowering cacti that are perfect for the job.

Gymnocalycium Bruchii

This variety is originated from Argentina and found in wide range of environments. They are slow growing plants forming clusters of 15 cms. When small they are succulent clusters with flat stems growing up to 6cm long. The spines are white and curved sometimes also straight. The funnel shaped flowers are lavender white in color bearing green fruits. This cactus species are cold tolerant preferring low PH, otherwise the growth will be affected. These plants can tolerate bright sunny weather also, but need shade during peak summer months. You need to water them in summer and keep them dry during winter months.

Hedgehog Cactus

Another commonly recognized type of cactus is the Hedgehog Cactus. These short stubby, and bristly cactus have beautiful red and sometimes pink flowers.

Hylocereinae

They are also referred to as forest saguaros, are a type of cactus which changes its texture according to the climatic conditions. They have thin and supple creepy stalks and roots on them which deliver moisture from air. They grow on the outer part of the forest area where there is light and air. In case of dry weather conditions their stalks wrinkle, but turn green and juicy as soon as it gets rain. They are designed to protect themselves from extreme heat and water evaporation.

Nopal Cactus

The Nopal Cactus has become increasingly popular over the years seeing as how it can be grown for a number of purposes, whether one is looking to cultivate food or simply use it as a decoration. In addition, the Nopal cactus can also be used to create fodder for a farmer's livestock as well as clothing fibers. Even though it is possible to plant a Nopal cactus using seeds, most people prefer to use cuttings as it propagates much more easily. Luckily, contrary to some cacti the Nopal is relatively easy to grow, and what's more, it requires very little input from you once it has been planted.

Opuntia basilaris

They grow in very dry plains in rocky soils. The stem is oval and round in shape with purplish pigmentation. They are generally without spine with rare occurrence on the rim of the leaf pad. The color of the flower varies from rose to magenta. This plant is very prone to rotting; hence need very little water once it has grown to its full size. They need maximum sunlight and avoid shadow.

Orchid Cactus

The orchid cactus has a beautiful appearance in full bloom, but getting it to that stage requires a fair deal of knowledge and knowing how to care for it is important. We all know that a cactus is not a plant that needs a huge amount of maintenance since this is something that is found in dry, arid areas. However, in saying that, you also have to be aware that you are now taking the plant out of its natural environment and if you want to grow it indoors then you will have to feed it and care for it so that it grows to the same rate. You can also grow it outdoors, but it is slightly more tricky.

Pincushion Cactus

Pincushion cactus appear like balls that have fine needles. This cactus is very decorative because of its bright colored flowers, shape and even its spines. Pincushion cacti are also called Fishhook and they belong to the group of Barrel cacti. Perhaps they are the most common kind of cactus grown inside houses. They are pretty easy to take care for, that is why they are popular among countless homeowners. If you want to grow one for your own, we provided a simple and useful guideline that you can follow.

Pencil Cactus

The pencil cactus is part of the Euphorbia Tirucalli family. It has a milky white stem, which can be an irritant so you should be careful of direct contact with this on your skin. It is also known as the Milkbush, due to that fact. These cacti are grown in hot areas and they grow with ease.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Most of us tend to think of cacti in terms of the tall Saguaro cacti that you see in westerns, while these are indeed one of the largest species of cactus in the world, they are not the only ones and they are a protected species. If you are looking for one that you can plant in your garden and will grow in almost any climate, you should consider the Prickly Pear Cactus. This particular cactus is easily recognized by it flat stems that are oval in shape that are often crowned with fruits that are called tuna and are reddish colored.

Rebutia albipilosa

This type of cactus is found in Argentina. This cactus type has dense and long white bristles with several offsets. The stem is fat and grows 4 to 6 cm tall. They are very easy to farm but require care while watering to keep the plant compact with its spines. They need to be sheltered and should not be watered too much as there is a fear of rotting. Keep them dry during the winter months.



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Saguaro Cactus

The Saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran desert is the best known cacti species. It is a slow growing plant that only takes about 35 years to flower and 75 years to develop an arm. The plant also lives long reaching up to 200 years. In the right growing conditions the plant can grow up to a height of 50ft. The plant has tall and thick stem and branches, when the plant grows to maturity the stem can achieve a width of 24inches in diameter and will have an average of five arms. Its slow growing property makes it a great indoor as well as outdoor plant. If you are interested in growing your own Saguaro cactus here are tips to help you get started.

Star Cactus

The star cactus is a flowering cactus that has the reputation of being difficult. That's because its flowers bloom only during March to May. There is no guarantee that you can bloom it out of season. Nevertheless, you can try by using the tips that we provided below. But before we proceed, it is important to note that by now, there are very few Star Cacti in the wild. If you are fond of the plant, you certainly have more than enough reasons to grow them.

Cactus growing has found interest among people around the world. More and more cactus varieties are being discovered by scientists, though some species are getting endangered.

Guidelines For Growing Cacti And Succulent Plants Indoors

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All cacti are succulent plants, but not all succulents are cactus. Cacti are one of the most popular indoor plants of the succulent family. Many are native to the desert regions of the southern US and Mexico, where rainfall is usually low and there are extremes in temperature. On the other hand, some of the most floriferous cacti come to us from the warm and humid rain forests of South and Central America. Cacti are distinguished from other succulents by cushion-like growths on their stems called areoles from which the spines, hairs, flowers, and shoots develop.

The distinguishing feature of succulent plants is the presence of water-storing, fleshy tissue in their stems, leaves, or roots. It is this tissue that allows cacti and other succulents to withstand long periods of drought. Succulents are often divided into three groups depending on which part of the plant contains the moisture retaining tissue: stem succulents, leafy succulents, and caudiciform succulents. Most cacti fall into the stem succulent group.

Cacti and other succulents display a wide variety of size, shape, texture, color. Some have curved or straight spines, some have silky hair, while others have plump smooth surfaces and their shapes can range from squat or globular, to candelabra. Some bloom for relatively brief periods and bear large brightly colored flowers, while others flower for longer periods and produce many blooms. In cooler temperatures most succulents are either house plants grown in various types of containers or are grown in greenhouses.

Growing Cacti and succulents indoors: (greenhouse and home):

Most cacti and succulent plants used for outdoor cultivation in warm climates will thrive in an environmentally regulated greenhouse where light, humidity, temperature, and water are controlled. These plants are also very well suited for the warm and dry conditions of a heated home where some other plants will fail. Most cacti and other succulents require high levels of light and good ventilation although some of the more leafy plants may need protection from direct sunlight to avoid leaf scorching. It should be noted that one important group of succulent plants, the epiphytic group, requires a more shaded location in the house. These are among the most floriferous of cacti and include some of the most popular cacti: the Christmas Cactus, the Thanksgiving cactus, and the Easter cactus.

Growing Cacti And Succulent Plants Indoors can be grown in containers or in open beds in a greenhouse. Larger species can be grown in open beds either at floor level or in raised benches. Cacti and succulent plants from warm habitats require bright light and a fairly dry atmosphere to develop fully. Temperature in the greenhouse should be held close to 64 degrees F. There are some species that require higher than normal levels of humidity usually found in a greenhouse environment. These may do better in a conservatory setting with more humid conditions. If the humidity is too high it may cause brown irregular shaped spots to appear on the plant.

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Many cacti and succulent plants are very well adapted to living in houses in draft-free warm conditions where the relative humidity is less than 30 percent. They require only modest amounts of water and fertilizer and should be placed in a bright, sunny window. If not enough time can be spent in natural light, artificial lighting, either by white fluorescent tubes, or a combination of daylight and natural white fluorescent tubes, will give good results. The plants may require up to 15 hours of artificial light per day during the shorter days of fall and winter.

Cacti and other succulent plants do not do particularity well in ordinary garden soil. In their natural habitat most cacti and succulents grow in well-drained sandy soil and these conditions should be duplicated indoors. A good garden soil that has a pH level between 6 and 6.5 can be used as the basis of a home made soil mix. Both pot and growing medium should be sterile first to kill pests and weed seeds and to eliminate diseases. To 2 parts of sterile soil add one part peat, one part clean sharp sand, and a little slow-release fertilizer. Most commercial succulent mixes can be used right out of the bag. Ideally, these plants can be grown in pots with many drainage holes as excess water in the soil will cause rotting and will decay soon.

While Growing Cacti And Succulent Plants Indoors Water, cacti and succulent plants only enough to prevent shrinking and withering during the fall and winter months of shorter daylight hours. When watering, thoroughly water the plants to a point where the water flows out through the drain holes. Discard any excess water and always allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Remember that as daylight hours increase as springtime approaches, the plant's need for water decreases.

While Growing Cacti And Succulent Plants Indoors, Cacti and succulent plants do not require feeding during their dormant seasons. During the growing season in late spring and summer, feed them once or twice to help maintain healthy, vigorous growth and to encourage flowering. Liquid commercial fertilizers are available and are satisfactory if manufacturer’s directions are followed. Other house plant fertilizers higher in phosphorus than nitrogen and diluted to half the recommended rate can also be used. Some other succulents may be fertilized three or four times during their growing season.

Indoor Gardener Pros and Cons

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There are many advantages to bringing live plants into your home or indoor gardener. For one, you can expect better air quality, but I must ask you to be careful when choosing your plants, as I will explain in the Cons section of this article.

Being an Indoor Gardener also offers aesthetic value to your home making it more attractive and lively. Especially during the winter months when the view outside is dreary and colorless. Indoor plants also allow serious gardeners an opportunity to enjoy their hobby thus giving them continued relaxation and pleasure throughout the year.

Indoor Plants are a source for interior design flare with the varied types of plants, flowers, herbs and trees as well as fountains, terrariums and a wide selection of planters from which to choose. Even some of your outdoor plants currently in your garden may actually be brought indoors, but need a period of adjustment first to keep them healthy and happy.

There is a proven psychological factor to consider. Studies show that indoor plants may have a significant contribution to your physical well-being by reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, cleaning the air to promote good health and even better productivity in your home workplace.

However, there are a few major considerations to bring to mind when contemplating as an indoor gardener. The first being the many poisonous varieties of plants and flowers that could have a devastating affect on young children and pets if they should ingest the leaves, bark, roots and even coming in contact with the skin.

There are also surprisingly gruesome aspects to the plant world, like the carnivorous ones that can also be helpful in ridding the house of pests like flies. There are wide varieties of exotic plants that can be both beautiful and dangerous.

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Lastly, I want to point out for those of us who have existing health issues that living plants must be properly maintained in order to eliminate the possibility of mold or insect problems within the home.

Like all living things, there is a natural balance in the world, and everything has both pros and cons. Plants are not exempt and most are as susceptible to some problem or another, be it insects, high humidity, mold or danger to our young children or pets.

One must use care in choosing the right plant for your home by doing the proper research in advance of any purchases but the rewards far outweigh the disadvantages.

 

Adding Interest to Your Garden Indoors

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Fountains - Garden Indoors

For starters, there’s a lot to be said about adding a fountain to your plant’s settings or Garden Indoors. There are so many inexpensive tabletop fountains that can be purchased from catalogues and department stores that can add not only sight and sound but will have a positive effect on you and your Garden Indoors plants as well.

The sound of splashing water is soothing and helps the mind relax and clear itself of the daily clatter that we build up within ourselves. It eases the tension in our muscles and let’s us rest better.

It also adds humidity to the room and surrounds your Indoor Garden with much needed moisture, especially during the long winter months ahead. That humidity is also good for your health as the dry air from heating our homes robs the tender mucus membranes of the necessary moisture they need to keep you healthy.

The dryness can and will cause more problems with breathing and actually enables those cold bugs to take root much easier and stay longer in a dry parched throat and nose. Consider adding a fountain to each room where you have your Indoor Gardens and you and your house plants will be so much happier and healthier for it.

Fountains, silk butterflies, and feathered bird accents are fun items to add to your Garden Indoors or house plant placements that will be conversation pieces and add a touch of fancy to your Indoor Garden.

I put lights on my Ficus tree at Christmas time and keep small brightly colored birds perched on its’ branches throughout the time I have to keep it indoors. I take them off during the summer months when I take all my house plants except my African Violets and Christmas cactus out of doors to enjoy the sunshine and rain that they crave.

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Garden Indoors

Consider these additions to your Garden Indoors. You can change them for each of the upcoming Holidays throughout the long winter months ahead. Most craft stores carry the bird and butterfly accents and if you are very crafty you might even make them yourself.

Pretty pots and unusual planters are not necessarily the only decorative accents you can add to your Indoor Garden. Be creative and have fun.

Japanese Garden Ornaments

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Japanese garden ornaments are the quickest way to give your garden a Japanese touch. A stone lantern or basin instantly makes you think of Japanese gardens. Different ornaments suit different types of Japanese garden - small or large, formal or rustic.

Japanese Garden Ornaments

Japanese garden ornaments tend to be built out of natural materials like stone and bamboo – metal is not so common. They're also intended to weather, changing colour, gathering moss. When placing your Japanese garden ornaments, think about where they would naturally be needed. For example, a stone lantern feels more natural if you place it somewhere where light would be useful, such as besides a path.

If you combine your Japanese Garden Ornaments with other Japanese elements, it will be much more effective and feel much more natural.

Stone lanterns

Probably the best known kind of Japanese garden ornament, stone lanterns come in a range of styles and sizes, from large, ornate, formal temple lanterns to cute little okidora to rustic lanterns made of natural boulders. They can be lit, but don't need to be. These days a range of stone lanterns can be easily found outside Japan.

Stone towers and pagodas

This is probably the most dramatic and formal of Japanese garden ornaments. They won't sit so well in a rustic style Japanese garden. Japanese stone towers were originally spiritual pieces, but these days are often used purely decoratively. Japanese stone towers are usually square, but sometimes hexagonal or octagonal. They always have an odd number of levels. Five levels is plenty for a small garden. Stone towers work well by ponds and streams, as the strong vertical alignment contrasts well with the horizontal alignment of the water. They also make lovely reflections in a still pond.

Stone buddhas

These do work well in a less formal setting, if they're not too big. I find it's lovely to come across a small stone buddha somewhere off the beaten track – following a winding path through trees and bushes, for example – half-hidden by grasses or bushes. You can also get bigger ones, which feel more formal.

Signposts

In a real Japanese garden, these direct the visitor. In a western Japanese-inspired garden, the chances of anyone being able to read the kanji are rare, but they still make nice ornaments. As with other Japanese garden ornaments, place them somewhere that makes sense – at a junction or a turn in the path. The more weathered and moss-covered the better. Japanese garden ornaments are always at their most lovely when it looks like they've been in place for years and years. Japanese signposts are usually a single column, read downwards, and can be made of wood or stone.

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Stone basins

Japanese stone basins come in a range of styles. Some are so simple that they will blend in well in any garden. They can be used on their own, or as part of a tsukubai.

Rain chains

Rain chains are both beautiful and practical. One of the few metal Japanese garden ornaments, they are Japan's answer to drain pipes, and much more attractive.

Bamboo spouts

Aside from larger elements like streams and ponds, bamboo spouts are the usual Japanese water feature. They are used in tsukubai, shishi odoshi, or on their own.

Japanese Stone Basins

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Japanese Stone Basins (chozubachi)

Stone basins are one of the most common features of a Japanese garden, found in even the tiniest urban spaces. They're also often found at the entrance to a teahouse, for the guests to wash their hands.

Japanese Stone Basins - Water

Japanese stone water basins (chozubachi) make a beautiful addition to any garden, and even the tiniest space can fit one. Stone basins only grow more beautiful over time as the stone gradually becomes weathered. If you place them somewhere cool and damp they will also collect a lovely layer of moss.

Japanese Stone Basins were originally used at temples for ritual purification. This then became part of the tea ceremony preparations, and soon stone basins were popular in all kinds of Japanese garden.

The best material for Japanese Stone Basins is granite, which is very tough and weathers well.

Like all elements of Japanese gardening, Japanese Stone Basins come in formal, informal and rustic styles. Here are a few different kinds of Japanese stone basin.

Tetsubachi stone basin

This is a favourite kind of Japanese Stone Basins, and the kind used in the tsukubai in any garden. It has a lovely round shape, wider at the top than the bottom.

Natsume-bachi stone basin

This is another round basin, but a tall one, taller than it is wide.

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Mountain stone basins

Some tsukubai aren't shaped, but rather are made from natural stones or boulders, with a little hole carved in the top to form the basin. These are some of the most beautiful tsukubai, in my opinion. They're perfect for a rustic style garden. Being made from natural stones, they come in all shapes and sizes.

Zenigata misubachi

This is a Japanese Stone Basin which is shaped like a coin – round, with a square hole, and japanese kanji on it.

Kiku-bachi stone basin

Kiku means crysanthemum, and that's the shape of this tsukubai.

Stone dish

This is just what it sounds like – a round, flat dish, rather than a basin.

Design Japanese Garden

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Here are some basic principles of Japanese garden design to bear in mind when creating your garden.

Kyoto garden

Nature comes first

The Japanese garden is all about nature. You're trying to Design Japanese Garden to create a perfect piece of nature in miniature. So lines are curving and organic; stone and wood is left to weather; objects are placed in odd numbers. Also, everything in your garden should be appropriate for the location. So the stones you use should ideally be of a type that's found locally; ditto for your plants.

Simplicity

Less is more. Japanese gardens are never fussy. This is especially true in rustic style gardens, where simplicity is revered.

Balance

There should be a harmonious balance in all things: between vertical lines and horizontal; soft and hard; wet and dry; objects and space; high, mid and low level elements. There should also be a balance in terms of size: if your garden is small, the elements within it must be small; if it's large, you should use larger rocks and ornaments. Everything in balance.

Asymmetry

You don't find symmetry in natural landscapes, so we don't use it Japanese gardens.

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Emptiness

Empty space is a feature in and of itself. If there are too many elements in your garden, it's definitely not going to feel Japanese. You need the proper balance between space and stuff.

Seasonality

Design Japanese Garden and enjoy all year round. Spring and summer are easy; but in autumn you can enjoy the falling leaves, and in winter, if you've planned the shape and structure of your garden carefully, it will look truly magnificent under its layer of snow.

Meigakure

Meigakure means that you never see the whole garden at once. The different areas of the garden are partly concealed. This creates a feeling of space, nature, and mystery.

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Here are the basic Japanese Garden Elements:
Stone

The heart of a Japanese garden is not plants, but stone. When creating your Japanese garden, the first thing to do is choose and place your stones. Then plan the planting around them.

Stones should always be placed in odd groupings, and there should be balance between types of stone (vertical, horizontal, leaning, etc).

Water

Water's always present in a Japanese garden – if not literally (streams, pools, water features) then metaphorically (dry gardens – stone and gravel gardens – have areas which represent the sea, a pond, or a stream).

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Plants

The stones are the permanent bones of the garden. The plants are the part that changes with the seasons. In a Japanese garden, the plants should be ideally be local species. Make sure to choose high, low, and mid-level plants, a mixture of textures, and plants which will be interesting in different seasons.

Japanese Garden Ornaments

A stone lantern or basin is a quick way to make your garden feel Japanese. Like everything else, they should fit the feel of the garden.

Japanese Garden Fence

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Japanese Garden Fence is a more complicated subject than I can ever hope to understand. It's a real art form, with over a hundred different styles of fence, many truly ancient in design. Even the knots are a work of art. But here's an overview.

Japanese Garden Fence

As always, there are formal, semi-formal, and informal types of Japanese Garden Fence. Some fences will be suggestive of a rustic setting, others are more appropriate to a temple setting.

Texture is important in the Japanese Garden Fence. For example, you might choose a fence to contrast in texture with the plants around it, and vice versa.

Japanese fence knot Traditional fences can be very expensive, and so can bamboo for making fences. If your budget won't stretch to the real thing, reed or twig sheeting can now be bought pretty inexpensively at garden centres, and so you can create a fence with the feel of a certain kind of Japanese fence by stapling or wiring that kind of sheeting to your existing garden boundary.

Types of Japanese Garden Fence

At the broadest level, there are two kinds of Japanese Garden Fence. Oo-gaki is continuous fencing – what we think of as fencing, ie it forms a long boundary. Sode-gaki, on the other hand, are screen fences: a single panel of fencing, used to screen off an area of the garden. They're often used at the end of a verandah, or beside a tsukubai. They're usually about 3 or 4 feet wide, and about 6 foot high. They come in a huge range of styles, each with its own name. Some are rectangular, many have a curve at the top corner which is away from the wall.

Types of Oogaki Japanese Garden Fence

Here are a few types of oogaki:

Kenninji japanese fenceKenninji fence

A formal fence, named after a famous temple in Kyoto. It's made of quartered bamboo placed vertically very close together, and is held together with horizonal bamboo bars and hemp rope.

Teppo gaki

Another formal fence. Teppo ('tube' or 'musket') fences are made from whole bamboo pipes. Unlike Kenninji fences, there are small gaps between the bamboo. The pipes are also offset in two rows, so for example you might have three pipes at the front and three behind, repeating.

Taimatsu gaki

Taimatsu (torch) fences are semi-formal, and made from bundles of twiggy branches tied together vertically.

YotsumegakiYotsume gaki

Yotsume (four-eyes) fences are informal, and made from narrow pieces of bamboo tied together in a loose square lattice. They tend to be short, and you can see right through them. Here's an article which shows the construction of a yotsume fence – it's one of the easier ones to try at home.

Yarai gaki

Yarai (stockade) fencing is informal. It's a bit like yotsume turned through 45 degrees – it's another lattice, but with diamonds instead of squares. It doesn't have a horizontal pole across the top – the ends of the bamboo stick out a little way, looking like the stockade fence it's named for.

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Types of Sodegaki

Here are a few types of sodegaki:

Like the teppo-gaki described above, these are made with large whole bamboo pipes.

Chasengaki

'Tea whisk fence' – like taimatsu gaki, these are made from bundles of branches, arranged vertically.

Japanese Koi Pond

A Japanese koi pond is a beautiful thing which will give you hours of peaceful pleasure.
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Japanese Koi Pond

Koi fish ponds are a classic Japanese garden feature. The pond in a Japanese hill and pond garden is often a koi pond. Koi have a special place in the Japanese heart, as the word 'koi' sounds like another word that means 'affection or love', so koi are symbols of love and friendship to the Japanese.

Japanese koi ponds are wonderfully tranquil, and this fits perfectly with the general mood of Japanese gardens. And not only are koi very beautiful (often called 'living jewels'), but their peaceful movements help reduce stress.

The exception to those tranquil movements is feeding time – koi are a lot of fun to feed because they really go crazy over food! Kids especially love feeding koi, so if you have it's a nice idea to create a special feeding place for your Japanese koi pond where the water is shallower, so that kids can feed the koi safely.

Koi are a kind of carp, and the Japanese word koi actually just means carp. The Japanese word for the colourful fish that we call koi is actually nishiki-goi. There are many varieties of koi and they come in a range of colours: classically, orange, yellow and white, but also black, grey, and blue.



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Koi live a long time – about thirty years on average, though with good care they can live much longer – 230 years is the oldest on record. A Japanese koi pond is a long-term investment!

You can apply the same design principles to your Japanese koi pond as to the rest of your garden. Here are some ideas for Japanese Koi Pond design.

Japanese Stone Lanterns

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Nothing says Japanese garden like Japanese Stone Lanterns! Japanese Stone Lanterns are an easy way to give a Japanese touch to your garden, and if you combine it with other Japanese garden elements, it will be even more effective.

Japanese Stone Lanterns

For a natural Japanese feel, it's best to place your stone lantern somewhere where light would theoretically be needed – beside a path, near a porch, or with a Japanese stone basin arrangement (tsukubai).

It's good to bear in mind the feel of your garden as a whole, too – if your garden is informal and natural then a rustic or simple stone lantern would blend well, if you garden is formal then a more elaborate style might go better.

Granite or hard sandstone are the best materials for a Japanese lantern; they're durable and weather nicely. Because they're made of stone, Japanese garden lanterns are very heavy, so they're usually made in separate pieces for easier transportation and set-up.

There are hundreds of different kinds of japanese stone lantern, but there are three basic types:

1. Tachi-gata. These lanterns sit on a base, and are fairly formal.
2. Ikekomi-gata. These lanterns have their pedestals (sao) buried right in the ground, and are less formal.
3. Okidora. These are small lanterns which are easily moved. The have no pedestal, but are placed on a stone or straight on the ground.

Here are some specific styles of Japanese Stone Lanterns:

Yukimi-gata

This is my favourite kind of Japanese stone lantern. Yukimi means 'snow viewing'; viewing natural things is a big part of traditional Japanese culture, whether it's snow, cherry blossoms or the moon! Yukimi lanterns have wide tops, perfect for snow to settle on, and so look especially beautiful in the winter. They can be round in shape, or hexagonal like a pagoda, but they always have a wide, curving top. They have little legs rather than a solid base, and are often placed near water.

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Misaki-gata

The misaki-gata is a cute little stone lantern without a pedestal – an okidora. It's often placed on a 'spit of land' – a low-lying bit of land sticking out into a lake.

Kasuga lanterns

Kasuga lanterns are tachi-gata, or pedestal lanterns – they sit on a stone base. They're often used as focal points at intersections and can be very fancy.

Miyoshi lanterns

These are ikekomi-gata, or buried lanterns – they're planted right in the ground. They're great planted along paths or at gates.

Kotoji lanterns

Kotoji means 'harp tuner', and kotoji have two long legs which look like tuning forks. Usually one leg is placed on land and the other on water to emphasise the difference. A very dramatic style.

Oribe lanterns

This is a style of ikekomi lantern designed by Lord Furuta Oribe, who was a famous tea master in the 16th century. Oribe lanterns are square in shape and are planted straight into the ground. Sometimes their front and back openings are covered with shoji (paper screens), and the right and left openings are a crescent moon and full moon.

Yamadoro

Yamadoro is a very informal type of lantern. Instead of being carved, yamadoro lanterns are made of natural stones, collected and put together to form a lantern shape. This is the most rustic style.

Sangatsu-do lanterns

Sangatsu-do lanterns are temple entrance lanterns, and are also used at the entrance to teahouses. They're pedestal lanterns.

Rankei lanterns

Rankei lanterns are placed beside water. They have a base stone and a long, curved stone pedestal so that the actual stone lantern hangs out over the water, creating a beautiful reflection.

Japanese Garden Styles

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Japanese gardens aren't all the same - they come in different styles. There are four basic types of garden, and three levels of formality. In a big Japanese garden, you'll see several different garden types and styles.

Japanese Garden Styles - Types of Japanese garden

Sand and stone garden (karesansui)

This is probably the best known kind of Japanese garden, and one of the ones that people are most likely to think of when someone says 'Japanese garden'. A sand and stone garden is made up of a few key stones carefully place, and raked sand or gravel around them.

Karesansui means 'dry landscape', and the arrangement of sand and stones is intended to represent a landscape in miniature. The raked gravel usually represents water – a sea, pond, or river, with the stones and/or moss-covered mounds representing islands.

The value that Japanese gardeners place on empty space can especially be seen in sand and stone gardens. This makes them especially peaceful and suitable for contemplation or meditation, and in the west they are often called 'Zen gardens', though their proper name is karesansui. In Japan, sand and stone gardens are often found in temple and monastery gardens.

Hill and pond strolling gardens (chisen-kaiyu-skiki)

Hill and pond strolling gardenIn the Heian period, hill and pond gardens were designed to be seen from a boat on the pond, but from the Edo period, they became gardens which were intended to be walked around. So a hill and pond strolling garden is designed to be seen from many different perspectives, as one walks around it. The path and the views are carefully planned out together. Sometimes these gardens are created to represent a particular landscape – a favourite region, or the land of ones birth.

Flat garden (hira-niwa)

Flat courtyard gardenFlat gardens are a development of sand and stone gardens. They're found in front of pavillions and temples, and are often laid out to be seen from the verandah of the building. They usually have an area of sand and stone, laid out as if it were a lake or sea, with a 'shore' or slightly raised earth around it, with trees and other plants. Shrubs may be clipped to suggest hills or mountains.

Tea gardens (cha-niwa or roji-niwa)

The tea ceremony is all about being completely present in the moment: appreciating the tea, the bowl, the guests. Tea gardens are designed to help guests step into the right state of mind, with tranquility and simplicity.

Tea Tea gardens are always rustic (as opposed to formal). The guest enters through a gate, where he steps from the busy everyday world into the quiet world of the tea garden. He follows a winding path (roji) through the garden to a waiting place (machiai) – a small building or bench – where he waits for his host and contemplates his surroundings. He is then taken into the inner garden, and past a tsukubai (stone basin arrangement) where he washes his hands to purify himself before stepping into the teahouse itself.

This path, the roji (the outer path is soto-roji and the inner path is uchi-roji), and the mental journey it represents is so central to the experience of the tea ceremony that tea gardens are often refered to as roji-niwa – 'path gardens', as well as cha-niwa – 'tea gardens'.

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Japanese Garden Styles

As well as the types of garden I just described, 'Japanese garden styles' could also refer to the degree of formality of the garden. There are three levels of formality:

 

Shin – formal
Gyo – medium formality
So – informal / rustic
The level of formality that you choose affects every decision, as there are formal and rustic styles of ornament, building, path, etc. A temple or palace garden will almost be mostly formal, and tea gardens are always rustic.

Japanese Garden Waterfall

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Water is one of the key elements of Japanese gardening. There are many kinds of Japanese water feature, from simple stone basins to majestic waterfalls like Japanese Garden Waterfall.

Water is an essential feature in any Japanese garden. Even dry Japanese gardens feature stylised water represented by gravel, and other kinds of Japanese garden always have some kind of water feature. From a simple stone basins and bamboo spouts, to ponds, streams and Japanese Garden Waterfall, the range of options shows how important water features are to the Japanese.

Water features are simultaneously refreshing and relaxing, and offer beauty in sound as well as sight. In Japanese gardens, water is usually in motion. When it's relatively still, it's often used to create beautiful reflections, for example by aligning a pond so it will reflect the full moon. Japanese water features are always inspired by nature, such as streams and waterfalls, or by practical needs, such as water basins and rain chains, and sometimes both.

Making a Japanese water feature needn't be difficult or expensive. See my step by step instructions for how to make a Japanese water feature, which describes the method I used for the tsukubai in my garden.

There are many kinds of Japanese water feature, so you can find something to suit any sized garden or budget. Here are a few examples.

Stone basins and tsukubai.

Stone water basins are the perfect Japanese water feature for a tiny garden. You can place it on its own, or in the traditional arrangement known as a tsukubai.

Rain chains

Rain chains are the Japanese answer to drainpipes, and a lot more attractive. Beautiful and practical.

Bamboo spout and zenigataBamboo fountains and spouts (kakei).

Bamboo spouts are very common in Japanese gardens, and are especially perfect for a rustic style gardens. You'll find them pouring water into a Japanese stone basin, or pouring into a pond.

Shishi odoshi (deer scarer)

A very rustic water feature; a bamboo pipe which collects and then releases water, making a rhythmic knocking sound as it goes.

Ponds

In a Japanese garden, a pond can be simply a pond, or it can represent a shore line.

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Japanese Garden Waterfall

In a Japanese garden, a stream can represent the course of life itself. This water feature works best if you model it very closely on nature – for example, the steeper the slope, the faster the water runs, and the deeper it cuts.

If the larger waterworks required building this kind of water feature are more than you want to take on, you could consider making a symbolic stream out of flat rocks or gravel.