Gardening Tips

Okay everyone of us has those items in the backyard or garden that are just an eyesore. My rotating clothesline is one of them. Utilitarian it may be, but still in amongst all my plants it just stands out like a sore thumb. I guess the best way to get around this problem is to screen the problem area off. You can grow screening hedges which would be lovely but then you have that age old problem of waiting for the plants to grow large enough to act as a screen. Lattice screens are a great alternative and there are many options out there which are aesthetically pleasing.

Here are just a couple I’ve found from Plow and Hearth.

I like the wrought iron nature of this screen coupled with the softening effect of the pot plants. Click here for more information

Hide your garbage bins with these lovely white lattice panelsClick here for more information

Tri fold lattice panel that’s durably crafted of all-weather, oiled keledang.Click here for more information

This display of cacti caught my eye because it was simple and yet very effective. Mass planting cacti on raised beds to ensure great drainage is one way of creating drama in the garden. I must say that in the arid climates it would work very effectively.

Stunning use of bromeliads and tillandsias in the garden - with minimal soil requirements - they like living in leaf litter. I love the architectural elongated leaves and their bold colors. Some of them have just been glued onto the tree trunk - and whilst some would shudder at the brutality of this treatment, most tillandsias seem to take it in their stride - living up to their namesakes of ‘air plants’ - most take in moisture from the air and not via elaborate root systems.

I visited the Garden Show in Singapore in December 2006 and took a couple of pictures - they really don’t do the display gardens justice really - the enormity of the event with showcases from the best landscaping designers was an inspiration in garden design and floral artistry. I saw bold and glamorous depictions of what a garden could be with stunning displays of clever foliage and plant use to tantalize the senses. Here are just some of the highlights (it was hard to take pictures because the entire garden show was indoors and whilst the mood lighting was tremendous - it wasn’t wonderful for my digital camera - still I tried my best).

One of the many show gardens which showcased unusual effects using black rods to great effect. I’m not sure it’s a terribly practical garden to have in your backyard where you’d have to weave your way through the rods - that plus the varying heights from the mounds would make this a ‘view from a distance’ only type garden. Still, this garden used only foliage to make a point and the interesting textures and lack of flowers actually draws your eye to the more elaborate and distinctive architecture of the ‘non-living’ items. Not one of my favorites in the garden show but certainly ‘interesting’.