Herb gardens make a wonderful small space garden and add color and most of all flavor to your backyard, patio or balcony area. Herb gardens are also great for the beginner gardener as they are easy to care for and are not bothered by insects as much as other plants.

photo credit: garryknight

One way to create a small space herb garden is to select your favorite herbs to use in meals and bouquets. For a small space garden you can pack them into a large container. This will create a full and stunning pot. You can then nestle them along a garden border, directly into the garden for a creative focal point or place near the house or even in the kitchen.

If you want to create a small herb garden that will become a focal point in a backyard or garden you may want to make an herb container

How to create an easy herb container

Create an outline of the herb container to help you plan the mini garden and plant layout. Choose a large container to hold the herbs, at least 1 foot by 1 foot.

I have found an old dresser drawer makes a fast and cute mini garden. Add legs, drill drainage holes and its ready to go. If you don’t have small legs brickes work well and you can vary the height of the container.

Place a 1-inch layer of broken pot pieces down on the bottom of the herb container. This help to prevent the water from flooding out the bottom and ensures a gradual drain and no wet feet for your herb plants.

Next place equal amounts of compost and potting soil into the container until it reaches 5 inches from the top of the lip of the container.

To plant your herbs you will want to gently pull apart each root ball on the herbs. This allows the roots to spread in the pot, which encourages growth.

Dig one hole per herb plant with a small garden spade to make space in the container for each plant. Dill and fennel will do best in the back of the pot and add height to the container and container arrangement. Tarragon and thyme will do best in the front of the container, as they will tend to spill and cascade over the pot. Insert the herbs into the hole and gently press down to ensure a snug fit and to cover the roots with soil. Most herbs take 6 inches of space to grow thick and full.

Place the herb container in full sun or if indoors near a window or add additional lighting. Make sure the herbs receive between 4 and 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.

If you add a 1-inch layer of mulch around the herbs in the plants in the summer the soils will stay moist and the plants will require less watering.

By pinching back the herbs you will stimulate new growth and free up nutrients to young shoots. Dry the herbs you pinch to use in the winter months for seasoning soups and other meals.

The Gardener’s Rake is sponsoring a kitchen herb contest with the support of  Hometown Seeds. It begins August 27, 2010.

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Any backyard, patio or balcony will look more inviting with a few plants. And many plants will take little time, particularly if chosen wisely.

Perennial flowers are strong, local flowers that come back every year without having to replant or do any extra work. This is one reason they are as popular as they are. Perennials usually have a peak flowering season. During the plants off seasons, the flowers and stems die back and you can hardly even tell the plant is there (rather than just dying and looking like hideous brown clumps in your garden). When it’s time to bloom, entirely new flowers shoot up where the old ones were. Many people will intermix annual flowers in with perennials to keep a constant flow of color to their backyard or garden area.

Before deciding whether to put in perennials or not, you need to make sure that your soil has proper drainage. If the water stays saturated for long periods of time, you should build a raised bed. Raised beds help drainage and can be used in areas where the soil is not really acceptable for plants.

To test for water drainage, dig a hole and fill it with water. Wait a day, and then fill it with water again. All traces of water should be gone within 10 hours. If the hole isn’t completely dry, you will need to build a raised bed.

Picking your perennials can be a complicated process. The goal should be to have them flowering as much as possible during the year, so you should create an outline of the year. There are tow ways to go about selecting perennials.

Research the different types of flower you want, and create a timeline of flowering. If you plan it right, you can have a different type of flower blooming at any point in the year. You can research plants online or by selecting a good perennial book.

And one final step for a great perennial garden is using mulch. You should definitely use mulch when planting perennials. This will reduce the overall amount of work you have to do. It will reduce the amount of weeds and increase the water retention of the soil thus cutting back on extra garden maintenance. Bark or pine needles work great. In my area I can pick up bark and needles for free. (Check at tree companies and local township office for these items.)

Perennials are quite easy to care for once they adapt to their surrounds. Use fertilizer sparingly once your plants start to come to life. And add more mulch to the plants every two or three years

Note: Perennials will grow well in containers or patios or balconies. Either store them in the winter in a slightly warmer area or cover well with straw. How well they need protected from winter will depend on your climate.

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There are hazards in most people’s backyards that they are unaware of. Stop to take the time out to really look at your backyard area and you may be surprised at what you see.

Check for any standing water in your yard. Even the smallest collection of water can become a haven for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can carry the West Nile Virus and many other diseases. Make it a point to do a weekly check of your backyard to make sure there is no standing water anywhere on you property. It’s so easy to set a bucket down and forget it there.

Small buckets and pails can also hold enough water for a child to drink and get ill or to drown in.

Cut down on the amount of pesticides that you are use in your backyard. Pesticides can build up over time and make you and your pets very ill. Instead of using pesticides try putting up birdhouses on your property that will attract birds to eat insects. You can also plant certain types of plant that attract insects that are predatory of other insects. Also try combination planting and keeping the yard picked up and tidy. Insects like overgrown areas and places with rotting material.

And if you use pesticides, make sure they are locked up. This is particularly important if you have small children or children in the neighborhood.

Check to see if cement and stone walkways are even. Its only takes one small uneven area for a person to fall and get seriously hurt.

Make sure your plants are not poisonous. Certain plants are very dangerous if eaten by pets or children.

Waterproof your deck every two years. If you don’t water can saturate the wood and cause cracks. If this is not taken care of it can eventually lead to the wood collapsing under the weight of people on your deck.

If you have a swimming or wading pool make sure you keep it covered when not in use. Also have someone outside watching children at all times. It only takes a few minutes for a tragedy to occur.

Check the health of your trees. If they have bad limbs or an illness get them trimmed or remove them.

If you have electrical lines outdoors check them to make sure they are in good shape. Also make sure no one can trip on them

With observation and care, your backyard can be a safe place to relax or play.

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The backyard is usually the focal point for family activities because it’s more private. By adding plants you can create a more lush and inviting area for entertaining, relaxing to for children playing.

photo credit: a2gemma

If you’re an active family with many interests chose plants with low maintenance needs. Also chose plants that are not toxic if you have young children to pets.

You also need to consider your front yard as it ties into your home and backyard atmosphere. For the front yard I like to use flowering plants that remain groomed or shape themselves. For example Hostas provide a vibrant green perennial that requires little maintenance. I use them in the front yard and also include a few in the backyard to create a flow in design.

Edge your gardens with complementary stones or bricks to delineate and draw attention to your flowers. But don’t overpower the garden with an elaborate edging design. By keeping your landscape simple you will create an effective look that requires minimal maintenance. That means more time to relax and enjoy the family.

Consider hanging planters and hooks on the side of your home. You can place hardy plants and even vegetables in hanging baskets.

A collection of different size planters and pots arranged in a corner or along a patio or walkway will give a feeling of height to the yard. And by moving these around you can change the look of your garden areas in minutes.

Purchase a freestanding wrought iron plant hook for your garden and hang a basket filled with annuals. A plant that vines and hangs down also looks good on a wrought iron hook.

A pot filled with ornamental grass, a fruit tree or fern placed at the corner of your fence or backyard provides height.

Gardens and plants add change and color to your landscape. With all the plant varieties available you can always have a fresh new look to your home.

Gourd birdhouses add to any backyard and yard décor. And most gourds can be grown in your climate. My growing zone is short so I start the gourds indoors so that I have a head start on the time a gourd takes to mature. (Usually 90 to 120 day, depending on variety and size)

If you have the time and space gourds are fun to grow and a great project for children.

Here is a you tube that has additional information on gourds.

The following you tube has information on how to create a birdhouse. This is a great project for children to help decorate. Gourds can be difficult to clean and carve so I usually do that part of the project and leave the final touches to the children.

A gourd that is cleaned out after each season will last for many years. And many birds prefer a gourd as a birdhouse.

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