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[I119]Ideas For Garden Design

by Jonathan Townsend, Jon

When creating a design for your garden, you might choose to have a theme or goal for your garden. For example, you may want to attract certain birds, bees, or butterflies to your garden. As a result, your garden can be enjoyed by not only the creatures which are attracted to the garden, but also by you.

Attracting butterflies is a popular theme for many gardeners. The goal, of course, is to create a butterfly garden design that butterflies will find attractive. There are many considerations and features to include in the butterfly garden design. You'll want to take the time to find just the right elements for the garden location and for the types of plants needed to attract the butterflies. Though it's not hard to create a butterfly garden design, there are many helpful gardening books and internet sites where additional information can be found.

Plants for a Butterfly Garden Design

Adult butterflies are attracted to flowers. Butterflies feed on the nectar from the flowers. Incorporating many flowering plants of various colors into the butterfly garden design will inevitably attract adult butterflies. Plants such as butterfly bush, butterfly weed, azalea, lilac, marigold and impatiens will be big attractors.

Milkweed, dogbane, thistles and nettles are appropriate plants if the goal of the butterfly garden design is to make an attractive area for butterflies at all stages of life. These are not usually desirable plants for your garden, but these plants offer a location for butterflies to lay their eggs and create a food source for the resulting caterpillars to feed.

A Few Other Items to Include In a Butterfly Garden Design

Water is a necessary element for your butterfly garden design. A small pool, a bird bath, or a couple small pans inset in the soil will make nice pools of water for the butterflies. Also, butterflies need an area where they can warm themselves. Dark rocks or other solid objects that absorb the heat from the sun can be place around the garden where the butterflies can stop and rest.

Fresh fruit can be placed throughout your garden to supplement the butterfly's diet. Be sure to replace the fruit often so that it is always fresh. Hummingbird feeders are useful to butterflies and can be placed in the garden. Butterflies will use the feeder and, as a bonus, hummingbirds will enjoy your garden.

Finally, don't forget to add a small bench and perhaps even a gazebo so that you can sit and enjoy your beautiful butterfly garden design. And don't forget to have some fun!

Pergola garden designs all begin with the pergola itself. A pergola is a simple structure that only takes boards, a little cement, and wood screws or nails to build. There are several supporting columns which are planted in the ground using cement for stability and an open design ceiling that is either beams or a loose cross hatching design.

Staining is usually the most pressing maintenance required the pergola portion of the pergola garden design. To make a terrific comfortable pergola garden design choosing the plants, the motif, and the accessories will bring the space together.

The Plants

Because the areas are often floored with tiles, concrete, or gravel potted plants are often pergola garden design style of choice. Potted plant gardens are easy to begin and to maintain, as an added bonus they can be easier to control than a traditional garden, plants have a harder time spreading and weeds are easier to catch.

In the pots a combination on climbing plants and small trees will accentuate the height of the pergola garden design. There are several flowering climbing plants such as honeysuckle and morning glory do well and smell very nice. Fruit bearing trees are also a nice choice for a potted pergola garden as dwarf versions of many trees so well in pots and they will actually bear fruit.

Many types of roses will also climb the structure of a pergola, allowing the pergola garden design to be covered in the fragrant beauty of the roses. The inside of the area could continue the theme by having potted rose bushes which have been encouraged to grow in interesting designs like a shrub.

The Accessories

A pergola garden design should include accessories which enhance the enjoyment of the space. Props, water features, night time lighting, and furniture can make a simple garden a place where the entire family or groups of friends will enjoy spending time.

In very hot climates, a pergola garden design could include water misters which would water the plants and provide cooling spray at preset intervals, making the space enjoyable all summer long. Gliding benches and porch swings can also be nice accompaniments on a pergola, provide a comfortable place to sit and think, while relaxing in the tranquil environment of the pergola garden.

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Both Jonathan Townsend & Ann Marier are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Jonathan Townsend has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening. Jonathan Townsend works and gardens in Marietta, Ga. Get more great ideas for at. Jonathan Townsend's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.

Ann Marier has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sleep Disorders, Depression Cure and Mothers Day. Ann Marier has written articles on providing helpful tips and advice. Read all about her latest articles on types of. Ann Marier's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.