Which way does the wind blow? A weather vane is a perfect solution if you want to know the direction the wind blows. Back then, weather vanes helped folks determine which way the wind was blowing. Although weather vanes still maintain their purpose, they also serve as more of a decorative function in American households.

A weather vane is an instrument that displays the direction of the wind. They are mainly found on buildings as an architectural ornament at the highest point. The most common feature found on a weather vane is a rooster, but other common designs are horses, cows, cars, etc. One interesting thing to note is that not all of them have pointers.

The design of a weather vane is such that the weight is distributed evenly on each part of the surface. But, the surface area is not divided equally so that the pointer is able to move freely on its axis. The part of the weather vane with a larger area blows away from the direction of the wind. The pointer, therefore is always on the smaller area. Most weather vane designs have directional markers (North, South, East, West) that are located underneath the arrow.

Weather vanes that have a lot of detail or interesting shapes and designs will not accurately show the real direction of the wind. This happens because the figures located on top of it does not attain the necessary design balance—an uneven surface area with a balanced weight. In order to obtain a precise reading, the weather vane must be positioned well above the ground and away from tall buildings, trees, poles, and other tall objects. This is because they interfere with the true direction of the wind.

If you enjoy predicting the weather, then a weather vane may be an ideal tool to use. Here are few styles that are worth looking at to add to your outdoor décor.

Mickey in Wind Weather Vane

Walt Disney and his imagination created some of the most beloved characters today. Loved by all generations, the Mickey Mouse in wind weather vane becomes an instant collector’s item. He is wearing a scarf that appears to be blowing, as if he is fighting against the wind.  It is made out of rust free die-cast aluminum, and proudly made in the USA. Mickey’s figure is cast from hand and is hand painted, for a weather resistant finish.

Sun, Moon, and Clouds Signature Weather Vane

Engaging and distinctive, this weather vane will add charm and whimsy atop your home or any type of roof structure. It is hand crafted from copper and brass metals, using traditional hammer-sculpting techniques. It is finished with a verdigris patina, for a worn look. Applied by hand, this verdigris patina finish transforms pure copper and brass, which gives off a deeply toned blue-green hue.

Fireman’s Trumpet Weather Vane

This exquisite piece has a polished finish. Salute the special fireman in your life or honor the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep us from harm. This weather vane is a tribute to firefighters. It is embellished with copper spacer balls for added elegance. The brass helmet and trumpet shine beautifully in the sunlight. This piece will have your guests talking as you enjoy its look.

The Butterfly Weather Vane

Just imagine the delicate wings of the charming butterfly flapping in the wind. This weather vane will look pretty in the garden or atop the roof, declaring your love of nature. It adds a whimsical touch to your outdoor space, with the beautiful nature of the butterfly to enhance colors of the flowers in your garden.

Garden Cow Over Moon Weather vane

Pay tribute to the classic nursery rhyme with this delightful and nostalgic weather instrument. The stars, moon, and cow collide artistically atop the vane with directional markers. It has a verdigris patina finish. It boasts a six foot height for easy visibility. It has hand-hammered styling and ground pin, suitable for installation.

If you are always curious about the direction the wind blows, then a beautifully crafted and designed weather vane just might be the answer. Made out of durable and long lasting materials, they will be sure to become a welcome addition to your outdoor landscape. Garden Winds has selected a series of weather vanes to match the needs of all homes, whether it be functional or purely decorative. Enjoy one for your home today!

Charmaine Ferrer is an associate writer for Garden Winds and The Lucky Clover Trading Co. For questions or comments, she can be reached toll free 877.479.4637.
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One of life’s necessary evils is dealing with weeds in your lawn and garden. There’s really no other way around it because anywhere you grow plants worth keeping the weeds are sure to follow. Even the liberal application of chemical and organic herbicides, and weed barrier fabrics are not fool proof against the infiltration of those unwanted plants. When this is the case the best plan of attack is pulling those pesky weeds by hand.

When hand pulling there are some specific techniques that will allow you to make sure that particular weed will not make a return appearance.

First off you have to get up close and personal with the weed. As you get ready to pull you need to grip the base of the weed at the point where it enters the soil. This helps to prevent the weed from breaking off leaving the root behind. In cases of hard to pull weeds consider getting a weed pulling tool. By inserting the forked bit down along the length of the root it will sufficiently loosen the soil to allow complete removal.

Another thing to remember is that the bigger the weed the harder it can be to pull. This is because the root system can be very long holding the top part of the plant firmly in place. To make weeding easier water your lawn or garden before hand to moisten the soil; this allows the root to slide out of the ground easier.

Also consider weeding earlier in the day when it is cool outside. Weeding in the middle of the day is a sure way to make doing so a not real fun experience. The idea is to get into the habit of pulling weeds regularly during the week so do it when you will be most comfortable. If you have a compost pile throw those soon to be dead weeds into it and turn them under. The heat generated by the composting organic matter will quickly kill the weed and any seeds that it may contain.

One last advantage of hand pulling weeds is it allows you to get up close to all your other plants. This gives you the opportunity to notice problems that you might not have otherwise seen. This can help improve the health and well being of your lawn and garden as you work to remedy any problems that come to your attention.

Once you have eradicated a good portion of your weed problem its time to start looking at ways to keep them to a minimum. In the garden and flower beds this can be accomplished by using a thick layer of mulch. This not only keeps weeds from sprouting but also helps to retain moisture and releases organic nutrients back into the soil.

If you have an overwhelming weed problem then chemical weed killers can be used to deal with the situation quickly. They work quickly and can eradicate large amounts of weeds effectively. If you do use such a product do so carefully as they are harmful and can damage or kill your desirable plants. As an alternative consider using a more organic weed killer made from common household products.

Keeping the weeds out of your lawn and garden takes a little time and patience at first. Once they have been effectively dealt with keeping them out of your landscape is little more then pulling the few that do sprout once or twice a week.

To learn how to make an all natural Organic Weed Killer and protect your family and pets from toxic chemicals please Click Here.
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The home additions provided by Topsider Homes are always liked by the owners or customers who look for a unique building of their own. The prefabricated and custom designed buildings are chosen for its unique designs and creative home additions with unlimited floor plan flexibility.

Each home and room addition is popular for its quick and easy assembly. Whether its for adding living area with a bedroom and bath, or a luxurious master bedroom suite, family room or home office, the well-experienced and skilled in-house design team at Topsider works with the individual customer to create the most appropriate space to fulfill the needs in accordance with the budget.

The family room addition provided by the Topsider goes for a  recreation room, media room or home theater that are specifically designed around the customers’ favorite activities. The prefab home additions blend seamlessly with conventional architecture and enhance the home’s value.

The master bedrooms additions will have a unique style and will be designed only after consulting with the client. The company will help them in choosing the color scheme, flooring, hardware and fixtures and all the details of the bathrooms.

Home office additions are peculiar and furnished to deliver utmost convenience while working. With the current technologies and telecommunication advancements, the company knows just what the customer needs to create the best ambiance. The well-thought-out, private, functional office space is more important to include the wares the customer needs according to the profession he/she holds.

The company also provides unique features like slab-on-grade foundation and also various other approaches to build safe homes which are more suitable for the specific location and condition of soil. This approach permits home additions that can be built on any foundation from slabs to pilings and even over basements.

With the professional staff who are capable of delivering the best services, Topsider Homes ultimately excels in creating the customers’ dream homes with all the facilities they would value the most.

Topsider Homes were some of the original prefab homes sold in the USA. They included nearly everything for the DIY, or small contractor-built homes in the country. Originally Topsider Homes featured a much more “woodsy” look than today, with rough textured wood interior surfaces throughout, ideally suited for cabins.
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London Garden Design
Garden designs in London have to take into consideration a number of factors. As with any other gardens outside of London, the size and function of the garden has to be considered. What must also be taken into consideration is that though there are a variety of gardens in London from large to small, from courtyard to front garden, from roof garden to balcony garden they are all surrounded by the city, itself. This means that the majority of London gardens are affected by limited sunlight, particular soils and the surrounding buildings and neighbouring gardens. London gardens are surrounded by the city and it is difficult to merge them into the landscape (although there are good views from some gardens) and they are usually enclosed and shut off from the city and its surroundings.
Designing a Sanctuary
Enclosed gardens in London are popularly regarded as a retreat, a haven, a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. It is perceived that they should be separate from the city and rather than reflect London occupy a quiet space that contains qualities the city does not appear to possess.
One way in which to create a sanctuary in London is to create an exotic garden. This is done through clever plantation strategy. Ornamental rather than vegetable plantation will create a scene of colour. This can be done with a variety of gardens from rock garden to formal flower gardens. Rock gardens are best suited to courtyard or at least ground level gardens. It is unlikely that the garden will have a natural rock formation in London so it is best to consult a professional designer about creating an artificial formation as these can be a complex creation. Flower gardens are usually informal in the country as there is greater access to wild plantation which gardens may even blend in with and extend the garden. A formal flower garden in London will bring it colour and life and carefully chosen plants will ensure colour in all seasons.
Container Gardens
Container gardens also work well in London areas in roof gardens and balconies. Containers of plants can look cheap and messy but carefully chosen plants, stylish containers and complementary features can make a garden very attractive. Herb gardens also work well in container gardens and flower gardens as they are functional and add interesting scents. Garden designers can now provide and install features for container gardens such as a water feature in a trough to be placed on a roof garden. This type of garden design is ideal for roof gardens and balconies as the materials used to create the garden need to be light and feasibly moved to a roof or balcony.
Water Water Everywhere
Water designs are very popular as they can both provide a garden of peace and tranquillity and add some exoticism. Persian gardens, for example, traditionally use water features for irrigation, display and sound. These water features can easily be replicated and reproduced in modern gardens. Water designs are ideal for London gardens as they inspire a place of quiet reflection away from the loud and cluttered city. There are a range of water features to choose from. Ponds work well in ground level gardens but need to be carefully located away from child’s play areas and the sizing needs to be very accurate as it is difficult to change once completed. Water features like ponds can also be functional as seating can be incorporated into this (and other fixtures) with the addition of a wide brim making effective use of space. However if the garden is not suited to a pond, fountains, mists and pools are amongst a wide range of water features to choose from. It is now possible to have a water garden anywhere as there are a large number of materials available to construct them. Water pumps, sand, pebbles, hoses, cement, reservoir tank, stone, spirit level and tile are the types of construction material used to create the feature. Garden designers can both advise on the use of such material and also install water gardens. Once the water feature is installed it requires little maintenance creating a lasting impression that does not fade upon completion.
Let There Be Light
What is also key to a garden in London, regardless of planting design and features is the creation of light. Most gardens in London are naturally overshadowed by the surrounding conglomerate of buildings. It is important to introduce light and colour into these gardens to make them look good. This can be done through the painting of the fencing and fixtures in either bold, strong colours or in light colours which artificially enhances the brightness of the garden and can be applied to any type of London garden. Fixtures and fencing are also easily supplied if not already in place and there are a range of designs from stone, fencing, iron railings, hurdling, wood and hedges that can be sourced and used.
In addition to painted fixtures the garden can be lighted artificially through the use of electric lighting. It is important to involve professionals in the installation of garden lighting as it must be protected from water used for plant irrigation and can cause enormous expense if not done properly. It is recommended that ordinary bulbs are not used but solar bulbs and lights chosen from a range of garden lighting. It is also important to remember to ensure the garden does not resemble Christmas all year around and that lighting is effectively used to highlight. Lights for occasional use such as oil lamps for visitors can be used in conjunction with permanent lighting for entertainment purposes.
Lightening and brightening a London garden and creating a luxurious yet tranquil space in the City will create a good London garden.

Earth Designs is a bespoke garden landscape design and build company specialising in classic, funky and urban contemporary garden design.
Our build teams cover London, Essex and parts of South East England, while garden designs are available nationwide.
Please visit http://www.earthdesigns.co.uk to see our full portfolio.
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It is stated that a conscious and concentrated effort from the part of the people can result in pulling down the level of carbon emissions to approximately 1.2 billion tons annually by the year 2030. This call for the introduction of energy efficiency measures and a switch to more renewable energy technologies to carry our world towards a cleaner and greener future. One promoter, which in its own way is attempting to make a small contribution to this event, is the solar fountain. It makes use of the solar energy to power itself at a cost lower than what it would cost to power using electricity. With the sun shining in plenty in summer, it does not cost anything other than the initial cost for investment.

The solar fountains can be placed anywhere, irrespective of the presence of direct sunlight. If the fountain is in the shade, place the solar panels under the sun. A solar fountain with the batteries can store the harnessed energy, which can be later utilized to power it in the absence of the sun.

The immense varieties of fountain available can be made to blend with the background. From classic to contemporary designs, it turns any yard, terrace, garden or a deck soothing and relaxing. The solar fountain can be made from terracotta, mosaic, ceramic, aged bronze, steel, copper or even fiberglass enjoying lighter weight, besides offering ease of cleaning. The huge choice of colors and designs suit any type of décor and environment. Today there are many models that can easily convert a normal AC electric powered water fountain into a solar fountain. A solar fountain kit can come with fountain pumps, replacement pumps, battery and its replacement packs, solar oxygenator and much more depending on the money you are willing to part for its installment.

There are floating solar fountains that are ideal in a pool, which can add beauty and fun to the whole experience. For a large outdoor pond or garden, one can go for a bigger, terraced fountain. Similarly, depending on the theme of the garden, you can make the pick of the solar fountain adding to its splendor. If you plan to go for a landscaping with fountain meant to attract the birds you will have to channel your direction to solar birdbath fountains. But take pains to clean it often with non-toxic cleaners to maintain it fresh and uncontaminated.

The constant water movement creates bubbles and keeps it oxygenated making it an ideal environment for the growth of fish and water plants. The negative ions generated by the falling water are known to augment the growth of the plants and add to the blooming of flowers making the whole environment alluring.

The photovoltaic cells in the solar fountain store the solar energy that can be utilized for lighting the fountain in the evenings. This nature-friendly way of beautification has been proved to offer respite to the tense and stressed human mind at the end of a day with its soothing rhythm and soft lights. Solar fountains are an inexpensive addition to your outdoor environments that you will enjoy for years to come.

Amber Liddell is resource for the website Serenityhealth.com, your one stop shop for any type of water fountains and water fountain information.  You will find many outdoor fountains for your garden, wall fountains, tabletop fountains and even custom fountains. Visit Serenityhealth.com or call to talk to one of our water fountain experts.
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