A woodland garden should be a peaceful, sheltered place based on a natural grouping of trees, with perhaps an appropriate underplanting of shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs. It should have a largely-open canopy, with sunlight penetrating between trees.

In this section, we take a look at the general principles of a woodland garden, as well as practical advice on creating your own.

The Principles of the Woodland Garden Style

A woodland garden contains natural looking groups of trees, often underplanted with other plants, shrubs and bulbs. Given plenty of space, it is possible to create a new woodland garden; however, patience is essential, as real woodland can take years to establish. A minimum area of about 1,000sq m (1/4 acre) is needed, although on a smaller scale a few groups of maples (Acer), birches (Betula), or other trees with light foliage will provide adequate shade in which to grow a succession of woodland plants, such as snowdrops (Galanthus), wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) and Trillium.

Fast-growing species such as willows (Salix) and alders (Alnus) will create a tree canopy fairly quickly, but may soon form shade that is too heavy for many woodland plants to flourish. Slower-growing species such as Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) oak (Quercus), silver birch (Betula pendula) and wild cherry (Prunus avium) will provide more satisfactory top cover. These species also create a canopy that casts dappled shade, and allows a wide variety of plants to grow beneath them. These species are usually chosen in preference to conifers and other trees that have a dense canopy.

When establishing a woodland, it is best to keep the area around the trees clear for the first year or two so that they have chance to develop with little or no competition from other plants. If the area is already partially wooded, it may be necessary to clear areas for glades and underplanting by thinning the tree canopy or removing unwanted scrub and saplings.

Growing other plants will allow you to create year-long interest and provide a display at different height levels. Interesting plants include hardy cyclamen and bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), which can be planted to form drifts of colour, or ornamental members of the nettle family (e.g. Lamium maculatum, which are very useful as ground cover.

If planting near a woodland stream, moisture-loving plants such as primroses (Primula vulgaris) and ferns should be chosen. Conversely, foxgloves (Digitalis) will tolerate the dry, shady conditions found beneath tree canopies. There are a wide range of shrubs such as Japanese maples (Acer) and rhododendrons that grow well in shady woodland areas. These shrubs help to create an attractive, well-balanced planting scheme, as they form a transition between the low bulbs and perennials and the tall trees.

Access to the garden is usually best provided by informal paths, which can be made from loose materials such as pine needles, bark chippings or local gravel. For an informal garden, paths should look natural and meandering, as straight, formal paths look quite unnatural in a woodland garden.

Edward has been writing on the web for more than 7 years. His latest coffee site at http://www.individualcoffeemaker.org covers the individual coffee maker models and deals available.

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As we move towards a greener environment, the use of natural resources is a simple solution to becoming more energy efficient. One of these natural resources is the sun. Solar energy is a valuable resource and an energy alternative to electricity. More and more homeowners are looking to solar energy to power their appliances and lights in their houses. For the outdoors, the use of solar energy should also be taken into consideration. This article is part two in a three-part article series about outdoor lighting and the use of solar lights.

Outdoor solar lighting is an option when entertaining in your backyard. Why worry about dragging a lamp with an electrical cord outside, plugging it in and then bringing it back inside after you are done using it? Solar Lighting illuminates the exterior landscape, is environmentally friendly, and uses energy from the sun to power the lights for the entire evening. Last but not least, solar lights are easy to install because no wiring is necessary! It is convenient and there is no need to worry or mess around with wires and outlets. Here are a few options worth considering when it comes to outdoor solar lighting.

Aurora Glow Solar String Lights

Create a beautiful summer setting with festive hand-blown glass string lights, Aurora Glow Solar String Lights. The six hanging lights are crafted from colored and clear hand-blown glass and luminescent details adorn a clear wire. It comes with high powered LED lights and copper hanging hooks for easy decorating. These lights are powered by the sun and have a solar panel located nearly 15 feet away from the first glass globe. You can plant or mount the solar energy collector away from the lights and enjoy the glow at night. During the day, they collect the maximum amount of sunlight, and are ready to go if you plan on entertaining that evening. There are many different areas in your yard where you can place the string of lights such as an arbor, archway, around the trunk of a tree, or the railing of a deck. It is also ideal beneath an umbrella. Equipped with a photo light sensor, the lights will turn themselves on as the sun goes down, and will turn off at dawn. Due to the artisan nature of hand-blown glass, each piece will vary slightly in color and in size. This makes each one unique!

Solar Garden Lights

Adding solar garden lights provides a pathway to your garden! Environmentally sound, they charge during the day to reserve a life of about eight hours. Constructed of polished stainless steel, these lights add a touch of class, at the same time providing cost efficiency. They are a wonderful accent to any outdoor landscape. These lights can easily be staked into the ground and are good for pathways, gardens, porches, and pool sides.

Solar Stepping Stone and Rock Light

Enhance the look of your flower bed by placing a solar stepping stone amongst the vibrant and rich colors of the petals. During the day, the stepping stone acts as a decorative item amongst the flowers. But at night, adds depth to the garden as it creates shadows with the light it emits. The solar module in the center converts sunlight into electricity, which is then stored in the integrated rechargeable battery pack. In the evening, the dual LEDs automatically switch on. There is no installation or wiring required. Simply install the stepping stone into the ground where it will get plenty of sun.

The solar rock light has the same concept as the stepping stone. The rock light keeps pathways safely lit for friends and family as they enjoy the outdoors, and creates an inviting and warm glow. Aim it at pathways, walls, or plants. Fully charged, it has a 20 hour of reserve life, and can be charged in direct or shadowed, sunlight.

Solar Powered Tube Lights

These tube lights are ideal for lining outdoor buildings, windows, trees, gazebos, architectural details, stairs, deck railings, and any other outdoor object you can think of. Using sunlight for power, tube lights help reduce expensive electric bills and can be placed anywhere without the hassle of wires or the need for electrical outlets. They stay lit for about eight to twelve hours depending on lighting conditions, and turn on or off automatically due to the built in sensor. It has 120 extremely bright LED lights available in white, red, green, and blue. It is water and weather resistant with over 100,000 plus hours of life. Each set includes rechargeable batteries, solar cell/electronics box, tube and wall mounting brackets, drywall anchors, screws, and instruction manual.

Be energy efficient! Garden Winds has many different outdoor lighting and decorating items that only require the energy from the sun to power them. Get inspired and make your outdoor landscape the first yard in your neighborhood to GO GREEN!

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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Event fencing experts have fencing solutions for all events and occasions. All you need to do is to tell them what you want. Event fencing experts work out all the details right down to getting the necessary permissions from the local authorities. There are permanent fences and temporary fences, and either of these can be constructed in the designated area.

Event fencing experts help in designing these fences in a manner that adds to the building and grounds. There are the outer fences that act as a protection for the people inside, and as a barrier against miscreants. If so required, event fencing experts design fences within fences to demarcate smaller areas that are to be used for different purposes.

Event fencing experts use materials that compliment the building and grounds where they are set. For instance, for modern buildings, an iron or aluminum fences is ideal. Likewise event fencing experts would use wood or vinyl with a wood finish to give a traditional look.

Modular fences are easily assembled. Event fencing experts would use these in situations which required control of crowds and as traffic barriers. Here, fence posts are fixed on a free-standing base. The first post is securely fixed in position, and the other posts are set at approximately equal distances from each other. Modular panels, each with 2 connectors, are fixed on these posts. One connector is slid over the first post and the other connector is slid over the second post, thus linking the posts. These panels can be broad ones, in which case only one panel will be needed, or they may be narrow panels in which case maybe 2 will be needed with a gap in between them. Once all the panels are linked, the last fence post has to be fixed securely, so that the panels remain taut. In case there are corners, the fence posts at the corners will need to be firmly set. If this fence has to be made permanent, then the posts are set into the ground. A closure cap is fitted to the top of the fence posts, so that the panels cannot be removed.

Event fencing experts work out the correct height of the fences depending on where they are fitted. Generally, fences in the front yard are 4 feet in height and in the back yard are 6 to 8 feet high.

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There are many ways to jump on the “Go Green” bandwagon, so installing skylights in your home will help a great deal. Here we will explore the economical benefits of adding one or upgrading an existing one you may have. There are many types and styles of skylights available, but I’ll keep the focus on the newest technology available on the market.

The three basic types we’ll discuss today are fixed, fixed and vented, and vented. Fixed skylights do not open but are considered the most economical. Sometimes it includes a dome shaped like a bubble (to shed water) that is insulated. Fixed and vented skylights include a small vent that can be opened; rather simple. The vented version has a larger opening that needs to be cranked open either manually, with a control rod, or electronically. They should also be equipped with a screen to keep the insects at bay.

For economical purposes, we’ll stick to a fixed version of skylights. One popular make is the tube skylight or solar tube. It’s great for places in the home where there is very little room and light is needed. They are easier to install than conventional skylights, but since a hole is to be cut in the roof, QwikBids still recommends professional installation. It makes complete sense. Due to their smaller size and flexibility, they work well with any roof support type and there’s no need to modify joists, either. If you are switching out an old skylight, most installers will offer the service of removing the old one. Negotiate a little bit with the removal if they are the ones installing the new one.

Tube skylights are my pick for both the money and ease of installation. But an investment of any skylight type is great news for those wanting to lower electricity use as well as beautify the home. Most skylights give an appearance of a larger room with an open feel, and also add value to the home. To begin this leap to the “Go Green” bandwagon, trust the superb service providers at QwikBids!

QwikBids is the first Web site that connects consumers with referred service providers who “bid” for their business. Unlike competing sites, there is no search necessary, saving consumers precious time in finding the best service providers in their areas. The QwikBids system isn’t just a benefit to consumers, but also fills a need for service providers who require an inexpensive way to reach hot leads. For locally-focused, small to medium sized businesses, expensive advertising and direct marketing are not always an option. QwikBids is the first online service that gives businesses a low-cost option to get in front of ready-to-buy consumers. For More Information about QwikBids.com please visit http://www.QwikBids.com/dh399

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Outdoor landscape lighting can be a very decorative addition to any garden. But what about the additional benefits of the security and safety that it can also provide.

Security
Outdoor landscape lighting is one of the best security systems you can install. Landscape lighting can be used as a deterrent to residential crime. Correct proportions of outdoor landscape lighting surrounding your home, has been shown to minimize crimes by as much as fifty percent. Landscape lighting has two great uses to aid in the security of your home. The lighting can intimidate possible intruders to avoid trespassing on to your property. Should this fail, the illuminated areas will also make it possible for you or your neighbor’s to see any intruders as they trespass.

As well as lighting an intruder visually, they will also create shadows. At night when vision is limited a moving shadow is easy to see. Even though you probably won’t clearly make out the intruder in the darkness, your eye will be drawn to the movement straight away which will put you on alert immediately.

When designing your outdoor landscape lighting it is a good idea to light the pathways separately as to lighting individual garden features. This can be done using separate wiring circuits. To save power the feature lighting can be turned off very late at night, say after 1.30 am and the pathway lighting can remain on for safety and security.
Also remember when wiring your outdoor landscape lighting, make sure to bury the wiring. It is common for intruders to see this wiring an cut it knowing that it will blow the lighting fuse which will turn off all of your lights.

Safety
Typically low voltage lighting systems are used for outdoor landscape lighting around the home. The preferred light fittings used to create outdoor landscape lighting, are low voltage, weather resistant fixtures. The low voltage used reduces the risk of electrocution if live wiring or terminals are touched. Also if power supply transformers are used to reduce the voltage, then they also isolate the low voltage system from the mains voltage which increases safety.

Low voltage lighting outdoor systems around the home garden also use low wattage lamps. These do not heat up as much as the larger sized lamps commonly used inside the home. The risk of burning anyone is reduced. Also the risk of burning and damaging plants by the directed light is also greatly reduced.

Maintenance
Always check your low voltage outdoor landscape lighting regularly. Say once every week. Lamps eventually burn out and require replacement regularly. Another problem is that plants outgrow their original shape and form and you will need to re-aim the lighting again to suit. The neighbor’s cat or dog may also knock your lighting over if it is loosely installed.

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