Solar Path Lights – Increase The Beauty Of Your Home

Most people choose to use lighting down the pathway leading from your curb or detached garage to the entrance door of the home. The lights can be virtually any style. They add a feature of safety when moving along the path in twilight or moonlight conditions. The drawback to regular lights is that they need to be wired in so that they can operate. There should also be at least one and ideally two control switches, one at each end of the pathway. Solar path lights remove some of the major difficulties with wired lights.

Because solar units are powered from the sun, you don’t need electrical wiring or switches to use them. They take in the rays from the sun daily during hours of sunlight and release the light overnight through the dark hours. This means you are not using electricity and you have the lighting through the night. Because the light storage takes place with no action on your part, you won’t need to turn on the lights at a power switch. The lighting is activated and visible when it’s dark enough. When the sun rises, the lights begin the energy collection process again.

Lighted paths reduce the risk of stumbles on a darkened path. Safety is definitely an important consideration if you need to regularly cross an area where there may be limited lighting. You will be a lot better off to put some lights along the pathway to reduce the chance of tripping or falling.

Lights powered from the energy of the sun can be very appealing to the eye at the same time as they are providing safety for your home and person. Enhance landscape features by additional lights beside garden paths. Choose lighting to focus on patio space, a portion of your garden or the space around a gazebo. Brighter lighting reduces the possibility of tripping over a rough pavement or pathways.
You can use one or two lights or as much as you need to light up the dark paths around your home. Solar lights are usually a little less bright than electric units. To acheive a similar illumination along a path, you might need to supply more lights.

Use solar path lights to outline a garden or to enhance a gate post. Really the only restriction would be that the light has to be in a position where natural sunlight will reach it for several hours every day. For safety and beauty, there are few things more practical than solar lights.

Themed Bedroom Ideas That Can Grow With Your Little Girl

As a parent, how to decorate your child’s room is one of the tough decisions you have to make. She might love Dora the Explorer today, but it’s not likely that she’ll want cartoons on her walls forever. You could end up spending a ton of money redecorating every year or two if you don’t think ahead. Here are seven theme ideas for girls’ rooms that can grow with her over the years, saving you money.

Princess :
All little girls love to be princesses and teens like to act like them too. Take a more mature approach to it from the start. Chose a subdued pink and pair it with browns to give the room a Victorian look. Canopy beds are regal, but they can be expensive. Instead, go for a smaller, removable net canopy, which attaches to the ceiling via a ring and only flows over the head of the bed. Use gold touches to finish the room with an elegant feel, and display princess toys that your child has until she outgrows them.

Garden :
Instead of painting cartoon flowers and bumble bees all over the walls, which can be fun for a toddler but overwhelming for a teenager, try using real flowers (or silk flowers if you don’t have a green thumb) on shelves that are out of reach of tiny hands. Use natural colors, like greens and browns, for painting and sheer curtains to let in as much light as possible. Keep the artwork on the walls whimsical enough for a children’s room like pictures of fairies or butterflies  yet sophisticated enough for teens,  skip the cartoons and look for prints of paintings.

Retro :
Creating a retro room for your daughter can be fun, but don’t go too crazy with the flower power and smiley faces! Instead, stick to using colors that were popular in the 1960s and add fun touches like beaded curtains, printed rugs, and beanbag chairs. Use a lava lamp as a nightlight and stick to fabrics in funky prints, like paisley.

Paris :
Pink French poodles and polka dots look cute in a little girls’ room, and it is actually fairly easy to take that style idea and make it appropriate for any age group. Start with color  a Parisian themed room should have elements of black, pink, white, and tan. Stuffed poodles can easily be replaced on shelves with more sophisticated dcor, such as an Eiffel Tower replica or French country prints. Add mirrors and sconces to the walls (out of reach of small children of course) and for the furniture, think wrought iron and wood painted white or cream and distressed.

Celestial :
Girls can love sciences and technology as much as boys, so why not choose a celestial outer space theme for your child? Use navy-colored paint to give the illusion of a night sky and glow in the dark stars that can be removed if she no longer likes them when she’s older. To give the room a girl’s touch, use celestial sun, moon, and star accent pieces and pretty cloud or sunset artwork.

Beach :
Tropical themed bedrooms are always a hit for kids, but creating an island paradise that will still be appropriate when your toddler is a teen can be challenging. Subtlety is key here. Use beach colors like aqua and blue for the walls or furniture and instead of carpeting, go for a wood floor that gives the room a more beach bungalow feel. For small children, use some tropical inspired rugs to make the play surface safer, and use shells and hibiscus flowers to complement your design. You can also use bamboo and wicker for furniture and blinds in the room, and frame artwork featuring mermaids, dolphins, and sailboats for the walls.

Hollywood Glitz

Most young girls love to play dress up, and teens may also be very into fashion. A Hollywood glitz and glam room can be great for themed bedrooms. Instead of a traditional dresser, chose a vanity, which your daughter will appreciate when she’s in high school, and instead of a wallpaper border, string white Christmas lights around the room that can be kept up all year. Use clear beads that give the illusion of diamonds in the window treatment and for a chandelier-like lighting fixture and add a few touches of animal prints in pillows, throw rugs, etc. for a little fun.

Remember, your toddle may not grow up to like the style you chose, so be prepared for your tomboy teen to hate her garden-inspired room or your cheerleader to have an issue with the beach theme you picked. The good news is that no matter what theme you use today, if you switch out the accessories, she’ll love it tomorrow. Avoid huge dcor choices that are hard to change, because you want her room to grow with her tastes.

The Best Indoor Floor Fountains

The indoor floor fountains are quite famous and they can be seen in the corner of a reception area or dividing two rooms. Let me tell you one thing that the reception area is being divided from the rest of the office with the help of the floor fountains. You will definitely find them to be gorgeous and believe me that they are in great demand as well. The designer uses the stainless steel framing as well as the base for this purpose. Let me tell you one more thing that they come in many designs.
They look like the modern world. The silver colored glass which is used as the background is certainly quite stunning and let me tell you one thing that you can keep it in any curve of your office or house. By and large they are kept in the drawing room or the living room. Some of them are so found of the fountains that they implement them in the bedrooms as well.

One can use them at all the places and still you will find them to look quite good. The best usages of this kind of fountains are in reception area. Let me tell you one thing that if the owner has less space then he asks the designer to design the office so that all the area is properly used. It is certainly neither possible nor correct choice to make the walls wherever we like. Normally we can construct a big hall with pillars and then divide the whole space with something. The double sided floor fountain is quite handy in this case.
Many people think that the fountains are just for luxury. On the other hand, you will have to understand that you will find here many benefits as well. Those who are health conscious can appreciate how significant it is to have it in a garden. There are so many designs which you can use in the garden. One such plan is the angelic frog fountains. This is a three tier water fountain. Two frogs are present at the second tier. Let me tell you one thing that they are simply gorgeous. These types of designs are rather great for the heart patients. You will feel quite relaxed out here.

Garden is a face of your house

Every person wants to live in a beautiful house with big or small garden around it. A garden plays one of the important roles in your house decoration. First of all you should think about the design of your garden it should be both practical and modern. Your house should be also very green one, there should be lots of trees and bushes.

In summer everything will be in flowering. And in winter your garden should be covered with snow. And your children can play snowballs in it. Of cause no less important attribute in a garden a merry-go-round. Your children will be very happy when they see it, they won’t trouble you because thay will have what to do in summer and in winter. Moreover, a garden is very useful for important occasions such as a wedding or a birthday party.

When your guests come to your place the firts thing what they see is your wonderful garden with fashionable design. If your garden will be made in a proper way your guests will envy you for not having the same one near their house. One of the most important thing which also makes your garden to look very pretty is garden lighting.

There are too many bulbs and lamps which are made for your garden that you will have to think hard what to choose. Also you may choose the lighting for your house.

It will be very beautuful to look at your house at night when it is absolutely dark, but all your garden will be decorated with different bulbs that will make it a star.

Wooden Fence Panels for Garden Fencing

A well-erected garden fence panel serves many purposes and is much more than just a boundary. It can revamp your property if for example, climbing plants are trained up or along the fence panels and they also allow you to restrict your children and animals from going to certain areas of your outdoor space that are not suitable for them.

Below are some pointers on how to properly erect garden fence panels:

• Keep in mind that if the fencing is to run along a boundary, the fence posts should be positioned on your side of the boundary. Traditionally fencing panels are normally erected with the front side of the fencing panel facing the neighbour, but this however is not a legal requirement.
1. Wooden fencing panels are often erected using wooden posts but other types of fence posts can be used if needed. Wooden fence posts can either be mounted in metal post spikes or can be directly sunk into the ground.
2. Gravel boards can be fitted below the fence panel. The gravel board is usually made out of hard timber to help prevent damp rising from the soil and into the panel, though concrete gravel boards are just as effective and are in fact also long lasting.
3. If you’re erecting the wooden fence panel across a slope, the top adjacent panels can be stepped in order to at least try to follow the slope. Try keeping the depth of the steps uniform or increase in one direction (if the slope of the ground makes this awkward, consider using different depths of gravel board or height of fence panels to provide some order).

These are just some of the basic items you need to know to get you started with the installation of your wooden garden fence panels. It is quite an easy task to do and you don’t need to be a professional fencing contractor to do it. All you need are the right materials to start this project and you’ll find lots of helpful information on the Internet on the technical aspects of erecting fencing panels.

Garden fencing has been part of almost all homes not only for the privacy it provides, but also because of the traditional feel it brings to the exteriors of any house. It’s simple, classic, and easy to build.

How To Plant Hardy Palm Trees in Your Garden

Hardy palm trees are a species of palm (Arecaceae) that are able to withstand cooler temperatures and thrive in places not typically considered in the natural range for palms. Several are native to the higher cities in Asia and can tolerate hard freezes with little or no signs of damage. Many of these species can be cultivated at high latitudes, and in places that regularly see snow in winter.

The minimum temperature a palm can grown depends on a variety of factors, such as the humidity, size and age of the palm, daytime high temperatures, or the length of time the temperature is at the minimum. A temperature of -5 for several days will do alot more damage to a palm than an overnight low of say -8 for an hour.

How to plant Hardy palm trees:

You can learn how to plant Hardy palm trees with the Cold Hardy Palms Central eBook, which covers the following:

* Detailed Zone map to determine the proper Palms for your area
* Complete list of Palms for your zone
* Planting Instructions
* Places to buy your palms online or locally
* How to select your palms.
* Landscaping Ideas
* How to plant cold hardy bananas, citrus, grapefruit, and eucalyptus

Hardy Palm trees can be grown virtually anywhere. These tropical landscapes are no longer limited to beach houses or Florida homes. Not to mention, you can also plant cold hardy bananas, citrus, grapefruit, and eucalyptus too!

Do You Know How Maintain Rattan Garden Furniture?

An investment in rattan furniture is indeed a big deal. This variety of furniture is top of the range highend garden decor that is relatively prier than the ordinary garden furniture. These are luxury pieces of furniture that are generally accommodative of all weather variations, are durable, and will provide the overall outlook of your home with a luxurious and stylish feel.

Rattan garden furniture is generally durable but may as well need maintenance to keep them in perfect condition for as long as a decade. One way to maintain your furniture is to protect it from moisture, as it will develop molds that could cause blemish. If you can afford a small conservatory, then you can place the furniture in there over the cold and wet seasons. You may as well as well dry off the moisture often over the dry cold season.

Cleaning your rattan furniture only when it is necessary will keep the cushion fabric from wear and tear. It is also important to change the fabric frequently if you live in a hot and humid environment because the heat could discolor the fabric thus leaving your furniture with an unpleasant appearance. When wiping of the rattan itself use a soft cloth that has been damped with polish and not water and soap. Water and soap will certainly fade out the lustrous appearance of the furniture while the polish will enhance the appearance it is advisable to use the same oil or polish for cleaning your furniture to avoid the ugly steaks that may result from using different cleansers.

To protect you rattan garden furniture from spills and stains it is advisable to use coasters and pads to dry off the spill. Using this method as opposed to rubbing it off will ensure that the stain does not stick in the furniture; this will also keep you from cleaning the fabric too frequently. However, if you do clean the fabric follow the laundry instructions to avoid shrinkage and discoloration.

Maintaining rattan furniture from abrasion will require that you keep the pets away from the furniture as they may scratch of the coating or topple over any fragile components of the garden furniture. Ensure that you use a natural bristle brush because it is soft enough to keep the rattan from damage and flexible enough to reach the hidden parts of the furniture. In an effort to avoid damage to furniture, see that those around the furniture sit on the cushions and not on the arms or any other structure.

Create Your Own Garden Box Office

Setting up an outdoor home theatre is a fairly large undertaking, not only in terms of physical deployment, but also in money outlay.  A sensible option would be to host a ‘trial night’, whereby you would hire the equipment and an operator to try it out.  This way you can get a feel for all the technical details and decide on the ideal requirements for your location.

If it’s the ‘Wow’ factor you’re after, and then consider how to make the most of these important factors, which will determine your Al Fresco Theatre kit.

• Do you have a good spot to site the outdoor screen
• Where can you place the projector/screen
• Is there safe access for the power supply
• Where is the best location for the speakers
• Can you safely conceal the electric leads

Consider the sunlight at different times of the day – maybe you’ll use your Al Fresco cinema more in the evening, however do think about excess light from street lighting or next doors’ tennis court.

How can you arrange the seating, so that the ‘audience’ can all see clearly

Be considerate to your neighbours – how loud should you have the movie sound track?

Most locations are suitable for your garden Box Office, even incorporating a room from the house that flows into the garden, using this as the site for the projector.  This allows a safer arrangement for the electric supply and technical equipment, as it is weather protected and away from interference of the audience.  The only equipment outdoors is the display or projector and speakers, which need to be water proofed.

Outdoor Garden Gazebo living

An outdoor gazebo is a free standing structure that is commonly seen in gardens, parks or sometimes even in residence. It is also called as pavilion, a bandstand, a summerhouse, a belvedere, or a cabana, even a vendor’s booth. They have many uses, whether it’s just a place to hide from the warm sun or brutal rainfall, maybe even just to add some feature to your landscape, a gazebo can easily add value to your property.

It comes in many shapes, sizes and materials and can be installed to be permanent structures or temporary or seasonal structures and many are can be bought as DIY kits.

Today, you can find a gazebo made from a wide variety of different materials including:

1. Aluminum gazebos

They are commonly erected for special occasions or seasonal use, easy to customize and can be a terrific way to create privacy for small urban rooftop and the “roofs” of this gazebos are made of waterproof canvas coated with UV protection.

2. Wooden gazebos

What most people think gazebos are made of. Modern contemporary to Japanese style is possible with wooden structure. The best outdoor woods are Southern yellow pine (Pinus palustris), Northern white cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) and redwood, all American woods that weather beautifully without the need for staining, painting or pressure treating.

3. Wrought iron gazebos

It’s old and antique look though it’s brand new that adds sophistication and elegance to any garden.  The great part about wrought iron gazebos is that they can be assembled and build with ease as the parts come with ease to use hooks and bolts. But in reality, wrought iron is not used much today. It is quite heavy and can be very brittle. One of this is the wrought iron fence surrounding the Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts that was being stolen at an alarming rate.

4. PVC Resins are used in creating fascinating small gazebo

With stunning greenhouse effect and with this it’s a great way to start vegetable and annual plants for an early start to the growing season. You can also purchase models that come with clear vinyl sides and a zippered doorway and enough room for shelves.

Your imagination and budget are all that determines how involved your outdoor gazebo can become your room of choice for all summer long once you have designed it for maximum comfort.

Poly Tarp Covers

Poly tarps have long been used as canopy covers for pole tents but in recent years there has been noticeable increases in the different types of uses. Poly tarps are now being used for many different applications and in many different industries including construction, agriculture, garden, sports, marine and more. The sudden popularity can be attributed to the strength, longevity and cost effectiveness of the poly tarp. Made of high density polyethylene, these protective covers are typically heat sealed, laminated and then treated with added fade blockers and anti-microbial agents, which prevent cracking and tearing under harsh conditions. The end result is an extremely durable poly tarp cover that is not only lightweight but also affordable. These characteristics have been the driving force in the poly tarps new found popularity with consumers and have replaced more expensive alternatives such as canvas and vinyl.

The construction industry has always had a need for temporary coverage. During the building process valuable equipment and supplies are exposed to the elements and protecting these assets is vital to the completion of the project. However, poly tarps are now being used for hillside coverage during the rainy seasons to divert water run off and prevent erosion from undeveloped slopes. Construction sites that are working on multilevel buildings such as apartments and offices utilize poly tarps as drops from scaffolding. The tarps are attached to the top of the scaffolding and are then draped down the framework of the building. This protective shield not only reduces visibility from onlookers but also helps contain debris within the work area. The scaffolding drop keeps the work site safe while protecting workers from rain and wind.

The agricultural industry uses poly tarps for various applications including greenhouse coverage and nursery shade. The white and clear poly tarps when used in conjunction with a wood or steel frame can turn any area into an instant greenhouse. The poly shade mesh tarps are made with high-density polypropylene materials and are used for horticultural and agricultural applications to protect crops and livestock from the extremes of sun and wind. In many agricultural areas access to water can be difficult but is a necessity for the growing of healthy plants and vegetation. By simply digging a shallow hole in the ground and lining it with a poly tarp before adding water, the agricultural industry has access to important sources of irrigation ponds anywhere it is needed.

Poly tarps have proven to be very beneficial to the garden industry, especially among landscapers. The protection of lawn care equipment is vital to the industry as many of the trucks have open areas where exposed machinery can become damaged due to poor weather conditions. The poly tarp cover is normally draped over the machinery during transport and tied to the truck using the grommets, which are located around the perimeter every 18 to 36 inches. During the process of lawn care many landscapers are finding that the burlap sacks commonly used to contain loose vegetation and waste tear under minimal use. As a result, many landscapers and garden care associates are using poly tarps as an alternative due to their strength and durability.