Category: Gardening
Winter is over and Spring is in the air. The sights, scents and sounds are all around with the garden coming back to life. Trees are coming into leaf, the blossoms are out and the roses are budding up ready to commence their 9-month flowering spree.
The rose is one of the most widely grown of all plants and dates back to ancient times, there are even fossil evidence discovered in Colorado dating back 35 million years.
The domestic rose most likely originated in Asia around 5 thousand years ago and has made its mark throughout history as symbols of love, beauty, war and politics. In ancient Egypt the rose was considered the most sacred of all flowers and was used as offerings to Gods as well as being used as wreaths in tombs. In 1492 a crew member on Columbuss ship picked a rose branch out of the ocean which was a sign of the presence of land and the next day Columbus discovered America, while in England in during the 15th century the rose was used as a symbol for factional fighting. Known as the War of the Roses- the white rose symbolised York and the red rose symbolised Lancaster. In the 17th century roses were in such demand that royalty considered roses and rose water as legal tender and Shakespeare refers to roses over 50 times in his works.
In modern times the rose continues to make its mark with the Netherlands being the world leader in the export of roses with over 19,000 acres under rose cultivation while Zambia being a small nation has 80 per cent of its cultivated land dedicated to the production of roses. The rose is also the national floral emblem of the US and was signed in by law in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.
So what does all this mean? Not much really except that the rose has stood the test of time, not only due to its beauty and elegance but also because it is one of the toughest plants around. Full sun, a little fertiliser and some water and the modern rose will reward the even the most novice of gardeners. The biggest problem people face these days is which rose to grow. Roses come in all shapes, sizes and colours (except blue!) and the range can be a bit confusing – Bush, Climbers, Standards, Ramblers, Pillars, Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and landscape are few types but all will do well in our climate.
If you have never tried to grow roses before and not sure what to grow, here is a list of the top 10 we grow at Hunter Valley Gardens. All these varieties are tough, disease resistant and very free flowering and will reward with months of colour.
Apricot Nectar – A floribunda rose with large, very fragrant apricot blooms with pink tints. A compact bush with strong stems. An excellent cut flower.
Chameleon – A floribunda miniature rose with flowers that change colour as they mature on the plant. Starting at a mid yellow with the outer petals changing to pink while the centre changes to white.
Double Delight – A large flowering hybrid tea rose. A very fragrant rose with high centred double flowers. Creamy white with red streaks around the edges of the petals.
Fiona’s Wish – A vigorous hybrid tea. Large vivid pink petals flushed with a white underside. A full classic rose with fragrance. Bush. Excellent for cut flowers.
Iceberg – The best rose available. A white flowering cluster floribunda with slightly scented flowers. A very free flowering rose that will show colour all year round.
Just Joey – A large flowering hybrid tea. Full petalled flower in tones of fawn, copper and buff. Very fragrant in warmer climates with extremely large flowers that fold out.
Peace – A vigorous large flowered hybrid tea. Very large flowers are a bright yellow flushed with pinkish-red at the edges and are lightly scented.
Pierre De Ronsard – A pillar/climbing rose with very full double cupped blooms with a slight fragrance. Flowers are centred with mid pink and fade to white on the outer petals.
Seduction – An open flowered floribunda rose. Buds start at mid pink and fade to a white. Flowers open completely to expose stamens. A delicate, elegant flower.
Simply Magic – A spreading floribunda rose. Very heavy flowering variety with carmine-pink clusters of open petal flowers. A low and spreading variety with a very long flowering period.
For those who enjoy their roses or want to try something new, there are some exceptional new releases available for 2008 that are sure to inspire.
Tequila La Savillana A floribunda with bright yellow-orange flowers blending to pink. Loose medium flowers that offer a continuous display.
Blooming Miracle Highly perfumed repeat flowerer with apricot, cream blooms. Very hardy.
Fire & Ice A hybrid tea with a white petalled flower with cherry red tips. Excellent disease tolerance and dark glossy green foliage.
My Hero A Classic shiny pink flower that will not fade and is self-cleaning. Massive flowers borne above dark glossy foliage.
Love-In A psychedelic rose with swirling lemon, pink flower that ages to a rose colour. Voted the most disease resistant rose at the 2006 rose trials.
Make sure you visit your local garden centre to see all the latest releases and enjoy the spring weather and Happy Gardening.
One glance through a gardening magazine, and we are showered with images of pristine gardens, beautifully appointed with hundreds of varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs. While many of us aspire to have yards as beautiful as those in a magazine, few of us have the time or resources to achieve such perfection. However, with a little work and some good planning, even those of us with the blackest of thumbs will feel good about our efforts in the garden.
When reviewing your outdoor space, try to identify those areas that you’re not very happy with. What do you want to change about them? Do you need some additional flowers or other plants? Perhaps the space doesn’t feel balanced? Climbing plants may be just the answer you are looking for to solve a variety of common problems in outdoor areas.
Many plants, both annual and perennial, fall into the category of climbing plants. The more common climbers are clematis, morning glory, ivy, and honeysuckle. However, many plants that spread along the ground like creeping phlox and periwinkle can provide coverage for unsightly spaces in your outdoor area, as well.
Climbing plants can be used to solve a myriad of problems in your outdoor spaces. For example, do you have something unsightly that you need to cover, such as a garage wall, tree stump, or electrical meter? Use climbing plants to cover it up! They not only change the view you are seeing, but they can also provide color and fragrance to an area. Consider putting up a trellis on the side of your shed to soften it up with a burst of color and fragrance. Climbers can also provide coverage of retaining walls and fences with little effort.
While climbing plants can be trained to climb a trellis or wall, they can also be planted in a pot and allowed to cascade downward, or used as a groundcover. If you have some areas of the garden where bare soil is showing, consider using a vine or other groundcover plant to hide those bare spots.
Lack of privacy is another major issue that homeowners commonly cite when asked why they dislike their yards or gardens. Perhaps you have neighbors that are a little too close? A trellis, arbor, or pergolas is a great solution to this problem. Climbing plants will easily climb and cover these structures, providing privacy and beauty to your yard. Pergolas and arbors can also be used over pathways or gates, or to mark a transition from front yard or side yard into a backyard. In all of these places, consider planting a climbing vine at the base of the structure. Within a few months, you’ll have a stunning focal point for your yard.
Climbing plants are usually pretty self-sufficient and require little care to grow. Of course, there are the basic needs like sun and water. You might also want to be aware of the soil type or soil pH level that the plant requires, though with climbers this is usually a less important consideration. Obviously, the most important thing to consider when planting a climber is providing some support structure upon which it can grow. When allowing climbers to grow near buildings, it’s important to keep a close eye on the plant so it doesn’t get out of control. Some very vigorous climbers can damage homes, garages, or barns when allowed to grow unchecked.
When it comes to the purchase of a new set of Oakley sunglasses, many consumers can’t help but experience some sticker shock. Still, even the most frugal shoppers admit that you simply do sometimes get what you purchase. With Oakley, what you get is an image that you just can’t put a price tag upon. For some it’s worth a few extra dollars to be in front of the curve in terms of style as well as elegance.
It’s Oakley
To put this simply, Oakley sunglasses are expensive simply because… they’re Oakley of course. There are some brands which are so ingrained in our culture which their name alone increases their worth. Rolls Royce does it for vehicles. Harley Davidson does it for motorbikes. In the design world, any accessory that carries the Oakley logo will probably be more costly. This is based about the company’s stellar reputation and nothing otherwise. While some may scoff at this idea others understand that Oakley has a reputation for grounds.
Exclusivity
One of the great things regarding purchasing Oakley sunglasses is the fact that you’ll be joining an exclusive club. Unlike another brands, you won’t see Oakley users on every street corner. Oakley, such as any premium brand, is more exclusive than its lesser valued counterparts since they are made in lower volume. Also, they are rarely discounted. This keeps them in the hands of only those people who are interested in quality and style, not really value. Let’s be honest, if everyone could purchase a set of real Oakley sunglasses for cheap, everyone might have a pair. That’s not what this brand is all about.
It’s worth it
Rich, poor, or even middle class, everyone likes a discount. However, as we said before, sometimes you receive what you pay for. That’s the important thing to bear in mind when buying Oakley sunglasses. Knowing that you’re wearing a premium brand, you can be confident that you will look and feel good. If they are important to you then the extra cash is worth it. Simply put, how could you put a price on feeling great? You’ll also know that you are purchasing a product that is instantly in design. There’s no worry about looking awesome in Oakley. For this brand there is no such thing as out of design. Oakley determines what’s in style or even not.
In closing, there’s no doubt that Oakley sunglasses really are a little pricier than some other title brands. However, there’s also no doubt that Oakley has been among the premier design brands for decades. The difference is with Oakley you know that you’re getting something that is not just trendy but a real trend setter. Is all of this worthwhile? That’s a question only you may decide. But before you do therefore, it may be a good idea to add up the buying price of all the pairs of sunglasses you’ve discarded and wonder when the money would’ve been better spent on a single pair of Oakley’s.
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It’s Your decision Now!
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The Author of this article is an expert on the latest trends pertaining to sunglasses. He has written many informative articles on various sunglasses brands and products such as Foakleys, Fake Oakleys and Cheap Oakley sunglasses.
Until recently, indoor growers only had traditional mechanisms of indoor hydroponic growing with high heat bulbs such as high pressure sodium, metal halide, and more recently, compact fluorescent. The light bulb would provide massive amounts of light, measured in lumens, to replicate the sunlight necessary for photosynthesis which drives vegetative growth and flowering.
These lighting sources provide white light, which is the combination of all the colors in the visible spectrum put together. The problem with these traditional lighting sources is that they are inherently inefficient and waste a great deal of energy in the form of excess heat and light in the visible spectrum which is not beneficial to indoor growing. For example, the green spectra is not necessary for photosynthesis as green light is reflected and does nothing to the plants (green light bulbs are good to use when you need to enter your grow room during the sleep cycle of your plants because they will not be detected by the plants).
Although different plants have different lighting requirements (orchids have different light needs than cannabis plants), most plants flourish with only a limited range of light – reds, orange, and blues. This is because various processes and chemicals involved in photosynthesis respond most readily to these bands of light. Unfortunately, only about 15 percent of light emitted by HID/CFL bulbs is available in the bands of light needed for photosynthesis.
This is where LED technology makes the photosynthesis of indoor grown plants a more efficient process. Hydroponic LED lights concentrate their diode ratio around the reds, oranges and blues, along with the weighted value of other spectra needed to get the optimal blend for a particular plant. By concentrating on the wavelengths actually needed for photosynthesis, LED growlights can save a tremendous amount of energy as compared to high pressure sodium bulbs. This is why a 300 to 400 watt LED growlight can replace an entire 1000 watt high pressure sodium or metal halide system.
Furthermore, the LED grow light does not need a ballast assembly because the power supplies are built into the panel. If you start adding up all the capital and operational savings, it is easy to see why LED grow lights are becoming the future of hydroponic gardening.
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Up to 65% of the adult human body is made up of water. We use water to clean our bodies, clothes, and dishes. We gulp water down after a hard workout. We need water to survive.
The UN suggests that we each need 20-50 litres of water a day to use for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. In a world of over 7 billion people, conserving water is essential. But how can we do so on a daily basis, in our own homes?
While there are many ways to limit the waste of water, the following are the top 10 most effective ways to stop wasting and start saving this precious resource:
1. Wash right: When washing your dishes, brushing your teeth, or even taking a shower, dont allow the water to run more than necessary. During dishwashing, fill one sink with soapy water and one with rinse water, and dip dishes from one to the other. If you have only one sink, fill two small plastic containers with soapy and rinse water and do the same. When brushing your teeth, wet your brush and turn off the faucet while you scrub.
Many people enjoy taking long, hot showers. Start cutting back by shaving five minutes off your shower time or installing a water-conserving shower head. If you feel the need to luxuriate, run a bath and sit as long as you like.
2. Run washers less: Purchase a larger laundry basket and wait until you have a full load before running the washing machine. Do the same for dishes, making sure to fill the dishwasher completely before turning it on. Doing so could save you up to 1000 gallons per month.
3. Collect and reuse water: No need to swap one healthy practice for another. When washing fruits and vegetables, consider pooling the water in a bowl and using it to water houseplants.
4. Watering right: If the shower is leaking, we are apt to notice. However, outdoor faucets and sprinklers are more likely to have leaks that go unnoticed. Be sure to give all of your water hookups a once, twice, and even thrice-over to check for places where water may be escaping.
5. Adjust your dishwasher setting: Dishwashers are great timesavers, but dont disregard the settings that can help you save water while getting your cutlery sparkling clean. Check for an eco water saving mode and use it every time. Bonus: turn off the dryer setting for energy savings.
6. Reuse linens: Good hygiene is a must, but usually there is no need to wash your towels every day. Try using one towel for a week. Extend the life of your sheets by washing the pillowcases weekly and saving the rest of the set for big, twice-monthly washes.
7. Wash the car well: Think your hose is efficient? You can easily use up 60 gallons of water or more in five minutes of outdoor car wash fun (not including the spray-your-kids-when-they-arent- looking moments). Keep your vehicle sparkly and save water by using the WaterSavers program, popular with professional car washes, which uses 40 gallons or less per car and gives clean water back to Mother Earth.
8. Concentrate on cleaning: Using concentrated cleaning formulas not only gives you more cleaner for less, but uses less packaging and less production energy. This is a great example of convenience and water conservation combining forces, and you can take full advantage.
9. Keep cold water in a pitcher: Instead of running your tap water until it gets cold, chilling water in a pitcher allows you to keep water cold and ready, minus the waste.
10. Collect rainwater: Nature provides ample water for gardening purposes just by raining. By putting a barrel below your gutter, you can collect generous stores (more than half a gallon of water for every square foot of roof during a rainfall of one-inch) and use to grow those squash and tomato plants.
Saving water is as easy as you are creative. By considering the above tips and coming up with more of your own, you can limit water waste in your home and conserve energy. Want more tips? Contact your local plumber for professional water-conserving advice.