Raised beds are very popular for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that no double digging is required during bed preparation. Wooden raised beds can easily be constructed from landscape timbers. Then the beds are filled with soil that can be purchased from any garden center. This really cuts down on the amount of labor to get a garden ready for planting. Besides constructing the raised beds from landscape timbers there are kits available for homeowners to make the construction even faster and easier. more…

A couple of years ago I was looking for a cheap greenhouse to get some seedlings going and ready to plant before putting them into the ground. I found and bought the Garden Greenhouse 6 x 10 and it has worked like a charm for two seasons and I suspect it will hold up for my seedlings a few more years as well. more…

One of the most affordable and exotic looking indoor bonsai trees is the European Fig, or the ficus rianne. This indoor bonsai is somewhat different from other bonsai trees, mainly because of its unique looking leaves and bark. The European fig, despite its name, is actually native to Northern Australia and India. Its bark is very smooth and has a tan color to it, while its leaves are narrow, thin, and are glossy green color. While the trunk is a bit different from other bonsai, it grows very crooked and splits into many multiple branches, making it an ideal tree to grow as a bonsai. more…

Persian Area Rugs: Designs, Colors, and one of the First Creators of the Oriental rug. When it comes to Oriental rugs, the first country you can ever think of will be China. And then Persia for it’s wonderful rug weaving abilities that have been honed for centuries. They have expressed their culture, tradition, and art by creating different kinds of area rugs. Some of them were displayed in their homes, while others became part of their floors. Today, the Persian hand-knotted red rug is nice as many seek the reds in the Oriental rugs. These floor coverings are commonplace not only in traditional homes, but also in restaurants and offices that want to increase their overall interior design more…

What is that bird at your copper birdbath?  If you live up in the high mountains, it may be a Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.  These birds are, however, fairly rare.  more…

I realized this morning that spring is finally making its appearance – and why not it’s almost April! Aside from the snow melting, which is the first of the don’t miss indicators, I realized this morning when I was lying in bed listening to the birds that I was actually able to hear them because the bedroom window stayed open for the whole night. It’s so nice to be able to sleep without breathing nothing more than stale, dry, heated, recycled air. Even though I have quite a few new chores added to the list with the changing of the season, I really don’t mind because one of the first will be to go into the garage and haul out my Aqua Colored Ceramic Bird bath. more…

Made in the USA, Mohawk floor coverings have been synonymous with quality and reliability for over a century. The Five Star collection is a line of Mohawk area rugs that have been manufactured to combine beauty, durability and value. These characteristics make them the perfect choice for high traffic areas that demand stylish coverings. Although these floor coverings are value priced, you will never mistake them for cheap rugs. Five Star floor coverings have been created to meet Mohawk’s exacting quality standards. Frazier Mocha Mohawk Select Rug, Five Star adds pizazz to contemporary floor design. Rectangles of cream, brown, green and red are traversed by contrasting horizontal stripes, creating a ribbed effect. more…