Sunday, September 13th, 2009
People choose balcony, patio, and courtyard gardening for many different reasons. Some are moving from a large house to smaller accommodation, some don’t want the hassle of a large property, and some chose to live in rental property to avoid the high-cost of owning a home. Whatever the reason, this doesn’t mean we can’t garden. No space is too small for a small space garden. One plant in a container is a garden. In fact, ever more gardening options are available in terms of pots, half-barrels, window boxes, troughs, cast-iron planters, recycled materials – the list is unending with possibilities.
Planning a Small Space Garden
When planning your small space garden several steps are fundamental. The first consideration is to determine what purpose this space will serve. Do you want to grow vegetables, herbs, entertain family and friends, meditate, create a place of peace, healing, a memorial garden – the list is endless. Next, walk around your space and really look at what you have. Where are doors, sheds, permanent planters located? Is there any clutter? Clear out the clutter by asking yourself: ‘Do I love it? Have I used it in the past year?’ If it no longer serves you, turf it out, paint it or fix it, give it to somebody who needs it.
If possible, take a chair and sit down, move it around, and think about where the energy feels best for you. Wherever that is, place your seating such as a park bench, lounge, Muskoka chairs, dining furniture, swing, etc. Do you want a formal or informal setting? What features do you want? Features such as water, flowers, vegetables, herbs, wind chimes, wild life, colour, etc. add the finishing touches to your small space garden. Finally, make a plan particularly if you are going to use large features such as a half-barrel. Once filled with soil you will not want to be moving it.
Creating a Small Space Garden
Containers. Generally speaking natural materials such as wood, clay, stone, or cast iron in all their forms make better companions for plants. Remember that wet soil weighs a lot so if you garden on a balcony weight restrictions may apply. Containers made from lighter weight materials such as fibreglass are ideal for roof or balcony gardens. Styles of containers include hanging baskets, wirework stands and baskets, wood window boxes, sinks, troughs, galvanized buckets, old shoes or boots, bathtubs, old tires, and all manner of recycled objects.
Scale. Scale is extremely important in small space gardening. For example, small plants look more balanced in small containers, large plants in large containers. I especially like the effect of vines growing on trellis in half-barrels with smaller plants edging the container. In the half-barrels I use, I have grown many different vines but have found that the effect of scarlet runner pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) is really a knockout with their gorgeous red flowers and you can eat them too.
Microclimates. Which plants prefer which location? Choose plants according to the conditions suitable for their optimum growth. Plants such as begonia (Begonia x semperflorens), coleus (Coleus x hybridous), and Fuchsia (Fuchsia x hybrida) prefer shaded areas while geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum), marigolds (Tagetes erecta), and petunia (Petunia x hybrida) prefer full sun. Wind can be a major factor and damage fragile plants. Choose plants that are wind tolerant such as many of the grasses; the sound of the rustling of the grasses as the wind blows through them is very pleasing to the ear.
Soil. I buy pre-mixed potting soil from the garden centers or shopping malls. These are generally lighter in weight to carry, sterilized to prevent weed seeds from germinating, and contain a lot of peat moss that helps loosen the soil so that it doesn’t compact in pots. I also buy organic soil that doesn’t have artificial chemicals added as I dump my pots of used soil into the garden where I grow vegetables.
Watering. Check daily as container plants often dry out more quickly. This is especially true if you are using clay pots. Make sure pots have drainage holes, as roots sitting in water will rot. When there has been excessive rain or water, empty saucers that are full. If you garden on a balcony sit plants on something to catch the water so that it doesn’t run down on your neighbours.
Fertiliser. Due to frequent watering, container plants require fertiliser on a more consistent basis then plants in the ground do. Use organic fertilisers such as blood meal, bone meal, or fish emulsion, particularly if the soil is going to be added to the garden at the end of the season, as chemical fertilisers harm the wildlife.
Function. When you are creating your small space garden you are actually designing an outdoor room. Keep in mind that this can be colour co-ordinated to appear as an extension of your home. I move my indoor plants outside for the summer (which they love) and design these areas as garden rooms.
Focal point. Create a focal point such as a large pot, tall plant or tree, colour, or a water feature. Perennial vines such as Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) will grow in a large container and come back year after year. Create a sense of mystery by hiding a plant or ornament behind something else to give the pleasure of discovering it.
Colour. In a small space, use three colours such as pinks, blues, and whites; reds, oranges, and yellows; reds, whites, and blues; or reds, whites, and purples that provide continuity rather than too many colours which tend to be distracting. Cool colours make the space appear bigger and brighter while intense colours shrink spaces. A white and green colour theme called a ‘moon garden’ is more formal and particularly at night is spectacular. Many white flowers are fragrant at night as well.
Lighting. I especially like the small Xmas lights hidden in plants and interwoven throughout a trellis with climbing vines. Up lighting with small spotlights can focus attention on a particular area for evening entertaining.
Tags: Balconies, Courtyards, Garden, Gardening, outside, Patios
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Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
Cosy Residential Houses: Outdoors is Yours:-Alfrescos and Balconies.
Alfresco
An Alfresco is a room that is within the main house but is completely open on more than 1 side. This room is a buffer zone between the living room and the outside. In this room, a fireplace can be fitted in so that people can get warmth during cold nights.
An alfresco creates a very cosy place to relax that is outdoor and yet in close proximity to the living room and also protected from the elements of weather.
For outdoor lovers, this is a very cost-effective architectural design inclusion that effectively brings the outdoors into your house while still maintaining privacy.
A good example is the design of a residential house in Kugeria, near Ridgeways, Kiambu below:
Balconies.
These are spaces designed to project or indent from a room that is above ground level. Balconies have a wall that is 1.2 meters high which can also be made of steel grilles.
Balconies offer perfect panoramic views and are designed to capture the best views from a house.
These do not offer a very high privacy level so for the extroverts, this is a must-have feature for your house.
Balconies are a great place to relax as you watch the outdoors. Mot tourist class hotels especially the ones located in scenic places such as along Indian Ocean, Game reserves such as Maasai Mara, this is a must-have feature since due to the position above ground level, and this gives a very good view point that is desirable to relax.
Human Conditioning.
Human beings are at some point conditioned like wild animals in their best positions to relax after a hard days work. After a good kill, most canines will climb atop the nearest tree in solitude and rest. From this high point, they are sure to be safe from any attacks and can also survey their surroundings to keep abreast with the latest developments. The same way, humans feel secure and are also able to monitor their surroundings when perched above ground level. This subconscious attraction to high view points is what makes balconies a very desirable feature.
In the early days, castles were positioned at the highest pint due to the same reason.
The direct opposite of these spaces is the basements which are designed for very different reasons altogether. .
Recreational Facilities.
A good example of this is the design of Nomad Hotel in Kitengela by Frank Gichuhi.
The first floor lounge area has a long balcony on all three sides. The balcony has been designed to give customers the desired scenic views and sub-consciously attracts more people due to the high quality of space. On any given day, there will be more people on the first floor than the ground floor. These people will almost certainly be sitting along the balcony. This design feature has resulted in the Nomad Hotel, Kitengela attracting very many customers resulting in good profits.
The same concept also works for residential houses.
Frank Gichuhi.
www.a4architect.com
+254 721 410684
Tags: Balconies, Cosy, Houses, Outdoors, Residential, YoursAlfrescos
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Thursday, January 8th, 2009
It does not matter if you live in the country or city; you can find somewhere to grow a container garden, even if it is just a small one. If you do live in the city, instead of using your balcony to store bikes or your barbeque, create a gorgeous, relaxing outdoor retreat by using container gardening and following a few tips. Choose containers that are colorful but won’t detract from the plants you plan to use. Use pots that are different in shapes and sizes. Select your plants carefully so that they compliment each other and fit well in the spot designated for your container garden.
For gardening on balconies that are very long or narrow, use shrubs, different height trees and plants at the ends and corners, to add interest and round out the hard lines. Create points of interest by grouping bright colors and interesting shapes together. More tips for container gardening are to keep repeating a plant grouping or plant throughout your balcony area and use colorful flowers for accents only. Show off your large plants, shrubs and trees, by using interesting shapes and bright, beautiful colors. For gardening on your balcony, consider how your garden looks from inside your house. Buy trees and shrubs that not only bloom in the spring but also display wonderful fall colors. In climates that are cold, move your container garden indoors or line containers with builders foam and set your plants in them.
Here are some more good tips for gardening on balconies. For height, hibiscus blooms the entire summer and grows up to three or four feet tall. Dwarf Alberta white spruce have beautiful gray-green dense needles that add interest and are very soft. At maturity, they reach heights of up to eight feet. Ornamental sweet potatoes are a light colored vine that grow over the pot edge and look wonderful with darker plants. Use ornamental grasses in the background for a graceful, interesting look.
Once you have all your new plants arranged on your balcony, follow the maintenance tips on the label of the plant, to keep them healthy and beautiful. Container gardening is the same as traditional plant and flower gardening, as they require water, soil and sun. Purchase a hose that attaches to your kitchen sink because this makes watering your balcony plants far easier than carting pails of water outside. Plants in containers dry out far quicker than plants do outdoors, in the ground. Check each plant daily to see if it requires watering. Use fertilizer monthly or check the label to see the recommendations and follow them. Weeding is usually not a problem with balcony gardens. The last two tips for gardening on your balcony are to remove any dead or yellowing growth and sit back, relax and enjoy your garden.
Container gardening on your balcony will bring you lots of satisfaction and enjoyment. Once you get the hang of it why not plant some herbs too. They will add yet another hobby, gourmet cooking! You can also use herbs for medicinal and beauty recipes. There is no end to what you can do with a container garden. Use your imagination and have fun.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
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Tags: Balconies, Container, Gardening
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Sunday, January 4th, 2009
The name Juliet Balcony comes from the famous scene in Romeo and Juliet, where Juliet stands looking out of her balcony talking about love. However, unlike the more traditional holiday-style balconies, Juliet balconies aren’t intended for patio sets and entertaining guests. Instead they are an extension of an interior room that is designed to add an outdoor feel to an indoor space.
A Juliet balcony is essentially a false balcony attached to the side of a house so that it surrounds French or double doors. Juliet balconies are often still made to fit the traditional model from the Shakespeare play: a short, narrow rectangle surrounded by stone balustrade that is supported by plinths and opens almost immediately into the adjoining room through glass doors. They are becoming increasingly popular, as more and more people convert existing windows to allow for increased light and ventilation. Obviously the doors have to open inwards to make the most of a feature like this. By changing windows to double doors or French doors, the balcony fixes to the external masonry to prevent anyone from falling out. Juliet balconies are more than just a safety feature however, with many homeowners installing them as nothing more than an external design feature.
The vast majority of Juliet balconies are made from iron due to its strength and sturdiness, and because it is easy to shape. Attaching a large iron feature to the side of your property can have pitfalls though – the sheer weight of iron Juliet balconies can lead them to pull away from masonery which can lead to costly repairs. This has lead some manufacturers to look to new materials with similar strength qualities to iron but with less weight. Aluminium has been adopted as a realistic alternative however it is much less easy to shape than iron so aluminium Juliette balconies tend to be a lot more functional with less ornate design than many of the iron alternatives.
In more recent years some manufacturers have been pushing the boundaries of Juliet balcony designs a little more, incorporating glass and other materials in modern designs. This new generation of Juliet balconies is obviously more befitting of modern architecture, with older homes and buildings preferring the more traditional iron versions.
Due to the Juliet balcony’s European influence and romantic heritage, these small exterior areas are becoming very popular very among buyers, particularly those living in cities where exterior space is at a premium. They can therefore add significant value to your property if used and displayed correctly. By installing railing planters, balcony boxes, or hanging baskets, a Juliet balcony space can quickly become a high-rise garden. This is not only practical for city dwellers, but by adding plant life right outside a room, a relaxed, natural mood is instantly created, by brining the outside inside. You could possibly even wind vines between the balustrades, partially enclose the space with a shaded trellis for more privacy, or seal the area with glass windows to form an impromptu greenhouse.
Tags: Balconies, Juliet
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