English gardens are truly a work of art with a long history. The prize of royalty and estate holders, their manicured garden estates had styles with elaborate walls and sculptures, even mazes. Today, English gardens grow on a smaller scale as backyard gardens full of vivid flowers and lush greens. … Read more
Permaculture is the idea that if you take the time to study the relationships between different natural systems you can design a way to use their ecosystem sustainably each year to produce a yield. Overtime, you will improve the functionality of each system or natural resource and have them cooperating … Read more
Piles of leaves are either a chore to clean up or a pleasure to jump into, depending who you are. Each fall, leaves throughout the world turn bright orange, red and yellows displaying the best of fall colors before losing their leaves and scattering the ground with a natural multch. … Read more
Garlic has long been used for its medicinal qualities as well as for its pungent taste and distinct flavor. Long known as a “poor man’s medicine” this hearty plant was available for the masses during the Roman empire and was the used to help improve the immune system and ward … Read more
Green roofs are also known as living roofs – these two names may give you an idea of what they involve. In essence green roofs are gardens grown on a roof that can take a diversity of forms and functions. The benefits of green roofs are many; they can help … Read more
Multiple Benefits of Neem Plant Neem is a useful plant. It’s an evergreen tree endemic to the Indian subcontinent and distributed throughout tropical ecosystems. Neem oil, the most notable derivative of the plant, is made from pressing the fruits and seeds of the plant. Neem oil has been used in … Read more
Raised beds and “no-dig” vegetable gardens are increasingly advocated as one of the best ways to produce an organic vegetable garden in a small space. Container gardening is also another method handy to pursue, especially for urban dwellers who don’t want to commit to an established garden space. When pursuing … Read more
Seed saving is a sustainable practice and an aspect of the permaculture movement. Some plant varieties are easy to save the seeds and replant next season but other plants are rather difficult and improperly selecting and saving seeds may result in diseased plants or lack of germination altogether. Anyone can … Read more
Pickling is a wide-ranging and widely-practiced form of food preservation. When we pickle whole foods, such as produce like cucumbers, or other garden vegetables, or fish, or meats (like pork), we take the bounty of summer months and save it, extending the availability of those perishable goods into the seasons … Read more
Hydroponics is defined as “the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil”. Vertical hydroponics is simply put the vertical distribution of water. It takes up wall space instead of floor space and works much like normal hydroponics. Many people opt for this … Read more
If you use herbs, either medicinally, or as food, or both, but either don’t have the available space or climate to do so outdoors, growing herbs indoors may be right for you. Indoor gardening allows you to tightly control your growing environment to a degree where you could coax even … Read more
Herbs can be used for a variety of purposes: as culinary flavoring, adding spice and depth to meals, or as medicine to treat or prevent common ailments. Having a home medicine chest of medicinal plants is extremely useful and growing ones own herbs and preserving them for later use past … Read more
You’ve heard the adage that “food is medicine”. This alludes to ancient holistic health practices, like the Indian Ayurveda, which prescribed different diets for different types of people, with a goal of maintaining an optimal energetic balance for the practitioner. Food can also be understood as preventative medicine, the idea … Read more