Balcony, Patio, and Courtyard Gardening. How to Turn an Idea into $100,000.
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.
Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace - Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca
Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Do you ever wonder why some people seem to get all the lucky breaks in business while others struggle to barely get by? They seem to be in the right place at the right time.
Fact is, maybe they're not at the right place at the right time; maybe they just know how to make things "happen."
As a business advisor I often see people begin and end a business before they have given it a chance to grow. For some reason, they seem to think that all they have to do is have a product or service to sell and the rest magically takes care of itself.
Nothing could be further from the truth. For any business to succeed there are steps that must be taken.
Success in business is actually quite simple. Not always easy, but it is simple.
As the top rated home-based business in the state of Utah for 2004 I speak from experience. My success is a direct result of the actions I have taken on a daily basis.
My success is also a result of having some great mentors over the years. Mentors who were willing to share time and knowledge in order that I could grow my business.
My choice with the information that was shared was to either use it or not. Fortunately, in many cases I listened and applied what was recommended.
On the other hand, I often had people who served as a warning of what not to do in business. People who struggled day in and day out and yet, were more than willing to tell others how to succeed in business.
To me they are as much of a benefit to the growth of my business as those who serve as a model. I was able to look at them and see what I didn't want. I could also see that in many cases they wanted instant success without the effort.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned from my mentors is to explore ideas I get. Not just explore, but have a plan of action and a systematic approach to implementing the idea. And to trust my instinct. And be willing to take risks. It has been said, "With risk comes reward."
Granted, not all my ideas have been wildly successful. As a matter of fact, some downright "failed." And yet, out of every failure was the seed to another idea that held the possibility of success.
Regardless of the type of business you are in, you can achieve a high level of success. It's a matter of your level of commitment and having a vision of what you want to achieve.
Such was the case with an idea I came up with a little over a year ago. Although I had some of those "warning" folks tell me it could never work, I chose to listen to those who have been successful in idea implementation and explore where the idea could take me. Thank goodness I followed my instinct and implemented the idea. That one idea has made me over $100,000.
The really amazing thing is that out of that one idea have come others. An offshoot idea is a FR*EE report in which I outline step-by-step what the idea was and how it generated the revenues.
If you would like to get your own copy of my report entitled, "Learn How One Salt Lake City Based Business Consultant Made Over 100k from One Idea" go to www.kathleengage.com to receive it. If learning how a home based business owner did this is not important then don't. Either way, the choice is yours.
And isn't that what life is about, choice?
Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote speaker and trainer who helps others gain dominance and visibility within their market. She is the recipient of the 2004 Giant Step Award for Business of the Year in the State of Utah. Visit http://www.kathleengage.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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