Landscaping fabrics are by no means an answer to a no maintenance landscape. I know a lot of folks are under the impression that they can simply buy it, place it, cover it, and forget it. Forever.

First. There is no such thing as a no maintenance landscape. In many instances landscape fabric can make your life a lot easier. However, there is an upside and a downside to using it. And as with most everything else, proper installation and maintenance is required if you intend to use it.

Also, keep in mind that I’m referring to professional quality grade materials and not the flimsy products sold in do it yourself and home centers. If you’re going to use that, you might as well use newspapers or cardboard boxes under your groundcover.

Landscape fabrics have their applications. They aren’t necessary in all applications but might be preferred in regards to the type of groundcover you use.

Our company uses weed barrier in 95% of the designs we create. It’s the nature of our business as we use decorative rock as the preferred groundcover around here. When using rock for groundcover and path work, it’s necessary to have a separator between the soil and groundcover. Otherwise, you’ll have mud rocks by the first rain storm.

In theory you should be able to use almost anything as a separator. I’ve seen do it yourselfers use anything from plastics to newspapers and cardboard boxes to old carpet remnants. Of course, as a professional, I can’t use or even suggest something like this to my clients. You’re on your own there.

Now personally, on any given project, I would much rather do away with fabrics altogether. I prefer to create living soil planting areas that are mulched and tended rather than being covered and forgotten. However, some areas are simply too large to apply this method and some folks just outright prefer to cover an area with decorative rock.

Both mulched living beds and rock beds underlain with fabric will require some work to keep them beautiful. Neither is maintenance free. As long as there is wind, rain dirt, and blown in seed, there will be something for you to do in your yard.

When we create a design using landscaping fabric and rock, I make the client aware of a few things. 1) There will be blown in seed and dirt. 2) Something will have to be done about it to keep it from accumulating. I assure them that with the quality of fabric we use, nothing will grow in from the bottom. However, we have no control of what blows in on the top.

Spraying the unwanted weeds with herbicide will take care of the weed problem. However, this does nothing for the dirt, leaf, and plant particles that are hiding under your rocks. And if you allow these to accumulate, they’ll continue to accumulate and you will never get rid of them. So periodic maintenance is required even if you do use landscaping fabric.

Periodically using a blower on your bedding areas will slow down the accumulation of dirt and in some cases eliminate it altogether. How easy and thorough this is depends a lot on the type and size of rock you use.

Small pea gravel accumulates and holds onto dirt, and is harder to clean than rock of a 1 ½" + nature. Not only does it hold onto dirt but has a tendency to be blown all around when being cleaned with a blower. Pea gravel works well for paths, walkways, and smaller areas but I don’t recommend it for covering larger areas.

As far as using landscape fabric under bark and mulch covered beds? In many cases this can actually be easier to take care of than living beds or rock covered areas as it can easily be picked up and replaced every few years. This will keep your landscape always looking new without having to blow dirt or mulch beds.

Remember. There’s no such thing as a no maintenance landscape. Landscape fabrics can make things easier in many applications but like everything else, they require a little bit of keeping up. No, they aren’t necessary in all landscaping applications. However, I believe you’ll find them to be your best choice for many groundcover types and uses.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site.com which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. To discover more about choosing and using landscaping fabrics and weed barrier, visit his site at: http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/landscapefabric.html

This article is geared towards the beginner water gardener, who is comtemplating the installation of his/her first garden pond. The key to a successful do-it-yourself project is to gather as much relevant information that you can. To follow are some preliminary considerations and design tips that must be taken into account, before embarking on a water gardening project.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS

1. Location

Install it as close as the house as possible to maximize enjoyment. For safety reasons, make sure that there are no underground utilities where you will be excavating. Check with your local utility company before you begin digging.

Be sure to consider the slope of the land and the location of the pond in order to avoid rainwater runoff. If the pond is located in a low-lying area, lawn fertilizers and other chemicals can wash into the pond and harm the fish and plants.

To grow healthy aquatic plants, you will require adequate sun exposure. Most aquatic plants require four to six hours of sunlight per day to ensure healthy growth.

2. Size

Make your pond as large as possible, to give you flexibility when you later fill up the pond with fish and plants.

3. Purpose

Do you want to focus on growing water lilies? If so, locate the pond in full sun. Do you want to raise pond fish? If so, shady areas would be preferred.

4. Edging

You can edge your pond with stones, boulders, plants, beaches, and docks. Plan ahead how you would like to edge your pond.

5. Style

Natural style ponds are built to create the illusion of a mountain stream with waterfalls. Larger boulders and flat stones can be used in combination to create the look of a naturally formed stream. The sound of falling water can be fine-tuned through the careful arrangement and placement of stone.

Urban ponds are typically smaller in area, and are designed to fit well in smaller backyards.

Koi ponds must be able to accomodate fish that can grow to about 2.5 feet in length. Many koi ponds have no plants because koi have a tendency to eat certain types of plants. You must plan for an extremely large pond, and provide adequate surface area for the absorption of oxygen into the water. Ponds for koi must be at least 3 feet deep to provide room for mobility. They also require filtration to keep the water clean.

DESIGN

Next, you must make a decision on the type of pond that you want.

Pre-formed ponds come in a variety of shapes, usually with plant shelves built in. They are ideal for first-time pond builders because they are extremely durable, and less susceptible to tears and punctures. Furthermore, their sturdy pond lips ease the task of leveling during installation. Preformed ponds are easy to install and clean, but require more skill to fit the hole in the ground with the shape of the pond. When properly supported, preformed ponds are ideal for above-ground, indoor, and patio setups.

Flexible liners are ideal for the more experienced water gardeners. They allow for easy and very forgiving installations, which consequently promotes greater creativity. Because you can create various shapes with liners, it is possible to construct larger, and deeper configurations (when compared to preformed ponds).

Concrete installations usually require a professional installation. Concrete is a medium that tends to crack as the ground freezes and thaws.

Use a garden hose to lay out your garden pond shape on the ground. This will allow you to experiment with the size and shape of your pond. Once you have a plan for your water garden, it is important to get your design on paper. The design drawing is paramount because it will help you to make an accurate estimate of the material you will need. The diagram also will allow you to plan for the placement of all the accessories. Be sure to take into consideration the space that rocks and aquatic plants will take in the final design. The pond may appear much smaller visually after all the ponds and rocks are added. At this point, you should also plan for the amount of plant material that you may need to landscape the pond.

Finally, it is now time to make a list of materials required. These materials can be purchased from our online store. In our next article, we will provide detailed instructions on how to install both liner and preformed ponds.

This article was reproduced with permission from http://www.gardensupermart.com/tips.asp

To view the complete article (with pictures), please go to http://www.gardensupermart.com/tips/intro.asp

Removing snow from your roof is not the same as the removing snow from your garden. Where there is a possibility of snow, the roofs are made inclined and this is a major reason why the mechanical tools cannot be used by the house-owner. Either he has to use manual tools or he has to call for an expert in roof raking. Fortunately, the gravity works for the house-owner and if the snowfall is not continuous and long lasting, the nature itself would melt the snow and a minor effort on part of house-owner will ensure that no ice collects on the roof.

Roof Rakes Are Made Of Aluminum Or Hard Plastic

For roof raking aluminum ladder and roof rakes are required. The roof rakes are attached at the end of a tube. They are made of aluminum or hard plastic. Aluminum is preferred over plastic as they are not as tough as the aluminum ones. Aluminum ladder is necessary, as roof is slippery, inclined and thus not safe for access. Whatever portions can be reached with the help of the tube extensions, are cleared of collected snow and the other portions left out in as is condition. Chemical deicers if available in market can be used.

Safety In Roof Raking

Do not do the following when clearing the snow from roof
1. Never ever, climb on the roof to clear the snow. All the ingredients for an accident are present the roof. A slippery surface and slope are sufficient for hurtling you downwards.
2. Do not work on the snow by mechanical means, that means no pounding or chopping
3. Aluminum ladder should have a firm footing, and it should be anchored firmly. It should not topple down.

Roof Raking Alternatives

To reduce the manual effort required in roof raking and removing snow from roof, roof and gutter de-icing cable can be installed on the roof. This has to be installed on the roof in a zigzag pattern and parallel to the gutter. A controller situated in your house will ensure that the temperature of the area under the cable does not get hot.

Andrew Caxton is the webmaster and succesful author of many articles published at http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . A guide on lawn mowers and garden tractors and how to choose the right type for your garden; including snow removal tools for the winter season, such as snow blowers(throwers), shovels, salt spreaders or roof rakes http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com/snow-removal-equipment/roof-rake.html amongst other garden equipment for gardening and lawn care.

Now’s the time to get ready to grow your own seedlings! It’s not really difficult, and can extend your growing season by many weeks. For example, by planting brassica’s (cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower) in February in your basement under grow-lights, you can put large, sturdy transplants into your garden by the end of March or early April, and be eating them when others are just seeing them come up! However, remembering that photosynthesis, using light, heat and moisture causes plant growth, you must follow a few key natural principles very carefully, or you will be disappointed.

First, seeds must have moisture to germinate and grow. And the soil mix must be moist, but not soggy, or you’ll drown the new plant, since it must also have oxygen!

Second, while heat is essential, temperatures must be maintained in a narrow range for ideal germination to occur. Most vegetable seeds germinate quickly between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. After plants are up, many of them will grow in cooler temperatures, but most all will become dormant (stop growing) at temperatures below 50 degrees.

Third, light is not necessary for seed germination, but as soon as your seedlings begin to emerge from the soil, maximum light is required immediately for proper development. Therefore, to grow in your house, make sure your plants have a strong (but not hot!) light source directly on the plants, for up to 16 hours per day. Pictures of two grow-light shelves can be seen in the Photos section of the free gardening group at MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com. The metal one is 6-shelf Commercial Chrome Shelving, from Sam’s Club costing only $70, and will hold 20 flats of plants. Suspend shop lights with 2 cool and 2 warm 40-watt tubes 2 to 4" above the plants.

The fourth principle relates to feeding. A balanced nutrient mix of 13 minerals is essential to plants immediately after germination. Those nutrients are mineral salts and must be very dilute in the soil moisture, otherwise osmosis will cause the salt to draw the life-giving moisture out of the plants, and they will die. To ensure you never burn your plants, water seedlings daily using the "Constant Feed Solution" of one ounce (2 level tablespoons) of Weekly Feed dissolved in 3 gallons of water. For the free Weekly Feed formula, go to the Gardening Techniques section at www.foodforeveryone.org, and look on the Fertilizer page.

Next, it is important to separate your small plants before their leaves begin to overlap with others’, or the tiny stems will become very weak and spindly as the plants all stretch - looking for more light. By the time the plants have their first or second true leaf, this step should be completed. Failure to wait even a few hours can result in spindly, weak plants, which never recover. Transplanting seedlings into 2" 6-paks or pots will provide adequate space for them to grow an additional 2-3 weeks, depending on variety. If it’s still too early to put them out into the garden by the time plant leaves are again beginning to overlap, prune the leaves, transplant again into larger pots, or separate pots, so the plant leaves always have maximum light.

Before transplanting into the garden, "harden-off" your plants outside, off the ground for 2 to 3 days, to acclimate them to direct sunlight, temperature, wind, etc. This is important so the plant doesn’t have the shock of a new environment added to the shock to its root system caused by transplanting. If the weather turns cold at night, bring the plants back in the house. The temperature adjustment needs to be gradual.

For many of your plants, the pruning process does double duty. In addition to assuring maximum light, it shocks the plant mildly, causing it to pause in its growth and produce a thicker, sturdier stem. This process makes the plant much better able to endure the vicissitudes of the outside environment, such as cutworms, ants, etc. that often quickly decimate plants with weak, spindly stems.

For tall-growing plants, like tomatoes, by the time they are 12" tall, provide small stakes tied to the plant stem to prevent them from falling over. And with tomatoes, begin immediately to remove all sucker stems as soon as they appear, to assure a single, strong stem and maximum production from your plant.

Jim Kennard, President Food For Everyone Foundation "Teaching the world to grow food one family at a time." www.foodforeveryone.org,

Jim Kennard is the President of Food For Everyone Foundation. He teaches gardening classes and trains people throughout the world in family-based food production.

The Foundation provides free materials on its website including a gardening ebook, greenhouse plans, automated watering plans, garden calendar, and a valuable free chapter from every one of the world-renowned Dr. Jacob Mittleider’s vegetable gardening books. All of Dr. Mittleider’s gardening books, software, and CD’s are also available to purchase. And you can share knowledge with others and be taught personally by Jim Kennard in the free MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com.

Visit the website at http://www.foodforeveryone.org

Anyone can grow beautiful African Violets if they provide the simple conditions required for healthy growth.

Natural Light:

Adequate light is the most important factor in promoting flowering. Place plants near any window that has bright, but filtered, light. An east window is best because it gets morning sun. A thin curtain will be necessary if placing plants in a south or west window. In order to develop a nice symetrical form, plants must be turned 1/4 turn every week.

Fluorescent Light:

If adequate natural light is not available, plants can be grown under fluorescent lights. Use double tube fixtures with one cool white bulb and one broad spectrum bulb. Lights should be 8 to 10 inches above the top of the plants and turned on for 12 to 14 hours a day. If plants have tight centers or seem to be bleaching out, reduce the number of hours to 8-10 a day.

When to Water:

More violets die from overwatering than from any other single cause. Violet soil should be kept evenly moist and never allowed to become soggy. Water only when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Always use tepid water.

How to Water:

You can water from the top, bottom, use wicks or use self watering planters. However, about once a month, plants should be watered from the top to flush out accumulated fertilizer salts. Never allow plants to stand in water (unless wicked or Oyama Planters are used). If water gets on the leaves, dry with a paper towel to prevent leaf spotting.

Soil:

A potting medium suitable for African Violets should be sterilized, and light and airy to allow root penetration. Soilless mixes are ideal - they contain sphagnum peat, vermiculite and perlite.

Atmosphere:

Temperature and humidity are important factors. Most violets can tolerate temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees. Ideal temperatures are 72-75 degrees day-time and 65 degrees night-time. The preferred humidity range is 40% to 60%. A humidifier or bowls of water placed near plants can be used to increase you home’s humidity during heating season.

Feeding:

Lack of regular feeding is one of the reasons an african violet will not bloom. The best way to feed is to use a dilute fertilizer solution every time you water. Use 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. fertilizer to one gallon of water. A balanced fertilizer should be used such as 20-20-20 or 12-36-14. Find a fertilizer with a low nitrogen urea content as urea burns the roots. Some brands are Peters, Optimara, Miracle Grow, Schultz.

Sharon Rosenzweig has been growing African Violets for more than 30 years. She is a Board Member of the Baystate African Violets Society (BSAVS) in Massachusetts. She is the owner of The Planter Depot which specializes in Oyama Self Watering African Violet Planters and other growing supplies. The online store of The Planter Depot can be found at http://www.avplanters.com

Dendrobiums

This month I am focusing our attention to the care of Dendrobiums. These are one of the most popular of retail orchid plants. They are a true epiphyte or air plant. There pseudopods can gather and hold water very efficiently. Generally there will be a hybrid phalaenopsis and dendrobium, commonly known as Dtps.

Potting

This needs only to be done every two to three years and it should be with a porous, free draining media. This may be a combination of wood chips, small stone and and pieces of styrofoam peanuts. This will allow the draining of water and fertilizer. Dendrobiums seem to grow best when the pot is smaller than the size of the orchid plant.

Lighting

The dendrobium orchids require about 50% sun or bright light. They will do well in an east or west window as well as a shaded south window.

They also do well under 4 - 40 watt fluorescent lights directly over the plant.

Temperature

These plants need a difference in temperature between the night and day. Preferably this difference should be about 10 - 15 degrees. The night temps they like is 60-65 with days between 80 - 90.

Air circulation is needed and is especially when the temps are above 90 degrees.

Water

Like most orchids Dendrobiums need to be kept moist while actively growing. When it is mature, as are most of orchids-plus-more.com plants they should dry between watering.

Dendrobiums thrive when the humidity is about 50 - 60%. Humidity trays are usually needed while the plant is in the home.

Fertilizer

Use a balance fertilizer like Jack’s Classic 20-20-20. Use weakly, weekly. That is, use a solution which is between 1/4 to 1/2 the recommended dosage.

Visit our Orchid Store: http://www.orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com

Comments or questions: http://www.orchids-plus-more.com/orchid-contact.html

This site is devoted to these wonderful orchid plants. Did you know they are the second in popularity only to the poinsietta plants? You will find a good deal of information on how easy orchid care really is. They are wonderful to have around your home or for that special gift. Orchid flowers are beautiful and can last for months. Your plant will be appreciated for years and years.

http://www.orchids-plus-more.com

Bulbs are a great addition to any garden as they will provide color year after year and can even provide additional flowers to be divided and planted in another part of the garden. Unlike, annuals, bulb flowers do not need to be planted each year.

Bulbs are hardy in nature and there is a color, shape or size that should suit any gardening need. Here’s some favorite garden bulbs and their planting needs.

Crocus

Crocus bulbs are often the fist blooms we see in early spring or at the end of winter. Their tubular shaped flowers range in size from 1½” to 3” long. Crocuses are planting in almost every garden and have a wide range of colors to suite any taste. Other types of crocus, such as the saffron crocus, bloom instead in the fall, and the flowers can rise from the bare ground weeks, or even only days, after the bulbs are planted. Crocus bulbs should be planted in the fall. Plant the bulbs 2 to 3 inches deep and space 3 or 4 inches apart. Crocuses require well drained soil, regular watering and will grow in full sun or partial shade.

Dahlia

Dahlias have a long bloom time from summer through fall and like many other bulbs come in a large variety of colors, sizes and shapes. These flowers are so diverse that there are varieties with flower sizes ranging from 2 to 12 inches and from under a foot to 7 feet tall! Plant dahlias in spring after threat of frost has passed. Plant between 4 and 6 inches deep with spacing of 1 foot for short varieties and 5 feet for the tall variety’s. Dahlias like full sun unless you are planting them in a very hot climate where they might do well with a little shade. As with most flowers, make sure these are watered regularly.

Galanthus Nivalis

This plant is more commonly called the snowdrop and is one of the first plants to bloom after winter. They are short plants about 6 inches tall and have two bell shaped flowers. They thrive in colder climates. Plant snowdrops in fall, dig down 3 to 4 inches and plant 3 inches apart. These flowers like full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Water regularly during the growing cycle.

Daffodil

The daffodil may be the most easily recognizable of all bulb plants, and it rewards its gardener with a generous display of beautiful blooms. Besides the traditional white and yellow varieties, daffodils also come in shades of orange, apricot, pink and cream. Daffodil bulbs should be planted twice as deep as they are tall, and they should be spaced between six and eight inches apart. Daffodils benefit from full sun and regular watering during their growth and bloom periods.

Tulip

Tulips are a favorite flower around the world and one of the most easy to recognize. These are among the most hybridized of all flowers, with hybrids available in a staggering array of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Tulips bloom from mid spring to late spring with different varieties having different bloom times. Tulips should be planted in fall and each bulb should be planted about 3 times deeper than the size of the bulb.A 2” wide bulb would be planted 6” deep. It is important to leave sufficient space between the planted bulbs as well, from four to eight inches depending on the size of the bulb.

Gladiolus

Gladiolas are among the most popular of all bulb plants, and their distinctive sword shaped leaves and funnel shaped flowers are instantly recognizable to gardeners and non gardeners alike. Gladiolas are best planted in the spring, but only after the soil has warmed. Gladiolas do best in full sunlight and they should be watered regularly during their blooming and growth phase. In much of the country, gladiola bulbs can be left in the ground over the winter months, but many gardeners choose to dig them up and store them during the winter. If you decide to take this approach, it is best to dig them after the leaves have turned yellow. The bulbs should be placed in a single layer and stored in a cool, dry and dark place to dry for two or three weeks. After the bulbs have dried sufficiently they should be stored in nylon stockings or onion sacks and kept in a cool and well ventilated place.

Hemerocallis

Hemerocallis is the scientific name for the daylily, and it is one of the most well known types of bulb plants on the market. Daylily hybrids can grow as tall as six feet and bloom in the spring and summer months. The daylily produces flowers ranging in size from three to eight inches, and they are available in a wide variety of colors. The daylily is actually a tuberous root variety of bulb, and they are best planted during fall or early spring. Daylilies should be planted between ½ inch and 1 inch deep and space between 2 to 2½ inches apart in the garden. As with other varieties of bulbs, it is important to water daylilies on a regular basis during their growing season.

Hyacinths (Dutch Hyacinth)

The Dutch hyacinth is one of the most instantly recognizable, and most popular, of all the varieties of bulb plants. The Dutch hyacinth blooms in the spring and features the well known foot high spires with their small bell shaped and very fragrant flowers. Hyacinths come in a wide varieties of colors, including red, pink, buff, white, blue and purple. The Dutch hyacinth grows best in colder areas, and it can last from year to year. In these cold water climates, the hyacinth is best planted in September of October. It is best to plant hyacinth bulbs four to five inches deep, and to space them from four to five inches apart as well. Hyacinths grow best in full sunlight, and they benefit from regular watering, especially during their blooming and growth periods.

Iris

The most frequently seen variety of irises are the bearded varieties. Bearded irises are striking plants, and they appear in a dazzling array of colors and combinations of colors. Irises appear in a variety of sizes as well, with very small varieties and very large ones as well. Irises should be planted in July or August in cold climates and in September or October in warmer areas. Irises are actually rhizomes, and they should be spaced from one to two feet apart, with the tops placed right below the surface of the soil. Irises grow best in full sunlight or light shade, and they benefit from a regular watering schedule during their growing season.

Lee Dobbins writes for Backyard Garden and Patio where you can find more articles on gardening, garden ponds, garden decor, and much more.

Yellow roses are beauties, aren’t they? Don’t they look beautiful on a sunny morning? Yellow roses say spring just their look and color. The yellow rose, while somewhat rare in its natural habitat, is becoming a popular item in the floral shop. Yellow roses might be what you are looking for, and if so, there are several ways to find the perfect yellow rose for your home or garden.

Yellow roses are one of a number of different colored roses that are available in garden centers and even discount department stores. But, there are so many varieties to choose from that you shouldn’t limit yourself to whatever those places have on hand. Check out your local garden center for an idea of what they offer, but then explore the yellow rose varieties online as well. It is not a difficult task to find rose distributors who are able to supply yellow roses to the average customer. And, in doing so, you allow yourself to have many choices at your fingertips!

To find a distributor of yellow roses, simply use any major search engine like Yahoo or Google and type that phrase in. Hit go and you’ve got at your fingertips a wide selection of choices. Begin your search by comparing color, size, hardiness, and even price. Once you know what you want, try a couple of different places to find just the right characteristics and features available. With the Internet as a tool, it is easy to see how you can accomplish this in just a few minutes.

Remember to take into consideration the type of soil you will use, the surrounding area where you will plant the yellow rose, the amount of sun it will receive, and the temperatures it can tolerate. With all that said, finding gorgeous yellow roses isn’t too bad of a task at all.

Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening
Online Discount Shopping Guide

When I was a teenager we walked the banks of Utah’s Jordan River and counted the birds for the Audubon Society during the Christmas Bird Count. Right after WW II, we recorded our maximum count. We saw 139 species of birds and many thousands of individuals.

Then construction of new housing moved in.

In just a few years the Christmas count for that area dropped from 139 species to 13 species. The river had considerable hunting pressure, but the majority of birds were not affected. Those species that were affected had habitat in which to hide when the bullets were flying.

Not all birds can maintain population in the face of hunting. That’s why we now have laws outlawing the killing of birds. Hawks are particularly susceptible to hunting pressure. They are out in the open and can be killed by rifle fire from a great distance.

Many bird speicies along the river could tolerate hunting pressure. What they could not survive was the loss of habitat. Those species that could not find new habitat disappeared.

The sad thing was this: The habitat could have been preserved if someone had thought about it. Just how difficult is it to maintain habitat along the banks of a river? Do builders have to buy every inch of ground, remove all the foliage, and drive birds and other critters away?

You would think that maintaining the habitat, with walking paths for the new families moving in, would be something to be desired. There could be an economic advantage.

To learn more on the loss of habitat for birds and other wildlife go to: http://training.fws.gov/library/Pubs/mbd_habitat_loss.pdf. The last 50 years have been devastating. Any bird watcher (birder) who was alive at the end of WW II can show you by his annual bird list, or will tell you, that birds are rapidly disappearing.

Here are some ideas to preserve our birds and wildlife:

1. Teach your children to never trap or kill birds and other wildlife.

2. Take them bird watching. Teach them the value of birds.

3. Visit local and even more distant wildlife preservation areas. See a refuge map at: http://www.refugenet.org/new-general-info/map.html. If you buy a Duck Stamp, you will save money on entrance fees.

4. Buy your children binoculars, telescopes, telescope cameras, magnifying glasses, bird books, and other items to create interest in wildlife.

5. Join a local club such as the National Audubon Society. Take part in the club activities. You will meet some nerdy but delightful friends. (Well, they are not all nerdy, just the best birders.)

6. Watch wildlife features on television. If they conflict with Wheel of Fortune, record them for later viewing.

7. Contribute to wildlife preservation activities.

8. Create a layout of your home and yard. Study ways to make your areas more wildlife friendly. Buy or build a few bird houses. Hang a feeder for song birds. Place feeders for humming birds. Plant bushes and foliage according to what you learn from books and the Internet. Make sure they are suitable to your area by visiting a local garden shop. Learn what you can do to your yard to promote wildlife and bird habitat at: http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/.

9. Enjoy wildlife through photography. Grab a paintbrush and paint a bird on your mailbox. Teach your children to draw and paint birds or buy them a book on how to do it.

10. Have your community place wildlife provisions in building codes. Use local ordinances to protect all beneficial wildlife.

Once you take a personal interest in wildlife and wildlife management, things can only improve where you live. You will be a person that cares and changes things for the better. Life will be more meaningful.

Your children will continue your family tradition I taught my children how to identify birds. One of my sons is very busy in his medical practice but he often calls me when he sees a new bird species and he sends or emails me photos of birds and other wildlife.

Where does he see birds and wildlife? He sees them in his yard, but mainly in a park near his home.

If you create an environment for wildlife, you won’t have to go that far to see it.

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine, Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer."

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success books and kits and business newsletters / TopFlight flagpoles)

Perhaps you were browsing the pages of a catalog and found a beautiful picture of the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus Sriacus)? Or maybe you were lucky enough to see a Rose of Sharon in person at a local garden center?

Are you wondering whether these will make a beautiful addition to your home? Getting a little knowledge of these beautiful plants will allow you to make a decision.

Although once somewhat uncommon, the Rose of Sharon has become a widely loved plant. Not your typical rose bush, these are more like shrubs. Other names for Rose of Sharon include althea and shrub althea. Some can grow up to 10 feet tall, while most maintain a height of 5 feet. Sounds like a tree? It looks like a beautiful shrub with blooms of a variety of colors. The Rose of Sharon makes for a great fence as well. Placed several side by side in a row, they create a natural fence that will enliven any landscape.

The Rose of Sharon is a hardy plant. Many varieties can withstand sub zero temperatures and can grow in moderate soil to poor soil. The blooms, available in several colors, bloom in mid summer and they continue to do so throughout the fall months. This creates a beautiful color display for many months of the year. They tend to need little care besides the normal water, sun, and decent soil. You may want to add nutrients to the soil yearly as well.

Regardless of the work involved, trimming a few branches will be nothing compared to the beauty the Rose of Sharon will give your landscape. Take the time, and stop to smell the Rose of Sharon and you will be taken away.

Ken Austin
Roses and Rose Gardening
Online Discount Shopping Guide