Walking
Down the Garden Path
To the ordinary person, a garden is seen as a piece of ground for growing
flowers, fruits or vegetables, or as a place of recreation. But to an avid
gardener, the garden is full of potential, mystery and individuality.
Besides the conventional garden of roses and flowering plants, other categories
of gardening have sprouted forth to cater to the differing needs and tastes
of the modern era.
The garden styles chosen and types of plants grown reflect on
the person doing the choosing and growing. Below and experience some of
the unique qualities and personalities of various types of gardens inhabiting
the lives of people around us.
The Water Garden
Water gardens are exotic looking and its serene beauty provides opportunities
for all kinds of reflections. Not many people would be able to resist the
soothing atmosphere of a pond, rippling in the sunlight and filled with
different types of watery inhabitants.
Pond gardening is not difficult and is considered an easy start for rank
beginners in the gardening world.
Just follow and remember four simple rules for pond gardening:
.Ponds need aquatic plants, fish and water snails for ecological balance.
.Grow aquatic plants in their own pots using the usual heavy clay garden
soil (forget fast draining soil mixes).
.Keep 75% of the water surface covered with vegetation.
.If the above three rules are followed, the pond water should never need
to be changed.
The Hydroponic Garden
No-soil gardening is used to describe the Hydroponic Garden. The concept
of hydroponics came from a group of scientists who managed to isolate and
study the six ingredients needed for plant growth -temperature, light, water,
oxygen, carbon ioxide and mineral nutrients.
They found that with the right combinations of these ingredients,
without the benefit of soil, the plants grew and at a healthy rate too.
As hydroponics gain in popularity with gardeners, its other advantages were
realized, for example, there is no heavy soil
to dig, no weeds to pull and no soil pests or diseases to worry
about or overcome. The basic principle of hydroponic gardening is growing
plants in a sterile medium (instead of soil) and a small pump cycles a nutrient
solution over the roots.
The two basic systems listed below have been proven to be practical for
home gardeners:
.Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Gardens - This system is easy to build at
home and are well suited for a variety of vegetables and herbs.
.Ebb-and-Flow Gardens - This garden is best for growing anything potted,
such as houseplants.
The Container Garden
The Container Garden is the perfect answer for condominium
or apartment owners who do not own any plot of soil or have a
backyard to start a garden. Some of the most spectacular gardens could be
found on the rooftops, patios or balconies of the world’s largest cities.
Gardening in small spaces means having to plant in containers and having
to choose what plants to grow carefully.
Plants could grow up on trellises or hang out from something overhead. The
containers used are limitless and up to the imagination and creativity of
the gardener. The only requirement for the container is to have drainage
holes at the
bottom. For hangers, wire baskets lined with moss and filled with a growing
medium is best as they allow the plants to grow all over the basket surface
including the bottom. |
|
|
