Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses – A nexus of botanical wealth

Article by Pushpitha Wijesinghe







A horticultural retreat in the midst of the city, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses offers both locals and travellers alike a relaxing nature related destination. With 15 acres of space, the gardens boast a formidable array of plant life including over a 100 trees.

Opened in 1832 by JC Loudon, a leading horticultural journalist, publisher and garden planner, the design of the gardens have changed little since its inception. The primary goal behind the creation of the garden was fostering the study of plant life which tied in with the exploration of the world that was taking place in the 16th century. A more recent goal of the gardens however, is the preservation of plant species threatened by the actions of individuals and corporations.

Botanical displays nevertheless are the primary draw of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses with the vast number of plants being distributed over several gardens and glasshouses. The entire area can be strolled freely providing visitors a large degree of freedom on how they tackle their trip through the gardens. Gardens that can be found here include Rhododendron Garden, Ornamental Gardens, Historic Gardens and many others.

However beyond seeing plants, visitors will also find numerous exotic birds in both the indoor and outdoor gardens including some rare species of waterfowl. Children visiting the gardens can have a good time in the Adventure Playground and the Children’s Discovery Garden. The Bandstand Bands also grace the gardens with performances every Sunday afternoon adding a lively attraction that can be enjoyed by all. For those wishing to remember their visit the Plant Centre and the “Shop at the Gardens” offer a range of gift items in addition to garden items, plants and stationary.

When looking for a Birmingham hotel guests will find choosing one of the many hotels in Birmingham city centre such as Copthorne Hotel Birmingham allows for ease of travel around the city.



About the Author

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

Written on April 11th, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , , , ,
Creating A Backyard Landscape With Gardens Full Of Beautiful Flowers

Article by Ann Marier







Not only do landscaping and gardening add to the beauty of your home, they can become a very fulfilling hobby as well. What could be more satisfying than filling your home with vases full of fresh flowers from your own garden landscape, or feeding your family fruits and vegetables that you have grown yourself? There is something tremendously peaceful about spending a morning in your beautifully landscaped garden, tilling the soil and reaping your harvest. Of course, gardens don’t appear on their own – they require much work to plant and maintain. But with a few tips and hints for creating a beautiful garden landscape, you will be on your way to growing your own amazing plants.

How Do Gardens Fit Into Landscape Design?

Landscape designs should include zones for various outdoor activities. These can include areas for play, entertaining, and (yes, indeed) gardening. Gardening adds to the beauty of landscaping by providing a variety of plants and flowers that will bring color and texture to your yard. But before you haul out the hoe and shovel, you will need to prepare your garden area for seeds. Soil is the most important starting point for a healthy garden landscape. Your garden soil should contain three key ingredients: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Most bagged soil at your garden centers will provide you with the proper balance of these nutrients, but if you are in doubt there are test kits available so you can check your soil content for yourself.

Once your garden has been planted, you will be faced with the dreaded “need to weed” issue. There is actually a simple solution to your weed problem. Pre-emergent herbicides can be safely used in gardens once your seedlings have reached a height of at least three inches. These herbicides can be applied to the garden once current weeds have been removed, and should keep new weeds from cropping up.

Pests are another problem that can appear in your garden landscape, so keep an eye out for any signs of distress on your plants. If you do finds a potential problem, taking a leaf from your infected plant to a local nursery will help you to diagnose and treat any diseases or pest infestations. Taking action at the first sign of a problem will increase your chances of saving the infected plants as well as the rest of your garden.

Gardens can be a beautiful addition to a landscape design. They can also provide many hours of pleasure for a gardening enthusiast. By preparing your landscape properly for garden beds, you can enjoy the additional color and plants that your garden will provide.



About the Author

Ann Merier writes articles about family health,house and garden Topics. Gardening and LandscapingBarbq Ideas Enjoy Your Garden

Written on April 5th, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , , , , ,
Gardens Can Be Maintained In Less Time

Article by Jerry Blackburn







Gardening by yard is very popular these days. More and more people are going out and growing gardens for the first time. In the past people were more afraid of growing plants and vegetables. These days people are more apt to feel confident about going out into their yards and starting a garden. Shows on television like Gardening by the Yard are increasing the popularity of gardening.

Gardening by the Yard is a show that is geared towards the society that is in place these days. Most of us have a ton of things that we have to do on a daily basis. While we would like to enjoy planting and pruning out plants, we simple do not have the time to do that.

We often get caught in the hustle and bustle of the everyday. Gardens begin to get neglected and we only have time to make sure that the bare necessities are done. Every few weeks we manage to make the garden look presentable.

Gardening by the Yard tries to change the way that we view gardening. Paul James, the host is well aware of the busy lives that people lead these days. So within the span of a thirty minute program James works to solve particular issues and shows how we can keep our gardens up no matter how short on time we are.

The show is not really geared towards new gardeners. However, it is aimed towards people that already have a garden and want to make the most of it is as little time as possible. No matter what size or type of garden it is, viewers can use the tips that they get from the show to help keep up their garden.

An example of this is, on a show that aired recently, James went overgrowing herbs. He showed viewers where to grow them and the best ones to plant. The way that Gardening by the Yard is set up in a way that it is able to go over a number of topics within one show. Basic information that is helpful is given and you do not have to spend a lot of time watching television to get it.

Television shows are a good way to learn a few things about gardening. There are plenty of tips that can help busy people maintain and get pleasure out of having a garden. Gardening by the Yard is so popular because it has tuned in to modern society.

If you are not able to watch the show live, record it. This is a get way to stay on top of the gardening tips the show has to offer.



About the Author

The scriptwriter Jerry Blackburn is really passionate about information similar to lauan plywood and luan wood. Working on his publications, the reviewer expressed his experience on questions about luan plywood.

Written on March 11th, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , ,
Low maintenance tips for gardens

Article by Chris Moore







Gardens are always considered to be costly. Many gardeners around the world will restrict themselves from achieving the desired beauty and items in the garden to enhance the look of their houses. This is mostly seen in the houses where people have much work to do apart from looking after their gardens.Garden maintenance therefore has taken a new path for the busy and instant schedules of the current business world. This however has managed to lower the cost of maintenance as well. Garden designs are there to suit a low maintenance in the future. Also the process of choosing plants will decide how much work and labour you will need to maintain the garden in future.

One important factor to be considered is that people who have got lawns in their gardens will have more work to do than their counterparts. This however is not expected. Many people tend to think that flowers, fruits and vegetables will have more maintenance to do than lawns. But the cost factor for labour and ingredients tend to be higher in lawns than in other plants.

An automatic irrigation system would be another way of cutting the maintenance cost. This however will require expert knowledge by gardening services. It will reduce the time you will have to spend in the garden and will probably reduce the amount of labour needed if the garden is of large scale.

Making the rocks in your garden in a way that it will assist on water toleration will also help on low maintenance gardening. It will also give a better enhanced beauty to the garden. Having a garden pool however will not help your course towards saving money and time. But by spending a little extra money at the beginning to build a high-tech swimming pool will make sure that you will no longer need to refresh the water regularly.

A garden that has proper technical equipments to confront any seasonal changes will also makes sure to reduce the amount of maintenance you will have to do. An example would be a melting system for a garden in the winter. This will make sure that you won’t have to take off the snow out of the plants every morning to avoid them dying.

Garden designer will also have a role to play in order to make a low maintenance garden to the customer. The landscape and the types of plants to be planted are some of the topics you will need to touch on to.

It would be a smart idea to always dig the soil and remove all the unwanted impurities such as stones and dead plant particles underneath. This will help for a better growth in the plants in the garden. Also make sure to get the correct amount of fertilizers. An extra amount of fertilizers will be wastage. There is a less chance that you can take use of any unused chemicals in the future without harming the plants hence a better analysis of fertilizers will help your course.

With all these little tips at the end of the day you will be able to save a lot of money and time. Make sure to do proper investigation about your land and do a proper designing of the garden to have low maintenance in the future.



About the Author

Chris Moore is a successful author. Visit http://www.depositarticles.com to read more articles from Chris Moore.

Written on March 1st, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , ,
Gardens Serve Beautiful, Functional Outdoor Rooms

Article by CedarStore GazeboCreations







Gardeners nationwide are truly living in their gardens. Gardening is not just your grandmother’s pastime anymore; it’s one of the most popular hobbies sweeping the interests of men and women of all ages. Whether people are trying their hand at backyard organic vegetables or creating beautiful bouquet gardens, the art of gardening is definitely on the rise.

But, gardening is no longer just a chore or a place to work. Gardens have become chic entertaining venues, dining spaces and living areas.

Garden designer Jenny Peterson, of J Peterson Garden Design, has seen this trend grow with every season. “My clients are now seeing their gardens as gathering areas for their families and friends, so we have whole areas dedicated to seating and outdoor furniture,” she said. Peterson has worked on designing gardens to hold everything from meditation areas to entertainment buffets in recent years.

“The things you would normally do inside, they are now doing outside, and want a good space to do it,” Peterson said. And many gardeners are asking themselves if there’s any better space than a garden.

“Gardens are both peaceful and celebratory,” said Cassie Phillips, an avid gardener who enjoys cultivating her garden room along with her plants and flowers. “Nothing puts me more at ease than being surrounded by nature and nothing livens up a party like the growing joy of a blooming lily.”

The versatility of the garden, paired with the eagerness gardeners take to showing off their handiwork creates a flawless platform for living spaces. Whether lazily flipping through a favorite novel on a porch swing, or hosting a garden soiree with champagne and teak patio furniture, a well planted garden can do nothing but enhance your experience.

Recently, more and more people are looking for outdoor furniture for their garden, instead of just their porches and gazebos. People are moving their living spaces to be an integral part of their garden in increasingly interesting ways each season. It’s more than just arranging patio furniture, using arbors and pergolas helps define spaces while letting flowering vines grow vertically to create living walls and spacers.



About the Author

CedarStore.com is the online authority for creating dynamic outdoor spaces that integrate with your existing landscape and lifestyle.

Written on February 9th, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , , , ,
Main Street Home and Gardens owner will speak

Article by Ebet Sanders







A quiet revolution is pulsing through the huge residential areas spread out on the edges of Cape Town. Chuck Hall is a writer that writes for environmental learning. Do you know the difference between compost and mulch? Each one of these is a theme the retailer uses in its stores.

Association will hold its monthly meeting March 12, where Main Street Home and Gardens owner Beth Hardin will speak on basic organic gardening. Its all about the benefits and responsibility of us to try and use organic gardening techniques and less garden chemicals. Here’s a great article on controlling moles in the garden and yard. Organic Vegetable gardening is very different from conventional gardening. If you’re just starting out in organic gardening or growing your crops in a rotation, this plan will help you get it sorted.

Check out these informative videos on Organic gardening. It’s important to provide the proper hydroponics nutrients to your plants to produce the largest, healthiest yield possible. Looking for tips on specific types of vegetables or herbs? A great deal of care and preparation must be undertaken before you get started. What will your garden be like four years from now? ‘s blog tackles vegetable growing, eco-issues and vegan vegetarian cooking amongst other things. Which are the easiest crops to start off with.

Many couples are having their nuptials on untouched terrain, nature reserves, the beach, parks, art gallery,organic farm, non-profit space, organic restaurant, green-roofed building or their own backyards. What do Japanese Zen gardens, Raider’s of the Lost Ark-like temples and the Canadian Rocky Mountains have in common with a natural foods supermarket?

Find out what to use for organic fertilizer and pest control. videos, organic gardening, container gardening, home gardening, indoor gardening, herb gardening, flower gardening, vegetable gardening, gardening tips.

Plans and ideas for an organic garden; a blog-post. A page giving 2 tables for crop rotation over 3 or 4 years. Rodale, which has been promoting organic gardening for more than 60 years, sponsors the annual Organic School Garden Awards as part of its 9. Very useful for the organic gardener or anyone practising rotation of crops. Weblog from tree-changers (homesteaders) about there journey to creating an organic bio-dynamic farming enterprise on the east coast of Australia. I remember the enormous pleasure I had from growing my own vegetables in the garden at Buckingham Palace and from being in the countryside. At Florida-based Ada’s Natural and Organic Foods’ Supermarket they have everything in common. the site is well laid out and easy to navigage. Below is a biography and a link to his website were environmental issues are covered and his articles can be read. A quiet revolution is growing in the townships of Capetown, a revolution based on organic gardening, cooperation and the work of women as organic community gardens flourish in the townships.

A story about one family who made maple syrup in the spring. WWOOF is an acronym for a number of different phrases, the most apt of which in my mind is “World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms”.



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For more information please visit http://gardeningfresh.info/sitemap or http://gardeninggate.info/sitemap or even http://gardeningget.info/sitemap

Written on February 1st, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , , , ,
Garden Benches: Beautify and Heighten Your Abandoned Gardens

Article by Susan Amez







Garden Benches: Beautify and Heighten Your Gardens into Dream Gardens. Gardening is a hobby that turns the collected tenseness from work and even grants you ease and felicity at the conclusion of the chore. It is fresh, Cosy and restful to see the labours of your function and you can just lounge in the sunshine but you wouldn’t revel such opulence without the aid of garden benches.

Garden Benches obtainable on the Net

Garden benches supply you with all the quickness’s you require for your garden. They can cater you with the seats that you require for your garden. The benches can get you the seating you claim for your garden when you tempt guests over for a cup of tea and cupcakes. They also supply your babies something to seat on when they encounter by the garden. Garden benches are also medallions that can grow your garden from little and empty quads into a more new sight.

If you are keeping time, just log-in to the Cyberspaces and you will be able to find several websites that can provide you with the greatest and freshest garden benches. Here are your options of garden benches:

? Butterfly garden bench in blue? Butterfly garden bench in lime green? Butterfly garden bench in red? Garden bench with curved back? Garden bench with circle figure? Garden bench with scalloped back? Garden bench with sunlight face pattern? Grand Tuscany bench from Hanamint? Newport bench from Hanamint? St. Augustine bench from Hanamint? Sunburst garden chair? Tuscany bench from Hanamint? Venice bench from Hanamint? Garden chair with leaf project

Garden Benches from the Hanamint Compendium

The Hanamint Assembling boasts many exquisite innovations for garden benches. Some examples are:

? The Venice Bench? The Tuscany Bench? The Newport Bench? The St. Augustine Bench

The Venice Bench has a crooked arm and laced design on its back and is ready in two colors: bourbon and abandon bronze. It has a 46.6-inch long place, 19.6-inch soaring armrest, 16.5-inch soaring place, and 36.8-inch advanced backrest.

The Tuscany Bench has an new aim that is usable in three colors. These colors are abandon bronze, black, and latte. Its seat is 41.5 inches wide. The armrest is 17.5 inches advanced. The bottom is 17 inches from the ground. The back is 36.5 inches leading.

The Newport bench provides the customers with classic intents that are acquirable in the favorable colors: desolate bronze, black, and Verdi. Its place is 40 inches wide, the armrest is 18 inches high, the sit down is 17 inches from the ground, and the backrest is 33 inches advanced.

The St. Augustine bench enhances the smasher of out-of-door rooms with the two usable colors. These are bourbon and desert bronze. It has a place width of 45.5 inches, armrests that are 19.75 inches soaring, bottom height of 17 inches, and a backrest that is 36.5 inches advanced.

Economies preferred time and vigour and don’t await for those garden benches to tap on your doors. log-in to Seasonal Home Concepts on the Cyberspaces and avail of their high choice intersections.



About the Author

The garden benches Economies preferred time and vigour and don’t await for those garden benches to tap on your doors available at http://www.seasonalconceptsonline.com

Written on January 7th, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , , , ,
Top Three Most Famous Gardens and Parks in Orlando

Article by Mark Whichard







Orlando Florida is not just a place of pristine beaches and exquisite foods; it also has the most beautiful gardens and parks in the world. So, either you want to have enjoyable experience in the beaches or bury yourself in the abyss of the natural beauties of the gardens, you will still have the best times of your life. Do you think you can find gardens and parks like the ones I will include here elsewhere? No. Orlando is the only place where you can have the serenity you want and peace of mind. Here are the Orlando’s three top gardens and parks;

#1. Harry P. Leu Gardens

With three miles of paved walkways, there are lots of beautiful exhibits and different species of plants you will be able to witness before you reach the end of the garden. It is in this garden that you’ll see the America’s largest collection of Camellia outside California. This is actually one of the features of the Harry P. Leu Gardens that could really amaze travelers, nature lovers and spectators. Other features include the following;

• 3 Acres Idea Gardens – this is the place you can bring your weekend home works and stay whole day doing it. True to its name, the Idea Gardens is really quiet, serene and peaceful that those who are looking for it will really appreciate the place.• Formal Rose Garden – it is not just any rose garden you often see; it is the largest in Florida.• 2 Acres Tropical Stream Garden – almost all of tropical plants or those which can survive in tropical lands can be found here.• Butterfly Garden – it is a fragile yet colorful place because of different species of butterflies which are delicately raised.• Vegetable and Herb Garden – the good smell of flowering herbs and vegetables can be found here.

Harry P. Leu Gardens is just worth your precious time. Thus, you need to enjoy every second that passes when you are in the place. And hey, don’t forget your camera!

#2. Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

This festival lasts 75 days so you have more than two months to enjoy if it happens that you are in Florida when it started. This year, Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival started on March 3, which is pretty early compared with the previous years, thus, it will run up to May 16. This is the 17th Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival so you can expect to have a lot of fun as there are new activities added each year.

If photography is your hobby, you will surely enjoy during the festival as every view is spectacular. Although, the main theme would be flowers, you will be amazed with the designs and creativity. Aside from that, the Flower Power Concerts will bring back memories of 60′s and 70′s through retro songs. But one thing you should know is that there will be a lot of people watching every show.

#3. Kraft Azalea Gardens

if you are looking for a place to enjoy and retreat, Kraft Azalea Gardens is just a perfect place for you. Just in case you are wondering where it is located, it is in the heart of Winter Park. So, you will never go astray while having some good time.

The peaceful ambience of the place could be one of the things that can help you think better. Simply sit down in one of the benches and take out your favorite book; you can stay all day without getting bored as you will be greeted by tropical plants and great fragrances of azalea lined up in the pathways. This could also be a perfect place for your family; having a picnic lunch would be such a good idea whenever you are in Kraft Azalea Gardens.

Gardens and parks can also be some good places to spend some time especially when you are in Orlando. In fact, family gatherings and parties are oftentimes held in these gardens or at any public parks. The local government of Orlando is very particular in making the place to be one of the most beautiful places in the world to attract more and more tourists and travelers. Therefore, you can assure every single place in Orlando is well-maintained, clean and beautiful.



About the Author

Mark & Susan Whichard write frequently on Orlando tourism and are the proprietors of Orlando’s Finest Vacation Homes http://www.orlandosfinest.com Orlando’s Finest Vacation Homes offers the best choice for Orlando Vacation Home Rentals and Villa Rentals. Be sure and visit their website for a great selection of economical and comfortable Orlando Vacation Rentals and Orlando Vacation Home Rentals

Written on January 1st, 2011 , Gardening Tags: , , , , ,
Myriad Botanical Gardens – 3D/4D Driving Flight Simulator Manufacturer – 4D Cinema System

Article by jekky







History The first talk of cultivating a garden in downtown Oklahoma City began in 1964 when City leaders commissioned renowned architect I.M. Pei to create a revitalization plan for downtown Oklahoma City. The effort was led by Oklahoma City oil pioneer Dean A McGee (1904-1989), Founder and CEO of Kerr-McGee Oil Corporation. The resulting initiative, known as the ei Plan, included setting aside parkland for the development of a cultural, recreational and commercial complex in downtown Oklahoma City. Pei original idea was to create a space similar to the Tivoli Gardens of Copenhagen, Denmark. McGee took up the project of pursuing the Gardens, and continued working on their completion up until his death in 1989. Significant Dates: May 5, 1970. The name Myriad Botanical Gardens was officially adopted. The name came from he Myriad, the new 13,000-seat arena and convention center across the street from the parkland. August 11, 1970. The Oklahoma City Council established a 19-member task force to oversee the project’s planning and implementation. 1971. New York architects Conklin + Rossant were chosen to design the new project after a nationwide competition. 1975. The City of Oklahoma City purchased the site for the Myriad Botanical Gardens for 0,000. September 16, 1975. A public trust called the Myriad Gardens Authority was created and charged with developing the 17-acre (69,000 m2) property. McGee was the trust first Chairman. November 17, 1977. With plans in hand, City leaders and Trust members officially broke ground to begin construction of the Gardens. Construction of the Gardens infrastructure, including the base of the conservatory, water stage and other core facilities continued over the next four years as funding became available. 1981. The Myriad Gardens Foundation was formed to raise private funds for the construction of the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. They raised a total of .1 million (equivalent to .9 million in 2008). 1983-1985. The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory was constructed. The framework that makes up the Conservatory unique cylindrical shape was built using 17 tri-cord trusses. The framework was then filled in with over 3,000 individual clear acrylic panels that assist in controlling the tropical atmosphere inside the building. After the building was completed, it took almost another two years to plan, select and install the plant materials. 1987. The Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department took over operation and maintenance of the Gardens. The Myriad Gardens Authority and Myriad Gardens Foundation both still play integral roles in establishing policy and raising private funding for the Gardens continued growth. March 25, 1988. The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory opens its doors to the public. Among those in attendance were then-Oklahoma City Mayor Ron Norick, Mike Bush, the Gardens first Executive Director, and Mr. McGee, who at the age of 84, finally saw his vision for the Gardens realized. Opening weekend saw over 12,000 visitors to the Gardens and Crystal Bridge. May, 2010 – January, 2011. The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory will undergo a .5 million renovation project beginning in May, 2010, during which all of the acrylic panels will be removed and replaced with new panels. In addition, the steel truss structure of the Crystal Bridge will be sandblasted and re-painted. Funding for the project was included in Oklahoma City’s 2007 General Obligation Bond. Education They Myriad Botanical Gardens provides multiple education opportunities for youth and adults throughout each calendar year. Special rates may apply for group education opportunities. The Rainforest Ecology Activity Program (REAP) is geared towards second and fourth graders. It concentrates on specific themes in biology, ecology while employing a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to understanding. Roaming the Rainforest summer education program provides a basic level of understanding of ecology, with specific focus on Rainforest education and conservation. It is held each Tuesday and Wednesday in June and July. Daycare, church and homeschool groups welcome. Junior Master Gardener is an intensive one-week summer day program for children 7 to 12 years old. Instruction focuses on biology, horticulture and conservation. Multiple hands-on activities included. The annual Oklahoma Gardening School is one of the Gardens’ signature events. Held typically the first Saturday in March, the Oklahoma Gardening School is an all-day seminar featuring acclaimed garden experts from Oklahoma and the South / Southwest regions of the US. Topics change annually and may range from best trees and shrubs for Oklahoma gardens, to sustainable vegetable gardening, gardening for floral arrangements, and more. Check website for speaker list. Art in the Gardens The Myriad Botanical Gardens is home to several pieces of art. “Gateway” by Hans Van de Bovenkamp. The 14-foot-tall abstract sculpture stands on a raised berm at the northeast corner of the Gardens. “Childhood is Everlasting” by Robin Orbach. Local sculptor Robin Orbach donated this abstract sculpture to the citizens of Oklahoma City on April 20, 1992. It is located in the southwest quadrant of the grounds. “Philodendron Dome” is located on the northwest side of the lake and consists of a dome-shaped framework on an 8′ x 9′ base made of iron and bronze. Iron vines support the “dome” of this bronze plant’s leaves, where visitors can enter for a view from underneath. “Flying Fish” by Kenny McCage. Mc. McCage, a native Oklahoman and Navy submarine welder, created this kinetic sculpture which is located in the Gardens’ east lake. “Land of the Brave and the Free” is a kinetic wind sculpture composed of bright colors and archetypal shapes. It located on the west side of the Gardens. It was donated in 2002 to the Festival of the Arts by California artist Susan Pascal Beran. “Spirit Poles” Located adjacent to the north Fountain plaza, the two spirit poles were gifts to the City of Oklahoma City from the City of Tulsa in commemoration of Oklahoma’s centennial of statehood in 2007. Annual events Oklahoma Gardening School: All-day gardening seminar featuring various speakers educating the public on a variety of Oklahoma-related gardening topics. Suitable for gardeners of all abilities. Registration and fee required. Crystal Bridge Bug Out: The community is invited to join staff at the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory as they release tens of thousands of ladybugs into the Crystal Bridge. The popular family event teaches children about the environment. Part of the Integrated Pest Management Program. Admission fee required. Orchids in October: The Myriad Gardens Foundation hosts this three-day event celebrating orchids. An orchid sale and luncheon honoring the Foundation’s Crystal Award recipient are part of the festivities. Orchids in the Crystal Bridge are at their peak during this time. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Myriad Gardens Foundation. Creepy Conservatory: The Gardens hosts an annual family fright fest complete with creepy, crawling creatures and a Trick or Treat trail. Costumes are welcome. Regular admission rates apply. Downtown in December: The Gardens light up beginning in late November to take part in Downtown OKC, Inc’s “Downtown in December” event. Thousands of twinkling lights await visitors throughout the 17-acre (69,000 m2) outdoor gardens, and inside the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Look for free admission rates on Sundays from 6-9 p.m. through December. Due to the ice storm of 2007, the Gardens lost almost 80% of its holiday light inventory. The lights were replaced with energy-saving LED lights thanks to a donation from OG&E. External links Myriad Botanical Gardens References OKC Encyclopedia yriad Botanical Garden- the centerpiece of the city. The Journal Record. Max Nichols. October 12, 2000. KC Events. The Journal Record. Joan Gilmore. October 6, 2008. KOCO News 5 n the tropics of Oklahoma. Southern Living. Thomas Lee. February 1993. V.28. “These Walls: The Crystal Bridge.” The Journal Record. Kelley Chambers. April 27, 2009. Coordinates: 352755 973104 / 35.4652N 97.5179W / 35.4652; -97.5179 Categories: Botanical gardens in Oklahoma | Geography of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma



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The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as 3D/4D Driving Flight Simulator Manufacturer , 4D Cinema System, and more. For more , please visit 3D Theater System today!

Written on September 9th, 2010 , Gardening Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Coast gardens grow communities

Article by Salt Magazine – Writer Frances Frangenheim







GULP FRESH AIR, squish your hands in rich soil and feel the sun on your back.

There’s no denying that gardening and good health go hand in hand. Bring people together to garden and just watch the benefits grow.

While community gardens have thrived as a staple village asset in Europe and the United Kingdom since the late 1800s, the first community garden in Australia wasn’t launched until 1977 in Melbourne.

It was thanks to the former Nunawading councillor Dr Gaven Oakley, who thought the local community could benefit from the community garden scheme because older people in the municipality who lived on their own were “a bit lonely” and there “were a lot of kids unemployed with nothing to do”.

The garden thrived because it celebrated the community’s diversity, inviting everyone to get their hands dirty and share in the soil’s bounty. The garden is still going strong today with the people working the plots over the years reflecting Nunawading’s eclectic mix of cultures including Dutch, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese and Chinese.

New community garden projects are springing up every year all around the country and the Sunshine Coast is certainly an avid champion of the concept. Garden groups are thriving in Peregian, Maroochy, Noosa and Yandina, with Buddina next on the cards. The community garden concept kicks many important goals, including lifelong learning, healthy living and food security.

And of course each project naturally tends to bring its members closer together so that gentle friendships are sparked over carrots and aubergines (or whatever is in season, of course). Schools and kindergartens are also getting on the bandwagon – for example, thanks in part to a council grant, Mapleton State School nurtures its own kitchen gardens and orchards so kids learn to enjoy growing healthy food and eating it too.

Community gardens reflect the diversity and dreams of its community – hence the name – so no two gardens are the same. This means there are no rules for how gardens should be run. Peregian’s ‘Veggie Village’ crew nurture their individual garden beds as well as the communal plots and have built a cob oven to make tasty pizzas and other treats at social get-togethers. They’ve also helped rehabilitate the natural spring running alongside their garden, which was strangled by the noxious (but beautiful) Singapore Daisy, and run public workshops to share knowledge with the broader community.

Yandina Community Garden members grow waterwise tropical vegetables for sale to the public for a donation and also run an aquaponics project that produces organic veggies and fish. They also explore different sustainable living projects so, for example, their headquarters runs off solar hot water and photo-voltaic systems, and their sun shelters are made of straw bales. Anyone is welcome to pop in to the education centre to learn more about permaculture and organics.Another interesting twist to the community garden concept is the ‘Urban Orchard’, recently initiated by popular Melbourne community garden, CERES. The Urban Orchard invites members to come together and share their home grown or gleaned surpluses (think: bulging mango trees). Regular events involve a free produce swap as well as workshops run by gurus in useful skills such as jam making or savvy tree pruning.

The idea is to ensure food doesn’t go to waste, to cultivate networks within the neighbourhood, and to share valuable skills in gardening and food preparation. It’s a fresh reminder of just how many different ways there are to bring communities together around the shared joy of fresh food.

Here we look at three of the Sunshine Coast’s community garden projects.

PEREGIAN’S ‘VEGGIE VILLAGE’

http://www.veggievillage.com.au/peregian

Peregian’s residents can in part thank local resident Bruce Molloy’s itchy feet for their community garden. In 2009, Bruce’s career as a graphic designer suddenly lost its shine and in its place he decided to turn his attention to the pleasurable pastime of growing food. The only problem was he didn’t have sound skills in gardening so he thought, ‘I’ll help build a classroom and wait for the teachers’.

He set about talking to people in his community and found kindred amateur green thumbs. Fortunately for the group, the field behind the Peregian Bowls Club was waterlogged and so its plan to become a hockey field was thwarted. The State Government and Sunshine Coast Regional Council granted Veggie Village members a three-year lease on a section of the property and they promptly set about designing their garden to their collective vision.

Bruce says the Veggie Village has a clear mission.

“The idea is to allow people who live in units nearby to grow food and also to teach people with gardens how to grow food so they can take that knowledge home,” he says.

There are about 40 garden beds for individual lease at per year, however some members may only stay for six months until they learn the skills they need to apply to their own kitchen gardens. This allows for new characters to join the group, bringing new skills and renewed vigour to the project.

Members can choose to garden when it suits them individually or to meet to garden together. They can attend the monthly workshops or join the bi-weekly fun working bees to contribute to the communal garden and ask questions of the garden guru. There are also public workshops for adults and kids so everyone can get involved. Bruce credits many local gurus for sharing their knowledge and passion for gardening, including permaculturalists Janet Millington and Alan Atkinson as well as Leonie Shanahan, who often runs children’s courses at the Veggie Village.

COTTON TREE COMMUNITY GARDEN

http://www.maroochync.scc-cooperative.org

As a community coordinator at the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre in Cotton Tree, it’s Mark Ellis’s job to bring people together to build a better neighbourhood. When Mark thought he’d test the water for interest in building a community garden he didn’t expect such a big response.

“There are many units in the area so I saw that people had lost their backyards,” Mark says. “I stuck five flyers up at local shops and wasn’t short of responses.”Sixty people attended the first meeting and planning began immediately.

It took the group just six months to realise their garden and in June this year Cotton Tree’s community garden newly launched in a section of the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre’s property. Members are already enjoying tending to their own one-metre by two-metre allotments at the cost of per week (this money is plugged back into the garden project) while also helping build the communal area of herb spirals and veggie beds for all to pluck from as they please.

“We have 30 individual beds that people use to grow their own food,” Mark says before listing the benefits. “It saves them money and they know what they’re eating. And there are a lot of people who know a lot about gardening so it’s fantastic to watch everyone share their knowledge and chip in to help each other plant and grow their plots.”

Plans are already underway to dedicate a new section of the property over to community gardening to respond to the increasing demand from locals to get involved.

PERMACULTURE NOOSA

http://www.permaculturenoosa.com.au

Permaculture Noosa work to a different model from that of the traditional community garden however it still upholds the values of education, food sharing, food growing and social interaction. The group has been going strong for almost 20 years and currently has more than 200 members on the Sunshine Coast.

Members embark on Permaculture Energy Transfer days, which involve a visit to one another’s properties to tackle planned permaculture gardening activities together. The group enjoy a shared meal afterwards and bask in the mutual satisfaction of helping one of their members build a better herb, veggie, flower garden or orchard for their family to enjoy.

They also meet monthly for workshops and talks, have a seed saving bank to donate to or access, and run an open garden program to tour a member’s properties for gardening tips and inspiration. Recent tours include a trip to Kin Kin to visit Dee Humphries’ edible backyard, which sustains 300 fruit trees, three veggie patches, a large herb garden and chook run. Members also visit gardening guru Elisabeth Fekonia’s beautiful permaculture farm at Black Mountain near Cooroy.

WHAT TO DO

If you think you’d like to help start a community garden in your area, here are some early steps and issues to consider. For more information, visit http://www.canh.asn.auind a comprehensive planning guide of how, why, when and if to start a community garden.

• Anyone can start a community garden. Gardens have been initiated by individuals, groups, school kids, sports clubs and retirees. All it takes is one person with a passion for gardening.

• Ask yourself if you need to start a new community garden. Consider the alternatives – is there a nearby garden already set up that you could help expand? Or would another form of ‘gardening’ be more helpful, for example, gardening collectively in people’s backyards or redistributing fallen fruit from people’s trees?

• Find like-minded people in your community who are willing to form a working group to get the idea off the ground. Talk to your local councillor, your local environment groups or landscapers – there is much local knowledge to build on.

• Have meetings with your working group and develop a shared vision and design for the garden. Make sure you have an experienced facilitator to keep the meeting flowing and to bring the ideas together. Remember, the garden must be a fun place that people of all ages and interests will enjoy visiting. It must reflect and celebrate your community’s diversity.

• Talk to your council. No doubt your council will have already contributed to a community garden in your region. Councils have grants to help with start-up costs and may also be able to help source local land that will benefit from a garden project.

To read more about community gardens or to view the article’s images follow the link:http://saltmagazine.com.au/articles_features_sunshine-coast-gardens-grow-community-peregian.aspx



About the Author

Salt magazine is a quarterly tourism and lifestyle magazine based on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.

Written on September 7th, 2010 , Gardening Tags: , , ,
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