Certainly, the more you investigate the assortment of outdoor furniture that is available, the more you realize just how many options you have for decorating your outdoor (or indoor/ outdoor) living spaces.  When you get right down to it, you probably have just about as many as you do when you’re selecting indoor furniture.

Yesterday, in comparing the two types of furniture, I mentioned the huge variety of patio chairs, outdoor sofas, loveseats, settees, porch swings and gliders, garden benches, and outdoor rocking chairs, which can be used to create spectacular outdoor living rooms.  Of course, there are also millions of outdoor kitchens and bedrooms to be furnished as well; and, luckily, porch furniture, once again, stacks up favorably against its indoor counterparts.

Naturally, there are several pieces that can cross over from room to room, just as daybeds, pull-out sofas, and chaise lounges do in our homes.  In fact, the outdoor chaise lounge is a good example, as it can be used for sitting, reclining, or sleeping.  Undoubtedly, lounge chairs are as important to outdoor furniture collections as they are to living room suites; and they are just as comfortable, as they have adjustable backs, wide armrests, and seats that are raised in the middle, to keep knees elevated.

When it’s time to lie down and take a snooze, truly, hammocks rival the comfort of even the softest beds.  Among the most popular pieces of outdoor furniture, they come in all colors, and can be made of canvas, rope, or mesh; and many of them have attached pillows.  They can be used anywhere, because, if you don’t have a place to hang one, you can always get a hammock stand; and the same goes for hammock chairs.  Swingbeds are also great for sitting, swinging, or napping.

As in indoor rooms, end tables are integral to the décor of all outdoor rooms; and they’re available in choices that are nearly, well, endless.  You’ll find an array of accent tables, such as outdoor coffee tables, terrace tables, and conversation tables, in cedar, pine, oak, cherry, teak, and polywood, in all colors and styles.

As for the eating arrangements, there’s no denying that, in most homes, picnic tables have always ranked right up there with kitchen tables.  Furthermore, because they have undergone such impressive changes over the past several years, they feature more styles, sizes, colors, and shapes than ever.  Along with the traditional rectangular picnic tables with attached benches, you’ll find hexagonal, octagonal, trestle, and extra-wide picnic tables with backed benches.  If you want something a bit more contemporary, you can get an outdoor dining table or a bistro set.

Indeed, whether in an open area, or an enclosed porch, patio, or gazebo, you can create any motif imaginable, as today’s patio furniture comes in such a wide range of materials, styles, and colors.  Moreover, the countless colors, color combinations, and patterns available for outdoor furniture cushions, patio umbrellas, and outdoor throw pillows, give you even more artistic opportunities for your outdoor décor.

It’s no wonder that we’re so crazy about outdoor living!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

<!–fdd97ef2647a4060ae4fdbb87c2992cc–>

Once you’ve gotten hummingbirds to come to your garden, you’ll want it to be a safe, hospitable environment, where they can flourish.  Therefore, there are some safety measures that you should take, so that you don’t inadvertently cause them any harm.

One important point to remember is that hummingbirds have very tiny, sensitive organs, which cannot tolerate certain things.  Pesticides are tops on this list; but, as we’ve already established, you won’t have to use them in a hummingbird garden, as the bugs will be exterminated by the birds.

Moreover, hummingbirds cannot stomach food coloring, or dye of any kind, so don’t buy any commercial brand of hummingbird food that is colored.  Although it is advisable to have supplemental hummingbird feeders in your garden, the best, and most economical, thing to do is to make your own nectar.  Not only is it simple, but, as long as you follow the strict, yet very easy, guidelines, it’s the safest and healthiest thing for the hummingbirds.

All you need is one cup of pure, granulated sugar, and four cups of boiling water.  Just put the water into a large bowl, add and mix the sugar until it is dissolved, and place it in the refrigerator to cool.  That’s all there is to it.  The main thing is to use only pure, granulated sugar, as any other sugar will have a different chemical makeup, and can cause a hummingbird to get sick, or even die.  Never use brown or powdered sugar, saccharin, or any other type of sugar or sugar substitute, maple syrup, or any other kind of syrup, or any of the kids’ drink mixes.

Because you won’t be using food coloring, make sure that your birdfeeder is colorful.  Most of the commercial ones will have plastic, trumpet-shaped flowers on them; but you can also make your own feeders, using old bottles that have been thoroughly cleaned, and decorate them with the red or orange fluorescent flagging tape that surveyors use.

Among the other dangers facing hummingbirds, cats pose the biggest threat, especially when the birds are hovering close to the ground.  This is another good reason to train flowers up arbors, trellises, pergolas, and gazebos, where the birds can feed out of the reach of cats.  Even if you have very little room for a garden, you can use a Skyscraper Garden™ Trellis, which takes up only four square feet of space, and can be used alone, or against a wall, even on terraces or patios.

Once hummingbirds start visiting your garden, you’ll want to be able to enjoy watching them while you’re lazing in your hammock or lounge chair, eating at your outdoor dining table, or having cocktails at your bistro set.  Although, at first, they may scatter when they see you approaching, you can help them get used to you, by spending a little more time in the area.  Start by sitting quietly and, perhaps, having your morning coffee, at your picnic table, or on your porch swing, or outdoor rocking chair.

You’ll be surprised how bold they will get when they become familiar with you.  Eventually, they may even start greeting you by playfully zipping around your head.  If this happens, though, let’s just hope that you’re fully awake, so that you don’t mistake a hummingbird for a fly, and swat it with your morning newspaper.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

There truly is a lot to planning a garden, and each step is crucial, as one thing directly affects another.  For example, you can buy the healthiest plants at the nursery, but if you put them into poor soil, obviously, they’re not going to thrive; and that’s just one of hundreds of important details.

Remember, your garden is an integral part of your outdoor living space, and picking the right flowers and plants is just as important as selecting the perfect patio furniture.  Of course, the latter is much easier; you just have to figure out whether to get wood, metal, or synthetic outdoor furniture.  Well, maybe there are a few more decisions to make, such as whether you want, say, an outdoor dining table, as opposed to a picnic table, a bistro set, or even a bar set.  Then, there are definitely many more color choices than there used to be; but, all in all, porch furniture is a lot simpler to choose, and to care for, than plants.

For instance, one common mistake that people make, when shopping for plants, is buying ones that are unhealthy.  When trying to gauge the condition of any particular plant, the leaves can be a dead – or a near-death – giveaway.  If they are wilted, brown, or yellow, there’s a good chance that the plant is diseased, or, at least, has been neglected.

You should also check the foliage for insects, such as aphids, which are tiny, green bugs, or any signs of damage that they may have caused.  Other undesirables include spider mites, which might make their presence known through the existence of tiny webs, and scale insects, some of which can appear as translucent bumps or blisters on the leaves.  Leave plants with any such indications alone; the thousands of pests that are already in your garden don’t need any outside help.  Take home only those plants with vibrant, thriving foliage.

Avoid anything that’s root-bound as well.  A plant in this condition will have a mass of roots coming out of the bottom of its container.  Tangled roots can suffocate a plant, and keep it from getting all of its nutrients, so root these poor specimens out of your collection.  On the other hand, you don’t want any that have underdeveloped roots, either; but, because these can be harder to recognize, you may have to ask an employee at the nursery for help.

Another thing that many people do, which I find surprising, is to ignore the labels on plants.

These contain vital information about light, water, and nutrient requirements, when they will bloom, how large they will get, and everything else you need to know.  So, unless you’re already familiar with a certain plant, pay attention to those little plastic tags sticking out of the soil.

This applies to everything that you will grow in your garden, including vegetables.  In fact, I believe there’s a famous motto that reminds us all just how important it is: “Always Look for the Onion Label.”

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Integrate your outdoor living spaces with your well-planned gardens to create serene and beautiful areas for relaxing and socializing!

]]> http://www.alloutdoorpatiofurniture.com/you-won%e2%80%99t-have-to-water-your-patio-furniture-either/feed/ 2 http://www.alloutdoorpatiofurniture.com/a-great-way-to-warm-up/ http://www.alloutdoorpatiofurniture.com/a-great-way-to-warm-up/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:45:29 +0000 Kathy http://www.alloutdoorpatiofurniture.com/?p=802

This is the time of year when our thoughts are preoccupied with comfort foods, hot beverages, sitting around fires, taking vacations to tropical islands, and anything else that will help us to get warm.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that coffee houses, which are usually pretty lively anyway, are even more crowded now, as they also serve hot cocoa and tons of decadent desserts.  Naturally, in the winter, people also prefer to spend more time in their homes, where their sunrooms are the hot spots.  These two places are so popular, in fact, that many people are actually turning their sunrooms into coffee nooks.

If you want to try this, it’s really easy to do; and you can re-create the tranquil charm of an old-fashioned, mom-and-pop shop, rather than the jam-packed chain establishments that are so prevalent.  To get the atmosphere of a traditional café, furnish it with a wood or aluminum bistro set, accessorized with checkered or floral print placemats and napkins (with napkin rings), sugar bowls, creamers, fresh flowers, candles, and containers with individually-wrapped biscotti.  Make it really authentic by producing colorful menus on your computer, then fold and stand them upright on the table.

Create a lounge area by adding synthetic wicker chairs and sofas with soft cushions in colorful patterns, as well as coffee tables, end tables, and accent tables, topped with magazines.  If the sunroom is big enough, you may want to put in a partition, and have a dining set on the other side, for larger gatherings.  If you prefer a rustic décor, choose cedar or pine furniture; for a more elegant motif, consider a teak or cherry dining set.  Put up shelves and stock them with mugs and cups of different sizes and colors.

Of course, you’ll need the main attraction, too, so get a bunch of brightly-colored containers and fill them with an assortment of specialty coffees and teas.  You won’t even have to worry about being an expert at making coffee, because, with the great coffee, espresso, and cappuccino makers that are available, along with the wide variety of coffees, you’ll soon be whipping up concoctions that are every bit as good as (or even better than) anything you’ll find at even the most popular coffee franchise (not mentioning any names, of course!).

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy