I think we’re all guilty of not appreciating what we have.  So often we look out to our porches and outdoor spaces and wish we could have that front page worthy living or dining area.  And then, deciding we can’t completely furnish a new outdoor room, we walk away and let our backyards and patios stay non-functional and boring.

But, on a tight budget, it’s still completely possible to create an outdoor space that you feel comfortable entertaining in.  The first step is to assess what you already have.  Adirondack chairs are great because they can be used in large numbers, alone in the corner, or as a part of a varied outdoor furniture set. If it’s crafted from pine or cypress, you can change the look and brighten it up by adding a coat of paint.  Plus, indoor pieces can often transition to outdoor furniture.  Have a side table that just doesn’t fit into your living room anymore?  Paint it or stain it, then use it in your outdoor space!

When looking at new outdoor furniture, look for pieces that are both versatile and durable.  Going with the most inexpensive furniture you can find might save you money now, but you’ll be in this same predicament by next spring.  Invest now so you can enjoy it for a lifetime.  A good way to see how long-lasting a piece will be is to consider its material, hardware, and construction.  Teak, Eucalyptus, and Cedar are some of the most durable woods available.  While Cypress and Pine also do very well when properly painted, treated, or maintained.  Stainless steel hardware will last you your whole life, and definitely worth looking for, but galvanized steel will serve you well too.  Finally, pieces individually handcrafted from artisans and made in the United State will last infinitely longer than those mass produced overseas.  It’s important to spend your money wisely.  As your outdoor furniture will come into contact with the elements on a regular basis, it’s vital to ensure that it’ll last!

Well, now that you know that criteria… the fun part is picking out your outdoor furniture (of course!)   How do you envision yourself using your outdoor space and who is going to be using it most?  Al fresco dining is fantastic and patio dining sets come in all shapes and sizes.  Looking for just a cozy spot to escape with a loved one? Try an outdoor bistro set that can nestle into a corner.  Hoping to host raucous backyard bashes full of kids and family? Better go with an ultra heavy-duty picnic table that’s big enough to accommodate all the hungry eaters.  Of course, if you’re looking for more of a lounge area than an eating area, you can always take your plates out to the deep seating or patio chairs anyway.  A great deep seating collection is going to be luxurious, hugely functional, and incredibly long lasting.  But, if money’s tight, you can always go with a nice garden bench or patio chair and add an outdoor cushion to still lend comfort.

Outdoor design is not about how much money you can spend.  It’s about getting creative about what you already have and deciding on pieces that are worth your investment.  If you choose your outdoor furniture wisely to serve your needs while mix and matching it with pieces you already have… you’ll have a wonderful outdoor space that you’ll love to come home to!

Have Fun!

Hazel

If you haven’t heard yet, today is the official first day of the summer season.  You may be thinking that it has felt like summer for awhile now, and that summer actually starts when it gets hot.  Who even decided when a season starts anyway? Is it another Hallmark Holiday?

Actually, the first day of summer always falls on the historic Summer Solstice.  The Summer Solstice is an astronomical event when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward the sun, creating more hours of sunlight within that rotation than any other rotation for the year.   Little too scienc-y for you?  After all, this is a blog about outdoor furniture… not astrophysics! Basically, there is more daylight today than any other day.  Tomorrow, it will be daylight for a few less minutes.  These changes aren’t as noticeable as they used to be in ancient times.  First, because we have so much unnatural light to trick us and because the way we change our clocks for daylight savings time alters what time it is when it’s light out and when it’s dark.

Pre-Christian cultures saw the Summer and Winter Solstices as holy days.  Since the Summer Solstice has been celebrated world-wide, across cultures and civilizations, it’s impossible to “sum up” how most people have celebrated this extraordinary yearly event.  But, after all, doesn’t that say something about its importance?  A moment in our precious Earth’s cycle so momentous, that nations who did not know about the other nor share any religious or political beliefs… celebrated the same event on the same day. Common themes usually center on celebrations of light, life, fertility, and health, and celebrating all the prosperity the Earth and the Sun provide us.

And what does the Earth and Sun bring us more than anything else? Plants! Some cultures believed that plants and flowers that flourished during this time and were picked on this day would have miraculous healing powers.  [Note: This blog is not approved by the FDA.  Eating the dandelions from your backyard today is not likely to cure anything!]

So, how should we celebrate this day?  No matter your religious affiliation, celebrating the day with more light than any other is perfectly justified!  I plan to really tend to my flower garden today, paying special attention to how lucky I am to live in a fertile world that produces such glorious blooms.  Then, I’m having a few friends over to cook up fish on our grill.  As we gather around my picnic table and chow down on fish with blueberry salsa and some other side I haven’t planned yet… I plan to give thanks for the endless bounty that the dirt provides us.  So, join me on this meaningful day, and enjoy the view from your garden bench or porch swing, patio chair or hammock.  It doesn’t matter if you live on an organic farm or just have a container of daisies you picked up at the supermarket one day.  The sun rises every morning as a gift to us all, and today is the perfect day to remember that we shouldn’t take it for granted.

Shine Today!

Hazel.

Ask Dear Ol’ Dad what he wants for Father’s Day, and he’ll probably say that he desires only to spend the afternoon in his favorite patio chair, reading the Sunday paper, and not worrying about doing any chores.  Then, maybe it’ll be a snooze in the hammock, before throwing some burgers on the grill, and eating at the picnic table.

Certainly he’s not asking for much; but you still wish to do something a lot more special for him.  After all, being a father is a job that’s always challenging and demanding, and alternately joyful, heart-rending, fun, difficult, rewarding, puzzling, uplifting, and thankless.

Raconteur, singer of songs, reader of poetry, teller of jokes, player of music, killer of spiders, puller of wagons, dryer of tears, remover of slivers, and so much more, Dad has taught you everything, from the simplest games, to life’s most profound lessons.

He has also, on many occasions, been the victim of cruel irony.  He bought you a scooter, you left it lying outside the door, and he tripped over it and tore his good suit.  (Yes, from here on out, I’m blaming “you,” even though, when something went wrong at our house, “nobody” did it!)  He got you a guinea pig, you let it loose, and it got into his dresser drawer and chewed up his underwear and socks.  He taught you to ride a bike, and you ran over the seedlings that he had just planted.

Still undaunted, he showed you how to fish, and caught a hook in the neck as you were casting your line.  He taught you how to hit a ball, and got whacked in the head – or someplace even more painful – by your bat.  Then, he came to all of your games and sat on those splintered old benches; and he stayed the whole time, even when you, too, were just sitting on the bench.  He wound up with ants in his pants – literally – after you broke the ant farm that you had begged for, and which he, to his everlasting regret, had finally given you.

Yes, Dad gave you his all – and you gave him gray hair.  The most amazing part of it all, however, is that, if you ask him, he’ll say that he’d do it all (or, most of it, anyway) over again (right, Dad?).

Nevertheless, you’re determined to give him something wonderful for Father’s Day.  So, if he truly wants to hang around the house, get him a nice porch swing, in return for the countless hours he spent pushing you on swings, only to have you spend years pushing him as far as you could.

An Adirondack Chair would be a good way to thank him for that vacation in the Adirondacks; and a new garden bench would compensate for the slivers that he got from those ballpark benches.  You could also get him an outdoor rocking chair, for all of the times that you drove him off his rocker.

Naturally, he would also enjoy it if you let him know that all of the advice that he gave you while you were growing up, which you so blithely dismissed, turned out to be spot-on.  If you now have kids of your own, it would further delight him to discover that his wish has come true, as you have, indeed, found out “what it’s like.” (Perhaps it’s no coincidence that diaper, spelled backward, is repaid!)

Actually, the best gift that you could give him would be to have a big family gathering.  I mean, he definitely wants to see those adorable grandchildren; and it would really make his day if he could just sit back, relax, and watch you get yours!

Happy Father’s Day!

Kathy

I’ve given you two ways to throw a party for your mother on Mother’s Day.  But, perhaps you were really hoping to have something to wrap up and give her.  Understandable!  I still believe, though, that the best gifts are gifts with a lot of heart in them.

So, today I’ll be bringing you an awesome outdoor Mother’s Day gift idea: Painting a Mother’s Day Garden Bench!

Find a Pine Garden Bench: The best material for your garden bench will be Pine.  Cedar garden benches don’t take paint very well at all, neither will a Polywood garden bench.  Cypress will work, but a Treated Pine or Select Pine will serve you best.  Other than material, just find a bench that you think your mother would love.  Does she like to spend a lot of time outdoors?  A garden bench with a back might be the most comfortable.  Of course, there are a lot of benches with arm rests and nice deep seats for true outdoor relation.  But, if you think your mom might like something a bit simpler, there are plenty rustic garden benches.  Don’t forget, a lot of styles come with carved hearts or stars accenting the back—what a great way to show what you think of your mother!

Apply an Exterior Primer: The first think you will want to do is to apply an exterior primer.  The primer will ensure that your paint goes on smoothly, and it will help protect your garden bench from damage due to bugs or weather.  Apply the primer with a brush, and follow the grain of the wood.  It’s also important to choose a primer and paint that are compatible.  Most exteriors are either latex or enamel.  Either type of primer and paint will work, but it is imperative that they match!  Using a latex primer and an enamel paint, or vice versa, will cause the paint to adhere poorly.

Creatively Paint Your Garden Bench: After the primer has dried, this is a great time to get the whole family involved.  Try a few different colors, get the old clothes on, and paint the garden bench in the most creative way you can think of!  Maybe write, “I Love You, Mom” across the seat.  Or, have everyone make handprints all over the bench.  The sky is the limit! If she has a favorite poem, use a smaller brush to write it across the back of the bench.  Draw a family portrait of everyone all together.  If you’re truly concerned about your art skills, stencils can be purchased at an arts and crafts store, so you can decorate the bench with stenciled designs! Adding your personal and creative touches will make this one of your mother’s favorite pieces of outdoor furniture.  It doesn’t have to be perfect; it has to be from the heart!

Apply Sealant and Top Coat:  Again, after the paint has dried, you can further protect your bench by applying a clear sealant.  The sealant will keep the paint from chipping and other damage.  Then, if you wish, you can apply a top coat of clear gloss to give the garden bench a shiny quality.  The top coat isn’t necessary, but might be a nice touch if a shinier, glossier bench would fit your garden.

Position it in a Favorite Spot, Tie a Bow, and You’re Done: If you haven’t thought of this road block yet, you may have to find a bit of a creative spot to hide the bench while it’s drying.  Perhaps in your storage shed or other backyard structure.  Is there an untouched corner of the garage?  Perhaps you can take the whole project to an aunt’s, uncle’s, or grandparent’s house—then transport it once the whole bench is finished and ready to go!  However you chose to hide your surprise, you can bring it out once everything is completed and dried.  Position the garden bench in a spot you think she would love.  Or, place it among her other pieces of favorite outdoor furniture.  If you have a gazebo, pergola, or cabana, put it inside and decorate the structure for her big day as well.  Tying a colorful ribbon into a bow around the bench will be a wonderful finishing touch.  On Mother’s Day, simply lead your mother out to her brand new bench and enjoy one of her best Mother’s Days ever!

The best part of Mother’s Day is that you get to give back to the woman that’s always giving!  Creating a spot for her to both relax and be reminded of how much her family loves her is a wonderful Mother’s Day gift!

But, the big day is quickly approaching; so hurry up!

Hazel

Derek Fell is a writer and photographer with art, travel and garden books totaling more than 2.5 million in print, plus a photo library numbering more than l50,000 images portraying plants, gardens and travel destinations.  His work in Architectural Digest and Veranda has won several writing and photography awards.

This celebrity of the Garden Design world will be releasing his very own line of outdoor furniture and garden structures inspired by the impressionist gardens of which he is the absolute authority.   Working exclusively with CedarStore.com, Derek Fell speaks about his newest designs here at the All Outdoor Patio Furniture Blog.

The Famous Garden Book Author Explains the Inspiration behind the Cedar Store’s Latest Design Series

For more than 45 years I have specialized in documenting gardens worldwide and writing about garden design. Many of my books deal with garden furniture and garden structures and these are well known to landscape professionals such as certified landscape architects and garden designers. These include ‘Garden Accents’ (Henry Holt), ‘The Encyclopedia of Garden Design and Structures’ (Firefly),  ‘550 Home Landscaping Ideas.’ (Simon & Schuster) and others.

My most successful series of garden books focuses on the great French Impressionist painters and their restored gardens, including Renoir, Monet, Cezanne and Van Gogh. More than 50 of my garden features have been published in Architectural Digest magazine, not only outstanding gardens in North America, but also foreign destinations like Scotland, England, Wales, France, New Zealand, Japan, Morocco, South Africa, Hawaii, Bermuda and the Bahamas.

During these travels I have documented some of the world’s outstanding examples of garden design and garden structures, adapting the best to my own two gardens, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and Sanibel Island, Florida, and also private commissions. I greatly value the opportunity to work with the Cedar Store on a special series of garden structures inspired by the Impressionists. The Cedar Store is pre-eminent in the field of garden structures, including custom-design. In the months ahead I will introduce the following distinctive pieces:

Monet’s Bridge with Wisteria Canopy. Monet’s arched Japanese footbridge and wisteria canopy must be the world’s most recognizable garden structure. Spanning a corner of his pond at Giverny, France, the bridge was originally painted white to reflect the changing colors or sunrises and sunsets, but later Monet painted it apple green to harmonize with other garden structures such as his gates, benches and the shutters of his house. It has been replicated in many famous gardens worldwide, including the Grounds for Sculpture Garden, Hamilton, New Jersey.  Many ‘Monet’ bridges do not feature the wisteria canopy, but I feel this is what makes the Monet bridge so unique and so romantic. In addition to a calendar titled ‘Monet’s Garden’, I have also authored ‘Secrets of Monet’s Garden’ (Friedman/Fairfax) and ‘The Magic of Monet’s Garden’ (Firefly).

Monet’s Bench. For its size, Monet’s garden at Giverny is the most visited garden in Europe. It is filled with benches because Monet had a large family – two sons of his own, five step-daughters and a step-son, and they would often hold family gatherings in the garden. The most distinctive Monet bench is a six-seater with a curved backrest he saw at Versailles Palace when he went there to paint. Later, he had the Versailles carpenters construct three benches for his garden. The original Versailles bench is unpainted, but Monet painted his apple green to match other structures in his garden. My Monet Bench can be supplied as a six seater, but also as a two-seater or a four seater, since not everyone has a garden space large enough to accommodate a six-seater bench.

Cezanne’s Trail Bridge. Cezanne and Monet were good friends, and they both enjoyed gardening. Cezanne painted the countryside around his home at Aix-en-Provence, and eventually built a special studio with a walled garden within view of his favorite motif, the mountain of Saint Victoire. My design is based on a bridge that spanned a narrow stream bordering Cezanne’s Garden when I first visited there in 1990. He liked all things natural, and his garden is mostly a woodland garden threaded with rustic trails that descend a slope. This bridge is perfect for any situation where a simple, rustic design is needed along a woodland path or as part of a bog garden. My book, ‘Cezanne’s Garden’ (Simon & Schuster) is sold at the garden and helped the garden increase its attendance from 5,000 visitors a year to 100,000 a year.

Van Gogh’s Zig-Zag Bridge. Born in Holland, Vincent van Gogh fell under the spell of the Impressionist painters when he moved to Paris in search of artistic development. He loved to paint bridges, the most famous of which is the Langoise drawbridge near Arles, in the south of France. But also simply slab bridges to cross narrow streams. In addition to the Impressionists, Van Gogh was greatly influenced by Japanese silk screen artists, and this Japanese slab bridge is similar to ones pictured in his collection. Both Japanese and Chinese garden owners valued gardens as a sanctuary, and the purpose of the zig-zag design is to keep evil spirits from the garden. In Japanese and Chinese mythology, evil spirits can travel only in straight lines. The beauty of the zig-zag bridge is that it can be added to in segments so that  many more sections can be added to create a longer span. My book, ‘Van Gogh’s Gardens’ (Simon & Schuster) won three awards from the Garden Writers Association, including Best Book, Best Photography and Best Writing.

Renoir’s 3-Compartment Compost Bin. Renoir’s restored garden is in the south of France, near Nice, and when I first visited the garden as a guest of the French Tourist Office in 1989, I was impressed with two features – the enormous age of his olive trees (some 500 years old) and the size of Renoir’s compost pile. Even the skins from his grapes and the manure from his goats were delegated to his compost piles. He was a great believer in organic gardening, and his grandson told me how he preferred to grow pole snap beans rather than bush snap beans because of their greater vine coverage resulted in a more flavorful bean. Monet and Cezanne visited Renoir and had many discussions about art and gardening.

Caillebotte’s Driveway Gate. Gustave Caillebotte was born into a wealthy French family, and after his parents died he established a beautiful home and garden along the banks of the River Seine at Petit Gennevilliers, west of Paris. He not only collected Impressionist art, buying paintings from Renoir, Monet and Cezanne when they were struggling artists, he also was an accomplished Impressionist painter in his own right. He is famous for painting exaggerated lines of perspective, as in his ‘Paris Street Scene on a Rainy Day’.  Caillebotte’s gate – with its distinctive criss-cross design – not only served as the entrance to his driveway but also the entrance to his garden. Monet was greatly influenced by Caillebotte’s garden, and a similar criss-cross pattern can be seen today in the entrance gates to Monet’s water garden.

The foregoing is a sampling of the designs in my Impressionist Collection. I always think that when you add a structure to a garden it must serve two purposes – a decorative accent that’s a pleasure to look at, and functional. When you can add a third element – a ‘talking point’ I don’t think one could ask for more of a bridge, bench or gate.

Stay tuned on our blog, by following us on twitter, or becoming our friend on facebook to keep up to date on the release of CedarStore.com’s new design series by Derek Fell.

When creating your hummingbird garden, remember that you’re building a complete habitat for hummingbirds.  While other birds will eat at your birdfeeders, and nest in nearby birdhouses, they’ll still spend most of their time scavenging in the wild.  Hummingbirds, on the other hand, if conditions are right, may come to think of your backyard as their home, and even rely on your hospitality.

Putting yourself in that mindset will help you to choose all of the proper elements for your garden.  For example, when selecting the flowers, besides making sure that they are brightly-colored, mainly tubular or trumpet-shaped, and heavy on nectar, you should also try to get varieties that bloom at different times of the year, so the hummingbirds will always have something to eat.

By the way, because they need protein as much as they need nectar, hummingbirds also eat small, soft bugs, such as gnats, spiders, mosquitoes, aphids, and caterpillars, along with insect eggs.  In fact, the resourceful hummingbird will eat all of the bugs, including the spider, out of a web, then use the web in building its nest.

Therefore, one of the important points to keep in mind about your hummingbird garden – and it’s a very favorable one – is that it is low-maintenance.  Not only do you not have to worry about killing bugs, as the birds will do that for you, but you absolutely must not even think about using any pesticides, because that will kill the birds.  Hummingbirds also help with the upkeep by pollinating the flowers as they make their rounds.

Even though there will be all of those delicious flowers and delectable bugs around, you should still have some hummingbird feeders in your garden.  This is advisable because, for one thing, no matter how carefully you try to coordinate the blooming times of your flowers, it is likely that there will be a dearth of nectar during certain periods.  Furthermore, some hummingbirds are aggressive and territorial, and will take ownership of a flower, not letting any other birds go near it.

To keep these selfish birds (which should be ashamed of themselves) from monopolizing the feeders, you can either place them about 30 feet apart (the feeders, not the birds), or put a bunch of them together.  Of course, hummingbirds do need some room to maneuver (that’s what gives them their ‘hum’), so even flowers should have some space between them.  If you run lines between the feeders, you will also give the birds a place to perch.

Another good way to let the hummingbirds spread their wings is to have flowers in planters, and on trellises, arbors, pergolas, and gazebos.  You can also put some in places that are slightly removed from the area of concentration, and even make a kind of flower trail that will lead them to feed a bit closer to your patio or porch.  That way, you can enjoy their antics while eating at your picnic table, or sitting on your porch glider, outdoor sofa, or garden bench.

Creating a hummingbird garden is well worth the time and effort – especially since it doesn’t take a lot of time and effort, once it’s established.  Moreover, it will also attract tons of butterflies, and, if you put regular birdfeeders in the vicinity, many other types of birds.

That way, when one bird sings a beautiful song, a hummingbird can hum along.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Okay, so now you know how easy it can be to fix a loose rung on a patio chair, garden bench, or picnic table.  It’s always a good feeling to be able to restore a favorite piece of outdoor furniture to its former glory – or, at least, a semblance thereof – without the help of a professional.  Of course, there are times when a beloved old porch swing, Adirondack chair, glider, or outdoor dining table is in need of repair, but only because of a few scratches.

In many instances, you can hide these flaws, using items that you may already have on hand.  If, for example, there’s a scratch in your wood porch chair, a nut may come to the rescue (as is the case so many times in life).  Rub a pecan, or any nut that has a high oil content, over the scratch, and watch it disappear.  Even a bit of peanut butter may do the trick.  The only trouble there is that the aroma may be so strong that you’ll find yourself craving a peanut butter sandwich every time you sit down.  To avoid this temptation, use olive or vegetable oil instead; simply rub it in with your finger, and polish it with a soft rag.

Another solution, which many people find to be a real eye-opener, is coffee.  Just mix one teaspoon of the instant variety with one tablespoon of vegetable oil or water, and work it in gently with a soft rag.  Although this is great for covering scratches on dark wood patio furniture, it is not recommended for use on shellac, or antiques.

Fortunately, there are many other household items that are not nearly as appetizing, which can diminish the appearance of scratches on wood porch furniture; but these should be tested on inconspicuous areas first.  Iodine, for instance, works well on reddish finishes, such as mahogany; and liquid and paste shoe polishes, available in a wide range of shades, can easily be matched to most wood tones.  Felt-tipped markers and softened crayons can be used, too, and you can mix their colors to get the perfect match for the wood.

So, there you have several easy fixes for scratches in your wood outdoor furniture; but, as I said, your options may be limited if the smell of peanut butter is going to drive you nuts. Furthermore, if you’re trying to cut down on caffeine, the coffee suggestion may be out as well.  However, if you can resist the urge to have a cup every time you get a whiff of it, you can have your “coffee fix” and still get to sleep at night!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

If you thought you were shopping around for outdoor furniture, patio dining sets, or even a gazebo for yourself… you might be missing an important factor.  Studies show that your children need more time outside than the majority of them are getting.  If you’re saying, “I know that… but they have this X-box 360 I can’t seem to conquer!” perhaps you should consider this:  give your children a place to play outside and they probably will!

1. Nature Deficit Disorder:  Recent studies have shown that children not exposed to the outdoors enough are suffering from a specific series of concerns.  Most likely fueled by a more media-centered society and parents fearing that their children will be less safe outside… many effected children are suffering from a marked lack in creativity, anxiety and depression, attention deficit problems, and long-term inabilities to cope with stress.  And, of course, it goes without saying that these children are also much more likely to suffer from childhood obesity; a condition that will undoubtedly affect them for the rest of their lives.  Luckily, this is a problem that can be easily fixed.  If you have a mandatory amount of time your child is required to spend reading, doing homework, or even working on chores… consider extending this to spending time outdoors.  Even if it’s not playing, doing homework on a porch swing or at a picnic table instead of at their desk will do wonders.  They will be more aware of what is going on around them and better able to evaluate a variety of senses at one time.  Being outside offers changing stimuli, unlike the constant décor of their bedroom, and the more time children spend outdoors, the more time they will yearn for the fresh smell of the open air. And remember, children build their immune systems as they’re developing.  Kids that are kept away from any sort of dirt and germs will be unable to cope with them as they grow older.  Studies show that adults that spent more time outside as children were less likely to suffer from allergies.
2. Exercise… both mentally and physically:  It’s clear that children are getting less exercise with every generation.  Not only does this lead to a lot of pent-up energy, it leads to a long list of health concerns.  But, children are little balls of activity, and giving them a place outside to expend that is good for them.  Climbing trees, swinging on monkey bars, running, and jumping are all great for their health.  A few minor bumps and bruises may occur, but this is a natural part of being a kid!  Youngsters have an innate need to be active, it’s the constant push from the media encouraging docile sit-in-front-of-the-screen behavior that turns them off of it.  The earlier you foster their love for wind blowing in their face as they sprint after a little brother, the more they will love it as they grow older. But, the physical exercise is not where the importance stops.  Playtime outside will cause your children to develop their own story lines, create their own games, and pretend an old, scary witch is plotting great destruction from that rocking chair, or a far-away princess is sleeping on the chaise lounge.  Let your child’s mind deviate from the plot lines of their video games, the characters on their cartoons, and even the lessons in their schools—let their brains develop correctly by entertaining their active imaginations!
3. Foster team work:  Children who play together, learn together, and teach each other how to develop successful interpersonal skills will be much better off later in life.  If children are constantly left to their own devices to make afternoons fun and full of laughter… they’ll find a way to make sure everyone is involved because, it’s true, “the more the merrier.”  Say goodbye to phrases like, “does not play well with others.”  Through pre-determined team sports like soccer, quoits, kick ball, croquet, bocce ball, and football… your children will learn the value of team work, as well as gracious winning and losing.  Youngsters who learn how to deal and play with a variety of personality types will be less likely to get in fights in high school and more willing to explore new places and ideas. And if you don’t have a horse shoe set, don’t fret.  Many outdoor games are incredibly inexpensive, and even if that’s not in your budget this year… kids can make a game out of almost anything.
4. Learn responsibility:  Giving your children their own space to take care of will give them a sense of ownership that fosters responsibility.  Whether this is their own playhouse or simply a section of the garden with a garden bench, explain that they are responsible for taking care of their little bit of earth.  Teach them to weed and take care of their section of garden or plant flowers in the playhouse’s flower boxes.  Learning to cultivate nature will teach them that they are responsible for taking care of the environment and that their hard work produces beautiful things.  Learning this kind of responsibility will not only be good for their work ethic and behavior, it will also instill a love and accountability for the environment.  Just think, if coming generations know that taking care of the earth is an important responsibility… maybe our fragile planet isn’t doomed.
5. Get selfish; make time for yourself:  Do you often feel like you can’t think over the blaring television?  Do you wish you could get on the family computer to read this blog, but your daughter is too busy playing an online video game? Are you constantly trying to find some way to have a few moments to yourself?  Fostering a love of the outdoors in your children will do just that.  Imagine your kids walking home from school, dropping their book bags at the door, and racing outside to their playhouse, or even just to their section of the yard or garden.  Picking up a soccer ball on their way, you’ll be free to do the things you need to do.  Or, of course, to sit back in your Adirondack chair or porch glider and watch your children run, jump, play, and laugh their way to better holistic health!

See you (and your kids!) outside!

Hazel

Exhausted after a long day of playing!

There are tons of projects for us to do, in and around our homes; but, at least, we get to work with houses that already exist.  Imagine the monumental challenges that our earliest ancestors faced, when, surrounded by wilderness, they had to construct various forms of shelter from whatever was at hand.

Many of those who weren’t lucky enough to find caves to live in (the “high society” crowd), made huts from wood and branches, while others draped animal skins over wooden frameworks, or used the bones of mammoths for the skeletal (literally!) structures, then covered them with the skins.  In any case, it took a lot of effort to build even the most makeshift abode.

Even so, it wasn’t long before people began adding on rooms to these modest dwellings, and furnishing them with chairs and tables that had been crudely fashioned from rocks, wood, and branches.  Outdoor furniture, I guess, was anything that was found lying around on the ground.  Perhaps a felled tree could have been used as a lounge chair, a smooth rock, as a garden bench (or, if it teetered on an uneven surface, a rocker), and an animal pelt tied between two trees, as a hammock, a hammock chair, or even a porch swing.

Naturally, people quickly began accumulating more possessions, in an attempt to keep up with the Joneses – or, the Oggs, as the case may have been.  Then, because of the apparently innate compulsion of the human race to hoard things, even when there’s no place to put them, the first storage sheds were created; and, like many homes, and some inhabitants thereof, they were nothing but skin and bones.

Throughout the ages, they have really fleshed out, appearing in many forms and materials, in virtually every culture, evolving into the good old backyard structures that we’ve all come to know.  In the 21^st century, however, apparently unsatisfied with being used only for storage, the shed has once again changed the way it is perceived in society.

Today, there are several styles of sheds, made from vinyl, cedar, and pine, available with features that include skylights, insulation, window boxes, and dozens of colors of siding and roofing.  Along with their impressive, new looks, garden sheds are taking on daring new roles, as home offices and gyms, studios, playhouses, guest rooms, and hobby rooms.  In fact, because they have proven that they can successfully serve all of these purposes, and many more, sheds have become almost as popular as gazebos.

It just goes to show that great things can happen when you’re courageous enough to shed your old image.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

This week our guest blogger is Helen Yoest, owner of Gardening With Confidence.  Helen Yoest is a gardening coach, stylist, writer, speaker and expert.

As a garden writer, she has written for Better Homes and Gardens, Nature’s Garden, Fine Gardening, and Carolina Gardening.  As a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and their special interest publications, she scouts great gardens as well as presents her work to Martha Stewart Living, Architectural Digest, and other noted publications.

She travels as a  garden speaker to both motivate and teach other enthusiasts on the art of gardening and design.  Her Gardening With Confidence gardening coach service assists clients with all levels of gardening experience to create the design they desire.

This week she is using her wide array of expertise to explain the importance of garden paths and how they can best be created and used.

A journey down the garden path is poetic and practical.

Paths play an important role in the garden. More than a map through, paths fill a void in the garden, particularly in the winter, give sturdy passage, and invite you into the garden.

Chances are, you’ll know where to put a path. Over time, a path will make itself. Cut across the lawn enough times to smell the roses and you will begin to see where a path may go.

Casually sketch your house and garden. Map out where a path might lead. Adding curves will slow the pace and reveal the garden slowly.

Know the purpose of the path and how it may be used. This will help plan the width and path material considerations. Will your path be used by two to journey though or is it for easy access for the wheelbarrow?

Here are five materials to consider when planning a path:

Gravel and Other Loose Material Gravel paths are ideal for budget conscience homeowners. They also provide traction and allow for good drainage. Gravel looks nice too and the sound of the crunch is somehow
reassuring as you journey down the garden path. In more informal areas, paths made of mulch, such as wood chips and bark, will define an area. Paths made from these materials are best in areas not traveled with bare feet.

Brick Brick is probably the most versatile material to use in creating garden paths. Complementing most home styles, brick can be laid in many different patterns and can also accept a gentlearch. Set in sand or mortar, brick is equally suitable for a passage to the front door as it is for a service area. Remember, paths made of brick in moist, heavily shaded areas can retain moisture and form moss, creating a slipping hazard.

Pavers Concrete pavers for paths offer the consumer many options in design. Available in noninterlocking
styles with smooth edges, and interlocking styles with patterned edges to allow the pieces to fit together like a puzzle, as well as, unique shapes needed for complicated patterns. There are circles, hexagons, squares, triangles, and of course, rectangles. Pavers can be laid in sand or mortar making their use versatile and
with many choices to match to your home’s style.

Stone Flagstone and cut stone tile lends a more formal feeling to a garden path. Flagstone is a natural choice to compliment garden plantings. The available colors are naturally subtle, resulting in restful looking paths. Flagstone can be laid in sand or mortar, but if thick enough, flagstone works well laid directly on top of leveled ground. Cobble stone, fieldstone, river rock, and other irregularly shaped stone lend a more relaxed look to the garden path. The use of various sizes in the design allows for some very creative patterns.

Wood Wood can be used as raised decking in the garden or as an edging to other path materials. Boards can be positioned widthwise to visually slow movement or lengthwise to provide a sense of forward movement. A level path can be constructed with wood to line out the dips and valleys irregular surfaces. Left natural, stained or painted, wood lends itself to just about any home style.

Digging Deeper The path width is best determined by its use. If the passage is to only be used as a service area, such as a path from the front yard to back yard, enough space to allow the passage of a single person is all that is
needed; therefore, a width of 2 – 3 feet will be plenty. If the path width is needed for two to travel through, then a width of 4 – 5 feet is needed.

Installing your garden paths this year will be a dream come true for many years to come.

Editor’s Note: Don’t let your garden path rush people out of your pleasant scenery.  A well placed garden bench or patio chair will allow both you and your guests to have a place to stop, rest, and truly enjoy the beautiful garden around them.  If you’re feeling a little bold, try stringing a hammock just off the path for a shaded and serene escape.  Also consider having your garden path lead to more than just through the garden or to the house.  Imagine a rich and long pathway to a secret hide-away in a gazebo or cabana, or under a pergola.  Even a comfortable dining set or patio group would be a fine destination after all of your hard work.