Rock Garden

Rock gardens are usually planted with alpine plants. The rocks create a natural and decorative setting against which the alpines look at home; indeed, the rocky site provides the perfect, free-draining habitat with a cool root-run which alpines require if they are to thrive. Rockeries can be any size; they can vary from small arrangements built on patios where paving stones have been removed, to large features that take up most of the garden.

The site can be of any aspect but an open one with plenty of light and air is preferable. Although alpines will tolerate high winds they do not like draughts, so avoid constructing a rockery where wind is likely to be funnelled between buildings or trees. Rock gardens look best on sloping sites, but they can also be built on flat ground to make horizontal features.

The soil must be carefully considered. A free-draining loam is best if it can be obtained, otherwise a mixture of one part good garden soil, one part coir, peat or leaf mould and one part grit or gravel, as measured by volume, can be used; the grit or gravel is important as it will aid drainage. The soil used must be completely free of weeds, otherwise the rock garden may have to be dismantled so that the gardener can thoroughly weed the site.

Rockeries are attractive features in their own right and the choice of rock is important. If possible, use a local stone which will not only be cheaper but will also look more natural. Do not use lumps of concrete as these rarely look right, and in particular avoid using a soft stone that is more than likely to shatter and flake during the first frosts.

The rocks should be arranged so that they resemble the strata of a rocky outcrop rather than being dotted around on the surface of the soil. Each rock should be partially buried in the ground. This will create a more natural look and provide the plants with a cool root-run, as well as making the feature more stable so that people can walk across it to admire the plants.

For a more varied feature, certain areas of the rock garden can be given different soils so that a wider range of plants can be grown. Areas shaded from the sun during the hotter part of the day should have more organic material, such as peat or leaf mould, incorporated into the soil to make it more moisture-retentive; primulas love damp soil and these and other plants suited to moist conditions can be grown. Crevice plants can be worked into the vertical cracks between the rocks which will provide the sharp drainage that they require.

There is a vast range of plants that can be grown in rockeries but the majority flower in the spring. Try and include some summer- and autumn-flowering plants as well to give as much seasonal interest as possible. Rock garden plants need not be restricted to those from high alpine regions; many dwarf lowland plants are excellent choices. Small bulbs in particular can look very attractive in rocky settings.

But once we have wrought iron gates installed at our properties, what sort of maintenance does it require? Well, if the truth be told, wrought iron does require a small amount of TLC otherwise it may be prone to rust and corrosion. Obviously keeping it clean is a great start so by regularly removing dirt and dust build-up will help to avoid any corrosion. There are also special paints that are available now days that do a great job at preventing both rust and corrosion. While it’s true that wrought iron gates do not readily rust, there is no harm at all in preventative measures, and by checking them every so often for signs of rust or corrosion, you can usually nip the problem in the bud should something untoward appear. At the end of the day, a great set of well maintained and looked after wrought iron gates at the front of your property will not only increase the general ambience and security of the property, it will also help add value to it as well.

Nowadays there are many types of wrought iron gates available on the market and some of the most popular are the electrically powered ones that can be opened and closed via remote control. These remote controls can work equally well from inside a car, from a gatehouse or from the house itself and many come with added security features such as security cameras and intercoms.

Electronic double gates are not the only type you can buy, as there are manual versions that work just as well. Although not as convenient, they do exactly the same work as their electronic cousins, just not automatically.

Veering away from the driveway options, you can find wrought iron gates available for use in the front garden as well as the back. These can range from simple latch-type gates to bolt secured ones, each offering the right amount of privacy while managing to keep little children or pets inside the property (or out if they are not yours!). The choice of styles for these gates is large, ranging from arched to farm-yard style, single or double.

It may be more cost effective to construct your own gazebo rather than employing the services of a professional. Having your own plan in place will make the job of building your gazebo easier. There are many websites which allow you to create your own gazebo plan free of charge and this plan will provide you with a step by step guide on how to construct your gazebo. These websites which provide the plans often offer support and advice for the erection of the gazebo.

Gazebo plans offer alternative ways to construct your gazebo. Some gazebos have posts which are cemented into the ground, while others are connected to a concrete slab or a wooden floor. If you choose to have your gazebo bolted to a wooden floor or concrete slab, this will reduce the need for separate flooring. The other styles of flooring normally chosen for gazebos are tiles or slate.

The first step when constructing your gazebo is to mix the concrete and put the posts into position. It would be prudent to have someone assist you at this stage as it will require at least two people to erect the posts. You will need one person to hold the post in position in the hole and the other to place the cement into the hole. Make sure that whoever is holding the posts has them straight to avoid any problems at a later stage. It would be devastating to realize once the cement had dried and one of the posts had ended up crooked!

The cement will usually take about 24 hours to set, but once the posts are securely in place the next step will be to make sure they are at the required length. Therefore they can be trimmed to size if required. After this has been done the top beams can be nailed in place.