Category Archives: Guest Posts

Guest Post ~ How to Introduce Child-Friendly Water Features into Community Gardens

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water feature for gardenDo you have a water feature in your garden (community or otherwise) or have you avoided it because of safety issues?

Ewan Michaels is this month’s guest blogger and he currently works for UK Water Features who are a solar water pumps provider. Ewan enjoys gardening in his spare time and thinks that child safety should be a top priority when designing or modifying a garden. 

A decorative water feature that has moving water increases the appeal of any garden. Water is soothing to watch and hear as it flows, trickles and splashes. Every gardener who installs a water feature is fully responsible for it. Gardeners who participate in community gardens are even more responsible due to the access the public has as well as the fact that other volunteer gardeners will likely participate in maintaining any water feature installed.

Community Gardens

The idea of the community garden goes back to antiquity but has only seen a resurgence since the 1960s. Plots of land in villages and cities are turned into everything from a productive vegetable garden that provides food to havens for wildlife. Most gardens attract the public due to their organized beauty and the peaceful serenity they offer to visitors. Young children visiting these gardens have various levels of supervision depending on the guardian accompanying them. It’s important to keep this in mind when adding anything to a community garden.

 

black slate water feature

Child-Friendly Water Feature Basics for Community Gardens

Beyond the child safety concerns that will be considered, there is a need to follow a fundamental common-sense approach to any water feature. Drought-prone areas are no stranger to seasonal hose pipe bans. Large water features may run dry during the hottest part of the season right when a ban is in effect. Features that require smaller amounts of water that can be easily and legally kept filled are a benefit. Also, an approved pump connected to an approved and inspected electrical source is a must. Annual inspections may also be required depending where the garden is located.

Child-specific concerns include that the water feature be constructed of a material that cannot be broken even if a child should decide to climb on it. The water feature must also be installed in a manner that it would be impossible for it to tip over if a child should climb on it. The issue is that a strong material that can support weight is usually heavy. Heavy materials falling over can cause serious injuries or even fatalities. No one wishes to bear that concern.

Choose a water feature that is too small for a child to crawl into, yet large enough that the water movement creates visual and sound appeal. Pond style features have the risk of accidental drowning. Birdbath type features are interesting and are considered to be much safer. Regardless of the water feature decided upon, be sure to consider it from a child’s perspective. Consider every bit of trouble a child could get into when at play near it.

Funny to read of hose pipe bans and drought with all the rain we’ve had over the past few weeks but it’s not that long ago our water butts were empty! We just can’t guarantee the weather in any of our seasons over recent years so it pays to think beyond the here and now.

A wildlife pond is top of my list of improvements in my own garden but I really like the  ball water feature above which will provide light, reflection and be a lot easier to install too. What do you think? Do you have a pond or water feature in your garden? 

 

Guest Post: Organic Mulching ~ What’s that all about?

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When I first started gardening I often heard the terms mulching, soil conditioning, manuring, composting to name but a few and hadn’t got a clue what people were talking about. Were they different or all the same? Did they come in bags or did you make them? 


My questions were endless and so I was delighted when Jerry Day offered to clarify mulching for everyone with a guest blog. Jerry has loved gardening and landscaping since he was very young. He loves to write about gardening topics and currently works for 1-800-Mulch-Pro in the U.S. helping others improve the exterior of their homes.

Types Of OrganicMulch That Can Be Used In Vegetable Gardens
Organicgardening is the process of growing flowers, ornamental plants, herbs, fruit,and vegetables without toxic chemicals or harmful pesticides. Some primaryconcerns for organic gardeners include pest control, soil preparation, weedcontrol, and the preservation of garden plants. Applying an organic mulch as a layer that sits on the top of the soil isthe best way to ensure a bountiful harvest throughout the season. A layer oforganic mulch will adjust the temperature of garden soil as needed, eliminatefruit rot, and provide overall soil improvement. Organic mulch properlyinsulates the ground against cold or heat, and the spread of plant disease willbe reduced.
Straw Mulch

There areseveral different types of organic mulch that can be used in vegetable gardens.Organic mulch is made from previously living material produced by nature.Straw, wood chips, dried leaves, and pine needles are some examples of organicmulch. The amount of mulch used in the garden will depend on the type oforganic material used. If you are using stringy or coarse material like pineneedles, applying several inches of mulch will bring the best results. When thegrowing season has come to an end, simply mix the mulch into the garden soil.This process increases the soil’s organic matter in preparation for the nextseason.

Gardeners canuse different types of natural material for organic mulch. Dried grass clippings areideal for many root vegetables such as radishes, carrots, and beets. Mulch made from bark orwood chips are often used in shrubs, ornamental gardens, and garden borders.This type of mulch is not recommended for vegetable gardens. Materials likeshredded leaves, hay, and straw are other types of organic mulch that can beused in vegetable gardens. For best results, only use dry materials for organicmulch. Organic mulch can be made from sawdust or shredded newspaper, thesematerials should also be dry before adding to garden soil.
Home made compost

One of the mostwell known types of mulch is home made compost made from organic material. Organiccompost is made from natural material and discarded food items. Gardeners canuse potato peels, lobster shells, vegetable leaves, citrus peels, and eggshells for organic compost. Natural products such as pea pods, feathers, seedhulls, and peanut shells are also used. If you will be using compost as mulch,it must stay moist to encourage root growth. Cover the soil with a thin layerof compost and top it with mulch made from dried grass or shredded leaves. Anextra layer of mulch will allow thecompost to stay moist, and plant roots will thrive.

Just about anykind of organic mulch can be used in a vegetable garden. After two or threeplanting seasons, you will know which type of organic mulch you prefer.

Do you use mulch in your garden? I liked the tip about covering the soil with home made compost then a layer of dried grass. What do you use?

Guest Post: Fabulous! 5 Easy Winter Flower Bulbs by Susan Flowers

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Susan has kindly written the first of my new feature guests posts that I’ll be including on the Greenside Up blog. She is the Manager of the Blooming Brilliant Garden Centre at Dermot Kehoe Supply & DIY Centre in New Ross, Co. Wexford. Susan has had the gardening bug for over 10 years, and has designed several gardens in that time, along with working as a horticulturist and garden center manager. 

This Spring her garden center is getting a bit of a re-vamp, so she is quite excited about planning the new layout! You can follow the Blooming Brilliant Garden Center  on Facebook.

You are probably longing for Spring right about now, aren’t you? Craving a bit of colour and cheer in the garden as you wait for the first green shoots? Well, did you know there are some fantastic flowers you can enjoy in your garden in winter? There are, and they are easy peasy to grow! Here are my top five:

Winter Irises

Winter Iris
Winter Iris

These little jewels generally bloom in January, and are mainly in shades of purple & blue. Iris reticulata is their Latin name, and they look stunning planted in groups. I’ve several in bloom in my garden at the minute, and they come back year after year as long as your soil isn’t soggy. You can also have them indoors in a pot to enjoy the scent up close, (put in a coolish spot in order for the flowers to last longer) and then you can plant outside when they are done flowering. There is a cheery yellow winter iris, too – iris danfordiae- which also has a fab scent,but is not quite as likely to return next year. Still, they are not expensive as plants in pots or as dried bulbs & are worth the enjoyment!

Winter Aconite

Winter Acconite
Winter Acconite
These sunny little ‘Winter Buttercups’ (Eranthis hyemalis) are wildlife friendly, tough as boots in the snow, and will often multiply and make a splash of sunshine! Planted underneath a deciduous tree – where other plants will often not grow they are a real lift! Winter Aconites are much better bought as growing plants in pots versus dried bulbs in bags. The foliage dies back around April/May, and it feeds the bulb so it will flower again next year,so don’t chop it while it is still green this goes for all bulbs, too.


Snowdrops

Snowdrops
Snowdrops
Another winter beauty best bought in a pot, Snowdrops(Galanthus nivalis) also multiply over the years- but do plant them in groups to start; a single plant or two on their tod look a bit lonely. As they clump up more fully you can gently split and move them when they are finished for the season. You can go mad and pay big money for special varieties (like on the top picture above), or buy the more common kinds for much less.


January Gold & February Gold Daffodils

Early Daffodil 
Daffodil February Gold



















These very early daffs do  what they say on the tin! In fact, it was so mild here in Ireland this December that January Golds have been in full flower since mid December and they are still looking great one month on! These bulbs have never let me down and always give a wonderful, long, show. Most likely you will find them for sale as inexpensive dry bulbs in bags, and that is perfectly fine for them. Enjoy! But don’t tiethe foliage in knots after, or cut down until after it yellows like with all bulbs, it feeds next years flowers.

Crocus
   

Mixed crocus
Crocus tommasinianus




Your teacher probably had you plant a few crocus in a cup in school when you were a child – they are that easy to grow, but no less valuable Winter cheer for it! There are lots of different colours and colour combos to choose from in the different varieties, but one of my all time favourites is plain old crocus tommasinianus, pictured below. 

Crocus tommasinianus

It is so graceful and spreads around nicely. They all are very good for any early honey bees that venture out on mild Winter days, and the happy-go-lucky crocus deserve a place in every garden. They also are fine purchased dry, or as growing plants in pots.


I hope you are inspired to grow a few of these gorgeous, easy Winter flowers yourself!  

I hope you enjoyed ready about the fabulous bulbs available to brighten up our winter days as much as I did, and are now thinking of adding some colour to your own gardens?

Susan is currently selling all of the bulbs mentioned (and others) in pots at this time of year, with prices varying between 5 for €10 for some pots, 3 for €10 for others, which I think is great value…… Thanks Susan, I may be heading down way soon!