Having chosen your containers, place them around your garden or terrace, patio or balcony and group them together. When you’re happy with the arrangement, draw a rough sketch of your design and spend a day or so observing the movement of the sun. I know this might sound silly and obvious, but sunlight is an important element for plants, so there is no point of putting a fern into a container that is exposed to full sunshine… Then go to your garden centre or order your plants online ( don’t forget your sketches and observations!).  You can order your plants online from Garden centers & nurseries.

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Container Gardening

Container Gardening is liberating and constricting at the same time - it’s liberating because you’re not restricted by the soil condition of your garden; constricting because it needs more care and attention.Containers are ideal to use on balconies, in small gardens, on patios and around the edges of flowerbeds.  But don’t just go wild and buy containers on impulse in your garden center - container gardening needs planning..

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Herb Gardening

It’s summer…it’s hot… it’s time for salads and fresh herbs.
Fresh herbs can be expensive in the supermarkets so why don’t you grow your own?
Herb gardening can be achieved in most gardens - you can grow herbs on the smallest windowsill, on a balcony, in containers or, if space allows, create a herb-garden section in your garden..

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In the previous article you read about how to cast your own stepping stones. Remember, you should leave them aside for a couple of days to set completely before you can lay them along your pathway.

As I said before, stepping stones are less obtrusive, easier and cheaper to lay than solid pathways. They are particularly suitable for long paths and as focal points. You can be imaginative with shapes and styles - the flexibility of concrete provides creative freedom..

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Stepping stones can be less obtrusive and more interesting than solid pathways. Not to mention that they are much cheaper to lay - particularly if you want to create a long path to somewhere. So instead of laying a solid pathway, just set a few stepping stones along the track.  
Why don’t you make these stepping stones even more interesting by making them yourself? It’s simple and easy - you just need a mould & some concrete. Concrete is cheap, easy to mix and very durable. However, it’s quite heavy so don’t make large pieces..

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As we discussed in the previous post, growing vegetables can be a very satisfying experience. Now you know the basics, the question that remains is:  -  what to grow???

Don’t bother with vegetables that you can get easily and cheaply from a supermarket or the farmers’market, such as standard potatoes or onions, or vegetables that are too fussy and attract pests or diseases.

These are the best vegetables to start with:..

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More and more of us want to eat healthy, organic vegetables. Unfortunately the industrialised “organic” production of vegetables is not as pure as it should be, so the only way to make sure your vegetable are truly fresh and organic is to grow them yourself! Also, it is very satisfying to watch your meals grow in your own garden!

However, you should really think about what to grow. It’s really not worth growing things that you can get really cheaply at a market, such as normal potatoes and onions, particularly if you don’t have a big garden.  Instead opt for gourmet crops such as shallots, beans, new potatoes, peas, chards, spinach and lettuces..

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