Stepping Stone Path

It’s easy to control where garden visitors go in your garden with fieldstone paths.

Decide where you want paths
Gather your garden hoses and use them to lay out the size and the shape of your walkways. Try to allow enough room to create curved paths as they appear more inviting than angular or straight paths. After you have your paths laid out using your garden hose, remove any soil, sod or grass to a depth of 5 inches.

Adding crushed rock
Unless you own a compactor, you’ll need to rent one from your local equipment rental company. Their staff will instruct you on how to operate the compactor. You’ll need 1/4″ minus crushed rock. Minus crushed rock is finely crushed rock no larger than 1/4″ that also includes much finer material. You will want to use 1/4″ minus crushed rock because it compacts well and makes the solid base you want for your walkway. If you are not sure where to purchase 1/4′ minus crushed rock, you can check with your local landscaping company. If you local landscaping company does not carry minus crushed rock they will direct you to where you can buy it.

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Wood Garden Glider

Take a closer look.
Choosing outdoor garden furniture could entail many different things. Before you decide on the right table, chairs, and equipment, take a closer look at the details. Here are five areas you might want consider before you buy your outdoor garden furniture.

Price of garden furniture
The best looking and most comfortable seats and chairs will not be any good to you, if you cannot afford to buy them. When you shop, always consider the price. If you are shopping online, most sites will let you browse the selections by price. This is a good way to make sure that you stay within your budget.

Will the garden furniture be comfortable?
Comfort is extremely important when selecting and buying outdoor furniture for your cottage garden. Seats should be comfortable and provide support, but you also need to consider the size of your family and friends. Check the dimensions of the chairs, benches, couches and loveseats you are considering to buy. Your family and guests’ legs need to have adequate space under the table while sitting at the table. Take time to consider the arm rests on the chairs too. Do they appear to be comfortable?

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Replacing Garden Furniture Cushions

All too often, outdoor furniture comes with cushions that aren’t right for a person’s existing decor or they don’t hold up over time. When a new season begins, there is nothing like changing cushions for a fresh new look. From off the rack versions to custom made ones, it is a quick way to freshen up existing outdoor furniture.

During this time of recession and looking to save on spending, replacing outdoor cushions can be an inexpensive way to revamp the look of an outdoor area without making major buys. This is especially true if existing furniture is still good or if there’s an attachment to it. It is very simple to change color, fabric and style by replacing them.

There is nothing difficult about finding replacement cushions. But, the selection can be overwhelming too. In this age of mass manufacturing and production, and the availability of the internet, an enormous amount of time can be spent finding just the right ones. No longer are people forced to buy replacements that look exactly what they want to get rid of.

If one sticks totally to local retail stores, the selection is likely to be slim. The sizes or styles may match only what is being sold that season rather than offering the consumer a choice in replacements. Having the brand of furniture as well as the dimensions handy can make online shopping fun and fruitful too. The choices are wide and varied.

Online, one will find there are many sites who stock wide varieties. From the websites of the big box stores to specialty sites, it doesn’t take long to realize that much more is offered online than in stores. These sites will offer not only standard fare but much more exotic as well. It is possible to replace or to completely upgrade in both cushion grade and fabric.

Finding options for shape, fabric, cushion thickness and even welting is simple. Most sites also stock unusual or hard to find items for older pieces like gliders or outdoor rocking chairs. And any who offer options will also have easy to follow guides for measuring and ordering.

Ordering custom made cushions need not cost a fortune, and it’s one way to get what you want. Having exactly the style, the color, the size and the fabric that you want can be a design boost for any area of a home and the outdoors is no exception. It is possible to order swatches or order fabric alone online and have the cushions made locally.

There are two ways of approaching outdoor furniture replacement cushions. There’s opting for inexpensive replacements that may last no more than one season. For some, temporary is more fun. They can be changed out again the following year too. Others may want to choose more expensive fabrics like Sunbrella and plan to use the cushions for years. Each can be a good choice depending on the homeowner.

Replacing outdoor furniture cushions improves not only the look and design of a space but offers additional comfort too. Shopping online is a great winter time activity when spring and summer seem far away. Order them when it’s cold and there’s no time wasted once the warm days appear again.

About the Author: Gabriel Meriwether writes about patio furniture and patio dining sets and provides valuable information about purchasing garden furniture.
Article Source: Gabriel Meriwether

Relax on a garden swing

Relaxing garden get-togethers
It’s summer, humidity is low, and a light breeze is flowing throughout your garden. You want to sit outside in your garden and enjoy the beautiful weather, perhaps invite friends and family over for a barbecue, but you are a little short on seating for your guests to relax and enjoy themselves. This is a situation where some outdoor garden furniture would definitely make the day much more enjoyable!

Variety of styles and pieces
There is a wide variety of outdoor furniture styles and pieces for you to choose from these days. From weatherproof tables, made of plastic glass and steel, with umbrellas to keep you cool in the shade, to whole entire dining sets. The right piece, or pieces you need to make your garden get-togethers more relaxing and fun are out there waiting for you to add to your garden, backyard or on your patio.

Waterproof materials
There are outdoor sofas and chairs made of waterproof materials. There are also covers to slip over any piece of outdoor furniture that may not be quite as waterproof as you would like. Wood or wicker tables, chairs and other seating, can be purchased that are already protected from the elements, or you may have the option of doing it yourself with the use of store bought products.

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Caring for Cottage Wicker Furniture

Cleaning is necessary
In the summer and nice weather, your cottage garden is a sanctuary, a place to relax and entertain guests. To make the most of this sanctuary, many have chosen to use wicker outdoor furniture for its comfort and its beauty. It is an elegant yet affordable way to create the perfect look for any cottage garden, and the good new is, it’s relatively easy to care for.

Wicker has lots of crevices
The weave design of wicker creates lots of crevices, and because of the intricate design of wicker, it is a dust magnet. To keep your garden wicker clean, use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to clean the wicker regularly. Follow the direction of the weave to get into crevices and prevent breaking the wicker.

Soap, water and a toothbrush
When the wicker is clean of dust, soap and water is the best way to finish cleaning it. A toothbrush can be used to get into those crevices and tight spots and get out any debris that may have become lodged inside. When done, it’s okay to rinse off the furniture with a hose and let it dry in the shade. Doing this on a warm, breezy day is best although it can take two to three days for it to dry completely. Full story