Home Improvement

India is one of the world’s oldest countries with a rich history that has contributed to a culture of beauty in architecture, art, landscape, and some of the world’s most fabulous and well-known gardens. Better known for its food, fabric and booming technology industry, as well as large numbers of people living in extreme poverty, India also boasts incredible, ancient gardens.

If you are keen to plot a tour of the most gorgeous gardens in India, you might like to add these to your list.

The Indian Botanical Garden
The Indian Botanical Garden, the oldest and largest botanical garden in India, contains some of the rarest species of plants and perennials, including orchids, bamboo and water lilies. There are mango and tamarind trees, more than 100 varieties of palms and 1400 plus species of shrubs in green houses and conservatories on the grounds.

The Fantastic Banyan Tree, reportedly the oldest in the world, has been located here for 250 years.

The Birla Planetorium, also found in these gardens, is the perfect place to view the stars.

* Best time to visit: December to January
* Gardens open: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
* Admission: Free

Brindavan Gardens
A must-see garden with musical water fountains that change colours in the evenings, the Brindavan Gardens are a favourite with tourists and locals alike. Built near the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam that provides thousands of gallons of water daily, spectacular water shows fill the gardens.

Brindavan Gardens are divided into four sections with exotic plants such as orchids, bougainvillaea, roses and cacti. One section contains the Children’s Park, where you can find fun rides and food courts serving Indian and Chinese cuisine.

The gardens house a government fruit orchard with more than 75 acres of mango, lychee, avocado, and guava trees.

* Best time to visit: September to February
* Gardens open:  January – September M – F 7:00 – 7:55 pm / 6.30 – 7.30 pm, October – February Sat. & Sun. 7:00 – 8:55 pm / 6:30 – 8:30 pm

* Admission: Rs 20
* Water shows: Spring only
* No videos allowed. There is a penalty.

The Mughal Gardens
The Mughal Gardens, a spectacular blend of Indian and British architecture, are located in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the home of the President of India. Six acres of flowers, shrubs and fountains combine with rich historical landmarks.

The gardens are divided into three sections: the Rectangular Garden with four water channels reflecting images of the house; the Long Garden surrounded by 12-foot high walls with 250 species of roses; and the Circular Garden, also called the Butterfly Garden, with fragrant flowers that bloom all year.

The India Gate, a memorial that contains the names of all of the soldiers that fought during World War II, provides an historical landmark.

* Best time to visit: Open only February to March to the public
* Gardens open: 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
* Admission: Free

The Pinjore Gardens
The Pinjore Gardens are situated on 100 acres of land and feature an incredible variety of trees, shrubs and flowers. Channels filled with water fountains, adjacent walkways and the entire garden are illuminated at night. The gardens also house the Japanese Garden with exotic bonsai; National Cactus Garden with over 1000 species of cacti; and a mini zoo which is home to tigers, panthers and birds.

Other attractions include: the Jal Mahal Restaurant, which is built in a pool of water; and Baoli, an ancient water well that’s inscribed with scriptures.

* Best time to visit: December to March
* Gardens open:  Summer 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Winter 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
* Admission: Free

The Rock Garden
The Rock Garden is a unique garden full of sculptures built from industrial waste like coal, glass, and china. Built by a road inspector, sculptures were really built in the middle of the night because it was illegal in the beginning. The sculptures are scattered over 40 acres of wooded, grassy gardens that resemble a fairy-tale kingdom. Colourful sculptures of animals and people dot pathways leading to waterfalls and bridges, making a fun place to experience a bit of whimsy.

* Best time to visit: December to March end.
* Gardens open: Summer 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Winter 9:30 am – 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 6: 00 pm
* Admission: Free

Garden tours can be organised through agencies such as Namaste Tours, Timeless Excursions, and Jetways Travels.

Are you a homeowner who has your own garden? If you do and if you are like many other garden growers, there is a excellent chance that you take fantastic pride in your garden. You may not only spend a large amount of time working on it to make it gorgeous and full of life, but you may also spend a lot of time just relaxing in your garden area. If you are, have you ever thought about outfitting your garden area with teak garden furniture? If you have yet to do so, you may want to reckon about giving teak garden furniture a close look.

When it comes to teak garden furniture, there are many individuals who wonder exactly what is so special about it. If you were to talk to a lawn and garden expert, there is a excellent chance that they would recommend teak garden furniture to you. One of the reasons why teak garden furniture comes so highly rated and recommended is because of its dependability. Teak garden furniture is made from some of the best materials on earth. As long as you carefully choose your teak garden supplier or manufacturer, you should have pieces of furniture that may, literally, last a lifetime.

In addition to its dependability, teak garden furniture is also well-known for its beauty. Teak garden furniture is gorgeous beyond what many words clarify. Its beauty makes elegance and luxury; elegance and luxury that may be perfect for your garden, especially if you are interested in turning your garden into a private, luxurious getaway. Teak garden furniture can transform a traditional or an average garden, into a thing of breathtaking beauty. The natural beauty of teak garden furniture makes it the perfect fit for your garden. Tweak garden furniture doesn’t look “out of place,” as most other pieces of cheap plastic or metal lawn and garden furniture often does.

Although we often associate gardens with peace and silent, gardens are also home to many social gatherings. If you choose to have a social gathering in your garden, even just a small one, there is a excellent chance that you are proud of your garden and its beauty. If that is the case, why ruin that beauty with traditional metal or plastic lawn and garden furniture? Instead, you will want to complement the beauty of your garden and what better way to do that than with teak garden furniture. With teak garden furniture, you are sure to get nothing but compliments from your garden gathering guests.

It is also vital to mention the choices that you will have, when it comes to outfitting your garden area with teak garden furniture. If you are interested in doing so, you can only place one or two pieces of teak garden furniture in your garden or you can add a whole teak garden furniture set; the choice is yours to make. When making that choice though, you may want to take the size of your garden into consideration, as well as how much free space you would like your garden to have. Many prefer not to “clutter,” their garden too much and you may want to be careful about doing the same.

If and when you choose that you want to outfit your garden with teak garden furniture, you will want to start shopping. This is where the fun really starts. When shopping for teak garden furniture, you will find that you have a number of different options. For instance, you may be able to choose from teak garden chairs, teak Adirondack garden chairs, teak garden benches, and so forth. You really have quite a selection of teak garden furniture pieces to choose from. What is even more incredible is that each piece of teak garden furniture comes in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. What does this mean for you? It means that you may really have a hard time deciding which piece to buy! That is why a large number of garden growers really buy multiple pieces of teak garden furniture and sometimes even a whole garden set.

If you are interested in buying teak garden furniture for your garden or even if you are just interested in seeing what type of garden furniture pieces are available for sale, you will want to check out TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com. With a large selection of quality discount teak garden pieces, you are sure to find exactly what you are looking for and more at TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com.

Are you establishing a new garden? Are you trying to bring a long neglected or hard garden back to life again? You can make a flourishing garden anywhere. All you need is loads of desire, a small imagination and an open mind. In this article I briefly summarize some techniques that I have successfully used for encouraging growth in hard areas of the garden. By adding a small magick to some basic ecological gardening principles your can make a sensation.

There are a few essential requirements for a healthy garden. These are: soil with the right texture, nutrient levels, and drainage; water; sunlight and the appropriate plant choice for your local environment. Garden bed preparation is of utmost importance and you would be well advised to ensure that you have provided your plants with the best physical environment possible for their successful growth. But getting the physical environment right is just the first step. To get the best out of your garden you should provide a pleased environment, full of positive energy and a small magick.

Visualize

When you first start planting out your garden it doesn’t look much like it will in two, three, five or ten years. Visualization is a crucial part of the garden design and plotting process. It is also vital for the growing process. To keep your garden growing in the direction would like it to grow, you should visualize regularly. This is just a matter of looking at the garden and imagining what it will look like when your plants are fully grown. In doing so you are mentally sending your plants messages and encouragement. Make a habit of visualizing your garden on a daily basis and imagine it as it will look in, say, five years of constant and healthy growth.

In the meantime … fake it

While you are in the early stages of garden creation, try making a ‘fake it ’til you make it’ garden. This simply means making an interim garden. You can do this by placing pots filled with colorful plants around the area. This will give you some instant gratification for your efforts. It will also give your new plants some company. After all, plants are communal and are not meant to grow alone.

You can quickly and easily make new pot plants by taking cuttings from other plants in your garden or your existing pot plants. Place the cuttings in water until they sprout roots – some won’t grow roots this way, it will be trial and error but many will grow roots within a week. Alternatively, buy some plants, preferably colorful flowering plants. Of course, choose appropriate plants for the location of your garden – shade loving plants for areas with small sun, etc.

Place the pots around the area where you want the garden to be and in between the plants that you have recently planted. If the garden is located in a harsh landscape that is subject to extreme hot or cold or strong winds, you can place the pots so that young plants are protected from harsh winds or direct sunlight. If your environment is particularly harsh, you may consider adding small screens made from bamboo or other natural materials to protect young plants until they establish. In a dark or very shaded area, ensure that your pots will not block any sunlight that your seedlings may be receiving. Whatever the nature of your garden, use plenty of mulch to keep the moisture in the soil and the weed growth to a minimum.

Attract Native Animals

Life attracts life, so by attracting as many animals to your garden as possible you will increase the life energy of your garden which will help your plants to grow. Place rocks and logs in your garden to provide shelter and homes for small lizards and insects. If you do not have any tall trees, installing a pole that a bird can perch atop (but a cat can’t climb) is a fantastic thought, as birds will contribute seed laden droppings that can bring additional plants to your garden as well as additional nutrients. Show your delight when you notice a new native occupant and let him know he is welcome.

Allow the ecology of your garden to evolve along with the growth and addition of your plants and other components. Resist interfering by killing particular animals that you don’t like such as spiders, if you are so inclined. Instead, become curious and learn about them. Talk to them. You will gain an entirely new appreciation for these animals and improve your karma at the same time.

Avoid Using Poisons

Garden shops are full of garden poisons. It’s huge business. It would be easy to assume that weed killers, snail killers and the other exterminators are an essential component to gardening. But, the reality is that they are really terrible for your plants and the animals that add value to your garden. There is nearly always a natural or more gentle alternative to using poisons in the home garden. It is far more effective in the long term to pull weeds out by hand and you will save a lot of money.

Decorate and Communicate

Celebrate your garden area by decorating it with gorgeous things, such as hanging pots, statues, bird baths, sculptures and low lighting, will add positive energy and atmosphere. If possible, include an outdoor table and chairs and spend some time there entertaining friends, laughing and having a excellent time, or just be there on your own relaxing and smiling upon your garden. Make sure you remove or disguise any hideous or unsightly objects. It is vital to keep the area gorgeous as you are more likely to spend time in, and give loving energy to, a garden that you like the look of and feel excellent about.

Take a leaf out of Grandma’s Book

Did your Grandmother speak to her plants? Mine did, and that practice was passed down to my mother and now I do it. It works! You don’t need to spend a lot of time in conversation with your flowers. Simply walk around and admire your plants for a few minutes most days. In the hard spots, stop and talk to those plants that are struggling. Express pleasure when you see some growth. Smile at your plants and talk to them in a light manner as you are attending to their needs.

Crystals for Positive Energy

Use crystals and semi precious stones to add some beneficial energy to the area. Here are some thoughts:

Agate

This crystal is known for its ability to produce abundance and increase yields in crops. It can be used to enhance the health of your pot plants or your garden plants.

Jade

Jade represents life and growth and has been associated with the health of plants and the environment. Place jade statues in the garden or use jade in a decoration that hangs above or nearby your plants.

Moonstone

Moonstone helps to enhance the growth and health of plants. Use it in decoration in your garden or wear it when attending to your plants.

Clear Quartz Crystal

Quartz crystal will amplify and enhance the qualities of any other stone and can be used to achieve any goal of pure intention. Use it alongside the other stones or alone in your garden to enhance plant growth. I hang crystals over pot plants to improve their performance.

These are examples of stones and crystals that have specific qualities that can help plant recovery and growth. But, there are many crystals and stones that have healing and nurturing properties so it may pay to experiment. Crystals can be placed in pots, used as a show on a table, in a bird bath or water feature. They are particularly gorgeous when they form part of a hanging decoration.

Add a Small Fairy Magick

Fairies have long been associated with gardens. Flower fairies were thought to live in the flowers of plants. They looked after the plant by ensuring it had everything it needed. You can add your own bit of fairy magick to your garden by placing a hanging fairy near the garden that you want to prosper from this energy.

If fairies are not your thing, hang or place sculptures of other powerful symbols around the area, such as the Sun for positive energy and the Moon for receptivity and supernatural powers. Both of these symbols together represent balance and harmony. There are many other symbols of excellent fortune such as Buddha that will enhance the energy and the feel of your garden. These symbols and bearers of excellent energy also look fantastic.

Feng Shui Garden

Designing your garden for excellent Feng Shui

The Feng Shui garden is designed to allow Chi to flow. To make excellent Feng Shui, design your garden with plenty of curves. If you have a garden with very straight edges, add features that give the impression of curves. You can achieve this by the way you place your garden features and how you locate your plants. Choose rounded pots and curvy furniture to increase the positive Feng Shui in your garden.

Windchime Magick

Another way to increase Chi in your garden is by hanging a windchime or a windchime bell. Windchimes aid in the flow of Chi and add an additional element to your garden through sound. The right windchime can make a sensation of peace through its harmonic tunes. It is worthwhile selecting a well made bell or windchime that you delight in listening to as this will make a valuable addition to the atmosphere of your home and give you joy every time the breeze blows.

Water Features

A water feature is also extremely beneficial in the creation of a positive Feng Shui garden. The water must be flowing, but, so that Chi can flow and so that it does not become stagnant. The addition of fish to your water feature will provide more positive energy due to the additional life. Be sure to find fish that do not eat the spawn of local frogs. Gold fish, which originated in China, have become an environmental nuisance in some countries and they will eat frogspawn. For frog friendly fish, check with your Government Fisheries Department.

Frog Magick

Frogs represent excellent luck in many cultures around the world. The first frogs hopped this earth alongside the Dinosaurs. They are wise beings, worthy of respect and they will bring excellent energy to your garden. Be sure to locate any pond a excellent distance from bedroom windows, but, as frogs can croak up a storm at night.

Scent

A wonderful way for a garden to enrich your life is through scent. You can make a special atmosphere by planting the shrubs, trees and flowers in your garden that provide certain scents that enhance particular moods. Add some instant inspiration by filling your pots with lavender, jasmine, geranium, lemongrass or whatever your nose desires.

Burn incenses outside or light a scented candle at night while sitting in the garden. Select the scent that will be most beneficial for your garden’s growth. Try gardenia or lavender for like and healing, ginger for success, patchouli or rosemary for like and growth, the invigorating benefits of sweet orange or frankincense and myrrh for healing and growth.

A closing thought ..

Your garden reflects the relationship it shares with you and the other inhabitants of your home. By increasing the positive loving energy in your garden you will make a place for growth and harmony, a place where life will thrive. In return you will receive much enjoyment. By combining excellent ecological concepts with a small magick you can turn a hard garden into a sacred resort for the soul.

You know one when you see it. The English garden design is all about curved beds, winding paths, riotous color. The gardener’s hand is light. There-but just barely. It lets nature do its own thing. You might even say that the English garden design is controlled chaos.

The history of English garden design started with the revolt against the constraints of formal landscape design and classic landscape design. These two forms, with their appreciation of balance, symmetry and geometry, sit on the opposing end of the spectrum from English garden design. Where formal gardens find beauty in linearity, English gardens use undulating lines. Where formal gardens seek right angles, English gardens use few, if any, angles. The words of the English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744)-the “amiable simplicity of unadorned nature”-describe this style.

Impressionist painters were key influencers in the continuing development of the English garden design. Claude Monet (1840-1926) claimed that painting and gardening were his only two interests in life. When he first went to Giverny, where he would build his well-known water gardens, his first concern was to arrange the garden in a rampant, naturalistic explosion of color.

The residential English garden design has since become hugely well loved in the United States. Houston’s semi-tropical climate is well suited for vine-covered pergolas, sunny rose gardens, dazzling azalea beds and bursts of seasonal color-all plant materials that fit well within the English garden’s concept of abundance.

A Quick Study of English Gardens

The English garden design is the essence of an informal garden. The different colors and textures of the plant materials-the profuse wildness-draw the viewer in, making a feast for the mind’s eye. But, while it has elements of a naturalistic garden, it is not considered of this style. Instead, flowering plants are arranged in a seemingly haphazard arrangement that merely recalls a natural landscape.

The general characteristics of an English garden design fall along these lines:

• Plants are chosen out of personal preference or connection. It is common to find cuttings from the gardens of family and friends.

• Regional plants have prominence because they enhance the naturalistic feel.

• Plants, especially flowering ones, are grouped into smaller clumps-not drifts. The desired effect is for the garden to appear somewhat random, but not messy.

• Many different kinds of plants are used-annuals, bulbs, herbs, perennials, shrubs and vines.

• Scent is very vital in an English garden design. Hence, the prevalence of roses and herbs.

• Often the garden is enclosed by a picket fence or hedge to help bring some additional order.

• Strong mix of colors.

Colors of an English Garden: Evoking the Emotions

English garden design uses plants to reach the viewer emotionally rather than intellectually. Primarily, it is done with color.

Different colors affect people differently, but generally each color has its own psychological appeal. Green is the most restful color. Pale greens and yellow-greens are perfect for an English garden design because they feel lighter, brighter and more informal. White makes a sense of space in a garden. Red calls attention to itself or what it surrounds, making it perfect for planting near focal points. Apricot, salmon and peach tints are friendly and welcoming.

Space and Elements of the English Garden Design

The arrangement of elements within the English garden space is very vital. Whereas the modern garden design uses a philosophy of “less is more”, the English garden simply says “more.”

Some elements to consider for an English garden:

Gates. The garden entryway can become an vital element of an English garden design. Plants can soften the garden gate, making it even more inviting.

Hardscapes. Hardscapes are non-plant material features of landscape design. Well loved residential hardscape structures made of wood that work well in an English garden design include arbors, pergolas and gazebos. In an English garden, walkways meander through the landscape while providing easy access to your home and other structures. Perhaps a retaining wall, a small wall used to hold the soil in place, is needed as part of a proper landscape drainage system. If so, excellent landscape designers and landscape architects will construct it so that it fits the design.

Material choices. Just as flagstone and travertine work well in a Mediterranean garden design, brick and gravel complement an English garden design.

The Ever After of an English Garden

While English gardens are lower in maintenance than a formal landscape design, a landscape maintenance program is still required. Especially it will involve the systematic feeding of flowers, bushes and trees. Since trees are a vital part of the English garden, make sure proper tree preservation methods are used during installation. “A temporary irrigation system and hand-digging to minimize hurt to trees and their root systems are a very vital part of tree preservation,” clarifies Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds. For the longer term, a permanent irrigation system is also a plus for the entire landscape since it will increase the ease of the required regular watering.

Essex is a county in size of over 1,500 square miles, so it’s no surprise to find that it is packed full of areas of outstanding natural beauty which, luckily for us, are cared for by some of the best organisations and gardeners in the country. The variety of Open Gardens in Essex available to be viewed and loved by the public is vast and varies from Elizabethan knot gardens to woodland and gravel gardens.

Within easy reach of Colchester, about 6 miles to the east near the town of Elmstead Market, is The Beth Chatto Gardens. These ecological gardens were made by well-known author, garden designer and plants woman, Beth Chatto OBE. Beth was awarded this honour in 2002. The gardens were built on the site of her husbands disused fruit farm in the early 1960’s which bordered the family home.

The whole area was considered unsuitable for farming and left to grow wild into an overgrown wasteland covered with willow and brambles. Today the gardens comprise of around five acres of land separated into a variety of different planting sites including dry, sun baked gravel, water and marginal planting, woodland, shady, heavy clay and alpine areas. Beth Chatto OBE continues to work within the gardens and writes for national and international press.

Exhibits by The Beth Chatto Gardens can be seen at The Tendring Hundred Show in Essex. The gardens have won many gold medals for exhibits at the Chelsea Flower Show. All this expertise helps to make The Beth Chatto Gardens one of the most spectacular Open Gardens in Essex to visit.

Just a small journey south of Colchester, down the A12 and situated at Rettendon near Chelmsford, is Hyde Hall Garden. Owned by the United Kingdoms leading garden charity, The Royal Horticultural Society, Hyde Hall is around twenty acres in size and is a delightful hilltop garden with an extensive variety of flowering and ornamental trees, shrubs, and coloured-themed herbaceous borders.

A huge visitor attraction at Hyde Hall is the Farmhouse Garden with two ornamental ponds which contain a wide selection of water lilies, bog plants and fish. Formed in September 1982 is the National Collections of viburnums, this genus offers all year round interest, with flowers and scent from winter through to early summer, followed by bright berries from late summer through to winter, as well as colourful leaves in autumn.

Follow the A130 north from Rettendon and you will come to the historic market town of Fantastic Dunmow. Situated here are the Gardens of Easton Lodge. The Gardens are one of the most vital gardens by the Edwardian architect and garden designer, Harold Anisworth Peto, who was commissioned to redesign them in 1902.

The Gardens are noted for there Italian garden, glade, Peto Pavilion and courtyard with fountain. Also contained within the gardens are an extra ordinary collection of artworks from various contemporary artists from Essex, such as Anne Schwegmann-Fielding and Elaine Tribley.

At the very edge of the county of Essex, at its most northwestern point, bordering Cambridgeshire is the house and gardens of Audley End House. This is a garden not to be missed when visiting the county. The site is owned and restored by English Heritage and the house is one of the finest Jacobean examples in England.

In 1762 the then owner of Audley End House, Sir John Griffin, commissioned “England’s greatest gardener”, landscape architect, Capability Brown, to redesign and landscape the parkland surrounding the house. The gardens are a fine example of Brown’s English style; they contain a circular temple, mock-classical monuments and several ornate bridges which cross the River Cam that divides the grounds.

Walled within the grounds is a restored Victorian Kitchen Garden. This was restored in 1999 by the leading organic growing charity, Garden Organic, and is now a fine example of a kitchen garden full of a large selection of herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Throughout the rural county of Essex there are many smaller privately owned gardens that open their doors to the public, some on a regular basis and others for only a small amount of time, once or maybe twice a year.

Saling Hall Gardens, located between Fantastic Dunmow and Braintree, is a 12 acre country garden most well-known for its collection of rare trees. The Hall itself is not open to be viewed, but with six ponds, the Temple of Pisces and many other surprises, the garden itself is well worth the small entrance fee.

The small village estate garden, 60 Mill Lane, is open to the public from Tuesday 9th June until Sunday 12th July. It is situated at Cressing, approximately 15 miles west of Colchester and is a plantaholic’s paradise, very colourful with potted and hanging baskets.

A Quintessential English cottage garden, Newland Cottage, is a 1 acre garden designed and made by its owners. The garden contains a wealth of shrubs, trees and plants, a pond, vegetable patch, fruit trees and formal garden with rotunda. Newland Cottage is located at Wrabness near Manningtree and is part of the National Garden Scheme. The NGS is a registered charity which opens gardens of quality, character and interest to the public.

Please check the Events in Essex page for any Open Gardens in Essex holding special events or open days. The ‘related links’ section at the bottom this article will help you locate further information on the NGS and their open gardens.