The A - Z Guide of Garden Essentials - PART TWO

Welcome to Part 2 of your A-Z Garden Essentials Guide. This guide follows on from Part 1 (which covers letters A-H).

This ‘Go-to Garden Guide’ is laden with garden goodies, great ideas and practical solutions to help you create a Summer-ready outdoor retreat to enjoy and escape to for years to come. Scroll down for letters H-M.

H – Herb Garden: An absolute must for all gardens – there’s nothing more satisfying than having your own fresh produce. Imagine being able create your own hand-picked salads and herbal teas or grow your own mini fruit orchard. Herb garden’s don’t require a lot of space and can be grown in an assortment of quirky potting options - the possibilities are only limited by your imagination!  

Create a visual feast by growing strawberries in an up-cycled handbag, a cheap pair of wellington boots or vintage biscuit tin. Grow or a whole salad in an old wooden desk or your favourite herbs in a tea pot, mug or watering can, create a vivid urban terrace orchard using an array of coloured baskets, beach buckets, or terracotta pots - all make fun and fashionable plant holders!

For more inspirational imagery and advice on how to grow your own herb garden visit:

HGTV Create a stunning herb garden 

and

HGTV Low budget container gardens 

I – Irrigation System: (for Self Watering Plants): If you tend to lack a green thumb or are the kind of person who says that you can't keep a plant alive, this could be the solution for you! 

An automated self-watering irrigation system eliminates the guess work of over or under-watering by dispensing exactly the right amount of water, at exactly the right time, ensuring the healthy growth of your plants. 

Designed for families on the go, it’s the perfect solution for people who travel regularly for work and next time your take a vacation you won’t have to worry about asking your neighbor to water the plants.  There are many different types of these irrigation systems or kits on the market, or you can even create your own. Here are three options to consider: 
1. – Self-watering planter pot with sub irrigation system and water level indicator.

2. – Watering globe and plant nanny stake. 

3. – My Lazy Gardener.

J – Jumbo Joss Sticks: Create a subtle aroma in the garden or keep mosquito's at bay without toxic chemicals by adding some scented or citronella joss sticks to your garden. Jumbo Garden incense is available in a variety of colours and fragrances and can burn for 3 to 4 hours. The sticks can be placed in a trendy burner or funky pot filled with sand and pebbles.

Where to buy: Authenteak.

K – Kitchenette: Having an outdoor kitchen is the perfect way to entertain and bring the family together. Not only does it make entertaining easier (no more trips back and forth from the house), it can increase the value of your home. 

An outdoor kitchen can be as grand or as simple as you like, (space and budget permitting). From a fully equipped built-in kitchen with all the added extras to a small free-standing grilling station with bench top and sink, there’s nothing better than being able to cook outdoors!  

To find out how to incorporate the right type of outdoor kitchen for you visit Better Homes and Gardens and Lowes. 
  

L – Living Wall: A living wall (also commonly referred to as a "green wall"), is a vertical garden that can be partially or entirely covered by irrigated living plants. Constructed from modular panels - each of which contains its own soil or other growing medium, a living wall can be ever-changing with seasonal variations in colour, growth, flowers, and scent. 

Living walls not only offer an explosion of greenery and flowers, studies have shown they can enhance well-being and help reduce stress levels, improve air quality, provide insulation and work as a sound barriers to reduce street noise.

For information on how to build a living wall visit Squidoo.

M – Mosaics: Mosaics can bring so much life and a sense of tranquility to the garden. When done well, these undulating patterns and textures can be used to inject colour or create a unique artistic focal point within your outdoor living space. 

Captivating 3-dimensional swirls of stone, ceramics or glass can be used to create interest on many different surfaces – such as pathways, entry-way floor features, feature walls, water features, garden sculptures, swimming pools, table tops, stair risers, flower pots and table top accessories. The designs, styles, colours and applications are virtually endless!

For custom-crafted mosaic commissions visit Mosaika Art Mosaic Fabricators. 

If you would prefer to learn the ancient art yourself, workshops are offered at Mosaic Art Source. 

For mosaics with meaning visit: Piece by Piece who are an organisation dedicated to empowering residents of undeserved communities by teaching them the skills to create high-quality mosaic works of art that they can sell to subsidize themselves.

Don’t miss the next column for the next installment of the ‘Garden Essential Guide’ where I will cover letters N-S and provide you with some more fabulous product resources!

For more inspirational ideas visit my Pinterest board ‘Secret Gardens & Outdoor Living’ 

Image sources:
H – Herb Garden 
1, 2, 3
I – Irrigation System
1, 2, 3 
J – Joss Sticks
1, 2, 3
K – Kitchenette 
1, 2, 3.
L – Living Wall
1, 2, 3
M – Mosaics
1, 2, 3