An arbor is simply an arch formed by metal or, in a few cases, wicket which creates an area on which vines can spiral and support themselves. Metal arbors last for many years and can be repainted when they begin to show signs of age, making them as good as new. You may be familiar with arbors when you think of grapes grown for making wine because the vines grow up on arbors. These structures are not expensive to purchase and add a unique touch to any garden.

A popular location for arbor placement is along a walkway so that people can walk under the twined vines growing on the arbor structure. But an arbor can be placed anywhere you would like a focal point that provides high in the garden or landscape. It can be placed in the center of a square garden to provide height, drawing the eye upward while the lower-growing plants will focus the eye on the ground level. This blend creates a striking impact on what could be a ho-hum garden area.

Vines are planted at the base of each side of an arbor and wound around the structure as they grow until they cover the entire arbor. The type of vine you select depends entirely on your personal preference and you desired purpose. Let's look at some great arbor vines which can add the unique touch you want in your garden.

Attracting Birds with Arbors

If you love humming birds and want to attract them to your garden, a wonderful vine to select for use on an arbor is the cypress vine, also know as the humming bird vine. This vine grows rapidly, sometimes adding as much as eight to 12 inches in a single day. The leave appear feathery and delicate but the vine is really quite sturdy and will grow almost anywhere. Small red or white blossoms appear on the vine by the hundreds. While each blossom lasts only one day, they blooms are so prolific that the vine is continually covered with color every single day from the initial blooming until fall. Humming birds prefer the red color but will also dine on the white blossoms and arrive in droves to enjoy the sweet nectar. The blossoms open at dawn and close in the evening, only to be replaced the next day by a brand-new batch of blossoms. The seeds pods can easily be collected and use to re-seed the arbor year and year. If you allow the seeds to drop to the ground, they will over-winter even in cold climates and re-grow after frost has ended.

Ivies are popular vines for use on arbors. English ivy has small leaves and will cover an arbor will within one growing season. Purchase seedlings that are well advanced to give you a good start on your ivy and plant multiple seedlings at the base of each side of the arbor, winding the growing vines around the structure every few days.

Mandevilla vines which grow rapidly and produce large, beautiful blossoms through the spring and summer are great for arbors as well. Varieties are available in yellow, pink, and other new shades. These vines are quite hardy and will over-winter in warmer climates but stop blooming once fall arrives. The large blossoms are loved by everyone who has ever seen a mandeville vine in full bloom. In the south, mandeville vines are difficult to permanently remove so if you choose to change your arbor planting, be sure to remove the entire root system or the mandeville will re-appear the next spring.

Select Rapid Growing Vines

You can select any rapidly growing vine you love for your arbor. Choose what you love and will enjoy. If you prefer non-blooming vines, those will work perfectly but many people love to add the unique touch of blossoming vines to their arbors.

If you live in an area where the vines do not over-winter, take some cuttings or seeds or replant next year. You can choose to remove and store the arbor from the landscape during winter if you like or you can leave it in place and use it as a place to hang your bird feeders during the winter months. If you choose to use it for hanging feeders, the wild birds will thank you because food is difficult for them to locate in cold weather.

Container planting on decks can make your backyard deck feel homey. The container plants will break up the large expanse of wooden or concrete deck area or create focal points where you desire. No backyard deck should be without some container plantings.

Containers

One of the great things about container planting on decks is that you can think outside the box about what type of containers you might use. Of course, you can use the traditional terra cotta pots and hanging plastic or wire baskets, but you can also get really creative. Old tin buckets make great containers for small deck plants. What about that old pair of colorful rubber rain boots you no longer wear? Place a few holes in the soles and fill with soil and you have a really unique container for your deck that your friends are certain to notice and comment on. Old children's wagons and wheelbarrows also make unique plant containers. Mix and match containers to add color, texture, and interest to your container planting on your deck.

One quite popular method for container planting on decks is to use the same material as the deck and build a large container or several smaller ones. You can place pots surrounded in river stone in the large planter or fill the planter with soil and plant directly into it. Use this method if you want a streamlined look or have a small deck which needs to appear as large as possible.

Look online and in your local home improvement center or nursery for unique containers. There are upside down planters, strawberry pots which allow plants in the many hole in the pot sides, and a wide range of other different and unusual plant containers you can obtain for your backyard deck plants.

Choose Plants Carefully

Container plantings for decks will be the most fun for you if you select the right plants for your deck. You may want to select vines and allow them to grow up strings suspended from the deck floor to the deck awning to provide privacy. You might want plants to add interest and choose plants which are colorful and have interesting textures. You may want to grow herbs in one or more of your containers or even tomatoes or other edible items.

Consider the amount of sun and shade which your deck offers. Also take into account the amount of exposure to rain the plants will experience. Select plants which are easy to grow in your climate which also thrive on the sun and natural rainfall exposure in your locale.

Unless you especially enjoy spending time caring for plants, you will want to select container plantings for your deck which are low maintenance. This increases your ability to enjoy lounging on your deck with your container plants rather than working on plant care.

Creating the perfect lawn allows you to truly enjoy your landscape. You'll love sitting back, perhaps under a large shade tree, viewing the lush, green lawn you have developed. But, unless you are aware of these seven must-know lawn care tips, creating that perfect lawn can be difficult or even impossible. At the very least, it will require a great deal more work that necessary.

Follow these seven must-know lawn care tips and you will be able to create that perfect lawn you desire:

1.      Choose the right grass for your lawn:  The right grass for a lawn in one climate will not be the perfect grass for another climate. It is crucial that the grass you select for creating your perfect lawn is climate-compatible and be able to withstand the common pests in your particular area. The amount of sun and shade your lawn will be exposed to will also make a difference. The soil type on your property also impacts the choice you should make. There are hundreds of grass species available and the best way to choose the right species to make your lawn lush and green is to visit your county co-operative agent or one of  the most respected nurseries in your area to learn the species from which you can choose which will thrive in your situation. Take a soil sample with you and a photo of your property to help the co-op agent or plant expert offer the best possible advice. Be sure to tell the person who advises you that you would like the grass that is most pest resistant, weed and disease resistant, and also low-maintenance. Unless you have a bare lawn, you will either purchase grass seed to seed the lawn or use plugs to create your perfect lawn. It is rather costly to remove all the existing grass and lay sod. However, if you wish to invest the money, you certain can go completely sod the lawn for the fastest results.

2.      Remove weeds and control pests before seeding or plugging your lawn: Even if you seed or plug your lawn with the very best grass for your area, it won't do a great deal of good unless you remove the weeds and control existing pests. You want to start with a good canvas on which your beautiful green lawn can grow. Avoid using weed killers which get into the soil and harm the environment. Instead, either dig up the weeds and their root systems or use natural remedies. All crabgrass and dandelions must be removed. Dallisgrass, nimblewill, quackgrass, tall fescule, and nut grass should be removed. If you live in the Deep South, sand spurs must be removed. If your soil has fungi, use a natural remedy such as a garlic or onion spray. Grubs and other pests can be controlled using natural alternatives as well (see Superior Alternatives to Garden Pesticides for information on these natural alternatives). Control grubs with helpful nematodes.

3.      Aerate and amend soil: Before planting, you want to aerate and amend the soil. Working compost mixed with a small amount of sand for drainage into the soil to a depth of about one inch will provide both aeration and extra nutrients for your grass.

4.      Sharpen lawnmower blades: At the beginning of each seasons and, if you have a really large lawn, at least once during growing season, have your lawnmower blades professionally sharpened. This prevents chewing the grass blades and causing damage. Damaged grass blades invite pests and disease and give the lawn a ragged appearance.

5.      Mow at the right times and to correct height: During growing season, mowing once per week may be just right, but if your grass is really thriving, you may need to mow ever five days. Do not allow the grass to grow too tall before moving. Also, set your lawnmower blade on medium or high setting. Never use the lowest setting on the mower blade because, while you may think it will postpone the need to mow again soon, it will damage your grass and set your perfect lawn up for disease, weeds and pests.

6.      Water at the right times and in the right amounts: The average lawn requires one inch of rain per week. Buy a rain gauge so you can keep up with the natural rainfall. In the Southwestern U.S., however, two inches of water per week are the average requirement due to the extremely low humidity. During weeks when your area enjoys sufficient rainfall, do not provide any supplemental water. When your area does not get enough natural rainfall, you will need to provide supplemental water. Water thoroughly so that the water seeks down to the lowest roots and, if possible, water in the early morning.

7.      Fertilize properly: In the North, fertilize in September and again in early June. In the South, apply fertilizer twice in the fall, one month apart and three times in the very early spring, again one month apart. Use natural fertilizers such as compost, or sterilized manure. The reason for sterilized manure is to prevent introducing weed seeds into the lawn. Bone meal and soybean meal are also good natural fertilizers. If you use commercial non-organic products, follow label instructions carefully.