Pergola

Pergola

A pergola is a construction of slats on high stakes in the garden where along various plants can grow. This is usually made of wood or metal. Pergolas are often placed against a house or other building. A pergola serves mostly as a roof top terrace or path to provide shade.

• Uprights: these are the posts which the whole structure is "suspended".
• Beams, which are the longest joists, they commit themselves to the uprights.
• Struts, which support the beams.
• Riders, which are the short cross beams perpendicular to the beams should be placed.

Building a pergola in your garden

When building a pergola is important that the materials used match the house. This creates a harmonious whole. It is also important that the pergola will be built so that the view from the house to the garden is not obstructed. The height of a pergola is on average between 220 and 250 cm. recommended to streamline the pergola so that all the attention goes to the plants that will grow there later on.

A great idea for a larger garden is through multiple pergolas to create different garden rooms, each with its own atmosphere and planting. They will allow in a garden to try out different styles. In addition, it is also fun to build a "foliage gang". A deciduous corridor covered a path which two parts of a garden to be connected to each other. Most pergolas consist of wood, but also metal such as copper tubes or, for example, stone (walled uprights) are used. At garden centres are complete kits of a pergola offered.

Terrace heating and terrace fireplace

terrace heater

Would you like to enjoy the outdoors in colder days, then perhaps a good option is terrace heating. By means of infra-red heating function it is possible to increase the wind chill. Just as with the Sun, heated infra-red radiation of patio heaters objects within their reach. Because the skin and clothing immediately are heated and not first the air, is the wind chill much higher  than the air temperature. It is important that gas heaters are used in sheltered places, so the wind does not interfere with outdoor heaters. Infra-red heating is available in different species. Infra-red heating  works on electricity or gas. Terrace heating on gas there’s distinction in natural gas or propane/butane gas. The cheapest way is heating by means of electricity, followed by natural gas and propane/butane gas.

Outdoor Fireplace

terrace fireplace

Another traditional way of heating is of course the patio fireplace. Also an outdoor fireplace is available in different types. The simplest solution is a cast iron fire basket, but one disadvantage is that your neighbours can get caught  by the smoke of the fire basket. Nowadays more and more use of stainless steel or stone fireplaces have a good smoke outlet. The main advantage of the stainless steel stove is that it can withstand various weather conditions and so can be the whole year outside.

Birds in the garden

tits love gardens

The ideal bird shelters in the garden include dense thorn bushes. Birds can protect themselves here very well against cats and sparrow hawks. The Hawthorn is an excellent bird bush, also the barberries, Blackthorn and Firethorn are great. Also bushes without thorns are an excellent place for birds.

The most important thing is dense shrubs. Holly, Juniper, Ivy and yew continue the entire year beautiful green and birds can hide  here delicious in every season. Most garden birds are insect eaters and use little insects to feed their young.

Did you know that a pairs of tits per day a few hundred caterpillars need in order to raise their young? You can help the birds by maintaining and flourish of plants and placing nest boxes.

Gardening tips January

winter garden

Gardening tips January

What is there in January to do in the garden? View the garden calendar of January for our monthly tips for the lawn, the pond, planting, pruning and the vegetable garden.

The garden in January

Now the holidays are behind us, everyone is busy at work. The cold and inclement weather often prevent people little sense in order to work in the garden. However, in January there’s already plenty to do. In fine weather the winter bloomers, like Bush, winter violins and Hellebores, can be updated properly. Be prepared that the hard and icy wind the garden can destroy and devastate the planting. Protect therefore winter sensitive plants with a cover. When the weather is better  you can already clean up for coming spring. Also it is nice to start thinking about the design of your garden.

The maintenance of the lawn by January

•             If there is snow on the lawn, you better not walk on it. The grass can be damaged.      
•       Feel free to let the snow. This is a good insulation for the plants. 

Planting by January 

• Try the amaryllis bulb for a nice décor in your home. You can set the bulb in a glass vase places and the fill the soil with fun pebbles or shells on water. For a nice effect you can also place two the same vases with amaryllis.
• Don’t forget the tub plants in the storage.  With frost-free weather you can open a window or door for some fresh air. Chances are these plants dry out, remember to water them regularly.
• You can plant trees when it’s not freezing any more. View of which side the most wind comes, here you can put a tree pole. Then bind the pole with a band on the tree.

The vegetable garden by January

•           When the weather gets softer you can already plant fruit trees and fruit bushes.        
•       Search of the Apple tree have signs of cancer.      
•           Who owns a greenhouse can sow from mid-January, this can also inside your house. To a smooth rise let the seed a few days in moist potting soil for germs.        
•      You can vegetables like early early sprouts, cauliflower, white cabbage, lamb's lettuce, early summer leek, radishes, carrots, spinach, project Romaine, stab salad, chervil, and Cress sowing.

Pruning in January

•            The entire month of January is suitable for fruit trees, shrubs and plants to prune. They are then ready for the coming spring. Note that the pruning doesn't happen when it's freezing, but that it only happens with softer weather.      
•             Until mid January you can the grape still back pruning. Further in January comes the juice flow, that would mean that the plant is bleeding to dead  as you pruning it to late.        
•       Treat pruning wounds with a diameter of at least 0.7 inch with wound balm.

Other tips for January

•            This quiet month may well be used with bright, sunny days to benefit of the good weather to clean up the garden shed or to repair a fence.         
•       Bird House for birds must be cleaned now, approximately it is about time for the bird pairs to look around for a place to nest.       
•            Make sure the water bowl is always covered, for example with gauze or sail. In this way the birds can’t take a bath, so there is also no freezing danger.        
•       Birds now need some extra vitamins. Give them therefore occasionally pieces of fruit instead of nuts and pieces of bread.

tips for ponds in wintertime

Aquafit 600

Also the pond lies there quietly but under the ice layer there's much life to discover. The animals in the water managed to survive by to adapt to the circumstances. Each species has again his subterfuges. Fish are cold-blooded animals and their metabolism can be found on the back burner and eat food they do barely. Sometimes they come back to life even after they have been frozen. Remove also the possible snow and leaves of the ice to let more light in the water.

Important is that the fish in the pond have a zone that is at least 31.4 inch deep. Fish in winter rest like to use this safe frost-free layer!

Chop never holes in the ice, the shock waves would kill the fish. Use also no salt or chemicals to make a hole.

The leaves and plant remains at the bottom of the pond develop drawn or gases that cannot escape. The lack of oxygen leads the fish and small living creatures with almost no chance to survive.

The Aquastyle ice free holder of Oasis is the correct animal-friendly solution. Even in severe frost this prevents a ice free pond. And when it's not freezing, you can use it as two traps fountain to so in all seasons you will be able to enjoy this purchase!

The Aquafit 600 delivers 2.6 gallon per minute at a max. Introduction height of  47.2 inch