Archive for April, 2008

Garden furniture is in demand right now. With summer coming it’s time to get yourself some fun garden furniture!

Sunday, April 20th, 2008

Garden furniture is probably the key part of any garden. If you want a stylish and relaxing garden then you should look at some garden furniture. You should be able to find garden furniture that suits your taste with ease because it’s available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Garden furniture such as chairs, benches, tables and loungers make a garden stylish and very relaxing so you can enjoy it. There are plenty of options available, even for small gardens. Garden furniture is suitable for almost any garden size and shape.

Relaxing in your garden is easy when you buy garden furniture – a lot of people who have purchased garden furniture have never looked back. If you buy yourself some tables and chairs then you should consider where to place them. Patio or decking areas are ideal.

Benches and tables are an important part of your garden furniture set because they are the centre of entertainment in your garden. Garden furniture that is sleek and stylish is very popular these days. Tables and chairs can be hard to choose but stick to simplistic designs.

Orchid Structure

Saturday, April 19th, 2008

The dorsal sepal, petals and lip are very much smaller and this would be an unassuming flower if it were not for the sepals which extend for over 7 in (15 cm). The cirrhopetalums are related to a much larger genus, the bulipphyllurns, and are widely distributed throughout the tropical world.

Of all the wonders in the plant kingdom it was those early importations of orchids which created the greatest stir and caused sensations. Nothing like the large, flamboyant flowers had ever been seen before.

It is a primary hybrid, both parents being species. Primary hybrids are very successful in orchids, and are often the first stage in a very long line of breeding. In the primary hybrid we see the combining of those qualities present in both parent species, and retaining all the charm and natural beauty of the wild flowers.

Not all species will readily breed in cultivation and the raising of seedlings is often difficult under artificial conditions. Hybrids often have a wider tolerance of artificial conditions and are a much better proposition for the beginner.

Orchids Pseudobulbs Problems

Friday, April 18th, 2008

The pseudobulbs have been reduced to such an extent they are barely visible, and are stem-like in appearance, being short, and thinner than a pencil. The tcrcte (cylindrical and tapering) leaves, on the other hand, are long by comparison and have become much fattened. They will snap like a young carrot if mishandled.

A hard, dark green leaf will take exposure to sanlight without coming to any harm, and indeed sunlight is beneficial to the flowering of that plant, whereas a delicate soft leaf will prefer the shade, and will be easily burnt if exposed to direct sunlight. Where large pseudobulbs exist on a plant, the leaves will, more often than not, be considerably light and thin.

Terete-leaved orchids can be grown for many years with very little disturbance and without needing any division. Dendrobium infimdibulum is an example of those orchids which cover their pseudobulbs with short, dense hairs. These small hairs are protection from frost, to which the plant is subject in its natural state.

They prevent water vapour from collecting on the surface. They are also bristly and must greatly deter marauding pests. This type of protection can also be found on the Hower stems of most paphiopedilums and a few masdevallias.

Dillana

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

There are many delightful tradescantias that can he put to many uses, and most of them are as tough as old boots Light and airy conditions suit them best; in restricted light there will be a marked tendency for the attractively variegated foliage to turn green and lose its appearance. Plants are available in many colours, including gold and pink, but silver is the most popular and the striking silver foliage of Tradescantia Quicksilver is probably the best.

All of them grow very easily from cuttings a few inches in length, and it is best to renew plants each year. When striking cuttings, five or six pieces should be placed in a small pot filled with J.I.P.2 compost, and when they have begun to grow the leading growths ought to be pinched out so that branching growth and more attractive plants develop.

Giving a plant an interesting common name can make a deal of difference when the time comes for the nurseryman to dispose of it. This being so it is odd that the commercial grower does not give more space to producing the pick-a-back plant.

Phalaenopsis

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

Cymbidiums are cool-growing orchids which will not flower if grown too warm, or under too much shade, and they do better under controlled greenhouse culture than as indoor plants. Their size is also a drawback as a house plant. If no greenhouse is available, or if the greenhouse overheats in summer, making it unsuitable, the cymbidiums can be summered out of doors for as long as there is no danger of frost.

A semi-shady position should be found for them, off the ground, and close to a wall or fence where they will receive the morning or evening sun, but be shaded at midday. With regular spraying and watering the plants will make a much tougher growth, which will result in better flowering productivity.

The plants are evergreen, and do not produce pseudobulbs. New growths are made each year from the base of the previous growth. The flower stem comes from the centre of a mature growth.

Feather Palms

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

P. melanochrysum is quite different from the majority of philodendrons in that the leaves have a dark, almost velvety appearance instead of the more usual glossy green.

They are also smaller than those, and can be guaranteed to attract attention in almost any grouping of plants, however exotic the others may be. A moist support and warm conditions is again advised as this species is inclined to he a little temperamental if conditions are not to its liking.

P. Scandens has a quality which the most successful of pop stars Could well envy, for it has been in the top twenty house plants for more years than most of us in the business care to remember. The common name of sweetheart plant probably helps; the name is derived from the heart-like shape of the green leaf. It is also one of the easiest of plants to care for indoors, another obvious reason for its popularity.

All may be grown from seed sown early in the year in a mixture of peat and sand; a high minimum temperature of not less than 24 Celsius should be maintained. They require good light, compost that is never too wend potting on into J.I.P.3 ` compost when the:Pots are well filled with roots. Wet and cold winter conditions can be particularly harmful.

Monopodial Orchids

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Paphiopedilums are sympodial orchids without pseudobulbs. They produce growths consisting of three or four leaves each. Commencing with a single seedling growth, the plant makes further independent growths, each one gaining in size until maturity is reached, a process which will take four or five years. Each growth matures and blooms from its centre before the next commences from the base of the previous growth. It is always the most recently-formed growth which carries the flower and once it has flowered a growth will not bloom again. Like an ageing pseudobulb it becomes a food store. For this reason a plant of several growths is kept as one unit, and not divided into single growths!

There are two distinct types of Paphiopedilum. These are the plain, or green-leaved, varieties, and the mottled-leaved varieties. The latter exhibit a tremendous variation between species and into the hybrids, where further intermediate patterns are formed.

An interesting fact about these plants concerns their leaf tips. Each species is of a different shape, the ends of the leaves having a ‘chewed’ appearance. This is a natural development and all monopodial leaf tips are serrated to a greater or lesser degree. A skilled orchid grower can identify one species from another merely by its leaf tips. Vanda tricolor have very pronounced characteristic. The jagged appearance shows clearly the uneven ending of the foliage.

Do you need to own great garden furniture? Why not have a peek at what is on offer at DIY stores?

Sunday, April 13th, 2008

Having a stylish and relaxing garden is a dream that a lot of people have. Garden furniture can really make a garden whole. Garden furniture comes in various shapes and sizes so you should easily be able to find some that’ll suit your tastes.

You can choose from tables, chairs, loungers and benches – whatever you want for your garden your easily be able to find it. Even if you have a small garden you will be able to find garden furniture that is right for the space you have and the look you want.

If you get yourself some garden furniture you’ll be able to relax in the outdoors and you certainly won’t be disappointed. Decking and patio areas are ideal for placing chairs and tables for entertaining your guests. Consider your space before you buy.

Tables and chairs are the centre of entertainment in your garden so are an essential part of garden furniture. Deciding on tables and chairs for your garden can be hard. When it comes to garden furniture you’ll probably want something sleek.

Orchid Dependence on Foliage

Saturday, April 12th, 2008

The dendrobiums comprise an enormous genus and their growth is extremely varied to suit all environments. A somewhat unusual species is D. cunninghami, which is adapted to the temperate conditions of New Zealand.

Thus the leaves become all important; if these were to be lost the plant would find it very difficult to survive long enough to regrow from the stem. Although beautifully adapted to prevent overheating, this plant would suffer severely from cold, and could not withstand exposure to frost. It is known, however, that some terete-leaved orchids are capable of withstanding frost, and some often do, in their natural environment. Brassavola nodosa is such a plant.

These beautiful orchids do not adapt to cultivation and tend to die even with specialised culture within a few years. Culture in a bell jar is often successful for a while. There are numerous miniature orchids found throughout the world -which deserve more attention. They are every bit as beautiful as their Larger counterparts although a magnifying glass is helpful to see this.

Bringing back the scent of flowers

Friday, April 11th, 2008

Are you having a hard time smelling that beautiful rose you just bought? Even if you don’t have a bad cold, smelling flowers can be difficult these days due to years of selective breeding that have diminished their scent.

Fortunately, a group of scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has solved that problem. They’ve found a way to enhance the scent of flowers and implant a scent in those that don’t have one.

In fact, they can even make flowers smell good day and night regardless of the plant’s natural way of producing scent.

In an article published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, Professor Alexander Vainstein and his research assistant Michal Moyal Ben-Tzvi reported that they have managed to enhance the scent of flowers by tenfold and cause them to emit a scent at different times of the day.

Vainstein, who heads the team at the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the above university, said this development is not only important to flowers that rely on scent to attract pollinators but will help boost the appeal of commercial fruits and vegetables.