Adding an outdoor garden fountain can really enhance the attractiveness of your garden. Fountains and other water features are both pleasing to the eye and soothing. There is no better way to relax, on a warm summer day, than to sit in a lovely garden, surrounded by your favorite plants and flowers and listen to the soothing sounds of running water. Installing an outdoor garden fountain is relatively easy and not too expensive and there is very little maintenance needed.
Before you buy your garden fountain you will need to consider the location and style so that it fits in well your garden design. Would you prefer a modern design of fountain, a rock fountain that looks more natural or a traditional marble fountain with, perhaps, angels or doves? There are a wide variety of fountains to choose from so browse on the net or visit your local garden centre to see all the varieties before you make a decision.
Once you have decided on the style of fountain suitable for your garden you will need to decide if you are going for a solar powered fountain or a wired fountain. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Solar powered fountains are extremely easy to set up and you won't have to bury wires in the garden. They can also be used at a distance from a power source. The disadvantage is that most of them do not store power so they won't work very well on overcast days or during the winter months. In fact, to prevent damage to the pump during icy weather, it is best to turn them off completely. Solar fountains once set up are easy to maintain and have no running costs. However the batteries will need replacing after a few years of use.
Solar powered fountain also come in two types, with solar panels built into the fountains base or with remote panels. If you wish to place your fountain in a shady spot, under trees or an arbour for instance, then buy one with remote panels that can be placed on a wall, tree or on a stake firmly planted in the ground that is in sunshine for most of the day.
A wired fountain, will work throughout the year of course but will take more time to set up. You will also need to carefully bury the wiring so that it is safe for children and pets and make sure you buy a cable that is suitable for being buried. Although fountains take very little electricity to run they are obviously going to have higher running costs than a solar fountain.
An additional advantage of an outdoor garden fountain is that it will attract birds that will not visit birdtables, insect eating birds like wrens for instance. So, not only will you have a lovely water feature to enhance your pleasure in the garden you will also attract a much wider variety of birds. Make sure you place your fountain in a spot that is visible from your window so that you can easily watch the birds bathing in the fountain without disturbing them.
Rattan furniture is one of the most appreciated styles today. People like to buy cane furniture mainly for their patio or for the courtyard, but there’s a growing trend of using living room or bedroom furniture made of rattan, wicker, seagrass or bamboo.
What Is Rattan?
Unlike bamboo, rattan canes are not hollow, fact which gives an increased resistance to the furniture made of it. Rattan trees have very flexible stems and they can grow very long, thus needing support. They are actually not common trees, but climbing palms. This means that they need something to climb on. Rattans can be single-stemmed or multi-stemmed and they are surrounded by spiny leaves which keep animals away and protect the plant. Ants and wasps are usually nesting in rattan trees, making their harvesting a dangerous job. After harvesting, the rattan canes are sun-dried or, in case of large canes, they are boiled in oil in order to remove the moisture in excess. Rattans grow in South Asia and the canes and the furniture are exported all over the world.
These are the main types of furniture that can be made of rattan:
Patio and Garden Furniture
Patio and garden furniture needs special treatment, because it has to be waterproof and weather resistant. Rattan loves water, and that makes it suitable for outdoor furniture items. Many weaving designs are possible, thanks to the good flexibility of rattan canes. Colors can go from dark to light, and they are obtained by bleaching and other special treatments applied to the raw material.
Dining Chairs and Tables
Dining room furniture is special, because all special events such as Thanksgiving or Christmas are celebrated at the dinner table. Rattan can be styled in beautifully curved shapes and it can make astonishing combinations with other materials such as wood, wrought iron or glass, for an elegant and comfortable eating environment. Stools and bar chairs can match the dining set, for creating a special effect on the eye.
Living Room Furniture
Rattan and other similar materials such as banana leaf, seagrass, wicker, water hyacinth or bamboo can make gorgeous living room sets, while offering an increased level of comfort. Their natural look will make your house a home, will give it personality and it will make you feel closer to the nature elements. Rounded armchairs, couches and coffee tables, all of these can impress your guests and make them enjoy the time spent in your living room. Other rattan furniture items and accessories that go very well in living rooms are planters, TV stands, cocktail tables, daybeds, lamps, bars and counter stools, gliders or the classic chaise lounges that we’ve been used to see in old movies.
Bedroom Furniture
Bed sets can combine rattan with wrought iron or with wood, thus resulting in a very interesting touch of this slumber space. Room dividers made of rattan are also very stylish and practical. Various techniques can give rattan fibers different shades of color, so they can match the taste of virtually any homeowner or interior decorator. Racks and Storage Furniture Storage furniture is a must-have for all of us. There are so many small items in a house that it’s impossible to keep the house neat and still find everything you need, if you don’t have such storage solutions. Cabinets and racks made of rattan are usually very basic and they don’t feature those nice gliding elements that modern furniture usually includes. The drawers are pretty much baskets that go inside racks and shelves. Yet, if you don’t mind the lack of modern accessories, such rattan cabinets have their charm and they can bring a personal touch to your interior. Bookcases and etageres made of wicker or rattan can complete the look of your living room.
Bathroom Accessories and Furniture
Rattan loves water and this special feature makes it excellent for wet rooms such as bathrooms or kitchens. In the bathroom, you can have rattan hampers, benches, cabinets, stands, stools, mirrors, waste baskets or bath shelves with or without doors.
When choosing your rattan furniture, don’t forget to ask about the warranty. Some manufacturers offer two years from the delivery date. Even if they do, you still have to check what does this warranty cover, from shipment damages to manufacturing defects. Normal wear is probably not covered, but you have to make sure it’s clearly defined.
Gazebo kits are the fastest solution to have a beautiful gazebo by building it yourself. Just like garage kits, gazebo kits are delivered with detailed instructions, so assembling them is easy, if you follow the plans. Most garden furniture kits are fully customizable, so you can give them the destination of your choice, be it an outdoor office space, a workout room or a hobbies room, or simply a leisure space where to enjoy your morning coffee and your dinner. All you need is the garden where to place your construction.
If you were thinking that you need to be a professional carpenter in order to be able to assemble such a kit, you may be pleased to find out that you don’t. Everything you need is included with your purchase and all panels and accessories are pre-cut and with holes already in place. All hardware is also included, so if you’re careful to combine them the right way, you won’t encounter many problems. When we think of a kit, we usually understand a structure with a rather boring shape, so many people may shy away from buying them. In case of gazebos, you can have multiple shape options such as octagon, hexagon or square.
In terms of functionality, this can also be customized according to your needs. For instance, you can have a spa gazebo for prices starting from $6500 - $7000. If you just need a covered place to spend your summer evenings in or to organize garden parties, you can have exactly that. Far from being boring, gazebos that come in a box can be very nicely finished, with topper finial and other details that make the charm of such a building. Of course, everything has a price, so the more details and luxury you want, the higher your price will be. If you don’t care about such things, you can have a gazebo kit for as little as $600-$700. This will include only the basic pillars structure and the roof and it won’t be usable on bad weather. However, if you live in a region where the weather is nice all year round, why pay more for features that you don’t need?
One of the most appreciated manufacturers are Amish Country Gazebos, a company that sells gazebo kits at prices starting from $1695. Their website offers a very nice feature of designing your own gazebo. This is how it goes: first of all, you select the octagon gazebo size from 8 ft, 10 ft, 12 ft, 14 ft, 16 ft, 18 ft or 20 ft. Then you choose the material. The two options here are wood or vinyl. The next step in the design program is the roof choice, with two possible variants: Majestic or Pagoda. Then you’ll have to choose your roof shingles: cedar or asphalt. Then you are presented two cornice styles, straight and waved, followed by the style of braces, which can be either standard or Victorian. Posts can be straight or turned, depending on the style you want to have. Balusters or turned spindles can also be straight or turned. If you want to have a screen package or an electrical package, you can select the options from the next menu, as well as the number of bench sections. If you want, you can have your gazebo kit painted, or you can choose it in clear wood finish. After you’re done, you’ll see the photo of your gazebo and a list of all features you’ve chosen during the design process. There’s no info regarding the price for your customized gazebo, but you can always call Amish Country Gazebos to speak with one of their specialists who can offer you guidance so you can make the best choice.
