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Saturday, December 03, 2005

Wisteria Trellis...Again

This afternoon some friends who own a landscape design and landscaping company took a few minutes to stop by and take a look at our trellis situation. They quickly agreed with the previous assesment that the current trellis should be replaced.

We talked for a few minutes and came up with the idea of pouring some basic concrete footing and placing 6x6 posts at each corner. The upper frame will be either 6x6 or 4x4 with 2x6 cross-members. In order to strengthen the structure we will probably use the 2x6 scraps to construct corner blocks. My friends will price up the lumber and labor and get back to me with some ideas of how long the building will take and how much it will cost. I will do as much work as I can myself to try and keep the costs down. I don't know much about pouring concrete footings, but I can assemble the basic wood framing of a pergola.

For my part, I am researching some basic decorative cuts that can be used at the ends of the cross members to dress up the structure a bit.

A Google Search for Pergola yields a host of information on pergolas, including several pictures.

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #24 - Cottage Living Magazine

I started picking this magazine up ont eh newstand a year ago and will probably end up subscribing myself this year. It usually offers a host of gardening stories, inlcuding complete gardening plans, along with its interior and exterior decroating ideas.

Link: #24 Cottage Living Magazine

See Also:
#23 Sunset Western Garden
#22 Stone Style
#21 Tabletop Gardens

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 11-20
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

An Audio Christmas Gift

Here is a small gift of the season from our house to yours. Be well and have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and the happiest of holidays! -- Douglas

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
MP3 Audio

Midi arrangement from the WoodShed's Christmas Midi Files
http://deckernet.com/shed/other.htm

Friday, December 02, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #23 - Sunset Western Garden

A must have for the Western Gardener. This is the first book I bought when I bought my house and inherited a 10 year old garden. Coming from Ohio, I didn't have any idea what some of these plants were. Sunset Western Garden helped me out a lot in the early days and still has a place on my shelf today.

Link: #23 Sunset Western Garden

See Also:
#22 Stone Style
#21 Tabletop Gardens

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 11-20
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Thursday, December 01, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #22 - Stone Style

This is great book on using stone in decorating your home and garden. I noted several projects to try when I get some free time, including a sandstone clock, incense holders, stone drawer knobs, stone magnets and tacks, stone stamps and pebble candles.

Link: #22 Stone Style

See Also:
#21 Tabletop Gardens
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 11-20
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #21 - Tabletop Gardens


This striking book is an excellent choice for those of you who simply can't stop gardening, no matter what the season or location. While apartment dwellers will especially benefit from the tabletop gardens, everyone could find a place in their home for these beautiful examples. Everything from dry gardens to bogs is covered. Each example includes information on lighting, water, temperature requirements and average life span.

I have never had much success with indoor plants, but I am tempted to try out a few of these, including the ones growing simple grasses in pretty containers.

Link: Tabletop Gardens

See Also:
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 11-20
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #20 - Strathwood Basic Elements Adirondack Chair

Every garden needs comfortable seating, and I find Adirondack chairs very comfortable. The reclining posture can lull you to sleep or the big arms can support your book (and a cool drink) while you do a little reading. You can't work in the garden all of the time. Give yourself a bit of relaxation to enjoy what you have created.

Link: Strathwood Basic Elements Adirondack Chair

See also:
#19 Kitchecn Composter
#18 CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl and Chimineas
#17 Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Monday, November 28, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #19 - Kitchen Composter

When I first started composting a few years ago, I thought the old mixing bowl on the counter would be fine. Now, though, turning out a big pot of soup is enough to create 2 trips to the compost pile. A compost bucket like this would certainly make it easier, and prettier, to handle the kitchen compost.

Link:Kitchecn Composter

See also:
#18 CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl and Chimineas
#17 Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Build a PVC Greenhouse

While it is a bit late to start a project like this in colder climes, it might be a good project to keep in your bookmarks. Here in Los Angeles, I don't have much need for a greenhouse, but, up in the mountains this might be an interesting project. I like the fact the size is somewhat expandable and you can grow or shrink it as necessary.

Overall, a great DIY project with lots of pictures and good descriptions.

Link: Build A PVC Greenhouse

BTW, you can monitor my list of delicious bookmarks as a notate items I would like to highlight in A Gardener's Notebook.

Simply visit: http://del.icio.us/dewelch/agnblog. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed at that link and let your RSS reader monitor it for you.

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #18 - CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl

I would love to have a firebowl such as this, or perhaps a chiminea (a Southwestern outdoor fireplace) in my back garden, but the abundance of trees and the young children of friends have convinced me otherwise. There is nothing like a warm fire to attract people and generate conversation. There is something instinctual about gathering around a fire, even one made in such as handsome fixture.

Link: CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl

Link: Chiminea

See also:

#17 Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10