When you think about garden paths what comes to mind first is high priced paving stones, flagstone or brick.  However, there are some less pricy choices that can be made.  One is wood mulch.  This choice is for a much more casual path or informal setting.  You can find it for free in some areas that have municipal composting site.  Gravel is not free but can be bought in bulk at a good price to give you a nice garden path at an affordable price.

If you’re looking to put in a specific walking path that covers any slope on your property, recycled railroad ties work very well.  They blend into wooded settings and are a recycled material.  The bad news is that they can be pricy and are hard to work with.  However, you may have the perfect garden path right out in your yard.  Consider bringing more of your garden out into the yard and turn the grass into the path.  Consider your lawnmower’s ability to turn when mapping out the path.  Have fun and be creative!

An idea you may want to try in your ever improving and growing garden paradise is the inclusion of little garden rooms.  It’s a simple but brilliant way to create small enclosures and alcoves of your favorite outdoor structures, features and treasures.  You may think that you need a really large garden or yard to do this and that is true to some extinct.  However, you can do less rooms and more focused areas for a smaller yard.

Doing this allows you to gather together grouping of items to make every room perfect for you.  Using one or more small to medium greenhouse kits is also fun so you can incorporate your beautiful flowers in those areas and keep them blooming year round.  It’s wonderful to walk through the snow in the garden and see those colored blooms in the mist of winter.  Just fun and stunning.

Whether you are visiting relatives during this Thanksgiving Holiday or staying at home, think about doing something that you don’t normally do this time of year; visit a public garden.  There are some very interesting gardens that are open year round and many of them are FREE!

Of course you will need to check either the internet or by phone to find out if they are open year round and check their schedule, but this is a great way to get outside or stay indoors as many gardens feature growing houses or large greenhouses during the fall and winter months.  Who knows, you may just have a lot of fun.

In the world of outdoor structures there is one that is special; a gazebo.  This feature brings to mind romance, dancing, 4^th of July picnics and politicians giving stump speeches in small town America.  Lately though, gazebos, sometimes referred to as pavilions, are more likely than not found out by a backyard pool area or under a grouping of trees in a yard to enjoy on a year round basis.

This has happened due to two things; gazebos now come it kits; and some are much less expensive than you would like to think.  The wooden ones can be built from scratch and you can find a few kits for these.  There are now metal gazebos that are easy to put together and can put erected rather quickly and placed on patios and out in the yard.  They are also perfect for outdoor wedding ceremonies.

I remember growing up watching my two grandmother’s in their respective gardens.  They lived in totally different parts of the state but had gardening and the local garden clubs in common.  One of the favorite items that they both used was trellises.  This was also the first time I had ever seen trellises used in a vegetable garden for things like cucumbers and cantaloupe.

While one grandmother used hers mostly for flowers in her flower garden, my mother’s mother would place a trellis parallel to the ground and stake it about 4 to six inches from the ground.  This let the cucumber and cantaloupe plants roam freely throughout the trellis close to the ground and since it was staked up high enough, the fruit would either develop on top of the slats or underneath them.  I don’t think I have ever seen this anywhere else but I know it works in my garden.

When looking for a greenhouse it is advisable to see how much space, with adequate sunlight, that you can contribute to putting into a growing house.  For those who only have minimal space or no yard at all and would still like to have a way to grow a few things with, you can invest in a wonderful mini greenhouse that can fit on a porch or balcony.  For those who do have ample room and sunlight, a home greenhouse is a great choice for you.

In today’s climate of rising grocery prices people are looking for ways to consolidate and conserve for the sake of their pocket book.  Though greenhouses do take an upfront investment, over time they not only contribute to helping with your expenses but also to your over health if you choose to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs organically.  The lifetime of savings in regard to your health expenses by eating properly might far outweigh the savings on food alone.  The bonus is that its not just your health; it’s your families as well.

I haven’t talked about this in a little while but thought I would bring it up again as I continue to hear that people are putting off healthcare and eating at McDonalds to save money in the current economy.  Eating right is a great way to hedge your bets with your health and fast food is not the way to eat well.  That’s not to say that I am against enjoying a Big Mac from time to time but there are ways to eat well without spending a great deal of money.  You can also go in with family members and invest in a garden that will let you grow your own vegetables and herbs and share among yourselves.

When it comes to your health, you can’t get started soon enough and if you don’t have room for a garden you have a couple of other options.  One is a raised bed that you can put on patios or landings that work well.  The other option is to eat locally.  Find farmers markets or vendors that sell produce at their place of business since these are normally a little bit less expensive due to not having transportation costs tacked on top.  Coupon shop and save where you can but if at all possible, please don’t sacrifice your health.

Pretty much every state has an extension agency either through one or more universities and/or at the state level that can help you with your specific garden questions for your area.  Many diseases and insect issues are local or regional to your area so it is great to have this resource when you have a question that your friendly neighborhood gardening store may not be able to answer.

Another wonderful service that is provided for little or no money is soil testing.  This can take a little time so make sure you send your soil in long before you are ready to plant.  They can help you diagnose any potential problem that may be soil related and give you information as to what your soil may lack for optimum growth potential.  Most of the extension services have an online presence and you can see when and where classes are held that may cover one of your many gardening interests.  Don’t hesitate to contact your extension service and ask as many questions as you have; that’s what they are there for.

It’s hard to believe my eyes when I look out on my garden as fall takes over.  What was full of life has now turned to the vibrant colors of fall that will soon fall to the ground in mass and leave openness in its place.  Last year I decided that I needed to rethink my garden space because it looked so dreary during the winter months.  I wanted to create some structure that would be there year round and give some height and balance to the overall scenery.  My choice was a wonderful garden pergola made from natural western red cedar.

I installed it in the spring with some help from one of my male friends who is skilled in that kind of thing.  It was much easier than I had anticipated and certainly fulfilled the purpose I had bought it for.  I planted some climbing vines that created a beautiful canopy for both the side and top during late spring and throughout the summer.  Now the vines have exposed the character of the plant itself and I can hardly wait to see what amazing things the snow and ice will do to enhance the winter solace.  I am so glad that I looked at garden pergolas to make my choice.  The yard that was, a year ago, bleak and bare, is now shaping up to be quite fantastic no matter what the season.

Ground cover works to insulate bulbs from the quick freezes and thaws that happen throughout the winter.  They also create a great backdrop for flowering bulbs during the spring and summer months as well as keeping mud from splashing up on the plants to keep their colors vibrant and intact.  The ground cover looks great throughout the year and covers up any ills in your yard or garden.

Some great choices in ground cover include pachysandra, creeping euonymous, ajuga, vinca and various ivy selections.  Planting cover choices that will bloom at the same time your bulbs bloom will give your yard that blast of color you normally see in the magazines.  Talk to your nursery professional to find out the best combinations in your area.