This is the very first fall since we added a pergola to our backyard that we have gone through and I have been surprised how much we are still using and enjoying it.  I had thought that we wouldn’t do much outside once fall arrived but this great pergola has changed our behavior as a family.  My wife created a sitting area under it and we have gotten in the habit of sitting out in the yard and enjoying the sunsets.  We just went from iced teas to hot chocolate!

I know that a pergola is not going to be for everyone but for those who are thinking about putting one in their yard, I highly recommend it.  They are beautiful features that really stand out in a yard.  Once you plant climbing vines and let them go, they grow and cover the top to create a wonderful canopy of color and smells.  It’s has really been a great experience and all I can say is that I have come to love pergolas!

I recently read a blurb in Country Living Magazine that estimated there are seven million wild birds that are killed every year from the use of residential pesticides.  These are the chemicals we put on our yard and gardens for aesthetic reasons, not to grow our own food.  You can read more about how to save the birds at the National Audubon Society.

Over the last year I have read or seen reports of what the continued dumping of industrial chemicals, old medicine and pesticide runoff is doing to our water supplies here in the U.S.  In some places it is already affecting frogs and other susceptible animals in enormous ways.  There are those who feel that the rise in cancer and cancerous growths are due to a large degree of this same chemical waste.  What we do know is if we continue to dump all this stuff into our environment it will eventually catch up with us.  My question is; is having an aesthetically pleasing lawn worth knowingly killing anything?  I certainly hope not.  The next species just might be us.

This is the time of year that I love bringing in fresh flowers from my home greenhouse to freshen up the house with vibrant color as well as lovely aromas!  There’s just something special about coming in from the cold damp and dreary world outside into a home that is budding with fresh flower arrangements from the kitchen to the bedrooms.  Couple that with the smell of a roaring fire, mingling with the faint scent of blossoms, and you have the perfect atmosphere for the holidays.

I highly recommend greenhouses for those who would love to have fresh flowers over the holidays and into the winter months.  It does take work so be prepared to garden throughout the year.  For those of us who love it; it’s not a problem to be out in the greenhouse all the time.  You can also grow some of your favorite foods as well and that’s a bonus.  You will need to make arrangements to have some kind of heat and do a little research before purchasing a greenhouse kit.

Yes, I know its December and you really don’t want to think about your lawn just yet.  I also know that if you want to have a luscious organic grass lawn this next year, it’s never to early to start planning.

The first thing you have to ask yourself is; is having an organic lawn worth the effort?  Once you realize that pets and children are more susceptible to the poisons in chemical pesticides than adults, I believe you would agree that the answer is yes, it is worth the effort.  Any time we can reduce risks for our loved ones from getting cancer, asthma and other environmental health related diseases or problems, we should do whatever we can.  That includes using all natural fertilizers that have no chemical residues in them.  Check with your local lawn care companies to find out more of what you can do in your area.  You will need to look at climate, soil and the conditions of your site.