Natural stone used in a variety of ways is a beautiful and simple ways to enhance your garden or outside space.

It is a great way to add a rustic and natural aesthetic to your property. It is used for paths, steps, patios and even fire pits. It can also be used to add an attractive feature using boulders and rocks, which enhance the look of flowers and shrubbery. Here are some tips:

Stonewalls – These are a great way to define a patio or seated area,giving the space a cozy and secluded feel, adding texture to the entire garden. A stonewallpatio space can feel natural and rustic, yet also elegant. Different heights can be used depending on whether you want to add seating into the wall itself – this creates an intimate atmosphere. Here are some fantastic examples.

Natural stone steps-These are a superb solution if your garden is ona slope. Natural steps can provide an accessible and inviting walkway throughout the garden, being both practical and an attractive feature in itself. If you have a mature garden, they can naturally blend in to their surroundings. Here are some inspiring ideas: http://www.houzz.com/natural-stone-stairs

Fire pits - If you love spending evenings outdoors watching the sunset with a glass of wine, a fire pit is a superb addition to your garden. The pit itself can be easily made, with surrounding seating being as rustic and simple or as elegant as your like. Summer nights can be spent with the kids, roasting s’mores, orit can make a romantic evening with your loved one.  Use these as inspiration: http://www.houzz.com/natural-stone-fire-pit

Boulders and rocks - Large boulders can be used as features in themselves and work well surrounded by shrubbery and thick vegetation. They can also be used to make natural seating, which look great amongst dense foliage. Check this out for some ideas

Natural stone paving for paths -Natural stone is great for pathways from the house leading into the patio or garden. They are very versatile and can be a great idea if all you have is a simple lawn.Natural paving works great with yards and is easy to install. Natural stone can be used for pathways that wind all the way through your garden. Here are some great examples: http://www.houzz.com/natural-stone-paver-ideas
 
 
Social media: Are you thinking about using natural stone in your garden’s landscaping? Before you make any decisions, click here for some great ideas.

If you’re struggling for inspiration, we have some beautiful and practical uses for natural stone.
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Are you unsure about to incorporate it into your landscaping? Then click here to get inspired.

Keeping your plants alive under watering rules becomes a challenge. Here are some tips to avoid water stress!

1) One or two deep irrigations with the garden hose in spring and early summer before those water restrictions go into place will do wonders at keeping ornamental bushes and trees alive over the summer drought.

2) Fruit and nut trees produce crops best if they receive continuous daily watering during blooming and fruit development phases. However, they too can be kept alive if given generous watering a few weeks apart. Your crop may not be as plentiful but the trees will survive.

3) Vegetable gardens require daily watering immediately after seeding or transplanting as they get established. Vegetables like carrots, beets and other root vegetables do not fare well in restricted water conditions, so limit planting those. Vine vegetables like squash, cucumbers, zucchini and pumpkin can survive on watering twice a week. Consider containers for things like tomatoes and beans if water is restricted.

4) Bermuda grass and Buffalo grass lawns are more drought resistant than other grasses. If you live in an area where watering is restricted, consider planting drought resistant grass varieties. Cut watering to half and water only twice a week even before water restrictions go into place. This will harden your lawn to drought conditions. Some lawn owners have even replaced lawns with decorative stone and drought-friendly plant varieties like cactus and decorative grasses.

The Lawn Institute offers these watering suggestions for lawns and gardens.

• The best time to water is daybreak and twilight. Wind and heat will not evaporate the water. Set your irrigation system for early morning.
  
  
  
• Don’t overwater. A quarter inch of water every four to six weeks will keep grass and shrubs and trees alive.
  
  
  
• To test for dryness use a screwdriver. If grass springs back after walking on it, it is getting enough moisture.
  
  
  
• When things are dry, walk on sidewalks not on the grass. Avoid mowing. It can injure the plants and cause dehydration. 
  
  
  
• Restrict your watering to the plants that most need it.
  
  
  
• Change sprinkler heads to those that are specialized to more precisely water. 
  
  
  
• If rain is expected, turn off your irrigation system. Water when things are dry not out of habit.
  
  
  
• Mow the grass high. Remove no more than one-third of the blades.
  
  
  
• Mow early in the day or late in the afternoon when it is cooler so lawn does not lose as much moisture.  
  
  
  
• Keep mower blades sharp. Dull blades tear and shred grass stressing them.


Forget those commercial pest control products. They are expensive, often dangerous to the user, and environmentally unfriendly. Our forefathers used natural products and methods to control pests effectively, which are kind to the environment. Try these.

Tired of ants invading your kitchen? Well first of all, don’t send them an open invitation! Put sugar, honey, jam and other sweet things in sealed containers. Clean up counters and tables so no sticky surfaces lure ants. Don’t let your kids carry snacks around where crumbs and jam can drop inviting ants.

Next leave out things ants don’t like.

 Ants don’t like cucumber and they have an aversion to mint. Leave out cucumber peel or slices, fresh mint, cotton balls soaked in pure peppermint or mint teabags. Ants will feel unwelcome.

If you leave small hills of cornmeal where you saw ants, they will carry it home. Since ants cannot digest the cornmeal, so it will kill them.

You can also make your own ant bait by using a teaspoon of boric acid and six tablespoons of sugar. Dissolve these solids on two cups of water. Soak cotton balls in this liquid and leave out where you saw the ants. Be sure to keep your ant bait away from the kids and dogs as it can irritate their eyes.

No one likes to have those blood sucking disease-causing mosquitoes around. Here are some ways to get rid of these insect pests:

Make mosquitoes unwelcome by cleaning up stagnant and still water. These are mosquito breeding grounds. Don’t provide inviting breezy areas for mosquitoes. Close windows and doors on the breezy side of your house—particularly in early morning and early evening.

Plant some plants that are uninviting to mosquitoes. Good ones include catnip, rosemary, citronella, lemon balm, nasturtiums, and marigolds.

Make your own insect repellant by mixing 1 tablespoon of garlic juice with five tablespoons of water in a spray bottle. Spray on exposed skin before going outside. Dip cloth strips in this mixture and hang in your patio. Mosquitoes will stay away for at least five hours.

Throw some rosemary or sage on BBQ coals to keep mosquitoes away from your BBQ party—and make the patio smell nice to boot!

If you are into discovering new pets put up purple marten houses or build bat houses. Both of these creatures catch thousands of mosquitoes each day. They are entertaining to watch swooping around too.

Add a few drops of Neem Oil (a product of India) to lotion for a natural insecticide.

If you are sitting outside, give your patio ambience and chase away insects by lighting scented candles you made yourself. Simply add an ounce of essential oil to a pound of melted wax. Good choices are cedar, citronella, lemon, eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender, cloves, or peppermint.
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Do you hate flies buzzing around your backyard BBQ? Create sachets of mint, bay leaf, clove, or eucalyptus in your house or patio to deter these visitors. Make your own anti-fly planter filled with basil. If you leave bunches of basil around the patio or picnic area flies will stay away. 

Being environmentally friendly involves doing much more than simply using recycled materials and products with the word “green” on their label. It means embracing the technology that will fundamentally change the way you live each day in order to create a sustainable future for the generations that are yet to come. To find out more about the technology that will make your home more eco-friendly, read on.
 
Energy: We need it all day, every day and without it, everything grinds to a halt. Yes, it’s electricity and it is the magical genie that makes our wishes come true, whether they be entertainment, work or socializing. However, we are so used to spending so much energy every day that we don’t even realize we could be saving it. Here’s how.
 

• AC misting – The AC unit will generally take in the hot air from the room, cycle it through its system of pipes, and blast it back out chilled. By mounting Mistbox, a special gadget that sprays a fine water mist at the mouth of the AC, you can cool the air significantly and reduce your power bill by up to 30%! The sweetest part is that Mistbox is eligible for the federal eco-friendly tax credit, meaning it costs only $315.

 

• Breaker box – Neurio is a nifty little gadget that connects to the breaker box in your home and monitors the energy consumption by all the different appliances. It connects to your smartphone via Wi-Fi and keeps you updated on which device used the most power and when. Costing $249, Neurio will pay itself off after just a couple months of providing you with the advertised 40% energy savings.

 
Water: Though 70% of our planet’s surface is covered with water, only around 3% of it is fresh, meaning that it is safe for human consumption. The rest has to go through the costly and laborious cleansing process in the water treatment plants. However, this isn’t what you would conclude if you observed how fresh water is being spent in our daily lives.  Here are two ways to save water.
 

• RachioIro – This EPA-certified clever little helper is constantly on the watch and helps you water your lawn in the most efficient manner possible. It is Internet-ready and can even deter the spreading of flames if it detects fire in the vicinity.

 

• LED shower timer – Showers relax, soothe, and revitalize. But, they are also responsible for a massive chunk of monthly water expenditure. This passively powered gadget goes into the shower faucet and blinks red when you start to waste water.

 
Social media: We are living in a world filled with technological gadgets that make our lives more comfortable but we can also use them to make our lives more eco-friendly. Click here to find out more about eco-friendly gadgets.