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Sources for Do-It-Yourself Gardeners

© Susan Ward

In summer, a gardener's fancy turns to improvement. No matter how breathtaking or glorious his or her garden is, there's always something that he/she has been planning to do for a long time, some embellishment that will provide the definitive finishing touch. Sometimes it's something practical, such as a lawn swing or underground watering system; sometimes it's something frivolous such as a free-standing five-foot cupid, but the mark of a true gardener is that he/she always has a plan for future development.

My neighbour put in an adorable small fountain a week ago. It's only about two and a half feet tall, but it still provides that lovely burbling water sound. She bought hers complete at a local gardening centre; if you have the money and are short of time, this may be the way to go. But as gardening accessories and structures have an even higher markup than women's retail clothing now that gardening has become a lifestyle rather than a hobby, you might want to try making your own instead.

One of the biggest resource sites for the budding do-it-yourselfer is the Lawn and Garden section of Housenet at http://www.housenet.com/lg/main.asp?Cate... There you'll find an article with instructions for building two simple fountains and the Creative Gardening menu will take you to articles about projects ranging from making your own window boxes through creating a recycling garden. This month's featured project is adding a water garden to your landscape. This is one of those web pages that just has too much going on, but there's a huge amount of information here too.

You can also find instructions for a variety of projects at http://www.vg.com/, the Home page of Virtual Garden. On the left menu frame, chose how-to resources and click on Weekend Projects for articles such as making the "20 Minute Herb Window Box" and adding lights to your garden.

Maybe you're contemplating a larger addition to your personal landscape. If your heart is set on adding an arbor, a pergola, or a gazebo to your yard, there's a pair of sites you should visit; the previously featured Slugs and Salal site at http://www.slugsandsalal.com/projtechs.h... has an informatiave article about designing garden structures that is a must read, and as a bonus, there's a description of how to build a highrise birdbath. (Go to the Projects section.) Today's Homeowner at http://www.todayshomeowner.com/yard/inde... is another large, info-packed site that covers every aspect of renovation and decoration inside and outside of the house. The Yard and Garden section features articles on gazebos, fences, paths and just about anything else you could imagine building in or around your yard. I really like this site because it provides answers to the questions you ask yourself when you're thinking about starting another yard project, such as what's available, what materials you'll need and what they might cost.