Magical Garden














 

Welcome to the first Magical Garden monthly email newsletter! We have had a very busy spring and have somehow managed to find time to make several product additions and improvements to the web site we think you'll appreciate (more about this later).

This newsletter was a little slow getting started (it may have been months since you signed up) but good things are coming. We plan to highlight different plants in our garden, offer techniques we've found to make gardening easier, and suggest things you can do to make your garden even more special than it is. We welcome your questions and suggestions for future topics at newsletter@magicalgarden.com .

This issue of the newsletter includes:

What is a Xeriscape?

Throughout much of the United States right now we are experiencing a drought. This is the best time to consider xeriscaping, or "water conservation through creative landscaping".

The benefits in this idea are clear to me as we are entering into another year of low lake levels and limits on outdoor watering. The lack of a good xeriscape plan can leave you with browning and dying plants in a situation like this.

So here are the 7 universally appropriate fundamentals of xeriscaping.

  • PLANNING AND DESIGN… for water conservation and beauty from the start.
  • CREATE PRACTICAL TURF AREAS… of manageable sizes, shapes, and appropriate grasses.
  • SELECT LOW WATER REQUIRING PLANTS... and group plants of similar water needs together. Then experiment to determine how much and how often to water the plants.
  • USE SOIL AMENDMENTS… like compost or manure as needed by the site and the type of plants used.
  • USE MULCHES… such as woodchips, to reduce evaporation & to keep the soil cool.
  • IRRIGATE EFFICIENTLY… with properly designed systems (including hose-end equipment) and by applying the right amount of water at the right time.
  • MAINTAIN THE LANDSCAPE PROPERLY… by mowing, weeding, pruning and fertilizing properly.

Xeriscape programs are active in nearly all fifty states, including Hawaii. Programs have also begun outside of the United States.

New Products!

We have expanded our product lines at The Magical Garden. We have added a terra cotta sun/moon wall plaque, some copper garden stakes, a cute frog sundial and an alligator sculpture. We also have a new turtle stepping stone. Watch this spot for more new items every month. http://www.magicalgarden.com/

Site Changes!

We have more photographs of all the specialty gazing globe colors and styles at: http://www.magicalgarden.com/globes.html . Due to popular demand, we have added a FAQs page. http://www.magicalgarden.com/faqs.html . This month we also added details on our guarantee, and better navigation.

Xeriscape Links

For more information on the web, check out our list of links at: http://www.magicalgarden.com/newsletters/2000/0701.html . You can visit the the Xeriscape Colorado! site at: http://www.xeriscape.org/ . There's a handy xeriscape score card at the Georgia Water Wise Council site: http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/waterwise/consul.htm
 http://www.xeriscape.org/bibliography.html has an extensive booklist for those wanting offline references.

About.com Gardening - Tips for Drought-Stricken Gardens
About.com Landscaping - Xeriscape article and more links
American Water Works Association - water efficiency clearinghouse
Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Backyards - helps people become stewards of land, water, and wildlife across North America
Backyard Conservation - Snohomish Conservation District
Backyard Conservation Resources
"Beautiful and Waterwise....Gardening for the Pacific Northwest" (Video) - Seattle, WA
Creating a Water-Wise Landscape - Virginia Cooperative Extension
Desert Landscaping: Plants for a Water-Scarce Environment (CD-ROM) - Arizona's Water Resources Research Center
High Country Gardens - Detailed Guide to Xeriscape
Landscape Water Conservation...Xeriscape - Texas Agricultural Extension Service Xeriscape education program
Low-Water Use and Drought-Tolerant Plants - Tucson, AZ
Texas Wildscapes - gardening for wildlife
U.S. Department of Agriculture Backyard Conservation
Water Conservation Garden - San Diego County, CA
Water Efficient Landscape Planner - free downloadable software program
Water-wise Gardening - Los Angeles County, CA
Wild Ones - promoting landscaping using native species
"Xeriscape - A New Kind of Landscaping" - Ft. Collins, CO
Xeriscape Colorado! - promoting creative approaches to water conserving landscapes
Xeriscape Demonstration Garden - Colorado Springs Utilities, CO
Xeriscaping: Water Conservation in the Massachusetts Landscape
 

The Magical Garden is located outside Atlanta, Georgia. If you have any questions please email us at info@magicalgarden.com.

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