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As a keen gardener, I like to take good care of my large lawn and garden. It’s a lot of work, but enjoyable. I know some people who have gone for the low maintenance option and got rid of the lawn, replacing it with decking or gravel. I need the exercise, so I don’t mind the weeding, watering and mowing. Some people have lawns like velvet and maybe I’ll achieve that one day. You have to keep up to a lawn and garden and that means regular watering in the Summer. In England, there is often a water hose ban in the South East which makes it awkward for gardeners. I keep two rain butts in my garden.

Grass in it’s wild state is not meant for cropping, so your lawn will need feeding with fertilizer so it receives enough nutrition. Fertilizers usually contain nitrogen for promoting a thick growth, phosphorus for encouraging growth in the leaves and roots and potassium for building up resistance to disease and bad weather. If you have a large area to cover, you can use a Broadcast Spreader to spread the fertilizer. Mowing is a necessary part of lawn and garden stewardship. Hand mowers are less expensive than the rotary mowers. I’m lucky enough to have a lawn tractor which is fun to ride. A Brush Cutter will cut the rougher grass around trees etc. A Rotary Edger will cut the edges and keep them neat.

When designing a garden, you need to plan your different areas. I like a mixed garden with lots of different features. Rock gardens and pot plants will cut the work down for a lawn and garden. You could have paths criss crossing the garden, laid with block paving, beach pebbles or concrete slabs. A conservation area with wild flowers is attractive, and encourages butterflies and bees. I have a small pond with koi fish, aquatic plants and water lilies. It’s very relaxing to sit and watch the fish on a warm Summer’s evening. I can stay out in the garden these days with the lights and outdoor heaters that are available.

My dream garden, which I hope to have one day, will be a walled garden. It will be big enough for lawn and garden, with an orchard, herb garden and a vegetable plot. Perhaps there will also be room for a gazebo where I can relax after a hard afternoon’s gardening.

Flowers have a romantic history with their honey sweet aromas, silky soft textures and cheerful appearance. The Dahlia flower is one of the the most enchanting and elegant of all flowers. The name itself conveys an image of mystique. One theory of the origin of the word “Dahlia” suggests a beginning in Eastern cultures. The “Dah” sound is remarkably similar to many Hindu Indian words. In the Hindu language, this part of the name signifies a certain godly essence, while the “lia” indicates an effeminate quality, an apt portrayal of the flowers’ gentle beauty. With these two combined, it’s likely that the word Dahlia means, roughly, “strong divine feminine”.

With over 1,800 varieties, the Dahlia flower is among the most easily recognized kinds in the world. So special and important was the Dahlia flower in the horticultural circles, that an international conference was held to determine what is, and what is not, a Dahlia flower.

In 1962, at the International Horticultural Congress in Brussels, a conference was held to determine what could be classified as a Dahlia flower. Color and shape were out of the question, as those descriptors were both open to interpretation. Instead, it was decided that the center disk must be double and not visible. The disk could either be curling inwards, outwards, or both.

What makes the Dahlia flower unique is the fact that it consists of two or more flowers within one. That may sound confusing, but let us describe this lovely piece of nature’s art. In the single layer Dahlias, the flowers spring forth from a central disk, with the tips either perfectly rounded, or sharply pointed. Some varieties have each individual petal divided into up to six sections.

The Anemone flowered Dahlia is a wonder of mother earth. While the central disk does indeed exist, it is not visible, due to the enormous number of petals embedded within. These are classified as a “Fancy Flower”, as they are indeed, quite elegant. One of the most attractive Dahlia flowers is known as the Ball Dahlia. The name does not do it justice. The flower is large and honey comb like. With eleven layers of petals, each layer piled on top of another, the overall design is a spiral shape, which tapers towards the top of the Dahlia flower.

So entrancing are these flowers that films have been named after them, and authors have written about them. Most recently, the big screen adaption of “The Black Dahlia Murders” was released. An indie film, called “The Black Dahlia” is currently in production. The plot centers around the enchanting beauty and fragility of the Dahlia flower, and was written by, and stars, the world renowned guitarist, Gidget Gein. This goes to show just how amazing this flower is, with an international conference held to study and define it, and with the admiration of a rock legend.