ORNAMENTAL GATES Selection, Information, Reviews

I’m looking for an iron gates that is a round 36 inches tall and the same width

How do you stop your ornamental gate or your steel garden furniture breaking out in unsightly brown scabs? Why do some steel garden accessories last for decades without showing any sign of rust at all, yet others rust within a year or two?

All you need to cause steel to rust is oxygen – keep the oxygen away from the steel, and it will not rust. Water on steel forms a small electric cell, like a battery, and speeds up the process enormously. So we need to do two things to prevent rust – exclude oxygen and exclude water.

The cheapest and most effective way of achieving these two goals is with galvanising or molten zinc spray. Both of these methods use zinc, because zinc is relatively cheap, and it is a sacrificial metal, meaning that if you put zinc and steel in close proximity in the presence of water, the zinc will sacrifice itself by corroding before the steel does.

Galvanizing is the process of coating steel with a thin layer of zinc. The procedure is to remove all existing rust from the item (by shot blasting or immersing in an acid/alkali bath) before briefly immersing the item in a bath of molten zinc (approximately 450ºC), resulting in a smooth coating of zinc approximately 50 – 100 microns thick. To provide extra protection, the item is given a chromate passivating coat.

The zinc spray process (also referred to as metal spray or flame spray) involves shot blasting to remove all rust, followed by spraying with a flame gun which melts pure zinc wire, then uses compressed air to atomise and propel the molten droplets onto the steel item, much like an aerosol paint. The melting, atomising and propelling is a continuous process, so the operator literally spray paints the item with a fine spray of molten zinc droplets. The droplets solidify and adhere strongly on contact with the cold steel item, forming an even, textured coating of pure zinc, approximately 100 – 200 microns thick.

Both of these processes coat the item with sacrificial zinc, but equally importantly, they are always preceded by the complete removal of all existing rust. This perfectly rust free surface provides an excellent surface for bonding with the molten zinc, resulting in an extremely tough metal coating, which is highly resistant to all but the most extreme abuse.

If you buy any steel accessories for your garden, make sure that they have been galvanised or zinc sprayed, or they will surely rust. Powder coating over galvanised or zinc sprayed steel offers excellent protection. Beware, powder coating over bare steel does not – any minute pinhole, crack or chip in the powder coating will admit oxygen and water.

Do not despair if you have rust on your existing garden furniture or other items. Give them a few more decades of life by having them re coated. Zinc coating businesses will shot blast all old paint, rust or other coatings off your items and process them as they would new items.

If galvanised steel is left unpainted, it will assume a dull grey appearance after a few months. If you don’t mind this colour, fine. Otherwise, if you plan to paint the item, rather have it zinc sprayed. Zinc sprayed items have a textured surface, similar to sandpaper, which provides an excellent key for primer and paint, resulting in paintwork that is far more durable than galvanising, and will never peel or flake.

Take precautions before you buy steel garden accessories – ensure they have a zinc coating, and they will give you a lifetime of service.

“Welcome” signs often charmingly grace the ornamental gate or front door of a cozy cottage, beckoning visitors to come inside. You can add even more color and whimsy both inside and outside your cottage by easily and inexpensively making clever signs yourself with a little plywood, a jigsaw, and some paint.

10 Tips:

1. Secret Garden. This is a sweet sign to put on a aluminum ornamental gate. Or, hand paint the words onto a cleverly cut-out sign, nail it to a stake, and insert it into a flower pot on your patio.

2. To the Beach. A piece of wood with one end cut out in the shape of a hand with the pointer finger that points and says “To the Beach” adds whimsy and charm.

3. Quirky Quotes. Paint a sign and add a short favorite quote to express your personality. I have a favorite sign in my home by poet Emily Dickinson that says, “Dwell in Possibility.”

4. Seaside Serenade. Paint a sign sea-blue, glue some sand and shells along the bottom, and write the often-seen saying, “If you’re lucky enough to live at the beach you’re lucky enough” on it for a welcome to your beach cottage.

5. Bon Appetit. Paint a sign to match the colors in your kitchen with the words “Bon Appetit” on it.

6. Post-It Notes. Paint and nail several signs pointing in opposite directions on a lamp post outside your cottage with words on them such as “Beach,” “For the Birds,” “Bloomingdales,” “Yacht Club,” or “Johnson Wedding.”

7. Bathroom Bliss. Post a sign on your bathroom door that says “Powder Room” or “Ladies’ Room.”

8. Home Office Haven. Post an “Office” sign on your office door that matches your room’s décor.

9. High Maintenance. Tired of noise and need a nap? Embroider the words “High Maintenance, Please Do Not Disturb” on a small pillow with a rope attached for hanging on your bedroom doorknob.

10. Rock of Ages. Find a flat river rock, paint “Paradise Found” and some pretty flowers on it and place it in a pot in your garden.

So…what “sign of the times” will you come up with to express yourself in “sign language” in your own cottage style home?!

Copyright 2006 Kathryn Bechen Designs. All rights reserved worldwide.

How do you stop your ornamental gate or your steel garden furniture breaking out in unsightly brown scabs? Why do some steel garden accessories last for decades without showing any sign of rust at all, yet others rust within a year or two?

All you need to cause steel to rust is oxygen – keep the oxygen away from the steel, and it will not rust. Water on steel forms a small electric cell, like a battery, and speeds up the process enormously. So we need to do two things to prevent rust – exclude oxygen and exclude water.

The cheapest and most effective way of achieving these two goals is with galvanising or molten zinc spray. Both of these methods use zinc, because zinc is relatively cheap, and it is a sacrificial metal, meaning that if you put zinc and steel in close proximity in the presence of water, the zinc will sacrifice itself by corroding before the steel does.

Galvanizing is the process of coating steel with a thin layer of zinc. The procedure is to remove all existing rust from the item (by shot blasting or immersing in an acid/alkali bath) before briefly immersing the item in a bath of molten zinc (approximately 450ºC), resulting in a smooth coating of zinc approximately 50 – 100 microns thick. To provide extra protection, the item is given a chromate passivating coat.

The zinc spray process (also referred to as metal spray or flame spray) involves shot blasting to remove all rust, followed by spraying with a flame gun which melts pure zinc wire, then uses compressed air to atomise and propel the molten droplets onto the steel item, much like an aerosol paint. The melting, atomising and propelling is a continuous process, so the operator literally spray paints the item with a fine spray of molten zinc droplets. The droplets solidify and adhere strongly on contact with the cold steel item, forming an even, textured coating of pure zinc, approximately 100 – 200 microns thick.

Both of these processes coat the item with sacrificial zinc, but equally importantly, they are always preceded by the complete removal of all existing rust. This perfectly rust free surface provides an excellent surface for bonding with the molten zinc, resulting in an extremely tough metal coating, which is highly resistant to all but the most extreme abuse.

If you buy any steel accessories for your garden, make sure that they have been galvanised or zinc sprayed, or they will surely rust. Powder coating over galvanised or zinc sprayed steel offers excellent protection. Beware, powder coating over bare steel does not – any minute pinhole, crack or chip in the powder coating will admit oxygen and water.

Do not despair if you have rust on your existing garden furniture or other items. Give them a few more decades of life by having them re coated. Zinc coating businesses will shot blast all old paint, rust or other coatings off your items and process them as they would new items.

If galvanised steel is left unpainted, it will assume a dull grey appearance after a few months. If you don’t mind this colour, fine. Otherwise, if you plan to paint the item, rather have it zinc sprayed. Zinc sprayed items have a textured surface, similar to sandpaper, which provides an excellent key for primer and paint, resulting in paintwork that is far more durable than galvanising, and will never peel or flake.

Take precautions before you buy steel garden accessories – ensure they have a zinc coating, and they will give you a lifetime of service.

While building a house, there are certain important things that you need to take care of. Of course, the quality of materials used in the construction of the house is an important issue. Building a strong ornamental gate is equally important. You should not forget that. It should serve both the purposes, to create an impressive first impression as well as protecting your house from any burglars. There are some crucial factors that should be taken into consideration while selecting aluminum ornamental gates Iron kissing ornamental gates are quite popular. Many people love using these kissing ornamental gates These ornamental gates can add more beauty and style to your house. You can find majestic and antique looking iron in stores.

You need to consider some important things while selecting a iron ornamental gate for your house. While choosing an ornamental garden gate you need consider its weight. Also check the hinges to which it will rotate and the column on which it will be placed. They should be strong enough to support to bear the weight of the iron ornamental gate all the time. These items will be not easy to open as they are heavy. You can also opt for lightweight doors. A tall and big iron in front of the house can add to the beauty.

These ornamental gates are rarely available with designs. The intricate design on the wrought iron is what makes the Iron Gate so special and popular. It is better to opt for wooden ornamental garden gates or some other types of ornamental gates instead of ornamental gates if privacy is an important issue to you.

Finding the right ornamental garden gate for your house is not at all a daunting task. You can take the help of the internet to find the images of different wrought iron before taking any definite decision on this issue. There are many stores that offer these items. If you are not comfortable in visiting different stores, you can go for online shopping. It is a great option. You can get to see a number of items through World Wide Web. Moreover, you can compare the size and the price easily through online shopping.

If you are starting a house improvement project that will add beauty, grace and charm to your sweet home, you can choose the wrought ornamental gates Wrought iron ornamental gates can match with different types of home décor, both outside and inside. There are some great ideas on using these ornamental gates in your next house improvement endeavor.

Many homeowners love to use ornamental gate as an entrance to their house. These security screen doors can add more elegance to your house thereby increasing its aesthetic beauty. Many types of iron are available – imposing, massive, charming ornamental gate and small ornamental garden gate. Usually, people use the large iron in the entrance of the driveways. They are often placed on stone pillars. Stone is a great item. It can easily bear the weight of the Iron Gate.

When designing a new landscape or reevaluating an older landscape, don’t forget to work in spaces especially for children such as: a sandbox, jungle gym, and/or open grassy areas for football or net games like as volleyball and badminton (not just for children). A sandbox or jungle gym can be tucked into a corner or other small area. For jungle gym or other physical activities a thick layer of shredded bark mulch on the ground will help to reduce the impact of falls.

Introduce children to gardening and yard maintenance early on so that as they develop, they gain an appreciation and respect for plants and the landscape. These learning sessions are the perfect opportunity for teaching them about plants and how they grow. This reduces the chances of children ingesting any poisonous parts of plants.

For those with pets, work in an area for them to run and play. Gravel can be irritating to their paws and hot in summer, so use shredded bark mulch for this area which also works great for their potty areas as well. Place dog houses in protected areas such as nearer the house/garage or tucked into corners (great where there is a fence for additional protection). Sun and wind protection are other points to keep in mind.

Be flexible. Some dogs just like to dig and no matter what, you can’t keep some plants. I’ve experienced this with my dogs. I replaced a couple of small trees damaged by a freeze a few years ago with dynamite crape myrtles. The next day, I came home to the plants dug up and dried out. I had to replace with 2 more new plants. The following day, I came home to them dug up and dried out, again. The dogs were scolded, of course, but we didn’t want to waste, yet, 2 more plants. So, I planted the newest crape myrtles in large containers with a few annuals. It isn’t what I really wanted for the landscape, but, this is a spot on the outside of my ornamental garden gate so the container thing works fine. Planting in containers and raised beds can be a good solution for keeping plants off the ground so that they aren’t dug up, time and time again.

Both young and small plants are at risk of having dogs urinate on them, which if allowed to continue, will kill the plants. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the area and around the base of the plants.

Neighborhood cats can be a big problem. Two successful ways of keeping them out of landscapes and gardens is to lay pine cones around the area or lay sections of chicken wire, secure to ground and cover ever so lightly with mulch. The pine cones, chicken wire or anything prickly will help to keep them at bay.

Here is a short listing of plants that are generally safe to use around pets and children:

Bamboo

Ornamental grasses

Crape Myrtles

Forsythia

Cat Mint

Chives

Lavender

Rosemary

Thyme

Heucheras

Sage Herbs (many other varieties including annual varieties)

Sedum

Tulip

poplar

This is just a short list of plants that can be planted safely in the garden. The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has a great site with information on a listing of the 17 top toxic plants to pets, great articles on pet care (dogs, cats and horses), and animal poison control hotlines.

Poisonous Plants

Pawprints and Purrs, Inc is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating pet owners, preventing animal cruelty and pet abuse. Check out their website and you will find articles on everything from pet ownership to traveling with your pet to alternative medicines for pets.

If you have a question about whether or not a specific plant is toxic or safe, always ask your pet’s veterinarian.

The following link is to a short article on backyard safety for kids. It offers some good advice to keeping children safe and happy at play.

Backyard Safety for Kids

In a cash-strapped economy, chain link’s affordability, durability and versatility have made it an increasingly attractive option for residential fencing. More and more homeowners are utilizing vinyl-coated chain link fencing to enclose their yards and define property lines. One of the biggest benefits to this fencing material is the availability of numerous chain link ornamental gate styles and options. Here’s a look at some of the most popular chain link ornamental garden gates and what they’re best used for:

Walk-Through Chain Link Gates

The single walk-through chain link ornamental gate is the most common style available. It typically spans 36-48 inches wide and fits one person at a time, with a simple latch that can be opened from either side. While walk-through ornamental gates don’t offer much security, they function well for families looking to contain children or pets.

Drive-Through Gates

Drive-through ornamental gates are useful for homeowners who need to enclose vehicles or large animals behind a fence. Featuring two sliding or swinging panels that latch or lock in the center, drive-through aluminum ornamental gates work well on farms, ranches and homes that require a secure driveway. They’re typically placed at the edge of the property, usually at the driveway entrance.

Sliding Gates

Sliding or rolling ornamental garden gates resemble drive-through aluminum ornamental gates except they are attached to wheels that run along a track. This variation is popular for homes that don’t have enough room for swinging iron ornamental gates Chain Link Gates

For extra security and convenience, drive-through chain link ornamental garden gates can be automated to allow easy access. The most important feature to consider with an automatic kissing ornamental gate is how it will be triggered. Common options include:

Remote. The remote system works like an automatic garage door opener, requiring you to keep a device with you or your vehicle to trigger the ornamental gate. activated. This method requires a sufficiently long driveway and involves installing a pad 10-15 feet from the iron ornamental gate that senses the weight of your vehicle and opens the ornamental gate accordingly.

Intercom. Intercom access offers extra security, as it requires guests to request entry via a dedicated point in your house.

Keypad. A keypad entry system works well for households that have several people coming and going. Like a home security alarm, you can program the access code and decide whom to give it to. For added security, change your access code regularly.

Locks

Another important factor to consider when it comes to chain link ornamental gates is the type of lock you use. If security is a priority, make sure your lock is strong, durable and functional for your family.

Key lock. A standard key lock allows you to control access through your ornamental gate by determining who should receive a key. On the downside, key locks can be inconvenient and difficult to open in the dark.

Slide bolt. This type of lock is popular among those who aren’t concerned about restricting access, as it is relatively easy to open. It features a bolt you manually slide into place.

Keypad entry. Keypad locks offer the most security, requiring a security code in order to open the ornamental gate. They can work on both automatic and manual ornamental gates However, they usually require professional installation and maintenance.

~Ben Nystrom, 2010

Presentation is everything. Home buyers are attracted to clean, spacious and attractive houses. Your goal is to dazzle buyers. Brighten up the house and remove all clutter from counter tops, tables and rooms. Clean the house from top to bottom and make it sparkle. Simple aesthetic improvements such as trimming trees, planting flowers, fixing broken tiles, cleaning rugs and carpets and even repainting a faded room will greatly enhance the appeal of your house. Also make sure your house smells good. Clean out the cat box and light some mildly scented candles. Invite a trusted friend or neighbour to walk through your house as a buyer would, and get their opinion.

In preparing your private property for sale, consider:

o how much should I spend?

o exterior and curb appeal

o preparing the interior

How much should I spend?

In preparing your home for the market, spend as little money as possible. Buyers will be impressed by a brand new roof, but they aren’t likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it. There is a big difference between making minor and inexpensive “polishes” and “touch-ups” to your house, such as putting new knobs on cabinets and a fresh coat of neutral paint in the living room, and doing extensive and costly renovations, like installing a new kitchen.

The simplest way to think about how much to spend is to divide your spending into two categories:

o What things, if left unchanged, are going to bring the price down by more than it costs to fix or change them?

o What new changes can I make that will definitely increase the price by more than I pay for them?

The first category tends to be all your ‘touch-ups’ – fresh coats of paint etc. The second category requires careful thought before you spend – new bathrooms or kitchens or carports. You need to be convinced that (a) you will definitely get a significantly higher price for this effort, and (b) that you don’t decrease the pool of people who are potential buyers. (In other words, not everyone wants a pizza oven in the back yard, so your potential buyers pool is decreased.)

Focus on curb appeal

The age-old observation that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” certainly applies when it comes to attracting buyers to a for-sale home. Estate agents understand the power of ‘curb appeal;’ that initial impression a buyer gets driving up outside your property.

Ever noticed how, after living in a house for a while, you become ‘blind’ to those niggling details that other people see? To maximize curb appeal, you need to see the exterior of your property with ‘fresh eyes;’ perhaps ask a good friend for their opinion.

Tips to enhance your home’s exterior and curb appeal:

o Keep the lawn edged, cut and watered regularly. (Buy ‘Bounce Back’ from your local nursery to apply it to make your lawn greener.)

o Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly. Cut back overgrowth on pathways.

o Consider planting a few lavender bushes around the outside of your ornamental gate. During spring and summer months consider adding a few showy annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front entrance. (Two large pots either side of an entrance always looks good.)

o Basic intercom systems are pretty cheap nowadays; consider installing one at your ornamental gate if appropriate.

o Store toys, bicycles, roller-skates, gardening equipment and the like out of sight.

o Have at least the aluminum ornamental gate the front of your house and the trim painted, if necessary.

o Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.

o Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint.

o Sweep the porch and the front walkway.

o Repair and replace loose or damaged roof tiles.

o Re-seal an asphalt driveway.

o Keep your garage door closed.

o Store old and beaten up cars elsewhere while the house is on the market.

All in all, your attention to curb and exterior appeal should translate into excited buyers by the time they enter your home. With no ‘cringe factors’ outside the house, they are in a great frame of mind entering the house and fully expect a positive experience.

Maximizing interior appeal

There is a lot that you can do to improve the impression the interior of your home gives potential buyers, without getting into major renovations. In general, don’t underestimate the power of paint! While we all have different tastes, please be aware that if you have outlandish taste in interior colour, you will be decreasing the pool of potential buyers. In other words, this is not an exercise in expressing yourself creatively; rather it is an exercise in creating an interior that appeals to as many buyers as possible. If necessary, repaint dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. The same neutral scheme can be applied to carpets and linoleum.

Here are some of the other ‘insider tips’ that estate agents use:

Clear out the clutter

Real estate agents say buyers won’t purchase a home they can’t see. If your home has too much furniture, overflowing closets, crowded kitchen and bathroom countertops or lots of family photos or collectibles on display, potential buyers won’t be able to see your home. Get rid of anything you don’t need or use. This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter. Some homeowners with crowded rooms have actually rented storage garages and moved half their furniture out, creating a sleeker, and more spacious look.

Removing less frequently used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics make these areas much more inviting. Since you’re anticipating a move anyhow, holding a garage sale at this point is a great idea.

Use your nose

Many people are oblivious to scents, but others are extremely sensitive to offensive odours. To eliminate bad smells, bathe your pets, freshen the cat litter box frequently, shampoo your carpets, dry clean your drapes, and empty trash cans, recycling bins and ash trays. Place open boxes of baking soda in smell-prone areas, and refrain from cooking fish or strong-smelling foods. Introduce pleasing smells by placing flowers or potpourri in your home and using air fresheners. Baking a fresh or frozen pie or some other fragrant treat is another common tactic when expecting buyers.

Make all necessary repairs

Buyers expect everything in their new home to operate safely and properly. Picky buyers definitely will notice – and likely magnify – minor maintenance problems you’ve ignored for months or even years. Leaky faucets, burned-out light bulbs, painted-shut or broken windows, inoperable appliances and the like should be fixed before you put your home on the market. These repairs may seem small, but left undone they can lead buyers to question whether you’ve taken good care of your home.

Here are a few examples:

o Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement.

o Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.

o Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork. Inspecting and repairing the plumbing, cooling, and alarm systems.

o Repair dripping taps and showerheads.

Keep it spotless

This is often a tricky point for estate agents to make – different people are comfortable living with different levels of cleanliness. To appeal to as many buyers as possible, it is imperative that every inch of your house is clean and grime-free. Giving every room in the house a thorough cleaning. Hiring a professional cleaning service, once every few weeks while the house is on the market. This may be a good investment for owners who are busy elsewhere.

Focus on the ‘hotspots’

While all rooms in the home are important, estate agents know that kitchens, bathrooms and master bedrooms are the ‘hotspots.’ These rooms require special attention. Assuming that you don’t do major renovations, here are some ideas:

o Kitchen cabinet and general cupboard doors can be spruced up with a paint technique and new handles.

o Repaint the kitchen and bathroom walls in neutral colour, if necessary.

o Clean all tiling grout using a grout cleaning product. (You can buy grout cleaner from your hardware store.) You’ll be amazed how much better your tiles look!

o If your lights are dated, consider replacing them.

o Consider retiling your kitchen and bathroom, if appropriate.

o New curtains in these areas may be a worthwhile investment.Buy new towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.

Well, the word has gotten out. The deer know you have started another buffet of green delicacies.
Word spreads fast in the forest and it won’t be long before these uninvited guests will arrive at
your kissing ornamental gate. tend to feed on our gardens at night making it difficult to keep them out of the garden.
Some favorites of deer are: Apples, Arborvitae/white cedar, Arrow wood Viburnum, Birch, Day lilies,
Dogwood, Euonymus, Garden lilies, Hostas, Hydrangea, Impatiens, Linden/basswood, Yews , and Roses.
An important factor that will effect how often deer enter your vegetable garden, is availability
of food in their native habitat.

Unless you live in a city, the odds are you will have deer in your garden at some point. If you
live in the country, your garden is almost like having an open invitation for dinner – everyday.
These nuisance deer can be difficult to deter without taking some serious and consistent action
to prevent them from enjoying a buffet dinner that you call your garden.

So how do you keep deer out of the garden?

There are several ways to keep deer out of your garden, some of these deer repellents you may not even be aware of. In addition, there are many plants that deer will usually avoid. One of the hottest products to hit the market to protect your plants from deer is the Scarecrow – a motion activated sprinkler that shoots a 3 second burst of water in the direction that triggers it.

There are many home remedies that may be effective, but only for a short time. Fencing is expensive,
labor intensive and needs to be at least six feet high – besides, who wants to hide their beautiful
garden behind a fence – in some case a fence is not even an option. Planting deer resistant plants
may deter deer until they get really hungry – kind of like kids and spinach. Dry weather will
attracted deer to irri ornamental gate. plants for the refreshing moisture.

Overall, the final consensus amongst most gardeners is effective deer management requires a combination
of deterrents to be effective. This includes commercial repellents combined with home made remedies
as listed below. Fencing for most of us, is not an option and very expensive. As such, we won’t cover
fencing here. Instead we will focus on the known alternatives.

Deer Repellents & Control:

Use these known deer repellents and controls in combination for best results

Dogs: A dog that will actively chase away deer is probably the number one, most effective deer deterrent
there is. If your dog does not wonder, keep him out at night and you should have no further problem
with deer. If fido is a little on the lazy side, other alternatives as listed below may warrant attention.

The Scarecrow: The Scarecrow is a motion activated sprinkler that works both day and night. It not only scares away deer, but is effective for cats, dogs, rabbits, raccoons and larger birds. It sprays a maximum
35 foot stream of water for 3 seconds. One 9 volt battery will provide approximately 3000 bursts
of water. Works on water pressure between 30 – 80 psi (use a pressure reducer at higher psi),
is fully adjustable and comes with a 24 month warranty.

Liquid Fence ®: All natural, the long lasting Liquid Fence ® Deer & Rabbit Repellent will stop deer and rabbits from
eating your flowers, shrubs, vegetable plants, trees and vines. And rest assured, it won’t harm
your plants or animals! The manufacturer offers a written 100% money back guarantee.

Features as noted on the Liquid Fence® website:

* Environmentally safe and biodegradable

* USDA field tested

* Easy-to-use

* Long lasting and rain resistant

* Family & pet friendly

* 100% Money Back Guarantee

* Member tested and recommended by the National Home Gardening Club!

* We have not used this product, but it has been recommended by fellow gardeners – usually the most reliable source.

Electric Fence: The electric fence is often overlooked by many gardeners. It is very effective for cattle
and horses and offers some protection against deer – although if they jump over and never
touch it, they will not be afraid of it. Fortunately, deer tend to graze and nibble as they
feed and the odds are in your favor that they will touch your fence and flee, realizing this
area is better left alone.

Electric fences are best used for the vegetable garden in back yards, were public access is
restricted. You do not want the neighbors kids running home and telling their parents they got
zapped. Unless you live in a rural area, you may also find it difficult to find a supplier.
This can be overcome by shopping online or traveling to rural or farming communities near you.
Select a low powered fence designed for smaller livestock – after all, you are not trying to
keep animals the size of horses or cattle out of the garden.

Low lying electric fences (and low powered) can be effective for Rabbits and other smaller
animals. They should be kept very low to the ground using two lines, set on an angle away
from the garden – set the first line about 3″ above the ground and the second about 8″.
Keep the lines clear of grass, shrubs or any other material that will ground the charge
and reduce the effectiveness of the fence.

A new electric fence for slugs is under development in Canada and should be on the market by
2007. We can not elaborate on this now, but testing is proving very successful and we will
provide details when given the go ahead from the developer.

Deer Repellent Plant Protec: A new product from http://www.deerbusters.com, this all natural green Deer Repellent plant protector
clips easily on most plants. Emits a non-offensive garlic odor keeping deer and other unwanted
pests away. Environmentally safe with no spraying and no mess. Plant Protec lasts up to 8 months.

Egg Based Deer Repellent: A another product from http://www.deerbusters.com is the Deer Repellent egg based repellent, it has been tested and proven effective against deer browsing. This unique product repels by odor but, unlike some repellents, Deer Away will not be offensive to you. Tested in independent studies
by the USDA and Penn State. Deer Away was originally developed for use in large reforestation
projects. One application will last up to 2 months. This product is designed for pines, firs,
fruits, citrus and ornamentals. Other names this product is known as include “Deer Away” & “Deer-Off”.

Human Hair: Human hair wrapped in a old nylon and hung on branches or tucked between plants will provide some protection against deer and various animals. The smell of a human indicates danger to
most wild animals and should keep deer away from these areas.

Tree Guard(tm) : Tree Guard with Bitrex(tm) is another deer deterrent. It is lightly sprayed on seedlings, shrubs, ornamentals, hedges and flowers to produce a lingering nasty taste that animals do
not like – DO NOT USE on anything that you will be eating.

The bitter tasting Bitrex is locked into the plant surface forming a “protective jacket”
which resists dew, snow, rain and vaporization. One quart can covers 250-400 seedlings, one
gallon – approximately 1000 seedlings. Not a concentrate – ready to go! Tree Guard does not
wash off, it adheres with a single application and continues to protect through all kinds of weather.

The Manufacturer states that Tree Guard is the most effective deer deterrent on the market today.
We have not used it, so we cannot back this one up.

Bar Soap: Said to work by a number of gardeners, Take a piece of ivory soap, drill a hole in it, tie it to
the plant. The deer won’t come near your plant. You can also put a bar in an old stocking and hang
in shrubs – try to find a location, like under large leaves, that will protect the soap from rain
and watering – the bar of soap will last much longer.

Sound Based Deterrents: Their are a number of motion activated sound based deterrents available. However, for most people
these can cause more problems with neighbors, than the positive results in your garden. Imagine the
neighbors delight, when a high pitched noise goes off several times during the we hours of the night.

If you live in a remote, rural area and feel you won’t be woken up in the night by such products,
check around online for possible suppliers.

Marigolds – Myth or Fact?: It has been suggested that marigolds planted in a garden will keep deer away. I have tried this on several occasions with little effect. This does not mean it will not work. It is possible that I did not plant enough, or that I used the wrong variety. If you want to try this, I would plant around the plants deer like to eat. Marigolds are attractive and are reported to keep away various insects so it will do any harm to plant them regardless.

Now, if none of these solutions keeps the inquisitive deer out of your garden, a regular fence may be your only choice. However, it is a pretty good bet you’ll have success with one of these options. Good Luck!

Tour 39 of Orange County’s most incredible gardens in full bloom

Each of these gardeners has generously consented to share their passion for gardening with us and I urge you to attend as many of the gardens on the tour as you can.

A bit of history about the Mary Lou Heard: In 1985, Mary Lou Heard opened Heard’s Country Garden Nursery, a magical nursery tucked away on a seldom traveled road in Westminster, California. The gardens were full of unique and often old fashioned annuals and perennials such as “Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate”, “Bleeding Heart” and “Four O’Clocks”. These, along with whimsical garden art, English and old garden roses, scented geraniums, herbs, vines and small trees made the nursery a delightful and special place to visit. In the center of the pebble-dusted paths was a small quaint old wooden “cottage” filled with gifts, books, potpourris and small bags of the finest organic fertilizers available. In the far back of the garden was another old wooden building, it too, filled with antiques, gifts and more home decor….it was for me, a gardeners’ shabby chic shopping heaven.

In 1993 Mary Lou came up with the notion of a garden tour, “real gardens by real people”. This is a self-guided tour, where you drive from home to home at your leisure to view the gardens listed on the tour. The Heard’s Garden Tour was an instant success, bringing in over 800 garden lovers the first year and in later years, drawing in thousands of visitors. In 2000 Mary Lou Heard was diagnosed with cancer and two years later she would close her beloved nursery, and in her final Heard’s Country Garden Newsletter she wrote. “Though there are still many more gardens in my heat that have to be planted – the body is calling for a rest. Saying good-bye is the hardest thing I have had to do.”

The annual garden tour continues today, thanks to the Mary Lou Heard Foundation.

For those of us who had the pleasure of knowing Mary Lou Heard, this memorial garden tour holds a special place in our hearts. And for me, it’s especially significant, because it was at Heards Country Gardens Nursery, where I found my passion, butterfly gardening! Immediately upon attending a butterfly gardening class at the nursery, I was forever obsessed with butterflies. I was so fascinated with every detail of the butterfly class, taking notes and asking questions, that I could hardly wait to get home and start “gardening for the benefit of butterflies” myself. I especially remembered waiting in line to purchase a chrysalis from the teacher, Cathy, the “Butterfly Lady”, but to my disappointment, by the time I made my way to the front of the line, Cathy was out of butterfly chrysalises. She did however have a couple of caterpillars, and upon assuring her I was growing pesticide free fennel in my garden, she sold me one of her Anise Swallowtail caterpillars. I ever so carefully took it home, fed it, fretted over it, until finally that memorable day came when my Anise Swallowtail Butterfly emerged from it’s chrysalis, I knew I was hooked.

Butterfly Garden – Wood’s Wildlife Wonder

This story brings me to tell you about one of the gardens on the Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour, it’s at the home of Helen and Ken Wood. The “Wood’s Wildlife Wonder” is filled with plants and trees selected to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Helen is a master gardener, her garden is certified as a North American Butterfly Association certified butterfly garden, Monarch Way-station and Native Habitat. Last summer I had the pleasure of attending a “butterfly tea” at her home and was amazed at the number of butterflies visiting her garden. If you live in the Orange County area, I urge you to take the Heard’s Garden Tour, and don’t miss stopping by the Woods Garden, I’m sure Helen would be happy to talk to your about butterfly gardening. Be sure to bring your camera!

Mary Lou introduced me to the world of butterfly gardening, I hope to inspire others to take the tour and begin gardening for the benefit of butterflies.