Matty's Birdseye View From The Picket Fence
					Garden Types
	Butterfly Garden: Butterflies are attracted to flower nectar, which is their primary food source. They are also found near edges of puddles where concentrated sodium and nutrients serve as mineral rich food. Butterflies are cold blooded, so they require sun warmth. They are very active when the temperature is 60 degrees F or higher. They restrict movements to bright, quiet areas sheltered from wind. PLant tall shrubs and vines to provide a wind break for butterflies. During evening and cold cloudy, rainy weather they roost on the underside of leaves. Structures unlike birdhouses and even wood piles make superior roosting areas. Butterflies have many natural predators including birds, spiders, wasps, mantids, and flies. Butterflies are attracted to bright colors. They like strong fragrances and are partial to tubular shaped flowers. If you would like to see more butterflies in your back yard I suggest planting some of the following plants: Abelia Achillea Aster Astilbe Azalea Boltonia Buddleia Campsis Centranthus Chrysanthmum Clethra Coreopsis Dianthus Echinacea Gaillardia Guara Hibiscus Kniphofia Lavinder Liatris Lilium Lonncera Lythrum Monarda Penstemon Phlox Prunus Phododendrum Rudbeckia Salix Salvia Scabiosa Solidago Syringa Verbena
		Bird Garden: Gardens and landscapes designed to attract birds and other wildlife can provide hours of enjoyment and help get rid of un-wanted pests. One toad for example, eats over 1,000 insects during one summer. Plan a landscape for birds and other wildlife by thinking in terms of their basic requirements: food, water, and shelter. By planting the right plants, a supply of nuts, acorns, fruits, and grains you can supply a ready source of food for you new yard guests. Plants also provide shelter from predators and harsh weather conditions. Add a birdbath, birdfeeder, or a shallow bowl of watr, you've created a hospitable habitat for wildlife. Cut Flower Garden: Whether you are creating a spectacular centerpiece for a special occasion or simply placing flowers on your breakfast table every morning, cut flower gardens give you a chance to take whatever you need, with out worrying how you frequent plundering will affect the appearance of your carefully tended front border. Pick a smallsecluded area where cutting won't be easily mised, and prepare the soil well with compost. Provide easy access to your garden by building a path into your design. Wildflower Gardens: Wildflower gardens have a charm all of their own, and since the deliberately incorporate a naturalized look, they require little maintenance other than watering. Select wildflower seeds or plants that grow well in your area and make sure you determine whether they need shade or sun. Plant wildflowers in bunches or clumps, rather than in neat rows, and choose flowers that will bloom at different times of the year for year-round color. I particularly like those bags of wildflowers that you can buy. There is about a 1,000 wildflower seeds in the bags and the bag contains fertilizer. All you have to do is, turn the soil over and open the bag of wildflowers and spread evenly onto the worked soil. And most of the flowers will re-seed themselves.
			Shade Gardens:Shade gardens are great if you have an area in your yard that doesn't get much direct sun. The following are some definitions of shade. Heavy or Dense Shade: This the deepest shade, found in areas of your landscaping with a nothern exposure, only recieving a small amount of reflected light. Medium Shade: This is an open area with no direct sunlight, only reflected light, due to trees and overhanging branches tending to block sunlight. Light Shade: An area in your garden in which there is little or no direct sunlight but has bright sunlight occurring in the early morning or late afternoons. Filtered /Dappled Shade: This is the brightest type of shade produced by open tree branches that move in the wind and create patterns of moving sunlight across the ground, but plants are still not exposed to direct sunlight. Plants: Anemone, Astilbe, Bergenia, Caltha, Ferns, Hedera, Hosta, Vinca, Viola (This is a partial list).