GardenersCardiff answers:

The “Do It Yourself Network” has ideas. Besides “Landscape”, use other search terms (gardening, walkways, pool, fountains….) to find more. I noticed on the HopePage, they had a link for “water walkway” — sounds interesting, but didn’t check it out.

Http://www.diynetwork.com/

Also, the public library and home improvement center [i.e., Lowe’s, Home Depot] have books and magazines you can skim through — buy/borrow or not.

Like DIYnetwork, there are also a lot of TV programs on gardening & landscaping — discovery, TLC channels … They are really interesting.

This site does Landscapes (and has a search box). There’s a link on it’s HomePage (currently) on “yards and gardens”.

Http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh

These sites offer ideas:

http://www.bechtelslandscape.com/landscape-ideas.shtml

http://www.landscapegardeningonline.com/

http://www.gardenrailway.org.uk/

This site looks like it may be REAL helpful:

http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/landscapedesign5.html

Do a search for “landscape ideas” (and use other terms) in your browser. Search for “parts” of landscaping (like pools, rock, cement structiures/statues, patio furniture, decks…). The results listed usually have their products set in gardens and yards — and you can get ideas. Like this site (check out the links (buttons) across the top):

http://www.bridgewaterlandscape.com/

And, search famous gardens (like botanical gardens … Like Marie Selby Botanical Garden, Sarasota FL), if you know of any, and look at their settings for ideas.

Peace. Have fun!!!!!

GardenersCardiff answers:

It’s a great magazine although there aren’t many beauty tips in it, just mostly about home and garden and they have wonderful recipes. It’s worth the money to subscribe instead of buying off the stand. I know you must be excited about getting your own place, Good Luck!

GardenersCardiff answers:

Try here first — good, clear basics, step-by-step:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/ten-steps-to-beginning-a-garden/

If and when you need more detailed information, try here:
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenprimer/Getting_Started_in_the_Garden_Techniques_and_Terms.htm

If you feel very athletic, here’s a simple, clear set of instructions:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2050109_prepare-vegetable-garden-bed.html

Simple instructions for raised beds, not so much digging (be warned, it’s a sales site, too):
http://www.aboutthegarden.com.au/FSDODIGRaisedtext.html

If your budget is limited, you might also look up gardening tips on some of the “frugal” and “penny-pinching” websites.

Oh, I almost forgot: for my money, the all-time best gardening book you could possibly have is the Royal Horticultural Society’s Encyclopedia of Gardening. If you can have only one book on gardening, this is it! It’s got *everything* about gardening in it! Yeah, it’s geared to Britain, of course — but they’ve been (formal, planned) gardening for a thousand years or more, and the most useful gardening techniques are pretty consistent around the world, so this book is worth it. It IS very expensive, so use a copy from the public library (or a college or trade-school library, if you have one near you) if you can’t afford to buy it up-front.

Also, see if you can join a local gardening group. They’re usually very happy to share all sorts of communal gardening knowledge, especially tips specific to your area. And they’re often more than happy to give you their excess seedlings, volunteer sprouts they don’t want or have too many of, and cuttings — all for free!

And check out if you have a county extension service (usually part of the state Dept. Of Agriculture) you can ask for help. They often hold classes, too, for free, or at least very inexpensively.

Have fun, and good luck!

GardenersCardiff answers:

You need more than a quick answer but I can make some suggestions on where to look for information. Depending on the level of your ambition you could fence the herb garden with espaliered fruit trees. You can grow simple plots in raised beds or a full garden estate like the French chateuax of Villandry or a cottage style garden designed for use as well as pleasure.
Http://www.allcastles.com/villandry.htm
http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/gallery/gal180.html
http://www.lvo.com/GB/MAG/JARDIN/VILL.HTML
Medieval style herb cloister
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/herbgdn1.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/herbgarden/index.html
http://www.mainecottagegarden.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Northwest-Cottage-Garden-Andrew-Schulman/dp/157061363X

Fruit can be anything from ground hugging strawberries and dwarf blueberries like ‘Top Hat’ through dwarf, espaliered fruit trees up to standard fruit trees.
Http://gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=68950&bhcd2=1184373298
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/hooker79.html
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=369&storyType=garden
http://www.henryleuthardtnurseries.com/
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1427.html
There is a teaching herb garden at Elm Bank (home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society) in Wellesley, MA.
Http://www.neuhsa.org/
http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/agritourism_farms.htm

Herb gardening
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/herbs/ne208hrb.htm
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/collections/herb.html
http://www.surratt.org/herbs/herbpages/garden.html
www.surratt.org/herbs/herbgraphics/garden.gif
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/herbgardenassort.htm
http://www.superbherbs.net/design7.htm
Watering
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homelandscape/water/water.html
http://www.iwms.org/
http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/water.htm
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=985&storyType=garden

GardenersCardiff answers:

Breck’s has some nice collections to do a whole garden for a decent price, plus they have free gifts with some items, and $25 more products free with a $50 purchase (no, I am not a company rep!) I ordered a tulip/daffodil collection over 10 years ago that is still blooming. I don’t know about kits or how much you want to spend, but you could probably pick up a nice planter and soil at a local garden center to go with the bulbs. Only thing is, you might not be able to get tulip bulbs right now, they are usually sold in the fall!

GardenersCardiff answers:

This question has gone six days without an answer. It would help if you provided a general location. Best bet is to apply for a job, hope for an interview, and ask the question in the interview. You also might want to ask an employee for a general idea as to pay for an entry level position in the store.

Good luck with your job search.