This article was originally published on Hubpages in June 2010. One of Ness Gardens most famous views. Ness Botanic Gardens is owned by Liverpool University, and is found close to the town of Neston, in Wirral, England. The gardens evolved from one man's love of plants and his desire to share his collection with others. There is a spacious visitor centre housing a cafe, exhibition space, lecture theatre, meeting room, conservatory and a gift shop. There is also a weather centre and a plant sales area, many of these plants and seeds having been raised on site.  People are welcome to make use of the picnic area and childrens' play area. Generous coach and car parking space is also available. Come prepared to do a lot of walking. Wheelchair access seems limited. A beautiful waterfall and pond, surrounded by moisture-loving plants. Another view of the many ponds within Ness Gardens, which are alive with tadpoles each spring. Yellow flag iris flowering beside a pond, with a huge g...

This article by Adele Cosgrove-Bray was first published in  Prediction  magazine in September 2007. It was also published on Hubpages in March 2010. A magnificent bouquet of deep red roses represents a declaration of love to most people.  But did you know that many other flowers also carry traditional messages of their own?  A gift of flowers can express a complex visual language and can sometimes say what a thousand words cannot.  In Victorian times it was hugely popular to send coded messages hidden in bouquets, especially between lovers. Tulip bulbs were once a valuable form of currency and were exchanged for phenomenal sums of money.  Red tulips were believed to be a bold expression of passion and sensuality, while variegated tulips represented facial beauty and sartorial elegance.  A spring of apple blossom set within a posy implied that the giver preferred the company of the recipient above that of all others.  the use of confetti at wedding...

 This article was originally published on Hubpages in August 2009. Ygraine loved snoozing under the St John's Wort. In the Beginning... The garden was a wild tangle of waist-high grasses, weeds, brambles and mare's tail when my husband and I bought our home in 2000. The media was merrily enthusing about the Millennium celebrations; we were almost as happy to locate our hidden-by-weeds boundary fence. I burnt out two strimmers levelling that lot. And then I was left with a dejected-looking "lawn" which rapidly sprouted a carpet of dandylions, buttercups and bindweed - and more mare's tail, with which the locality is heavily infested. A lumpy tarmac path emerged, initially as a brown stripe when the thin layer of turf hiding it died. Under the tarmac lay thick concrete, and under that lay thick hardcore. As hiring a JCB was out of the question at that time, I admitted defeat and reluctantly incorporated a dead-straight path into my design. A layer of builder's s...

 This article was originally published on Hubpages in February 2010. Chickens love to roam free in the garden. Until I kept chickens, I had no idea how much fun they are. They are easy to care for, and will pay for themselves by the eggs for provide. I have two ISA Warren hens - and would love more. Be warned, this is a very addictive hobby! On this page you will find plenty of information on how to properly house, look after and feed chickens, and see some cute photos of my little flock foraging around my garden. Foraging for bugs and a juicy worm or two keeps chickens happy. The beautiful plumage of an ISA Warren chicken. Life in the Chicken Coop The word "hen" indicates an adult, while "chicken" implies a young bird, however both words tend to be used interchangeably. The male cockerel's cry can be noisy, and while I enjoy hearing their piercing cock-a-doodledoo your neighbours probably won't be so forgiving. Therefore, in a suburban setting only female h...

 

  This article was originally published on Hubpages in 2013. I'm going to slowly transfer all my Hubpages material to here, and this is piece the first of those. Making a DIY Frog Pond Is Fun! Garden ponds add a beautiful and peaceful focal point to any garden. They are easy to maintain and fun to watch, and if you have children, ponds can also be educational. Ponds allow you to do your bit for the environment. Certain aquatic plants are great for attracting moths, which are the perfect food for bats. Birds will bathe in the pool shallows. Water beetles will quickly move in and make themselves at home. And amphibians will prove to be fascinating, especially in spring when frogs and toads need ponds to breed in. Frogs and toads spend much of their lives out of water. However, they often prefer to be near water and will enjoy the shade provided by marginal plants. Building a Pond Building a pond is easier than you might assume. Amphibians need to be able to climb out of the water eas...