Rain Shadow Gardens

Your online garden decoraction and supply blog

Archive for August, 2008

August 12, 2008

Don’t Have indoor planters?

Author: GardenOfWeedin
garden trellis

Bring in the Sun
 I use potted planters in my house to create a sense of equilibrium with my busy life and my spiritual life.  It is very hard to have a place where you feel is sacred.  This entails being aware of the natural world that surrounds us.  Having plants in my house makes me feel like I am somewhere else.  Everyday I have a routine.  I get home and after I take care of myself, I take care of my plants and their needs.  This connects me to a system of existence that is not very present in my office work life, or at the bar with my friends. 

On the outside of my house, a garden trellis does a great job of absorbing the natural sunlight and keeping it for me to enjoy.

August 12, 2008

Indoor Versus Outdoor Plants

Author: GardenOfWeedin
Droll Yankees bird feeder

Gardens are exceptionally hard to maintain.  Especially when just starting out in a new terrain, an outdoor garden can prove much more labor intensive than we previously intended.  The soil in an outdoor garden has usually been abused by years of mono-cropped grass.  This grass has leached the nutrients from the soil and created an unfriendly atmosphere for any new plants to come into this harsh environment. 

 The solution to this problem is simple enough.  Use indoor and outdoor potted planters to grow a variety of vegetables and flowers that you would like in your garden, then as you are waiting for these plants to grow; you can work on creating an ideal environment for them.  You can do this by removing rocks, pebbles, weeds, and bring in better soil for your new plants to flourish in.  An outdoor bird feeder can be useful in creating a variegated environment.

Cat Boot BrushNichols Bros. Stoneworks, located in Western Washington state, is one of the leading manufacturers in the country of Cast Stone Garden and Architectural Ornament. Rain Shadow Gardens carries their decorative boot brushes collection.

Our English Sandstone Collections are manufactured using a technique called Dry-Casting. This method has been around for centuries and has proven itself to be a durable, attractive and high quality alternative to other materials such as terra-cotta, plastic, clay, fiberglass, or concrete.

The nature of our stone boot brush has a number of advantages, it has the appearance of carved stone at a fraction of the cost, and it ages much like natural stone, developing a rich patina quite rapidly.

Our most recent mix design improvements and curing methods have given our stone greatly increased strength, weather tolerance and resistance to abrasion. Take a look for yourself and see the variety of boot brushes we offer

Bird Pond in a BoxClear Pond’s Complete In-Ground Backyard Bird Pond in a Box

This kit offers the durability of a plastic preformed pond with the ease of handling of a liner. It comes complete with everything you need to start your pond, except the rocks, water, and plants!

  • Includes a preformed plastic pond that stores in a box
  • Fish-safe, energy-efficient 270 gph pump to aerate water and keep fish and plants healthy
  • Clog-resistant, adjustable fountainheads
  • Water treatment and conditioner included
  • Complete instructions for assemblyTwo sizes/shapes:
  • The Butterfly: 50″ x 42″ x 21″ deep
  • The Delta: 67″ x 48″ x 18″ deep
  • Thistle Bird FeedersThe Thistle Mini Bird Feeders have all the quality but half the size of the 16in Thistle Bird Feeder.
    8″ long, 2.5″ diameter, 4 ports, 0.5 lb. capacity.

    All Classic Thistle Feeders feature:

  • Stainless steel wire - long lasting and chew-proof
  • Metal die castings - can’t be chewed by squirrels
  • UV stabilized polycarbonate tube - won’t yellow with age, dependably durable
  • Seed baffle - keeps seed within reach of birds
  • Armor bands protect tube from squirrels
  • Seed ports - sized to conserve seed
  • Distance from port to perch - ornithologically correct for birds
  • Metal perches - won’t hurt birds feet, can’t be chewed by squirrels
  • Threaded base - allows addition of tray and other accessories
  • Oak Adirondack ChairThis Oak Adirondack Chair is manufactured from Chinese Oak which has been kiln dried to less than 1% — virtually no warping or cupping. Stained with a light oil for additional weatherproofing from the elements and gives a uniform appearance to the wood. Mortise and tenon joinery using Swedish exterior grade Casco Nobel glue. Solid brass fittings with high quality fasteners gives superior holding strength.

    Some assembly required.

    Chinese Oak wood is dense finer grained hardwood about 5% harder than Red Oak. The heartwood is light brown and some boards have a lighter pinkish tint to them. Chinese Oak is a more durable material than Red Oak and is ideal for outdoor furniture. The tannic acid in the wood protect it from fungi and insect attack.

    21″ wide, 14″ deep, x 39″ high

    Wood Picnic TablesStylish and practical! Wood Picnic Tables for any outdoor activity. This six foot table set features heavy duty 2×6 pedestal construction, eased corners, and comes with two detached benches for easy storage.

    Unassembled.

    69″ wide, 33″ deep, 29″ high, 45 pounds

    Most orders are shipped within 3 business days from the manufacturer in Canada. Please, allow an extra week to clear customs.

    • 2 12″x48″x18″ oversized benches
    • Clear Western Red Cedar
    • Finely sanded finish
    • Fully routed edges
    • Zinc plated hardware
    • Handcrafted for snug-fitting parts
    • Fully illustrated instructions
    • Pre-drilled holes
    • Quality Guaranteed!

    Our Western Red Cedar products are made in Lethbridge Alberta Canada using Grade A Clear Western Red Cedar. All furniture is surface sanded to a fine smooth finish and is available in knock-down or unassembled unfinished kits.

    Teak Patio Furniture

    Beautiful Teak Patio Furniture 

    This beautiful “oval styling” has been designed for house or backyard with a lot of curved patterns. This bench will never go out of style, but quietly blends with any décor. We have made subtle but careful design changes to ensure excellent back support. Place a single bench under your trees; use a group of benches and chairs for entertaining. Quality built for generations.

    59″W x 35″H x 21″D; Seat Height: 17″
    Weighs 59 pounds

    Some Assembly Required

    Please, allow up to 3 weeks for delivery.


    About Anderson Teak

    Anderson Furniture is committed to producing the highest quality furniture using only the finest timbers.

    At Anderson we strongly believe that if something is worth doing, then it is worth doing properly. All of our designs are genuinely made by hand from the finest quality materials using only traditional carpentry techniques. By concentrating on these fundamental basics Anderson produces high quality furniture to last a lifetime.

    Stone Garden Statues6″ Tall Stone Garden Statues

    Rain Shadow Gardens features stone sculpture products created by the leading maker of garden sculptures, Nichols Bros. Stoneworks. These and contemporary stone garden sculpture designs are equally at home in large resorts, community parks, back–yard gardens and family homes.

    1. Their stone sculpture designs are manufactured using a technique called Dry-Casting, a method that has been around for centuries.
    2. The nature of our stone decoration garden sculpture has a number of advantages; it has the appearance of carved stone at a fraction of the cost, and it ages much like natural stone, developing a rich patina quite rapidly.
    3. The most recent mix decoration garden sculpture design improvements and curing methods have given our stone greatly increased strength, weather tolerance and resistance to abrasion.

    Nichols Bros. Stoneworks manufactures the highest quality cast sandstone garden sculptures available on the market today. You’ll find their products are:

  • Durable - Stone is a natural material that will complement and enhance the design of any garden.
  • Attractive – Creative garden focal points with unique designs available in four distinctive, stone-finishes.
  • High quality – Lasting alternative to other materials (such as terra-cotta, plastic, clay, fiberglass or concrete).For texture, color, durability and sheer class, our stone garden sculptures will always be superior to synthetic alternatives. Make your purchase with confidence knowing you’re getting a great product for a great price.

    Cast using special frost-proof durable stone material that will provide years of pleasure in your home, garden, or office setting. A special antique finish brings out the individual personality.

  • Dogwood Fairy Stone Garden SculptureNichols Bros Stoneworks, Ltd. has been manufacturing Stone Garden Sculptures since 1990 after years of importing from many of the leading cast garden ornament manufacturers in Great Britain.

    This statue is cast using a proprietary concrete mix. Nichols Bros. Stoneworks mix design allows our craftsmen to achieve a very high degree of detail and yet unlike many of our competitors, is able to withstand freezing without damage. This will provide the end user with years of enjoyment. Although our products are weatherproof, many of our pieces are used indoors in homes or offices.

    Each piece is hand finished in one of five permanent stain colors. These finishes will not fade or wash away.

    Usually leaves warehouse within 5 business days.

    This Stone Garden Sculpture is 10″ High, 8″ wide, 14″ deep, 14 pounds