Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Flowering Plants to be Grown for Your Butterfly Garden

Miniature Gardening
Spending time in your garden gives you much relaxation. The beauty of the natural flowering plants along with colorful butterflies at places makes you enjoyable. You can, therefore, further add color and beauty to your garden by growing plants that attract or are necessary for butterflies.

Plants with a variety of colors and heights have to be added to your garden. Azaleas, rhododendrons and lilacs of various heights are the preferable flowering plants to be grown for attracting butterflies. You can also add weigela that has flowers like dainty trumpets.

A butterfly garden is not complete without butterfly milkweed. It not only attracts the butterflies with its orange flowers, but also provides food for caterpillars. As butterflies come from caterpillars, it is also required to grow some plants which they like to feed. You can grow dill and parsley which provide food for the caterpillars. Plants on which the beautiful insects prefer to lay eggs should also be added for a butterfly garden. Milkweed is the best flowering plant which supports the entire life cycle from caterpillars to chrysalis to butterfly.

Yarrow, which is a great butterfly perennial, has creamy gold flowers from midsummer through frost. Gayfeather with its unique flower spikes provide a strong vertical accent in the butterfly garden. The sunny orange blooms of Mexican sunflower attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Lilac, butterfly bush, purple coneflower, hibiscus, hoolyhocks and cosmos are some other flowering plants which can be grown in your garden to attract butterflies. When planning to have a butterfly garden, arrange these plants in your garden and place a comfortable bench in the garden to sit and admire the beautiful butterflies.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Granite Countertops and Their Various Colors

Soapstone Countertops
Granite countertops are the common ones used today by many homeowners. They are stain-resistant, durable, and have an excellent aesthetic appeal. Granite is obtained from molten rock, that is mixed with a variety of minerals and gets hardened over time. Hence, it is found in various colors ranging from basic blacks to vibrant blues. Here is some information on different colors of granites.
  • Shades of brown, beige, and other similar colors are common colors of granite countertops. These neutral tone colors are suitable for any type of kitchen may it be classic or contemporary. Also, they can be combined with any other color to design interesting patterns.
  • Black and white granite countertops are also available which can make the kitchen elegant. A plain black granite countertop with appropriate décor looks attractive and beautiful. Black countertops can be available as fine, solid blacks or include patterns with little stones, crystals, or color striations. White colored ones also enhance the countertops' appearance.
  • Different shades of blue granites such as lavender blue, ice blue, royal blue, and sapphire blue are versatile. A small kitchen can be brightened by a pale shade of lavender blue. A neutral-toned room is made elegant by splash of saphhire blues.
  • Red granites available from a range of light salmon to deep maroon are a great choice to spice up your kitchen décor. They serve as a great focal point when used against muted colors in a room of any size, shape, or shade.
  • Shades of green granite countertops are less popular but add natural color to any kitchen. You can choose anything from pale sea green to deep bottle green to give a distinct appeal.
While choosing the color of your granite countertops, consider the color of your kitchen walls, cabinets, and brightness of the kitchen area.