WHY HOME GARDENING FOR YOUR FAMILY IS A HEALTHY CHOICE

What if you could create an oasis of calm in your own backyard? Mother Nature has blessed us with trees, grass, flowers and many interesting and exotic plants that can add beauty, tranquility and serenity to your yard. 

There is something about being surrounded by nature and living plants that soothes the soul and relaxes the mind. Start small and choose a few plants that complement your yard, then start building your own private oasis to access any time you want.

Key to any garden activity is using the right tools. While having a shovel is essential, so are other tools that work best with your garden size. 

For smaller gardens, short handled tools work best, for larger gardens longer handled hoes and spades work better. Make sure you keep a sharp edge on your tools for easier work.

Plant in the shade. All plants need light to survive, but not all of them need brilliant sunshine. Plants native to woodland areas are happy when they get protection from the sun's rays. 

There are many plants that will thrive in a shady garden, including Hosta, Cyclamen, Foxglove, Helleborus, Japanese Anemone, and Ajuga. By planting these, you will have a year-round display of color in even the shadiest of gardens.

Think about leaving some areas of your lawn uncut. Long grass provides a great habitat for beetles, young amphibians and grasshoppers. 

Grass is also an important food source for some butterflies and caterpillars. Gardens without wildlife would be very sterile environments, and most plants can't reproduce without the help of wildlife.

If you want something fun to do that will benefit you in the kitchen, try growing some herbs in your window. Some herbs may not take kindly to this, but many will! In this way you have some herbs always fresh and handy, and they add a nice touch to the house.

Get the most out of garden space by growing compatible crops. When growing a crop like tomatoes, plant lettuce and spinach in between to grow in the shade of the taller plants. 

This will maximize the space used in the garden. Also, grow plants which mature at different times alongside each other like carrots and radishes. The radishes will be ready in only thirty days while it takes much longer for the carrots to mature.

That's all there is to it. Just follow the tips above and you will be able to enhance your existing garden or start a new garden from scratch. You may want to add garden accessories as well, but whatever you do -- creating your own garden space creates an instant getaway that you can indulge in any time you feel the need.