An Introduction To The Art Of Garden Design

This article is the first in a series that will explain the many facets of garden design and provide you with the knowledge required to plan a functional and aesthetically pleasing garden. In these articles you will find the necessary information required to undertake your own garden project from conception through to completion.Every garden benefits from good garden design. Whatever your expectations are, planning and design are essential. One of the first questions I ask a client (as a design consultant) is “what do you want from your garden?” The planning will focus on these needs and create a personalized garden that can be enjoyed by everyone for years to come.To provide a definitive guide on garden design I would need to be writing a 500-page book, so we will only look at the absolute basics in this article. One thing I have learnt over the past twenty plus years as a garden designer is that few of us are totally content with our gardens. Despite the immense pleasure we derive from them, there is always something that could be better.Many long for a larger garden, a few for something smaller and more manageable, but the vast majority will make the best of their existing plots. Improving our garden spaces, coaxing the maximum impact from them is an enjoyable challenge that most avid green thumbs would rise to. The trick of course is knowing how!Gardening is essentially about growing plants, but the setting in which we place them is probably the single most important element that makes a garden appealing or otherwise. Personal tastes in garden styles vary as much as in other aspects of living, and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another. The true test of good garden design is whether the result appeals to you. As a garden designer I have always seen my role as a facilitator, aiming to assist my clients to create a garden that reflects their taste and personality.A good garden designer will open a magic box of inspiration and imagination. We show you what other enthusiastic gardeners have done, and how others have made the most of potentially insurmountable plot issues.Your own level of interest is the key factor to consider when making a decision to have your garden designed and constructed by professionals or taking on the project yourself. It will cost you a great deal of money and the chances are that it won’t give you as much satisfaction as having created a garden through your own efforts.Engaging a design consultant to explain the basic techniques and perhaps provide some inspirational ideas may be all you need to get the ball rolling. In the end only you can decide what is right for your garden. Tastes in gardens vary as much as in interior design and preferences for art or music. The true acid test of whether your new garden design has worked is only gauged by the pleasure that it gives you.Make use of a professional designer by allowing them to suggest ideas and explain the techniques they use. Have faith in your own ability to soak up their inspiration and experiment on paper. You will soon develop skills that will enable you to design your garden with confidence.The best gardens are carefully planned. The most important elements include:
Creating your wish-list
Surveying and measuring
Drawing your plans
Creating patterns
Choosing a formal or informal layout
Understanding garden styles and themes
Using shapes – both geometric and unusual
Overcoming gradients
Front versus back gardens
Creating Illusions
Preparing a planting schedule
Maintenance – high or low
Understanding these facets of landscape design will enable you to create a 3-dimensional image in your mind of the desired end result.In future articles I will look at some of these specific elements of sound garden design in more detail, and provide you with the information required to tackle a design project yourself. A little knowledge goes a long way and I have no doubt that you will surprise yourself by discovering exactly what you can achieve.As always… Happy gardening!

Payday Loans Vs Bank Loans – What’s the Right Choice When You Need Cash Now?

If you need extra cash to cover expenses, you’re probably trying to figure out the best way to borrow money. There are several options to consider, including borrowing money from friends or family, getting a cash advance with your credit card, taking out a traditional bank loan, and applying for payday loan. This article will cover the last two options, bank loans and payday loans, and compare the requirements and advantages of each. After reading more, perhaps you’ll have a better idea of which is the right choice for you.There are several important factors to consider when deciding which type of loan you need. Do you need a large amount? What is your credit history? When will you be able to pay back the loan? Let’s look at a few key points that can help you decide if you if you should apply for a bank loan or a payday loan:When do you need the money?A bank’s loan approval process takes time – typically weeks (or even months in the current economy). So if you need cash fast, a bank loan is not for you. Bank loans work better for planned expenses than for unforeseen financial emergencies. A payday loan, on the other hand, means the loan will be approved quickly and you can have cash in your checking account in as little as 24 hours.What is your credit score?First of all, you should know your credit score. The bank certainly does. Your credit score will play a large role in any bank’s decision about your loan application. If you have bad credit, it may be impossible to obtain a loan through your bank. On the other hand, payday lenders don’t look at your credit score. They only verify that you have a steady, reliable source of income to determine whether or not to lend you money. If your credit isn’t great but you have a steady job, a payday loan might be right for you.How much do you need to borrow?Payday loans tend to be for smaller amounts, usually a few hundred dollars up to around a thousand dollars. The amount you can borrow certainly won’t exceed the amount of your next paycheck, because this is the money that the payday lender is counting on for repayment. If you have an unexpected car repair and don’t have cash on hand to cover the mechanic’s bill, a payday loan could cover the costs until your next paycheck comes in. If you need a new car, however, you’ll have to apply for a bank loan. When are you able to repay the loan?If you can get approved for a bank loan, you’ll typically have years to repay the loan and have the option of making very low monthly payments. This is convenient because you know you have time to repay your debt. With a payday loan, you usually have a couple of weeks or at most a month to repay the full amount of the loan, plus the interest charged. You have to keep in mind that a large part of your next paycheck will go to pay back your loan, so be prepared to cover your normal monthly expenses and settle your debt in a tight timeframe.Finally, a note about interest rates…Remember that a payday loan is a SHORT-TERM credit option. Payday lenders charge high interest rates for the convenience of obtaining a quick and simple loan, so these types of loans should be used for emergency expenses only. Rolling over a payday loan can be costly, so plan on repaying it in full with your next paycheck. After answering these questions, you should have a better idea of which type of loan best fits your needs. Consider all your options carefully before deciding if a bank loan or a payday loan is right for your financial situation.

S&P 500 Rallies As U.S. Dollar Pulls Back Towards Weekly Lows

Key Insights
The strong pullback in the U.S. dollar provided significant support to stocks.
Treasury yields have pulled back after touching new highs, which served as an additional positive catalyst for S&P 500.
A move above 3730 will push S&P 500 towards the resistance level at 3760.
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Pfizer Rallies After Announcing A Huge Price Hike For Its COVID-19 Vaccines
S&P 500 is currently trying to settle above 3730 as traders’ appetite for risk is growing. The U.S. dollar has recently gained strong downside momentum as the BoJ intervened to stop the rally in USD/JPY. Weaker U.S. dollar is bullish for stocks as it increases profits of multinational companies and makes U.S. equities cheaper for foreign investors.

The leading oil services company Schlumberger is up by 9% after beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Schlumberger’s peers Baker Hughes and Halliburton have also enjoyed strong support today.

Vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna gained strong upside momentum after Pfizer announced that it will raise the price of its coronavirus vaccine to $110 – $130 per shot.

Biggest losers today include Verizon and Twitter. Verizon is down by 5% despite beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Subscriber numbers missed estimates, and traders pushed the stock to multi-year lows.

Twitter stock moved towards the $50 level as the U.S. may conduct a security review of Musk’s purchase of the company.

From a big picture point of view, today’s rebound is broad, and most market segments are moving higher. Treasury yields have started to move lower after testing new highs, providing additional support to S&P 500. It looks that some traders are ready to bet that Fed will be less hawkish than previously expected.

S&P 500 Tests Resistance At 3730

S&P 500 has recently managed to get above the 20 EMA and is trying to settle above the resistance at 3730. RSI is in the moderate territory, and there is plenty of room to gain additional upside momentum in case the right catalysts emerge.

If S&P 500 manages to settle above 3730, it will head towards the next resistance level at 3760. A successful test of this level will push S&P 500 towards the next resistance at October highs at 3805. The 50 EMA is located in the nearby, so S&P 500 will likely face strong resistance above the 3800 level.

On the support side, the previous resistance at 3700 will likely serve as the first support level for S&P 500. In case S&P 500 declines below this level, it will move towards the next support level at 3675. A move below 3675 will push S&P 500 towards the support at 3640.