Flags that support Earth Day

This year Earth Day is Tuesday April 22nd.  First celebrated in 1970, the goal of this day is to create  support for environmental protection through events and informational campaigns that take place throughout the world.  By participating in the events you can gain valuable insight on how you can help by doing your part. Here is a website I found that listed 50 small things everyone can do to help, many of these, I never thought of.  http://www.50waystohelp.com/

 You can also help with awareness simply by displaying one of our environmental garden flags in your yard.  A decorative flag can be a small billboard letting friends and neighbors know that you support Mother Earth.  Here are a couple of our environmental flags that would be perfect for Earth Day.  These yard flags were designed in our shop and you won't see them anywhere else.  Their design  also has a playful charm that will interest children.  Teaching children and getting them interested in conservation and environmental issues is more important now than it has ever been.

We also have the personalized We Recycle Monogram Flag.

 

 

So let's celebrate Earth Day next Tuesday and all do our best to help protect and clean up our environment.

 



Thanks for reading.

Marilee and Josie
Custom Flags and Gifts

Garden Flags for Frogs

I have always loved frogs and a number of years back  was so thrilled when our tiny pond started attracting them.  Along with our decorative flags they were a great addition to our outdoor fun.  Every year there were more of them in all sizes, babies to rather large adults..  I loved watching them and hearing them at night. 

A few years back , rather abrubtly the numbers dropped to only a couple and even those you could tell were not healthy.  I started hearing about the plight of frogs and did a little reading.  It is really rather shocking.  According to SavetheFrog.com :

"Amphibians are without a doubt the most endangered group of animals on the planet: nearly 1/3 of the world's 6,485 species are on the brink of extinction. There are six major factors negatively affecting amphibians, and all are due to human activity: habitat destruction, infectious diseases, pollution & pesticides, climate change, invasive species, and over-harvesting for the pet and food trades. "

You may want to check this site out.  It is filled with information and ideas on what you can do to help. 

By displaying one of the many frog garden flags that are available you may make someone else fall in love with frogs and take an interest in taking steps to help save them.  Here are the flags we have at Custom Flags and Gifts.

Hanging Tree Frog Garden Flag

Mr Holiday Frog Christmas Garden Flag

Frog Welcome Garden Flag

Thank you for reading.
Josie and Marilee
www.FlagsandGifts.com

The Perennial Planting of Biennials and Perennials

The planting season is now in full swing and you can find me in my garden whenever time and/or weather allows.  Its is so fun to watch my yard transform as I remove debris , weed and put out new colorful spring garden flags. 

As I pull away layers of leaves and mulch I blanketed plants with for winter protection I anticipate their reappearance.  Its amazing how much satisfaction it gives me when I do see their little pointed heads poking through the ground.  Its equally amazing how disappointed I am when they don't appear.  But I've also learned to look at it as an opportunity to try out a new Perennial or Biennial and there we have it, what is the difference. 

   By definition a Perennial is a plant that lives 3 or more years.  Although many live much longer, that does explain why after having flowers faithfully return for many years they are no where to be found. When planting perennials from seed, most will not flower until the second year. I watched this happen as last summer I watched bunches of columbine plants grow big and healthy from seeds collected from friends' plants. This spring I have been rewarded for my patience with tons of beautiful flowers. 
   Most perenials die to the ground  in the winter but their roots stay alive. There are a few that are evergreens.  Different varieties are chold hardy to different degrees so plants that are perennials in one area may be annuals in another.
 
    Biennials, by definition, only live for two years.  The first year is put into the growth of the plant and like perennials, flower the second year. The hopes are that after the plants flower and seeds ripen the seeds will drop and grow new plants to start another two year cycle.  There again I have had Foxgloves and Hollyhocks both which are biennials come back strongly for years and then again suddenly one year not show up.  My hollyhocks especially, have been greatly missed.  I have since decided a more full proof method is to collect some seeds to plant myself.

Every year I make it a point to try a couple things I've never grown before.  Some are a great success and some wither away without a trace, but its all part of the fun.  I have the best luck going to dedicated nurseries and not the ones connected with hardware or department stores.  They may be a little more expensive but usually have healthier plants and more unique variety and can give you good advice on the care of the plant.  So spread your wings and have fun.

While beautifying your yard, don't forget some new decorative flags.
Come visit us at www.FlagsandGifts.com

Thanks for reading!  Happy planting.

Marilee and Josie
Custom Flags and Gifts

Make your own Flag Stand

When I was taking a walk in my daughter's neighborhood one day, I saw in someone's yard a decorative house flag hanging from a very inventive flag holder made from PVC poles.  It was a very simple design yet very functional.  Considering the cost of some flag holders especially for larger flags the whole concept of making your own from inexpensive materials seemed like a great option.  I also realized probably lots of people had come up with similar clever ideas, so I decided to do some research and sure enough there they were.

I found one such flag pole with a tutorial on how to make it at www.JustBuildStuff.com  a great little blog with great ideas.



The one I saw on my walk was different than this with a second verticle pole at the opposite end.  I wasn't able to see up close much detail.  But it had more of an upside down "U" shape to it.

Someone mentioned to me a very simple idea for a garden flag stand out of wood.  Just take two small wooden planks maybe 3 or 4 inches wide and drill 3/4 inch holes near the top of each .  Secure the boards in the ground about 14 inches apart use cement if desired .  Cut a 5/8 in dowel about  16 inches long slip the dowel in the first hole slide on your garden flag and then continue to slip the dowel through the hole of the opposite plank. Large rubber washers could be slipped over the ends of the dowels to keep it from slipping out of the holes.

With all the creative minds out there, I am sure there are lots of other ideas and we would love to hear them.  Please post them here or here on our Facebook page. 

Thanks for reading.
Josie and Marilee
Custom Flags and Gifts
www.flagsandgifts.com