Flower Pet
Florist sees seeds of change in Japan
Hans Damen came to Japan from his native Holland 16 years ago, attracted by the traditional aspects of Japanese culture, like "taiko" drumming and ikebana flower arrangement. After teaching flower design at a school in Tokyo for a year, he landed a job with the major flower retailer U.Goto Florist and has been with the company ever since. Now chief designer at the company's main store in Tokyo's ...
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What are some easy-to-manage, traditional flowers to plant in a pet's grave?
The grave is actually in my backyard, and I just didn't want any of the neighborhood kids tramping over my rabbit. I really like the idea of decorating the tombstone with marble stones, though I'm not sure where I can get something like that.
The state is Georgia and it has been raining here a lot lately, so I guess I'm a pretty 'impatient gardener.'
I've noticed in the last couple of years there is a new fad of putting a shepherds hook beside someones tombstone and hanging various items on it. I've seen humingbird feeders (which I've never seen a humingbird in a cemetery as of yet), hanging baskets, and fancy bird feeders - which both of these do look nice. You also find the small decorative flag poles with a decorative flag.
You also find all kinds of other items laying on or around the tombstones, such as lawn critters, fencing, marble chips, sand. Now using any of the items I have mentioned above is fine and does add a special personal touch to someones grave. But you also have to remember that there are some people who go to cemeteries and do take items off of gravesites, which to me is disrespectful.
As to flowers and plants on graves, that depends on what is planted there. There are some plants that will make a stone more unreadable than others, and then there are some plants that will make the person transcribing or looking for an ancestor in a cemetery not want to go near the grave site.
Yucka plants, also known as Century plants, which are a green long leaf plant with thorns on them will make a tombstone become unreadable after a period of time and also make anyone who wants to see the name on a tombstone think twice before doing so.
Hostas, I have to admit are pretty when they bloom, but unless you are willing to go back to the grave site every year and make sure the plant isn't taking over (so to speak) the stone, this is not a good plant for a grave site cause after a while you can't find the tombstone.
Planting of trees or shrubs, which I have seem small ones planted on the sides of tombstones is a nice touch too, but they should be trimmed back every year so that they don't become so large and hide the stone.
Rhodademdrums, are beautiful when they bloom and look really nice in a yard, but for planting at a tombstone this is not a good idea, especially when this plant increases in size to the point that you can't see the stone.
Rose bushes and berry bushes are also not a good plant to put at a tombstone, because they also grow and take over the stone to where you can't read whos it is.
Peonies, are also beautiful when they are blooming, but these also become large in size and take over a tombstone, not too mention when they are going to bloom there are a million ants running all over them.
Now if you want to plant any of the plants I have mentioned above, consider talking to the caretaker at the cemetery and seeing if they would mind trimming the plant/tree/shrub so that it doesn't become uncontrollable.
The planting of annuals is a nice touch and don't harm the stones or take over to the point that you don't know who's grave you are standing at. Also the use of artifical flowers is nice too, this is what I use cause the grave sites we decorate are not close to where we live and we would not be able to go out and water the flowers when it hasn't rained in several days.
It is best in using real flowers to select small annuals or perrenials. Always remember if it is a perpetual care cemetery check with the caretaker before planting anything. Do not plant things randomly so that in mowing the lot the caretaker is forced to do alot of hand trimming. If a plant/bush is placed close enough to a tombstone to rub across it when the wind blows or there is rain it will eventually destroy the stone.
Introducing New Pet Steps
There are several types of pet care products available in the market. You can choose from wide array of such products such as folding doggie stairs, foam pet steps, etc. Actually, what happens is that the dogs have a tendency to jump here and there from certain height like sofa, bed, even car windows. Jumping from such heights regularly can harm its joints and bones and in future there could be serious problems. You can avoid this situation by getting proper pet stair steps. For example, if you have foam pet steps or stairs, your dog will not jump hence it will enjoy strong bone and joints for long time.
You know the importance of pet stair steps, but choosing the right doggie steps is another vital aspect. For example, you need dog pet stairs for beds. What you have to do is getting the right elevation of the top of the bed from the floor. If you know the right distance, you can find the right pet stair steps and hence your dog can easily reach to the bed without overstepping because of too short or too tall steps.
Space management is another vital aspect that needs your consideration. It is important to have such doggie steps so that you can help your pet to retain strong bones and joints for long years, but at the same time it is also vital to consider the available space of your home. If you have a limited space, you would definitely not like to block a certain part with a pet stair. In that case, you can lookout for folding doggie stairs that can be folded after use. What you need to do is place the folding doggie stair in right position when your dog goes to bed and comes out of it. After its use, you can fold it and keep in a corner and hence you have solved your purpose without hampering the space of your home.
It is not the fact that your dog will readily start using the pet stair steps as soon as you bring it to your home. You have to make your pet habituated with it and nothing could be more ideal if you can make the steps attractive to your pet. Dogs love to play and have fun. There are some doggie steps available in the market that comes with integrated compartments where you can store treats and toys for your dog. Thus, it can be said that the pet stair steps are fun filled tools to provide healthy life to your pets.
Lynn Holman
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