Many historic neighborhoods send out regular newsletters to their members with updates on local events and neighborhood projects. These newsletters are great for fostering a strong community and allowing a dialog about the neighborhood's future. They are generally laid out by dedicated volunteers who often depend on other volunteers to provide relevant, interesting articles. As a volunteer editor of a non-profit
historic preservation organization newsletter myself, I know that schedules don't always allow all the promised articles to materialize when promised, and "filler" articles may be needed to make the pages lay out properly. Of course, these articles need address topics relevant to the neighborhood. Due to copyright concerns, suitable articles may be difficult to find even with the great resources of the internet.
To help local historic neighborhood newsletter editors, we are now offering a
series of historic preservation related articles that can be used through EzineArticles.com that we hope help promote both an awareness of historic preservation issues and encourage neighborhood improvements. The articles on the site are available free for use with a few minor
terms of service from EzineArticles (such as crediting the article source). We will continue to write more articles regularly, and welcome ideas for topics you would like to see addressed. We can also provide illustrations for many of the articles (email: design at historicshed dot com). The articles can also be used as blog posts for neighborhood websites.
Topics so far include:
Additionally, you can search the millions of articles on every topic imaginable on the
EzineArticles site or submit articles yourself.
There is a lot of talk about “green building” in the media, generally accompanied by photos of ultra-modern, technology-laden new homes. However, the ability to design homes that are environmentally friendly and that take advantage of natural cooling abilities has already been incorporated into most historic Florida homes. Prior to the introduction of air conditioning, Florida builders used techniques that "green" designers are now advocating, such as deep covered porches and wide eaves, window awnings and shutters, and operable windows. While we Floridians may not be willing to turn off our air conditioners in August, these features do allow us to make the most of Florida's more temperate seasons while reducing our energy consumption. To take advantage of the natural good design of a historic home, open windows and doors, turn on ceiling fans and spend a quiet evening on your shaded front porch and have a "green" day.
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There is a recent post on the Fine Gardening website entitled "Cottage Garden with a Twist". Aside from having some gorgeous photographs of quaint cottages set amid lush, colorful landscapes, the article has great information on laying out the structure that you need to anchor the casual look of the cottage garden. This includes using rock and brick walls along with pathways to create a hardscape structure, then incorporating water features, trellises, and outdoor furnishings into the landscape. These items, along with the garden cottage as the perfect focal point, surrounded by a selected array of colorful, lavish plantings can create a quaint garden environment for both human and animal visitors.
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