Wednesday, May 14, 2008

How to Use Garden Decor




By Simon Douglass



How do you use garden décor so that your garden does not end up like a junk heap? How do you tastefully decorate your garden? What should be put where? Can you use a trellis in the front of the house or should it stay in the back? What size ornaments should you use and how many?

Less is definitely more when it comes to garden décor. Drive through any neighborhood and you will see gardens that look as if the people who own the house decided to jam in as many ornaments as possible on the lawn. They spent a fortune on these items and in return...got an eyesore.

Before you start using garden décor, have a plan. Take a look at some home and garden books and at some gardens that you admire. You can ask people if you can take pictures of their gardens so that you can get some ideas. There are very few people who would turn down such a request as most would be flattered.

Once you find what you like, start coming up with a plan on paper. It is a good idea to jot down what you want on a piece of paper and map it out before rushing off to build it. Interior decorators do the same thing. You will not see them "winging it" when they are planning to decorate your house. They will have a design in mind before they even begin. So should you.

You can be flexible with your garden decor, but try to stay on the same course. Do not move from English Garden to Oriental Garden because it will look cheap and thrown together. You want to create a theme as well as have a focal point in the garden. If you have a small garden, a gazing ball can be the focal point, or a bird bath. In a larger garden, a small pond with a mini fountain can be the focal point. You have to be willing to work with what you have as far as the size of your yard.

Do not put as many ornaments as you can think of buying into one place in the garden. Put one at a time and let it settle in the garden before adding anything. Your garden will not look nice with a bunch of ornaments all over the place but cheap and gaudy. Choose your garden décor carefully and make sure that it is quality merchandise.

Your garden decor will be used in the front of the house as well as the back. You can create a path to blend in these areas. If you have children or pets, make sure that you leave an area for them to play and romp. A garden is beautiful, especially one in which the owners took the time to choose the right garden decor and grow the most beautiful plants and flowers. But children and animals need a place to thrive. If you do things the right way, you can have both in your garden.

2 comments:

Cecile said...

The key to using is not to over use it. Too much of everything is really not good. We should remember that a great landscaping design should be as natural as possible and with a lot of garden decors, it kind of supercede the purpose of landscaping.
snohomish landscaping

Less is More said...

cecile your'e right over decorations may look your garden cheap or should i say , what's the theme of it . minimize the accessories or put a theme of it . its okie to put some wind spinners as long as it goes with your theme in you garden . thank you and have a nice day