Garden provides palette for artistic expression

By Kathy Hatfield
Gardening Columnist

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Next to the frozen winter months, the scorching days of July are probably the worst time to put new plants into your garden. Now is the time for an alternate activity. There is always weeding. But suppose your weeding is actually under control right now, or, more realistically, that you need a break. What about adding some finishing touches to the garden--some bits of decorative art that will make the garden truly a reflection of your own tastes?

There are the usual garden ornaments: birdbaths, trellises, pink flamingoes, water features and Victorian gazing balls. While pink flamingoes are particularly malapropos in Colorado, gazing balls are making a comeback. During the Victorian Era, strategic placement of the silver-colored balls allowed a panoramic view of the garden. They were believed to dispel evil spirits and to bring good luck and prosperity to the garden's owner. Today the wide variety of colors available allows us to add a touch of contrasting or complementary color with a single gazing ball, or to suggest a more fanciful approach with a grouping of balls at different heights, and possibly different colors.

Just about anything can be used as garden art, and ultimately, it's a matter of personal taste. For a garden that is distinctively yours, try adding unique items found at garage sales or in your own basement. You don't necessarily have to buy a brand new wrought-iron obelisk, or an Italian marble statue. Retired bicycles, old sinks or bathtubs, even outgrown children's toys are a few of the possibilities. What about using the many shells and rocks you've collected on vacations? Design a mosaic of colorful stones, add a border of river rock, or place a treasured souvenir where it will bring a smile to your face every time you pass by.

A couple of guidelines may help you transform your treasures into a work of art, rather than a junkyard of chaos. First, choose objects that have a unifying theme, rather than displaying a jumble of unrelated items. Pieces with a similar style, design or material will fit together better than items of mixed composition or construction. For example, for bird-lovers, a hand-painted birdhouse with a metal bird sculpture and a bench for viewing the birds will provide an attractive sense of unity. A sundial, a weather vane and wind chimes suggest a repeating theme, reflecting the owner's interest in weather.

Secondly, try to find objects that fit the architecture of your house. An old farm implement may make an attractive planter for a country home, but may not fit into a Victorian-style neighborhood. Similarly, the intricate design of a Tudor-style knot garden would look out of place next to an adobe home.

Thirdly, keep it simple to avoid a cluttered look. Too many objects competing for the focal point will create chaos. Use a single object as a central point of interest, with others as supporting items. Think about their placement into the landscape, considering existing hardscape and overall garden design.

Garden tours are a great place to get ideas for adding artistic touches to the garden. One Fort Collins garden tour included a yard that displayed a giant chessboard complete with chess pieces ready for action. Others have featured fairy gardens with appropriate statuary and miniature furniture. Some gardens include other sensory pleasures, such as the soothing sound of bubbling fountains or delicate wind chimes. Others are a feast for the nose as well as the eyes. The scent of roses, lavender and other fragrant herbs placed along a pathway adds to the sensory delight of a walk through the garden.

Another place to get great ideas for garden art is on the Internet. One site in particular, www.eco-art.org has excellent ideas for incorporating wildlife art while making an environmental statement in the garden. Local artist, Lynne Hull, says: "The creativity of artists can be applied to real world problems and can have an effect on urgent social and environmental issues. ...My sculpture and installations provide shelter, food, water or space for wildlife, as eco-atonement for their loss of habitat to human encroachment." Her decorative birdhouses, garden guardian sculptures and invertebrate homes called "buglogs" provide not only artistic elements in the garden but also habitat for garden critters. Her section called "Get involved - Do it yourself" gives more ideas for use in your own garden.

Whatever you choose to add to your garden, it's the non-plant finishing touches that can add multi-dimensional interest and surprises to your garden.

E-mail your gardening questions to me at ocwildflowers-@frii.com.