Adding Visual Interest In and Around Your Garden

Having a garden is my oasis. My garden is a place to escape the day job and refresh the soul. Each year, I try to bring something new into my “happy place.” Let’s be honest about vegetable gardens. Most of everything that grows is green on green on green. Not that this is a bad thing. Everything that comes out of the garden is super nutritious and delicious. However, until you see the colorful “fruits” of your labor in the way of yellow corn, red tomatoes, red and orange peppers, red beets, purple eggplant, everything is monochromatically green. I wanted to share ways I bring color and whimsy into my personal garden and landscape.

Adding Flowers

Flowers are one of my favorite ways to brings color into the garden. I do have a garden center obsession. It would be a miracle if I ever leave without buying anything. Not only are flowers pretty and smell amazing, but the flowers I tend to buy draw pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, and deter unwanted bugs, such as lavender and marigolds.

This year, I have planted giant yellow and orange marigolds at the end of most of my raised beds to give an additional boost of protection. Marigolds are fantastic to draw in bees and other pollinators, but they also deter pests by its powerful scent to mask the smell of the vegetables. My marigolds are green right now, since I started them from seed, but to bring instant color into your garden, you can purchase marigolds or other beautiful flowers directly from your favorite garden center farm, or nursery.

Adding Statues and Sculptures

Statues and sculptures are a fun and playful way to bring visual interest to your garden and landscaping. There are many options out there, but chose those that are right for you. After all, we are talking about art and it should reflect your personal style. For me, I have two different concrete Pug statues in the garden and among my creeping phlox. Trust me when I say that finding a decent size concrete Pug statue is no easy feat, but the hubby managed to find one and I love it!

One other personal sculpture I currently have in the “She Shed” is a chainsaw carving I had made in memory of my Pug, Smokey. Lessoned learned though… When putting a wood sculpture into your garden, consider the elements and carpenter bees. Yes. That is right. My poor sculpture ended up with carpenter bee holes, which we will soon fix.

Adding Metal, Glass, and Stone

Most gardens are just rows of dirt in the ground. That is how I started my first garden. The neighbor would come and plow the ground for me, and I planted rows of vegetables. Today, I have an eight foot deer-proof fence surrounding my 32×50 foot garden with raised beds, a little greenhouse, a grape arbor, and a “She Shed.” The old garden has come a very long way.

Within this haven, I have added metal elements in a way of a metal chicken sculpture, a fabulous stone top garden table, metal and glass partition with butterflies, dragonflies, and birds, and so much more. Adding metal can bring a more modern or whimsical look to the garden. You can be as creative in your space as you want. Choose your metal pieces carefully, because you want something that will withstand the weather or will create a nice patina.

Adding Colorful Pots

Flower pots are an easy way to bring color into your garden and around the yard. Choose varying shapes and sizes that will compliment the surroundings and whatever that is planted within it. There are many pots around the yard and the garden. Some serve a purpose of containment for herbs, such as mint, that would normally spread and take over the garden. Other pots I just could not resist, because I have a flower pot obsession. But look at the bright side, I will ALWAYS have a flower pot or planter on hand.

Do not make the mistake of using an indoor pot for outdoor use unless you do some adjustments, such as drilling holes in the bottom of the pot. Although, during the warm weather, you can keep those pots as they are, but bring them back into the house come late Fall. The primary pots and planters that I use for outdoors are either terracotta, glazed terracotta, concrete, or fiberglass pots in varying shapes and sizes. I will not go into my indoor pots, because there are way too many to talk about, but I love them all. Again… I do believe I have an obsession with flower pots.