10 Fun Features to Bring Your Landscape to Life
Try something wonderfully unusual —
think a moon gate, art-bedecked boulders and colorful trellises — to
give your garden pizzazz. Daring to be a bit out of the ordinary can be
richly rewarding. Here are 10 head-turning ideas to take your landscape
to the next level.
1. Gnome tree. An
enchanting addition to a children’s garden, a gnome tree like this one
sparks imagination in kids of all ages. Have yours customized with
swings — or, with a hollow interior, it could be a playhouse.
2. Outdoor windows. Like
hidden ruins stumbled upon on a walk in the woods, a garden wall
complete with windows makes a striking garden feature. It also provides
an excellent wind block, making it a great place for a sitting area.
3. Moon gate. If you want
to cultivate a mystical, Zen-like mood in your garden, a moon gate is
what you need. The curved shape fits harmoniously in landscapes of all
kinds and makes entering the garden a memorable event.
More about moon gates
More about moon gates
4. Colorful trellis. Why
stick with plain wood when you can have glossy purple, chartreuse or
fire engine red? Make a bold color choice with your trellises and watch
your garden come to life.
5. Bean tepee. Beans grow
quickly and are easy to grow even for beginning gardeners. If you are
thinking of planting beans, there’s no need to keep them along a fence
in neat rows — try a tepee instead.
Pick up a dozen or so bamboo or willow poles at your local garden center and drive them into the ground at even intervals around a circle in the dirt, leaving a gap for the entrance. Plant a bean seed at the base of each pole and train the beans onto the tepee as they grow. When the plantings fill in, this will make a stellar playspace for kids.
Pick up a dozen or so bamboo or willow poles at your local garden center and drive them into the ground at even intervals around a circle in the dirt, leaving a gap for the entrance. Plant a bean seed at the base of each pole and train the beans onto the tepee as they grow. When the plantings fill in, this will make a stellar playspace for kids.
6. Hanging birdbath. Love
birdbaths but need to keep your feathered friends away from the felines?
Try a hanging birdbath. The birds will love being out of harm’s way,
and the hanging bath will provide visual interest.
7. Birdhouse and bee house tuteurs.
Set atop colorful tuteur-style bases, these birdhouses and bee habitats
are as beautiful to look at as they are beneficial to the garden. Grow
climbing plants around their bases to integrate them into your
landscape.
8. Art boulders. A huge rock (or three or four) can do wonders to bring focus to your garden —
define a zone, add interest to a grassy area or accent your favorite
spot with just one great big rock. Plain boulders are beautiful on their
own, but painted ones are another option to consider for an artful
twist. You can either purchase rocks with painted designs or create your
own.
9. Suspension bridge. If
you have a creek or pond on your property, make it into a destination
with a striking bridge like the one shown here. A suspension bridge is
unexpected in a backyard and adds architectural interest.
