Container gardeners take note. Tired of clay pots? Think vintage, because when you do, there’ll be lots to choose from. Most likely vintage items will be worn and chipped which will only add charm to your garden.

Raid the Bathroom.

Forget about a relaxing soak in the tub. Vintage claw-foot bathtubs can be a gardener’s delight. They work well because they are big and deep so they can hold a lot of flowers plus all that earth will retain moisture. Just make sure that you are happy with where you’ve positioned them because once full of soil, they’ll be too heavy to move.

Search the Garage.

Galvanized pails and watering cans can make great planters. Vintage bicycles with wired baskets to hold flowers are eye-catching.

Go to the Kitchen.

Enamelware - wash basins, pots, colanders, teakettles - work well in the garden because enamelware can handle the elements. Plus any rust or chips simply add character. Even the kitchen sink can add some whimsy to a garden. Wicker baskets can be moved outdoors for garden duty.

Clean the Closet.

Old worn boots, cast off suitcases and trunks can take on a new life outdoors.

Explore the House.

An old chair without a seat can take on a new life with a plant in it. Any wrought iron furniture - benches, grates or tables can be recycled for garden use. Vintage coal hogs have a nice shape and be used for an interesting arrangement.

Don’t forget vintage inspired reproductions.

There are lots out there. New cast iron, concrete, fiberglass urns in classic styles can give your garden that vintage feel.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium located in Toronto, Canada. He has appeared on a variety of television programs; does furniture restoration; caning and rushing repairs; appraisals and has taught courses on antiques at the Learning Annex. Martin can be reached at http://www.takeaboo.com

The kitchen has traditionally had three main design elements, the cabinets, work space and the appliances. The cabinets are used for storage, counters are used as preparation areas and the appliances for food preparation or various other handling like refrigeration, cooking, cutting, etc. Up until after World War II, in the United States all three were provided by stand alone pieces of furniture. In big English kitchens large work tables were magnets for families as well as useful counter space.

After World War II, when there was a boom of cookie cutter home construction in the U.S., kitchens acquired built in cabinets and counters. The kitchen became more utilitarian and was usually reserved for the woman of the home and used exclusively for cooking, while other parts of the home were designated for the actual eating and all other activities.

Modern kitchens have reverted to the older model of a more social, open and customized kitchen. Everyone ends up in the kitchen. It again seems to be the place to congregate - more often there is more than one cook and families use the space for hanging out.

One new design element that has crept into the kitchen as it (re)evolved is the kitchen island. The island seems to be bringing back the idea of the reliable work table, only now it is oh so adaptable.

If you’re building a new kitchen or remodeling an older kitchen and considering building a kitchen island, take a moment to figure out if that is indeed what your kitchen needs. Vastly useful and attractive, in can nonetheless be inappropriate for certain kitchens.

Your kitchen needs to be big enough for an island, usually at least 13 feet wide. The size of the actual island will also depend on the overall available space. You need to make sure that there is enough room to walk between the island and cabinetry as well as open all doors (cabinets, dishwasher, compost bin, etc.). Also, if you are planning to have barstools or chairs at the island, make sure there is enough room with them there.

Islands work best with L, U and G shaped kitchens. These shapes make for relatively enclosed kitchens and the island can help to encourage more interaction in the space without making the flow awkward.

Next, think about what you will use the island for. The island is accessible from all sides and depending on size can have many applications. For example, kids can use it as a table to do homework on while dinner is being cooked. Or, the stove top can be on the island and helpers can use it to chop and stir. If there are multiple cooks, a free standing structure like the island is convenient and will give you more space to move around and cook without getting into each others’ way. Perhaps you will use it to set up buffets that people can access while you continue to cook using the other counter space. A properly set up island can also function as an informal dining or breakfast area that is more akin to an actual table and more social than an alienating, single line countertop seating arrangement.

Depending on your needs, you can choose to put a sink or a stovetop on the island. Or you can leave it as pure counter space. It can be multi-level and custom shaped or rectangular and level. Further, you can use the block as extra storage by adding drawers and doors.

The island adds a lot of functional advantages to the kitchen, but it can also help to structure the use of the space. It works as an area where people congregate, but it also works as a border, keeping them separate from the cooks or those cleaning. By bringing people into the kitchen but keeping them separated, the kitchen island encourages a social atmosphere without letting extra people get in the way of the activity. Or if they’re helping, it gives them a separate space to work.

Finally, the island becomes a focal point in the kitchen not only functionally but also aesthetically. It is, in many ways, a large piece of immovable furniture. By placing it in the middle of the room, you are putting it in the spotlight. You can make it stand out more by using different countertop materials from the rest of the kitchen or try to blend it in by making everything match perfectly. There are many decorative elements that can be applied to the kitchen island, ranging from colors and intricate, decorative mouldings to island shapes and arrangements.

The kitchen island is a great addition if your kitchen can accommodate it. Check if you need one (or do you already have enough storage and counter space? And a table for your kids to hang out at?) and can fit it. Designing it is the fun part.

We have once again reached the wonderful magical time of midsummer,
when the garden is aglow with sensational blooms and a fantastic
array of colors. Many of these wonderful blooms fill the air with
their tantalising perfume.

I often pause for a while especially at twilight when the scent
from the blooms are at their stongest, and I feel extremely proud
of the effort that I have put into my garden.

This is when I really appreciate how worthwhile it has all been.

No doubt your garden is looking really special as well, but if by
any chance you feel there are any gaps, or plants that you think
could be doing better, might I suggest that you take some
inspiration from some of these wonderful blooms which I find
truly magnificent.

In my opinion these are some of the blooms that will enhance any
garden and delight the senses with their combined scents.

Rose eglanteria - This sweet briar rose is valued for the strong
apple aroma which comes from the leaves, but there is also much
more than a pink flower in summer, it is followed by a deep red
in the autumn.
I think that it is an extremely handsome bush, and it also makes
an impenetrable hedge.

Agastache faoeniculum (anise hyssop) - This is a stately herbaceous
perennial, whose silver green leaves release a liquorice aniseed
fragrance. The rich violet blue color flowers are particularly
loved by bees, butterflies and goldfinches among others.
I find the rich beautiful color delightful when it bursts into my
garden in the late summer, and lasts right through to autumn.

Cytisus battandeiri (Moroccan Broom) - When planted around the walls
of the house or around the patio, the crushed pineapple aroma which
comes from the cones of the yellow blossom will pervade the air.

It truly excites the senses on the warm still days of June and July,
with its wonderful aroma wafting into the house or patio area.
It should be encouraged to flower freely so that you get the most
from this absolutely wonderful flower.

Magnolia grandiflora - The large chalices are a joy in late summer
with a wonderful lemon zest aroma. It should be helped to bloom when
young by espalier-training the shoots against a warm sunny wall.
Train them horizontally, and shorten new shoots to five leaves in
August.

Dianthus (Brymton Red) - These lovely old fashioned dianthus have a
lingering clove fragrance and the “Brymton red” is a true peacock
among them. They yield a brilliant display of single deep red flowers
laced with darker markings, and are just scintillating in June. Be sure
to deadhead flowers weekly to channel your plants energy into
producing more shoots and blooms.

Eucryphia nymansay - This elegant evergreen is famous for its summer
and autumn display of large honey scented white flowers. The flower is coveted by nectar seeking bees. It needs a warm and sunny location.
I absolutely adore these.

Ferdinand Pitchard - This is an old fashioned rose with the beckoning
smell of fresh picked raspberries. The globular pink blooms striped
with crimson and purple will be your reward for planting this fantastic
rose. It thrives on humis rich soil in full sunlight, and it will bring
color to the summer season most beautifully.

Other Flowers To Bring A Fesival Of Color And Delight.

Gladiolus communis - Until recently people looked down their noses at
gladiolus but they do make really good border flowers. They are
excellent at cramming the other colors, and they barely take any space
at ground level.

Scabiosa “Ace of Spades” - This is one for the chocoholics, “Ace of
Spades” is a mass of velvet and maroon with little white pins that have
a pincushion effect. What a beautiful flower this is, nestle them amongthe green foliage of alchemilla for contemporary color scheming. Allow the last flowers to self-sow.

Delphinium Belladonna Group - If you are looking for grace and charm then Belladonna hybrids are for you. They are ideal for summoning
a romantic effect, look wonderful around cottages, and bring an English type of charm to your garden.
For a full season of color grow with peonies, poppies and dahlias.
Cut down the first spikes once they have flowered for a second
flush of blooms.

Papaver ” Lady Frederick Moore” - A charming peach poppy is much softer on the eye than the traditional pillar box red oriental, and is easier to blend with the pastels of early summer. Grow in the sun and
hope for gentle weather to prolong this tissue paper like flower.

Monarda “Capricorn” - Think magenta, think hardy geranium? Why not try an unusual monarda instead, with its beautiful aromatic foliage and spidery petals, totally adored by bees. The stunning color and shapes make it a good contender with spikes of lythrum and veronica.
It is best planted in the sun where the soil does not get too dry nor the space too crowded.

LLathyrus latifolius - A delightful sweet pea that is everlasting but
without the sweet scent I am afraid,,so you can never quite have it all can you!
However, with the strong aromas from the flowers above this pretty flower,I do think that it is worth having in your garden.
The flowers are much bigger than the annual L.odoratus,with iridescent
shells for petals, and twining tendrils that obliginly twirlup small trees or wires on sunny fences. Give them the occasional folier feed and cut down last years foliage in the winter.

Acunthus mallis - Most perennials have unremarkable leaves, but not this stunning bear’s breeches. Acunthus makes a versatile backdrop
for classic herbaceous borders or jungle style foliage. The dark
glossy leaves and spikes of dusky hooded flowers will make a show
all summer long. Water well in dry summers.

Achillea “Walther Funcke” - If pastels are not your bag, spice things up instead with paprika shades of “Walter Funcke”! Add a scattering
of yellow day lilies and mix in the wispy blonde leaves of ponytail grass, (Stipa tenuissima), for good measure. It makes a compact drought tolerant mix for a sunny border where space is tight.

Thalictrum delavayi - Verbena bonariensis is not the only see-through plant. The tall meadow rue is wonderful airy for the front of a border, with perenial ferny foliage and clouds of tiny, fluffy flowers on skinny purple stems.
Grow on the cool side of the garden where the soil does not get too
dry in summer.

These are just a few of my favorite wonderfully scented flowers and plants that I think will add a soft to dramatic color to your garden.

So why not let your imagination and flair for color work magic on your own garden.
I can tell you that I feel like a true artist when my garden is in full bloom.

About the Author

Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wondeful colors. She is a regular
contributor to Garden Center Showplace a leading online Garden Center.
For more details of the superb range of products offered, and also
more Featured Articles And Tips on Gardening visit
http://www.gardencentershowplace.com

The Quest for Significance

People are looking for ways to add significance, peace of mind, a quality experience, and an escape from the “rat-race” in their lives. Stated differently, people want to add depth and meaning to their lives. One way to accomplish this, it is asserted, is to make or purchase decor for your garden.

Make Your Garden Unique

Garden decor, along with things related to gardens, provides a return to nature, a sense of spirituality, and a return to the earth as people journey on their quest for significance and ultimate meaning. Moreover, through the use of decorations, gardeners reveal their quirks and shortcomings, their wit, their creativity, and their desire to make their gardens unique.

Transform Your Life

Gardens and their ornaments are symbols of enchantment, of mystery, of meaning, and of ultimate being. Another way of looking at this is to see that gardens and garden accents provide the power to transform one’s mood and one’s life. To be sure, garden accessories can become symbolic reminders of life’s blessings as they encourage people to enrich their surroundings by transcending the mundane.

The Gardening Imagination

Garden ornaments help people take an active stance in their lives by enabling them to create a niche in the world that is in concert with their values and their dreams. Indeed, it is this “gardening imagination” that provides people with the opportunity to select meaningful objects that speak to their senses, to their experiences, and to their lives.

An Invitation to Add Garden Decor to your Life

Websites that sell garden decor can be viewed as invitations for people to experiment and let their imaginations run free so that they can, with conscious effort or with playfulness, select the accents that they like—decor that speaks to their dreams and to their soul. With this in mind, look at the different products that are sold and select garden accessories that help elicit childhood fantasies. Examine the different garden accents and choose ornaments that speak to your inner self.

Let Your Personality Shine Through

Garden decor helps calm the spirit, soothe the soul, and delight the senses. By letting your individuality shine through as you select your decorative accents, you will transform your garden into one of the most meaningful experiences in your life. The challenge is to capture moments of wonder, joy, and inspiration and experience the lasting pleasures of beauty and the splendors of nature by decorating your garden in a way that is congruent with your noblest thoughts, feelings, and aspirations.

Your Garden Sanctuary

Strive to decorate your garden with ornaments that magically call you to return to your garden sanctuary. Look at different garden products and decide on decorations that motivate you to tap into your playfulness or into your artistic bent as you contemplate how you will decorate your garden. In a word, you can add richness, depth, and a sense of discovery to your garden with different garden ornaments.

Summary

In conclusion, garden decor is significant because it is an invitation for people to open themselves to the magic, to the wonder, to the meaning, and to the pleasure that gardens and garden-related accessories can bring to their lives.

Denny Soinski is the owner of the highly successful, Ohio-based company “Water Fountains and Garden Decor.” Denny’s website http://www.water-fountains-and-garden-decor.com offers home and garden decor accents and accessories including water fountains, vases, birdhouses, plant shelves, lanterns, sculptures, wall plaques, plant stands, birdfeeders, lighthouses, planters, and windchimes. This article is copyrighted (c) 2005 by Denny Soinski and may be reprinted in its entirety as long as this byline and copyright statement is included. You can contact Denny directly at mailto:info@water-fountains-and-garden-decor.com/

Is your kitchen less than fabulous? Do you have outdated décor? Maybe you just moved in, and the previous owner had terrible taste! Or, maybe it’s time to sell and you were the one with terrible taste and you need your kitchen a little more buyer friendly. If you need to spruce up your kitchen, read on. It’s time to get excited because, whatever your reason may be, you can use home improvement kitchen tips to make your kitchen a joy to look at for little out of pocket expense!

Before you get started, there are a few things you need to think about. You must have a plan! Trying home improvement products without a plan is like trying to bake a cake without a recipe. With the recipe you get a beautiful, delicious product. Without the recipe you end up with a lump of undistinguishable material, in other words “crap”.

The first thing to consider is what your current budget is, how much are you willing to spend? By determining your budget first, you can decide what you will be able to do with your kitchen.

After you have decided on your budget, you need to decide what is most important. Do you want a new floor? Do you want new cabinets/fixtures? Maybe you just need a fresh coat of paint and some decorations. You have many options. Decide what is most important to you, and then allocate your funds accordingly.

The next step to remodeling your kitchen is to come up with what you want to do with the room. Do you want to open it up and make it seem more spacious? Do you need to formalize your kitchen and double it as a dining room? Maybe you want to create a quant and cozy atmosphere. Whatever you want to accomplish, it is possible. All you need is perseverance and the right accessories!

Decide on your color palette and what items you will need to buy. If you are replacing the floor, I have found that it is easiest to pick the flooring that you like first and then to decide on a wall color. There are many different options when it comes to flooring. You can do hardwood flooring, ceramic tile, linoleum, or linoleum tiles. Some people even use carpet. It is just your personal preference, and again the mood you are trying to create.

If you really like the look of ceramic tiles, but they are out of your budget, there is now a large selection of linoleum flooring that looks very much like ceramic tile. I have even found attractive linoleum tiles for as little as 48 cents a square foot! Linoleum tiles are also very easy to put down. They have an adhesive backing that sticks to a prepared floor, and they are very easy to cut and fit your floor space.

After you have decided on your flooring, the next step is to pick your paint color. You have three options in paint types, flat, semi-gloss, and glossy. Glossy is the easiest to clean, so that, of course, is what I would recommend. If you like the look of flat paint better, I would go with a semi-gloss because that is still also relatively easy to clean. There are many decorative options you have with paint as well. You can experiment with fuax finishes and painted on boarders and wall scenes. Also try painting three walls a neutral color, and painting one wall with an accent.

Another option is wall paper, I would advise against it because it can be costly and it is hard to apply, and even more of a problem to take off. There are so many options with paint, I would stick to that.

After you have your flooring and wall covering picked out it is time to think about cabinets and fixtures. If you want to give a different look to your cabinets you can paint them or re-stain them. Painting is less work, but re-staining can add a very pretty touch. You can also remove some or all of the doors if you have dishware worth displaying. The choice is up to you.

Once you have your flooring, walls, cabinets, and fixtures the way you like them, it is time to add decorative accessories. A nice, large framed picture in a color palette matching your kitchen is a quick and easy way to cover wall space. But don’t limit it to traditional framed pictures try out different materials. Flags and quilts make nice wall hangings as well as antique signs or old license plates. Try anything you can attach a hook to and hang on the wall. If you don’t like it, take it down.

Candles and plants put the finishing touch on your kitchen!

Updating your kitchen can be a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to update the look of your house. For a quick change through out the year, just replace your curtains and dish towels and switch out your candles. This updates your kitchen quickly and inexpensively!