When old and new come together

There can be a lot of focus put on what flowers, plants and trees go in to a garden, and well there should be.  The foliage of the garden is essentially the centerpiece, right?  Well, yes, in so much as a bed is the centerpiece of a bedroom.  But as we all know, there are many more elements that make a bedroom in to a personal retreat and the same can be said for a garden space.  There are several components that come together to create the perfect outdoor refuge.  

Bring your indoor style, out.

Your kitchen and living room create a comfortable space for guests to gather or for you to simply relax and unwind.  Your garden can create that same feel with the right furnishings, accents and lighting.  Keep the themes between outdoors and indoors similar and you will achieve a seamless transition between the two areas and tie your spaces together. 

Furnishings

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Outdoor furniture must serve multiple purposes.  The furnishings you choose should of course be comfortable.  Again, you are trying to create an outdoor room that is as inviting as its indoor counterpart.  But comfort is not the only consideration.  After all, what living room has to battle early frost or an overzealous squirrel?  Your outdoor furniture needs to be hearty.  Unless you are willing to continuously haul the furniture in and out of storage, it needs to withstand the elements.  The look of the furniture should also match the look of your garden.  Seeing as it will be a big focal point of your garden, choose color and style mindfully.

Accents

Image courtesy of cbenjasuwan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The best accents in a garden are often ones that are repurposed pieces from another time or space.  An old worn wheelbarrow that is destined for the trash can become an interesting flowerbed.  Garage sale trips may unearth old lanterns, pots, or even a patina rich piece that will add an interesting touch to your garden.  Shabby chic is a new interior design craze that is cropping up everywhere - don’t limit it to the indoors.  If you have an old dresser, open the drawers to create a shallow cascading herb garden.  Don’t be afraid to mix old and new to get a diverse an interesting design scheme.  If your garden mostly showcases garden greens, add a pop of color with a bold ceramic pot.  Potted plants interspersed with the planted beds add a nice depth to the garden and a chance to add an early season splash of color.

---

Lighting

Image courtesy of franky242/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Mood lighting in your garden can be an important feature if you are using the sitting space for evening entertaining.  You do not want complete darkness nor do you want the harsh fluorescents of flood lighting from the house or porch.  When choosing lighting for the garden facing side of the exterior of the home, consider the effect it will cast on the garden area.  Position wall mounted lights on your home so you get the desired lighting influence.  Solar powered lanterns and torches may add just the right amount of lighting to the area while outlining paths or marking off borders.  Up lighting that showcases some key plants, shrubs or even a water feature will also blanket a nice glow over the area.  

Designing the perfect garden can take a lot of time and planning but eventually, all the elements will build off of, and accent each other.  Just look around, inspiration is everywhere – even in that old rusty birdcage that may have been on its way to the dump! 

---