Gardens are fun but they can also be a lot of work. Their purpose may be to supplement your pantry, offer fresh food with little to no chemicals or to brighten your yard with flowers and shrubs.

No matter what type of garden you have garden art add cheer, color, whimsy or personality to the yard. It may even add time saving features with a little flair.

When you add garden art you first need to think about the space you have. Is your garden wide open and spacious and need some warming up or is it tree lined and crowded?

You also need to take into consideration the existing structures. Do you have garden fences that could hold some adornments or trees that could be adorned?

Take into account the feel of the garden and space. Are you going shabby chic and plan to add antiques in your yard or will you be adding a sculpture garden? You can also set a feminine or masculine tone to the garden. It’s just important to stick to a theme once you pick it or you will get a cluttered look.

Tips:

• Local garden centers, nurseries and garden catalogs are a great place to get ideas.
  Wide open spaces can handle larger garden art including ponds or fountains, a nice bird sanctuary including a feeder, bath and wild flower area, or some larger sculptural pieces.
• Use existing structures as backdrops. Hang items from that barn, utility shed or fence and create a small area of rest in an otherwise work-related area. Tucked away corners in yards make a great secret garden
• Those smaller tree-filled spaces could be used in a three dimensional approach by hanging items from the trees and around the bases. Wind chimes, lanterns, tea candles and hanging plants are among my favorites.

I use garden art as the final touch to my gardens and yard. I change their positions each year to give the yard a new fresh look.

Tags: Garden art, shabby chic, using antiques in the yard and garden, setting a garden mood

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of visiting the Chautauqua Institution In Chautauqua New York you are missing and adventure that has something to offer everyone in your family,

Chautauqua Institution is a unique place and very difficult to describe. About the closest I could ever come to giving it a brief description is to cal it “Shangri La” The institution is a cultural and learning center that sit on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in NW New York State. What add to its charm are the quaint Victorian houses, abundant gardens and the beautiful lake views.

I had the pleasure of working there for four years. I worked for the Chautauquan Daily. The daily is a newspaper that carries all the events that happen daily for the nine-week summer program they offer in the summer.  Just imaging a new paper that closes its doors each summer and reopens with a new staff that they train in 10 days to put out a daily newspaper six days a week for nine weeks in a row. It amazed me each year to see a newspaper come to live in that short of time. And the quality of the paper is excellent.

The Chautauqua Institution opened up for there 135 season on Saturday June 21. The opening evening entertainer was Bos Skaggs who performer at 8:15 pm in the Amphitheater. Week Ones lecture series is Sport in America. During the day there are lectures and many events for both adults and children.

If you haven’t visited the Chautauqua Institution before make sure to include it in your schedule this summer. For more information and a schedule of events check out their web page: http://www.ciweb.org/ 

There is a gate fee to enter the gorunds Monday through Saturday but Sunday is free. Take advantage and see what you have been missing.

One of the most under rated and amazing highlights of living in rural NW PA are the winding dirt roads. You never know what lies around the next corner.

Today I was on two dirt roads. One road connects Russell and Warren Pa. The wildlife and wild shrubs and flower stun me every time I walk this road. Bamboo gives the roadside a wild look.

Blackberries and raspberries line the road and will feed the wildlife in a month or two. There are many elderberry bushes, which are becoming rare in many areas with all the development of country land.
photo credit: ClatieK

There are also large moss covered rocks and ferns growing along many of the ravines where small streams flow. Add to this the color from the wild flowers and this road is breath taking each time you travel it.

There are many endangered plant varieties on this road. I carry a Roger Tory Peterson plant guide to help me identify the plants I don’t know. To top the scenic view off the Conewango creek borders this road and the view and sound of running water form this historic creek completes the journey. Today I watched as four canoes docked on one of the islands to fish.

One this road I always see deer, turkey and pheasant. Last week I saw the smallest fawn. It’s like being out in the woods far way from the world.

My other dirt road adventure was a pleasant surprise. I saw a sign on a road to Scandia that said free plants. A lady was removing most of her perennial flowerbeds and many shrubs.
photo credit: unforth

I filled my Ford Taurus wagon once and made plans to go back tomorrow, Yuccas, thee hosta varieties, lilies, iris plants, tiger lilies, and about six other perennial plants have a new home. I also can have four shrubs. This will help make over my front yard and give my friends new plants.

I enjoy rescuing plants when I can, plus the garden talk and trading secrets always add to the adventure. There are too many plants to get into their permanent home this weekend but I will use a trench method or raised beds to hold some of the plants until next week.

Tip: if you end up with to many plants you can cut a trench in the ground. Put a softer soil in the trench (I use compost or soil that I have mixed leaf mold or straw in) and place the plants in the trench at a 45-degree angle.

Cover the roots gently and water well. This will keep the roots moist until you can get the plants into their new home. You can hold plants safely for one week using this method.

Technorati Tags: country living, free plants