Best Garden Decor Ideas

If you have an outdoor space maybe a patio or yard have you considered garden urns to introduce some greenery and give the area some personality and style? Garden urns and planters can turn the blandest areas into a lovely relaxing spot where you can relax and enjoy the outdoors. Even a balcony from benefit from well placed garden decor ideas. Don’t limit yourself to traditional concepts as flower pots are effective contemporary garden art; also look around for new ideas such as pet urns to introduce a novelty factor to your area.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Often when you look at pots in stores such as Horchow you wonder how you will get them home because they look so substantial. You also think they will weigh so much that when filled with earth and plants they will be a permanent fixture in your garden. You may want fixed lawn urns, but you probably want to move your large plant filled vases around the patio. Don’t be put off by the fact it looks heavy as looks can be deceiving, take the time and care to read exactly what you are buying as often decorative urns are made of much lighter materials like resin or fibreglass. Whilst the materials are robust enough for all year round outdoor use and strong enough for the purpose they are made they really are patio ideas you can easily manage.

Cast Iron

Cast iron garden urns are a staunch favourite amongst gardeners and they are much more suited to a permanent place in the garden and like wrought iron urns need to have a place where they can stand resplendent and command the situation they are in. However for most occasions containers can be plastic or lightweight look a likes.

Make the Correct Choice

Large garden urns are impressive and if you want a palm or other large structural plant the choice of planters on the market are many and varied look pop on line and look at Lowes for a wealth of information advice and products to ensure you make the correct choices for your outdoor space. It is important any new addition will compliment your existing garden decor. You may have outdoor wall art or railings in a Victorian style and wish to maintain the theme with a Victorian garden urn.

Fashions change, but it is not always necessary to replace all your costly items. Consider bringing in a more modern concept, such as popping garden mirrors strategically around to throw a new light on existing items or considering garden fountains to bring in a water feature. If you want something a little different try searching on garden urns UK if you live in the USA to see what ideas you can glean, and of course vice versa to see what the trends in other parts of the world are. Places like Amazon are great to look at in order to get ideas or purchase your desired urn; either .co.uk or .com will give you a wide range of options and great ideas to integrate into your garden decor no matter where you live. Check out eBay also for great prices but stock will vary literally every day.

Integrate Elements into the Scheme

Contemporary bird baths and other garden sculptures can be easily integrated into a scheme with a little thought and planning. Have you ever considered garden clocks as outdoor features? They withstand the weather and make sure you can have the very last moment outdoors enjoying the garden.

Always look in the sale section to see if there is any discount garden urns available as if we manage to get just one thing cheap, it leaves us more to spend on other purchases.

Photo by Mouse **Cortesy of flickr.com

The sonic deterrent is a fantastic alternative to the scarecrow water sprinkler or jet pack. The main difference being one works with water and the other with sound. The sound repeller works out to be quite a lot cheaper so you are a bit short on spending money for your garden decor, this practical device will repel any unwanted pets or wild animals like cats, dogs, foxes, birds, squirrels, etc by using a sensor that activates when detecting motion (similar to the scarecrow water sprayer, they are both motion activated).The sound that the deterrent emits is inaudible to human beings and it is also completely safe and gentle to the animals.

Gentle Solutions

The deterrent works with mains adaptor and can be left outdoors at all times. The sound that emits is one that only animals can hear and it deters them from approaching your lawn. It comes with a push button for testing and the height can be adjusted. The repeller will then only activate when it senses some sort of movement, and so it doesn’t consume battery life while just standing.

It is really your choice to decide which one is best for your garden or outdoor area. The water scarecrow is more expensive and will require a hose to be connected as well as batteries (9v). An advantage with the water sprayer is that they can be great fun during the long hot days in the summer time. The young ones in the family will love playing outdoors!

The motion activated sprinkler will guard the area up to 1000 sq feet and it can shoot around 5000 times on one battery, the cat and dog sonic deterrent will emit a high pitched sound that only animals can hear so it can be very discreet.

Safe and Effective

Both devices are effective, completely safe, very easy to use, eco friendly, free from any chemicals,will work 24 hours (giving you peace of mind while indoors) and should come with full instructions. The scarecrow water jet pack will set you back around $50 while the cat and dog sonic deterrent will cost around half that price.

Check for warranty and also if you need to get accessories like mounting brackets or hose connectors if you choose to purchase the scarecrow water jet.

Well known water scarecrows brands are Havahart and Contech. Check out the mega sonic dog, cat and fox repeller by The Big Cheese who also manufactures a specific sound deterrent just for cats.

One of the most quaint and magical decorative elements for your garden are the beautiful garden windmills. You can find them in many different styles, sizes, colors and materials (from wood to plastic and steel) as well as kits to easily ensemble at home. Some of them have been made to show down to the last detail and are precious replicas of the larger farm ones. The good news is that you can purchase beautiful miniature yard windmills for as little as $10 or you can choose larger ones ranging from medium height (around 4.5 ft) to the stunning 12 ft windmill.

Types and Styles

Wooden garden windmills are probably amongst the most popular for the garden decor. The Amish hand crafted American windmill is a spectacular piece that could be placed near your garden decking, porch, patio or any outdoor area. The wood is handcrafted by the Amish and detail is just magnificent. Quality of the wood is usually high so it should last in your garden for years to come.

The classic Dutch windmill is a great example of the traditional design; no wonder these gems are universally appealing. There is no doubt that it will create a charming focal point in any corner of your garden or outdoor area. Old styles are particularly picturesque capturing one of Holland’s most famous hallmarks.

Ornamental garden windmills are beautiful but look for fully functional windmills that turn with just a touch of gentle breeze. Some of them have built in weathervanes to indicate the direction of the wind as well, which is a great addition. Medium garden windmills will go well with smaller lawns while the large decorative lawn windmills are fitted for grand scaled gardens or large outdoor spaces.

The John Deere windmill features the beautiful iconic green and yellow colors and logo. This is a windmill that will definitely add that serene and charming farm feel to any garden. The miniature windmill fetches for around $25; the 4.5 ft starts at $75, an 8 ft will cost you around $120 – $160, and the larger windmills will set you back $300+ (12 ft).

If you are looking for windmill aeration to circulate your pond or any other area of your garden, check out different windmill kits that can provide maximum control in all types of wind speeds and simple maintenance.

Finishes

The natural wood unfinished is very popular and sits well in any garden. You can also stain or paint the wooden garden windmill to preserve it or give it a different touch if you are looking into complimenting your ornamental windmill with the rest of your decor.

If metal is your kind of finish opt for the robust steel windmill. You will find beautiful specimens with wheels that rotate on 2 different ball bearings and will definitely last a very long time in your garden. Well balanced wheels will make them turn at any gentle breeze turning into whichever direction wind comes from.

When you order a decorative windmill make sure that it is easy to assemble and that it won’t take too long. Also find out what tools you need to put it together and read the instructions as some garden windmills should be built on a hard base like cement or even wood in order to make them really secure. Also, look for the powder coated finish and not plastic if your budget allows.

Garden windmills with their lovely charming effect are  the perfect addition to your outdoor area.

Photo by greyman **Cortesy of sxc.hu

With summer fast approaching you will be looking at ways to keep your family safe from the suns harmful UV rays. The outdoor life is healthy and you will want to maximize the time you spend outside, whilst minimizing the potential harm to your loved ones. The precious skin of babies and children will require a total sun block cream but don’t forget the teenagers who long for a bronzed look, they must also use creams to ensure their skin is not exposed and a healthy tan is obtained. Burning is not only extremely unpleasant it is dangerous to all. You may wish to consider roll up awnings as an addition to safety, your home and lifestyle.

Additional Sun Protection

A practical cost effective way of ensuring your family have additional protection is to invest in a roll up awning. This simple way to create outdoor space, be it an outside dinning area or a place for your children to play, patio awnings are an increasingly popular part of any garden decor. With the added benefit of protecting your furniture and carpets inside the home from the suns harmful rays, to find what is best for your outside area look at all the options to establish your needs.

Establishing Needs

There are many roll up awnings shade structures to choose from and depending on budget and need, sensors can detect and automatically open roll up canopies. In addition to protecting your home from the sun, it is also a great security feature if you are away from home, as it gives the illusion your home is occupied. There are basic styles of retractable awnings. The standard, the full cassette, the half cassette and variations on these will suit most. Do you require electrically operated, fully automated, remote controlled or manual? Think about who will be operating the roll up awning before you decide, as whilst patio awnings can be used by young and old alike, your choice will depend on your family members needs.

Choosing your Fabric

Made from aluminum frames the specification can be individual to your requirements or off the shelf. When selecting the fabric for your roll up canopies, be aware that not all fabrics have the sun protection factor you will require. Polyester or acrylics are the popular choice but need to be easy to sponge clean, be rot-proof with additional PU and UV stabilization. The acrylic tends to be slightly more fade resistant than the polyester. Whites and lighter colored fabrics provide less protection than darker fabrics; however the lighter shades repel more heat. Awning fabric replacement is available so if you have bad awnings, do not despair you can quite simply replace the fabric with a new safer replacement fabric. Full instructions on how to make the transformation will be provided if you do not require the full fitting service.

Fitting your Retractable Awning

For the handy amongst you fitting a retractable awning will be quite simple. Companies offer practical advice, guidance and concise instructions to ensure a job well done. Fitting services are also offered to get the complete look finished

Particularly suited to attic spaces aluminum roll up awnings, not only protect your room from the suns glare but have the additional bonus of saving you money on air conditioning in summer. In the winter they can be rolled up to allow the suns rays to heat your room.

The Motor Home

Recreational vehicles (RV) such as the Faulkner ultra, make full use of roll up awnings and can inspire you. Ideas that work on a motor home adding both space and value really can transfer to your garden, patio or yard.

Photo by PinkMoose **Cortesy of flickr.com

Whether you have a rambling garden, a small patio, a back yard or a balcony there are garden decor ideas you can use to enhance the area. Even the smallest balcony can be given accents to give it style. Garden mirrors can be used to give the illusion of space and coupled with a plant trellis a really effective look can be achieved. Cheap garden decor ideas really can transform an area. It does not have to break the bank as you can make garden decor ideas quite personal with a little creativity. A simple tiki torch will throw light around the smallest area in an effective manner. Bird feeders are another simple yet effective idea.

Additions that Will Last a Long Time

For the larger space there is a wealth of garden decorating ideas with many forms of garden art available, such as statues, which could be in the form of a birdbath fountain. There’s nothing more beautiful than enjoying the singing of birds in the morning, so if you like to attract wildlife bird houses can also be added.

You may want to also consider a water scarecrow to keep unwanted cats away from the birds you have attracted to your garden. They are gentle devices that will keep your garden from being treaded on and you will be able to relax whilst indoors.

A larger garden will want garden fencing, particularly if you have a garden pond and visiting children. Keeping the style of your general garden decor is important when it comes to choosing the right materials, wood will provide the warm whimsical feel while robust iron wrought is perfect to add grandeur to your garden – although the latter comes at a cost.

A classic garden arch never fails to impress and with climbing plants such as honeysuckle it can form a spectacular assault on the senses as the glorious scent wafts over your garden.

You may wish to create a themed garden and the classic Japanese garden or Zen garden (see picture below of the beautiful Buddha statue) is well worth investigating  for garden decoration ideas as you can also incorporate many western ideas such as outdoor wicker furniture into your scheme to blend styles and beautify your outdoor area.

When you have fully researched garden decor ideas and your outside space is complete you will want to sit back and relax so don’t forget to look at garden clocks to ensure your time is well spent.

Photo by dalrathki **Courtesy of sxc.hu

Are you finding that constant visits from cats in your local area are causing problems in your garden? If so you have probably tried sprinkling your borders and lawn with traditional deterrents to no avail. Cats can be a real nuisance digging up your delicate plants, but more importantly you may be aware of the terrible implications cat feces can have for pregnant women. If you are not aware you may wish to consider looking up information on the widely documented toxoplasmosis infection. This infection really highlights the need for deterrents and I would recommend a scarecrow water jet pack to free your garden from such potential risks.

This environmentally friendly cat jet spray does not use harmful chemicals, but is a safe and effective cat repellent. A water scarecrow simply uses water to keep your garden free of unwanted visitors, even at night by using an infrared sensor to detect heat and movement.

Quite simply the scarecrow water sprayer helps prevent your garden decor by using a technology that shoots a short sharp spray of water at the intruder. Both the noise omitted by the high pressure jet and the stream of water startle the cat. You will be aware how effective noise is in scaring cats if you have ever used an aerosol spray near a feline friend. They will be off like a shot. The other major dislike for cats is water. So this combination ensures the cats do not make a return visit.

Not a great deal of water is needed to ensure that your garden is cat free, so you do not have to worry about water conservation. Using a standard hose pipe connection and a 9v battery it is a really simple effective addition to any garden blighted by small animals disrupting the tranquility you are attempting to create.

With your new scarecrow water jet pack you will make sure your garden is always looking pristine and free from unwanted visitors. It offers a gentle way of scaring animals away and the beauty of it is that you can rest peacefully without having to peep outdoors all the time knowing that your garden is safe and looking as glorious as it is meant to!

Photo by mailsparky **Cortesy of sxc.hu