Using outdoor accessories such as planters, birdbaths, sundials, fountains and sculptures is a great way to bring gardens and outdoor spaces to life. Whether for a high-rise terrace, rowhouse backyard or waterfall oasis tucked away on an expansive estate, garden ornaments provide homeowners hundreds of choices with which to create a decorative point of view.
“Garden ornaments are used in so many ways, functional, decorative or as architectural elements,” said Jay Graham, president of Annapolis-based Graham Landscape Architecture.
| Resources |
| » Scott Brinitzer Design Associates Arlington; 703-892-0266; brinitzer.com |
| » Graham Landscape Architecture Annapolis, Md.; 301-858-5330; grahamlandarch.com |
| » Olde Towne Historic Landscape Frederick, Md.; 301-846-4000; othlandscape.com |
| » Seibert & Rice Short Hills, N.J., 973-467-8266; seibert-rice.com |
In formal Italian gardens there might be one or two lines of statuary that draw the eye down a vista, defining the structure of the space, he said.
“In a residential setting, ornaments can be used to express the personality of the homeowner and also used afterward, as an ‘incident’ where the ornament might be discovered in a niche or an alcove,” he added.
Planters, urns and pots are adaptable and the most widely available garden ornament. Experts advise selecting the design, size and material to complement and enhance the space. Natural materials like terra cotta, stone and metal fit into most settings.
Arranging brightly colored plants or overflowing greenery in a sculpted planter adds immediate elegance. In city neighborhoods, an instant garden can be created simply by grouping several planters together in one spot.
“Good planters are essential in urban settings,” said Scott Brinitzer, owner of Scott Brinitzer Design Associates in Arlington. “You’re closer to the elements and don’t have the luxury of open-space greenery, so your planters and urns become the focal point.”
Look for quality materials, strong lines and beautiful forms when buying these containers.
“I use terra cotta, stone and copper for my clients’ gardens and outdoor spaces,” Brinitzer said. “And leaving the planters outside gives them a patina that really adds to [their] beauty. Anything with glazing looks too new.”
New Jersey-based Seibert & Rice, a leading American importer of handmade planters and urns, introduced special terra cotta items from Impruneta, Italy, 15 years ago.
“When we founded Seibert & Rice in 1994, there was a serious shortage of quality terra cotta pots on the market,” co-owner Lenore Rice said. “Very few people had seen this terra cotta outside of Europe, and almost no one had heard of Impruneta in the U.S. At first, people had a hard time believing that our terra cotta was really frostproof.”
Rice said terra cotta made in Impruneta is very durable because of the high-calcium salts and iron in the clay and it tolerates a lengthy firing process. While other products claim to be frostproof and can last a couple of winters, only genuine Impruneta terra cotta lasts for generations.
“A trend I’ve noticed for planters is ‘one plant — one pot.’ Clients are using just one plant material per pot, not mixing plant materials. It really makes a statement,” Rice said.
Buying new garden ornaments made from age-old processes is one option for homeowners, but using ancient materials to create a new garden feature is another.
Jared Herman, president of OldeTowne Historic Landscape in Frederick, Md., sources schist fieldstone from local Mennonites. He recently used a three-ton stone in a client’s garden.
“The client wanted a water feature, but it didn’t make sense in that setting to stack stones; it was a flat landscape,” Herman said. “We set the stone at an angle to a koi pond and engineered the stone so that water comes up through the stone to create a waterfall affect.”
Finding balance is the most important element in a good landscape design. “Using the stone as an ornament in a manicured woodland setting worked for that client, but each garden and setting is unique,” he said.
