Serenity in the Garden

Hinkley Lighting - Harbor Lights Outdoor light illuminates and  silently leads us on. I just had a discussion with a lovely friend about the lanterns by her front door. She is replacing them and that is why I am sharing this post  I wrote a few years ago.  People invariably choose lanterns that are too small for an  outdoor site.  This  informative piece is from a great lighting company -  HINKLEY LIGHTING (click here)....  can help change that. ALL PHOTOS HERE ARE FROM THE HINKLEY WEBSITE. The height of an outdoor lantern should be based on the height of the door: FOR ONE LANTERN:   If you place a lantern on only one side of the door, it should measure one-third the height of the door. The center of the bulb should rest 66" above the threshold of the door. FOR TWO LANTERNS:   When two lanterns are used, they should each measure approximately one-fourth the height of the door. The center ...

Summer is here...the magazines tell us to lay back, relax, go to the beach.... well, some of us have to work and for us, the back yard garden is our summer retreat. so in honor of those who are home, puttering away, here are a few ideas to  Decorate Summer Style.. Flikr - joyeux artiste - a bird cage with herbs within..try this as a decorative deer protector for susceptible plants! Cox and Cox  - Ice White LED Tree Lights Transform your garden into a fairytale in the evening with 250 pinlights.  These are on the lovely Willowleaf Pear. Also ideal for using indoors to decorate an entire room. Love the gate. Plow and Hearth Hang curtains on simple tension roads around your patio or deck...Use sheers for a luminous effect. Candle Lanterns Cox and Cox These fire-retardant paper bags are punched with a star shaped graphic to create a soft romantic glow. Place battery tea lights inside (weigh down with a bit of gravel in ca...

Cracked Log Lamp   Duncan Meerding designs some great stuff... I especially like his Cracked Log Lamp. I like it so much I chose it as the Garden Photo of the Day - although I do not think this photo is accurate. I do not think you can use them outside... Why not make your own with outdoor rated electrical fixtures?

HGTV.  October is upon us and the  nights are getting darker. So put on an extra layer and place some outdoor lights in your backyard and enjoy the last gasps of outdoor living. Early evening in the garden can be a magical experience in the fall if you add small lights here and there. The other night I had some guests come for an outdoor dinner. I placed many flickering tea light candles (battery operated) in small glass holders and set them all around the area.  Tall and low, the  effect was dazzling. I placed them atop a low wall and on low tables. I would have had some hanging from low tree limbs but I didn't have the right lights.  Now that there are  tea light candles  that are battery operated there are so many things you can do! This one has a a built-in timer that turns them off automatically (click on caption for a link) : tea light battery candle These are the ones I used below - flickering li...