How to Decorate Flower Beds

Think about accents for your garden.

Flower bed decorations have come a long way from their kitschy past of gnomes and pinwheels. Today, gardeners can find numerous gardening decorations that contribute a modern, streamlined look. Decide where you want to place the gardening decorations, so that they do not impede on ornamental plant growth or cast shadows on plants. Choose a color scheme to enforce the design approach for the rest of the backyard.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Statues
• Waterfalls
• Birdbaths
• Antiques
• Flower pots
• Boulders
• Paint
• Stencils

Instructions

1. Find areas in the yard that are bare and need striking focal points. A decorative statue, waterfall or birdbath in an area can bring attention to otherwise uninteresting flower beds.

2. Measure the areas that you want to place your garden decoration. To get the total square footage of available space, measure the width and the length. Multiply both measurements together to get the square footage.

3. Shop around at different gardening centers, rock quarries and antique stores. Many people enjoy adding a rustic look to their yards by using antiques. Plant or place flower pots on antique furniture to incorporate a natural element to the nonorganic gardening decoration. Rock quarries are effective places for finding large boulders for placing within gardening beds to mix up the texture of the yard.

4. Check the object to ensure that it does not contain any substances that are toxic to plants. For instance, moisture resistant wood can cause toxicity to vegetable gardens. Also, check to see whether the decorative item has been treated with moisture resistant outdoor paint. Some gardeners enjoy the rusted, weathered look of some objects; however, if you want to prolong the life of the decoration, paint it with outdoor paint.

5. Place rocks, flowers or plants near the decoration to blend it in with the rest of the landscaping.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorate flower pots by painting over stencils to give them a unique look.

• Avoid using any decoration that contains pine near alkaline loving plants, because pine will change the pH range of the surrounding soil.

References

• Martha Stewart: The Backyard: Decor Ideas