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Sexy City Gardens
Creating a wonderful oasis in the middle of the city, on a small balcony or in a postage size backyard, has never been easier or more dramatic! The newest design concepts for our interior spaces has been extended to our exterior space as well.
Drama, large-scale excitement in a small space. Similar to the stunning look of an oversized mirror in a small living room, we are seeing large-scale containers on small outdoor living spaces. One singular grande and bold statement piece creates an instant focal point on your deck or patio.
Large-scale drama! We have ‘de-cluttered’ our homes and the time is here to simplify our outdoor spaces as well. Choose one large dynamic piece, one you may think demands a more lavish or grande space than you have room for. Plant the one large pot- preferably one with height- with an arrangement of tall common grasses that are in garden vogue for the past few seasons. The look is simple and dramatic!
Texture is another one of the basics we use inside and it should be considered when we accessorize our outdoor spaces as well. Mixing smooth finishes with rough ones create visual interest while also maintaining a consistent colour theme that will unify the space. Imagine a rough textured black matt container filled with large swaying grasses, delicate white blossoms cascading toward the garden floor beside a high gloss metal table and chairs upholstered in a soft fabric.
Creating a wonderful quiet oasis outside your own backdoor or on your high-rise patio deck also brings the drama inside. Place your ‘vignette’ within view from your most used interior spot if at all possible, adding interest to the inside space as well as alluring your guests to relax outside. This simple arrangement will also create visual interest during the long winter months.
Diane Kroker from ‘EarthTones Garden Shoppe’ explains great garden design is always in the scale and she is seeing more and more of her customers shyly eyeing the large generous sized containers. Diane explains the largest mistake she sees in petite outdoor living spaces is too much clutter, “ Too many small containers, knickknacks, tiny flowers and plants, just too much for the space.”
Creating a visually interesting outdoor space need not only be intriguing during the summer months, man-made plants have come a long way! Faux greenery is not what it used to be!
Placing a ‘man-made’ cedar in a proper-scaled container creates intrigue and comfort all year long. You get what you pay for here, most of the new ‘faux cedars’ you would not be able to tell they were not ‘nature made’ unless you actually touched them.
Speaking with a manufacture’s agent about the growing popularity of these ‘plants’ she explains the quality is much better then in earlier years. The faux versions require no watering and unlike true cedars who cannot over winter in our climate, in containers, these one do very well surviving our cold winters.
“I put a couple beside my front door a few years ago. I am not home much so watering and caring for plants is not an option for me. These cedars actually looked better after the first year, I got leaves tangled up in them, they got a little touch of dust and dirt on them and they actually look more real with the ‘patina from real life’.
Creating instant drama has never been simpler or more dramatic than now- one plant, faux or natural- and the dreariness of your simple balcony can be banished forever.
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