Dan's Papers - July 18, 2008 - Adding Alluring Elements to the Garden

If you haven't noticed, there's an increasing interest among urban residents to escape from the city. People travel to the Hamptons on the weekends to free themselves from the hot, city-packed environment.

Space is at a premium in the Hamptons, and homeowners are increasingly interested in landscaping and utilizing available garden spaces in the best way both to increase their appeal and also to maximize outdoor living.

You don't have to be a professional landscape architect to create an inviting garden space. Following a few basic design principles and applying some clever thinking will enhance both small and large garden spaces. The use of garden ornamentation can make the difference. While you can't physically increase the size of a garden, you can certainly use visual elements like fountains, sculptures, and containers to enhance the feel of the space and the appeal, interest, and importance of a garden.

From a design perspective, one important way to start is to create a thematic link between indoor and outdoor areas. Linking gardens to family rooms or kitchens will eliminate the division between inside and outside space - this creates a sense of larger scale. To establish this link, use materials that are similar to those used in house construction. If you have a tiled inside area, consider extending the same or similar tiles to the outdoors. If you have a solid wood floor, one simple solution is to lay interlocking wood deck tiles on an exterior decking area or patio.

The use of lighter colored bricks or seasoned woods around a pool, or for paths, also gives the impression of space. Use curvilinear lines instead of straight lines to enhance the feeling of space. In smaller gardens, it' is useful to create sitting and walling areas. The use of higher-end, wooden furniture in gardens enhances the natural feel and spaciousness much better than plastic loungers and furniture - that tend to consume attention and counteract the feeling of the space.

There is's something solid and beckoning about using garden ornamentation, especially when it' is made from higher-end products, to further expand the sensibility and importance of a garden space. Ceramic pots and, containers, fountains, and sculptures - - when used to create a focal point or unique garden perspective - - provide an added sense of depth and space. Be careful with these elements, however. Many people overdo the use of these ingredients, or use artificial materials. Remember, quality over quantity!

Garden containers and pots can create a unique effect, especially when they are large. Stacked terracotta and colored pots add depth and a sense of privacy to a garden. The use of larger pots and containers merged together works much better and looks less cluttered than numerous smaller pots. Ceramic pots and containers in blue, purple, and earth tones are best in smaller gardens because they don't dominate a landscape as do reds, yellows and oranges do.

These latter colors tend to advance towards a visitor, so they tend to make a garden seem smaller. Marders, Bayberry, and Spielberg nursery centers in Bridgehampton, East Hampton, and Amagansett seem to have the best choices on the East End, and specialize in larger-scale ceramic containers.

Garden sculptures are a good way to build attraction in a garden. Garden sculptures They tend to add a sense of formality to the garden, especially if they depict humans or animals. Large-scale, metal sculptures also add a sense of interest in the garden - if there' is enough space, but can be overpowering and seem out of place. One sculpture is more than enough in most gardens.

Sculpture is a very personal thing, so it' is very hard to find the right piece for a garden. There are a number of Internet sites that can be helpful in exploring garden sculptures. On the East End, James Demartis, who works in metal and produces wonderful, modern sculptures that can transform a garden, and Phyllis Hammond, who works in multiple media, are two local artists on the East End whose work is useful in garden landscapes. EBay actually provides auctions on larger bronzes that can be successfully integrated into a garden, as do a number of the local nurseries. Remember, that when it comes to sculpture, stone cast works and lower-end sculptures are better avoided.

When it comes to fountains, there' is really one source for higher-end, aesthetic fountains: marblefountains.com. This company provides a variety of higher-end water fountains in both classical and contemporary designs - in marble or bronze. As with garden sculpture, a single water feature is more than sufficient in the garden.