I’m not big on garden accessories. I believe that they detract from the plantings. I think that too many trinkets tend to make a garden look cluttered. Now I am rethinking my belief and amending it.
Garden accessories are like jewelry. Without them, a garden tends to look unfinished. Too many decorative items cheapen the overall look. Better to have no jewelry than to decorate an outfit with tacky accessories.
Last week I visited a garden here in Cambria that had such thoughtful and well placed accessories that I had to rethink my opinions on garden accessories. The garden is terraced under huge old coastal oak trees. The trees shade the plants and cast a soft dappled light. Carol’s garden is exquisitely appointed with both natural and manmade decor.
Visiting this garden caused me to reflect on garden accessories and why some work. The ones in Carol’s garden added, not detracted from the overall visual appeal of her beautiful landscape. The accessories added color, height, visual interest, and humor. They complimented the garden and added richness that could not have been achieved with vegetation alone. I loved it. At every turn, I was amused and delighted. Thank you Carol, for enlightening me.
