While lush with plantings during warm weather months, the garden at Botherum – the historic Lexington home of landscape designer Jon Carloftis, pictured here –illustrates lots of other ways to enhance an outdoor living space, from paths and walkways to sculptures, container gardens, seating areas and more.
March tends to be that month where we Kentuckians start to get the first real teasings of springtime: Green buds are popping up in the dirt, temperatures are slowly rising, garden centers are reopening. But still being a couple months away from the last danger of frost, it really is just that – a tease – for gardeners who are anxious to whip their yards into shape.
Rest assured, it’s a great time of year to get started on plenty of projects, large and small. We’ve tapped five local experts to help provide tips, guidance and inspiration for great ways to ready your outdoor living spaces – all of which don’t involve digging in the dirt.
Install a fountain or other water feature
Cast stone fountains, such as these from Campania International, can be a great option for those looking for more a significant visual and aural statement.
Incorporating the soothing sights and sounds of running water in your yard can be as simple as setting up a pot fountain. Kits are available to purchase at many garden centers.
Water features can be a great way to create movement, sound and structure into a space, especially when a focal point is needed.
“Not only do fountains provide great visual interest, they also provide that soothing sound to create a true garden experience,” said Wes King, owner of King’s Garden Center. “Fountains are often used to make a conversation piece on a table, draw people’s attention to a certain area, create movement in an otherwise dull area or dress up the ‘concrete jungle.’”
Options for bringing water to your backyard range from something simple like a tabletop water feature to a cast stone fountain or an in-ground pondless waterfall – and all have their pros and cons, King said.
Three things to consider when choosing a water feature are function, location and price point, said King. Below, he has helped provide more detailed things to consider on each of these aspects.
Functionality. “What do you want your water feature to accomplish?” is one of the first questions to ask yourself when considering adding a water feature to your yard or garden. If you’re looking for something to just provide the soothing sound of water, a simple tabletop fountain might do the trick…
To read more, visit smileypete.com/community/exterior-decorating or click on the thumbnails to view full article.
Photo by Caroline Allison, for Garden & Gun
Story by Saraya Brewer, with expert advice provided from: Kyle Adamson (Red Oak Outdoor Lighting), Wes King (King’s Garden Center), Scott Pfeiffer (Scott Pfeiffer and Co.), Wendy McAlister (Nature’s Expressions), Jon Carloftis (Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens)
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