The Rural Voice, 2000-07, Page 40Home Decorating
Some tips for summer outdoor living
By Patti Robertson
Summer living is bound only by
our lust for life — and good weather.
I get excited every summer with all
the creative possibilities and tricks
one can use in and around your
garden and home. I just get bustling
around and. as Martha Stewart says.
"It's a GOOD THING".
One of my favourite tricks is to
create outdoor hurricane (amps for
the garden, using empty (and
needless to' say, cleaned) tuna cans.
To the bottoms of your can simply
attach a piece of 3/4" doweling, top
off with a hurricane chimney from
either the hardware store or craft
shop and insert a candle to blend in
with your setting. It's very
inexpensive and highly effective as a
night time party accessory.
Using a sturdy vase or interesting
pot, allows one to create very showy
outdoor floral arrangements. This
puts a whole new spin on flowers for
outdoor display, (definitely not the
same as potted flowers and plants). I
enjoy creating big, eye-catching
arrangements by using a greenery
base of large ferns, hosta leaves and
jacobs' ladder. To this I add
hollyhocks, monarda, or the hosta
lilies in profusion. Look around your
yard for what's available or check out
the roadside ditch, there are all sorts
of possibilities to add an interesting
touch to your patio table or your
entranceway with not much effort.
Another interesting trick is to use
unusual containers to house your box
plants. Empty attractive coffee,
candy, or olive oil cans etc., complete
with advertising can all work most
effectively and they also heighten the
impact that your plants impart. Also
look at old crocks. splatterware,
jardinieres, baskets, teapots, etc. —
you are bound only by your
imagination and
what an
innovative use
for seldom or
never used
objects. I also
enjoy the
shelves we've
added to the
bottom of a
couple of our
window ledges.
Using fancy
brackets we
attach simple 1
x 12 pine
boards the length of the window.
These hold my abundant window
boxes, the odd little ornament and a
candle or two to add interest to our
summer evenings.
While looking for interesting plant
containers don't overlook old wooden
wheelbarrows, or kid's toys. While
touring in Florida by two -wheeler,
(picture me doing that), I spied a pair
of old-style bicycles angled beside
one another and tucked deep into a
flowerbed. The parcel carriers
contained a profusion of vines and
pretty annuals which tumbled down
to the ground. How ingenious and
PATTI ROBERTSON'S
Unique Residential and
Commercial Interiors
135 Victoria St., WINGHAM
357-2872
• Custom-made Window
Fashions, Bedspreads
& Accessories
• Fine Domestic &
Imported Fabrics
• Select Wallcoverings
• Furnishings, Lighting
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36 THE RURAL VOICE
innovative and talk about recycling!
And while on a tour of Kincardine
last summer I spotted a most
beautiful shade garden into which the
owners had positioned a quaint old
white wboden chair which certainly
added impact to the secluded setting.
One of a kind outdoor wall art and
decor can be obtained by using old
wrought iron furnace grates, old
metal signs, and old licence plates.
Before pitching out old garden tools,
put them to use as accessories on
fences or as a support for a birdhouse
or plants.
There are endless ideas that come
to mind once you look at castoffs in a
new light. Last year white yard
saleing one of Hailey's girlfriends
bought an old coffee table for $1.00.
The bonus in this find was that the
table featured a raised edge of
approximately half an inch. Using
mosaic tiles, broken dishes and
teacups this gal created a one -of -a -
kind piece of furniture that serves as
a sushi table, which easily moves
from indoors to outdoors depending
on the weather.
Another fun project is to paint
inexpensive ($5.99) PVC lawn
furniture with high impact colours to
add drama to your outdoor living
rooms. At present my co-op student
Judy Bondi and I are painting a small
PVC table in a brilliant orchid colour.
Once dry we intend to add a bright
daisy motif to top it off. I just know it
will add punch to the poolside. The
whole idea is to add some fun and
cheer to this all -too -short season ...
but as I hurry about, usually by the
time I have the last of my projects
completed it's time to stow things
away for yet another season.
Wishing each of you a safe,
healthy and happy summer ... and to
the residents and my gentle readers in
Walkerton, please know that all of us
are wishing you a speedy return to
normal with good health!O
Patti Robertson operates Classic
Interiors in Wingham.