A Rustic Garden Blog

Safety is one of the main concerns when we homeowners are shopping for wrought iron fence to enclose their yard. Containing children and pets from roaming away is the priority.

You can have it all with solid steel interlocking fence. It compliments your landscaping without dominating it. The historical look works in every neighborhood and installation is easy.

When you think of all the unique wrought iron wall decor that is available today to decorate your walls I find that I always lean toward Country Antiques. My family has just purchased a vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks and rustic home decor is the direction we are going. It is so easy since I have a business that has 1000’s of rustic antique items to choose from. I usually end up wanting more space to decorate so I don’t have to make the decisions regarding what fun items make the cut.

These  1890 year old shutters have their old original blue paint and the metal wall art is constructed from vintage ceiling tin removed from 1900 era buildings. Architectural Antiques are being recycled into home decor by decorators everywhere.

For a diverse garden with lasting appeal, it’s important to incorporate all the elements. This includes the central elements of earth, wood, and water, as well as the less often integrated elements of stone, fire, and metal. While the vegetation in the garden takes care of the earth and wood, it’s also important to integrate water. This could include something like a fountain, or a garden pond. In terms of stone, a few assorted statuettes is an excellent idea, or a full stone fountain can also work well in the garden. Fire and vegetation often don’t mix well, but well tended fire pit can make a garden much more beautiful in the twilight hours, and also provide warmth. The fire pit can also serve as metal garden art, but be sure to consider other metal garden art like wildlife silhouettes and signs.

With these elements incorporated in the garden, it will be all the more beautiful and is sure to become one of the favorite places in the home. Make sure the garden looks as you would want it, otherwise, it just becomes someone else’s sweet escape!

We have been shopping for garden decor and found the neatest cast iron stepping stones to line your garden path.

A Rustic Garden keeps finding new and different metal garden art. Spring flowers will soon be popping though to add beautiful color throughout.

I never mind coming to work at A Rustic Garden, my garden and antique shop. It does seem like a long winter this year so if the Sun Shines and the temp is above 25 degrees then I am happy.

My friends ask me “what do you do?”  Well I sell unique garden decor! Would you believe we just shipped 165 wood step ladders painted bright yellow to the Brighton Company for display in their stores. Wooden antique ladders are our best wintertime selling items.

For many years  I have had 3 fish ponds in my flower gardens so keeping them going through the winter sometimes is a challenge.

This year I just did not take care of the fish ponds like I should have. I normally unhook the cast iron water fountains to have the water pumps blasting water against the side of the pond to keep open water for the fish to have oxygen.

I have this large spitting frog that recycles a stream of water into my fish pond. Since I did not unhook it my water splattering in the freezing weather it made a huge mound of ice that looked like a volcano.  The stream of moving water kept a hole in the center open and did not freeze.  Probably not the best thing but it sure made an interesting ice sculpture on my pond using a garden fountian.

Don’t you think that out door decorating has come a long way. Love watching the professionals on Home and Garden TV change a patio or garden into a living space that is beautiful and comfortable.

The garden decor products like wrought iron outdoor furniture, lighting and rugs weather well and just make you want to spend your spare time relaxing outside with mother nature.

Currently I am adding all kinds of electric lamps and chandeliers to A Rustic Garden’s “Wine and Candlelight” category.  It is fun to find such a variety of fashion lighting items.

We have country lighting in so many styles so the decorator can choose just the right look to make their room feel warm and comfortable.

Well that would work if the weather were not so very cold. I am seeing my last years plantings that need trimmed back peeking up through the snow but don’t have the incentive to go out in the 20 degree IL temps to trim them.

Being patient is another part of gardening. The rewards will come soon enough. Maybe it would be best to use this time rearranging my collectibles that are displayed on my vintage wooden ladder

Growing your plants in containers allows you to enjoy gardening in a limited space where a garden might not have been expected, and can encourage you to experiment with plants that may not otherwise thrive in your particular climate. You can combine plants that help each other survive-for example, oregano will discourage insects that feed on broccoli and make beans taste better. To learn more about beneficial plant combinations and other ins and outs of container gardening, don’t forget that one of the most important gardening supplies is a good book.

There are a number of other benefits to container gardening.  Container gardening is a great way to use a unique urn or pot you might have picked up, not knowing what you were going to use it for at the time.  You may use a boot or shoe, an apple barrel, hanging baskets, buckets, or any number of other receptacles to grow your plants in.  A container garden can really dress up an entrance, balcony, deck, or other area that looks a bit sparse.