50 Talini’s Nursery
January 21, 2022
52 Portland Nursery
March 7, 2022
Garden Art Exposed!
D uring this time of year, the garden is quiet. The leaves are finally raked up and the pruning is done. And before new growth comes to partly cover it, I get to see my garden art exposed in all its glory. Which also means, okay, time to move things around again. Because it's easier now. And because when things are nearly naked you notice what can be improved, right?
Speaking of exposed garden art, this is also the time of year I just ignore Mike when he says, "When did you get THAT?"
In my original garden art post I couldn't fit in all the art I wanted to share without turning it into a novel (as this one could easily become). If you know one thing about me by now besides my love of plants, it's that I love garden art just as much, and sometimes to the point of distraction! (Though I am immune to all species of gnomes.)
About 5 years ago I saw a stunning wrought iron tree skirt at Bushnell Gardens Nursery...
It sits at bar-height and just begged me to take it home and give it a tree to hug. The price tag hurt my stomach though so I just kept my eye on it, hoping the price would come down. Over the years that wasn't happening, so I called in Special Forces—my husband, who loves to negotiate. I got Mike and the manager together and voilà—the tree skirt now happily hugs my Sycamore tree.
A couple years later, my husband went back to Bushnell's to look for Christmas gifts for me (trained him well). He got me a wrought iron scroll piece made by the same artist and welded it to my metal retaining wall.
Glorious, huh?
One lovely afternoon on a date with Mike at Highhand Nursery (of course!) we were sitting at the Pizza Bar outside and I could see across the street where an antique store, Emma's Horse and Buggy, displayed large metal animals on its front lawn. I've always known my giraffes and ram needed friends, so after Highhand we meandered over for a look. And there was Rosie the buffalo quietly waiting for someone to give her a new home. I'll just say thank gawd we had Mike’s pickup and I'm sure Rosie felt the same!
"Rosie" is what the store owner's granddaughter named her, and we promised not to change it.
So Rosie is now lounging on a hill I pass on the walk to my greenhouse. I swear, for the first 6 months she scared the crap out of me every time I walked by thinking it was a bear!
Nope. Just Rosie looking out for me.
On one of my trips to Oregon with AP, I bought this fascinating lantern at Joy Creek Nursery. It's currently being housed in my She Shed until spring to keep it from being damaged by frost.
Even somewhat fragile garden art is worth the fuss.
I also bought this beautiful bright chartreuse Sedum there of unknown species (meaning "where is that damn label!").
Due to retirement, sad to say, the owners have now closed Joy Creek permanently. It was located on their property way out in the boondocks on a hill and had hidden gardens one after another at every turn. Just fabulous!
On the afternoon we visited, a slight breeze blew and, as AP and I waltzed throughout the beauty of the place, the sun warmed our backs. I tell you—life doesn't get better than that.
Okay. Look what's hanging from my birch trees!
A string of stainless steel balls about 10-feet long.
I bought them at The Antique Company Inc. where we always visit after a morning stroll through the Sacramento Antique Faire—which happens every 2nd Sunday and used to be held under a Highway 50 overpass between X and Y Streets before it moved to Sleep Train Arena, and now you know enough about it to go yourself. (You can find great garden objects/art at antique places.)
I bought this Fairy Moon and the one at the top of the post at Pottery Paradise in Vacaville. You can see the place from westbound Highway 80, and it's easy-on easy-off.
Just the name Pottery Paradise is enough to get your heart palpitating. And here’s why...
Finding the one perfect pot can be as thrilling as discovering a perfect piece of garden art. Pots ARE garden art if you ask me, and if you can’t find one at Pottery Paradise, you are nuts.
So apparently AP and I are nuts! Because we have gone there many times and have left without the "one." We even laugh about it as we drive away potless (though not necessarily artless, lol).
It’s like going into Shoe Warehouse that stocks 5,000 pairs of shoes and coming out barefoot. Just ridiculous!
But (like shoes?) you don't buy pots or garden art just on sight. You do it with imagination and by listening to whatever it is in your heart or your head that says, "Gotta' have that."
And then...well, you gotta' have that! Gotta' take it home and find the place where it tells you it belongs—whether exposed in plain sight or only seen peeking through some foliage.
For me—and for my garden—in every season, garden art completes our joy.
Photos: Sheri Lynn Burke
