Design an outdoor room for all to enjoy
Creating an outdoor garden room can be accomplished even with limited space and budget. Have you created an outdoor garden room or an inviting retreat on your porch? We'd love to hear about it. PHOTO COURTESY GARDENER'S SUPPLY COMPANY
No matter your budget, space or gardening experience, you can design an outdoor entertainment area for your family and friends to enjoy.
Start by gathering ideas from magazines and the Internet for examples of outdoor garden spaces. Next, select an area that is convenient and suitable for outdoor entertaining. Define the space using outdoor rugs and furniture or tall planters to serve as walls for your garden room.
Fill the planters with ornamental grasses, papyrus, cannas and other flowering plants to create a living screen.
Add a splash of color and flavor to the space by growing herbs and vegetables combined with flowers in these and additional planters in your garden space. Include ingredients for your favorite drinks, appetizers and meals. Your guests will enjoy plucking a few mint leaves for their iced tea or mojito, harvesting fresh greens from a Salad Garden Bar and dressing up the meal with a few pesticide-free edible flowers like nasturtiums, calendula and day lilies.
Busy gardeners and those who travel may want to try self-watering pots. These containers have built-in water reservoirs to provide a constant flow of water to the plants.
Add some height and focal points with topiaries. Purchase a sculpted evergreen or train vines up a twist topiary frame to create a bit of living art. And don't forget to add some garden art and statuary.
Extend your enjoyment with outdoor lighting. A few votive candles in old punch cups are perfect for intimate gatherings in small spaces.
Add a bit more illumination with the help of solar illuminated planters, solar deck lights, post caps, and solar cubes and spheres. Use these lights to lead you down the path to your garden space or brighten the space for an evening of fun.
So get busy creating the garden room of your dreams. Once you get started, you will be looking for more opportunities for that quiet getaway, outdoor kitchen and more ways to enjoy your garden.
Gardening expert Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books and hosts nationally syndicated TV and radio segments. For more information, visit www.melindamyers.com, for gardening videos and tips.
