America began copying the lawn ornaments of wealthy Europeans around the 1870s as front yards and lawns became a middle-class thing.
Gnomes showed up in the 1700’s in Germany, they began invading Europe. The most famous gnome is the Travelocity gnome, recognized all over the world. The naughty gnomes and smurfs gained popularity recently. I have gnomes peering and sneaking around all over.
The plastic flamingo was designed by Donald Featherstone in 1957. It is the most popular lawn ornament: 250,000 are sold every year with millions sold during the 1960’s.
Gazing balls descended from “witch balls” used in 18th century English cottages to “keep away evil spirits.” These orbs were mirrored on the outside to trap or scare the witch away. The gazing globes as we know them today arrived in America in the late 1800s, first appearing in formal Southern gardens.
Personally, I think homeowners put deer in their front yards to get traffic to slow down. Most people freak out when they see a deer, afraid it might decide to run directly into their car
The basic idea behind Gardening by the Moon is that the
cycles of the Moon affect plant growth. Just as the Moon’s gravitational
pull causes tides to rise and fall, it also affects moisture in the soil.
Therefore, it’s said that seeds will absorb more water
during the full Moon and the new Moon, when more moisture is pulled to the soil
surface. This causes seeds to swell, resulting in greater
germination and better-established plants.
Moon phase gardening considers two periods of the lunar
cycle: the time between the new Moon and the full Moon (the waxing of
the Moon), and the time between the full Moon and the new Moon
(the waning of the Moon). It’s considered best to plant certain types
of plants during the waning of the Moon and other types during the waxing.
To plant by the Moon, follow these guidelines:
Plant your annual flowers and fruit and
vegetables that bear crops above ground (such as corn, tomatoes,
watermelon, and zucchini) during the waxing of the Moon—from the day
the Moon is new to the day it is full. As the moonlight increases night by
night, plants are encouraged to grow leaves and stems.
Plant flowering bulbs, biennial and perennial
flowers, and vegetables that bear crops below ground (such as onions,
carrots, and potatoes) during the waning of the Moon—from the day
after it is full to the day before it is new again. As the moonlight decreases
night by night, plants are encouraged to grow roots, tubers, and bulbs.
Lighting a room seems easy enough: Plug in a lamp, flip a
switch, and voilà! What was once dark is now bright. But certain missteps can
cause a comfy space to feel, well, off. Here some common mistakes to avoid:
Overhead lighting is a go-to option in many spaces, but
it’s often not enough. If you omit task lighting, like floor lamps and table
lamps, reading on your couch or writing at your desk could strain your eyes.
And if you only install can lights in your bedroom, you won’t get the cozy
quality that bedside lamps can provide.
Want to get super fancy? Accent lights that highlight
art, cabinet interiors, or walls (think sconces) can add a luxe design element
to a room.
Think about dimmer switches, they allow you to control
your lighting from day to night, for various events, and depending on your
mood. A quaint dinner party simply isn’t so quaint if your dining room is lit
up like a stadium.
Fixtures add a personal touch to a room however too-small
chandelier over a large dining table or an oversized lamp on a table next to a
sofa will make the area look disproportionate.”
And don’t rely on eyeballing it when you get to the
store. Fixtures often look smaller in lighting showrooms, so bring measurements.
The
distance the lights hang is also important. The bottom of a pendant light
should be 30 to 36 inches above a kitchen island, the bottom of a chandelier
should be 66 inches from the floor in a dining room, and when you’re sitting
next to a table lamp, the bottom of the shade should be at shoulder height. If
the lamp is too tall, you’ll be blinded by the bulb!
No
matter how many lights you place in a room, it just won’t have that light airy
feeling if the walls are too dark. This seems obvious, but even slightly
different hues in the same color family can make a difference. I painted my
kitchen a green tone, and it caused the room to appear very dark. I painted the
living a yellow which brighten the room up without lights.
OK, you do not want to put in new light fixtures, maybe just change the bulbs. Longer-lasting CFL and LED bubs can cost more up front, but can save you money over time. Of course, they won’t be perfect in every space; for instance, they often don’t work with dimmers. Bulbs come in daylight, soft light, and many other types. If you have a farmhouse design, you will want to use decorative bulbs like the Edison bulbs which are popular now.
