“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.”
~Victor Hugo

Dear [NAME],

Warm, Sunny Days are Coming! Plan and Order Now for Spring Projects:

The harsh, blustery winds and biting cold of January may have settled upon us but, rest assured, the warmer, brighter days of Spring will arrive in due time. Believe it or not, as of January 15th, we've gained an additional twenty minutes of daylight when compared to the shortest day of the year, December 21st, which was only a few weeks ago! By January 31st, we will have gained almost an hour (fifty minutes) of daylight when compared to December 21st. Spring really is only a handful of weeks away. Will you be ready?

Right now it may be too cold to venture outside for more than a few minutes but this is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for next season's garden. Use this 'down time' to your advantage and assess your current landscape. This is the best time of the year to re-evaluate your designs--the almost monochromatic palette of the landscape allows you to really see the underlying structure. As the late Andrew Wyeth once said, "I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it... Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show." Why not get out your camera and take some photos of your garden now that it's pared down to its bare essence? You may see opportunity for a new design in those sepia-toned images.

Stop into our showroom, relax with a mug of coffee or cocoa in our library and let your imagination run free while browsing our huge collection of catalogs and reference materials. Thinking of taking your landscape in a new direction this year? Plan a visit to Garden Accents with your landscape architect or designer now while free time for both of you is a bit more liberal.

Browse through our thousands of in-stock items, and peruse our countless vendor catalogs for even more choices. If you're planning on using multiples of items to carry a theme in the garden, it's important to make your selections early so that vendors have a better chance of pulling stock from inventory whose finishes and colors are similar for your order--especially important with handmade pieces where color can vary greatly from production run to production run. Your special orders combined with our spring orders can reduce your shipping costs; we start compiling our spring 'wish list' a few weeks after the holidays and place our orders in time for March or April delivery whenever possible.

If you have a specific area of your landscape that you'd like to reinvent, it’s always really helpful to bring photos and measurements when you visit so we can guide you towards appropriately-sized selections. Remember, we also offer on-site consultations if you’re overwhelmed by the many choices available, or sometimes it's nice just to have an unbiased, objective opinion to get a fresh perspective on an area that's become stale or dated.

Bundle up and come visit us soon.

HSP Garden Buildings, Spring Orders and Installations:

While we're on the subject of spring orders and wish lists, will this be the year that you treat yourself to the backyard oasis with impeccable style--an HSP Garden Building?  There's still some time to place your order in time for spring installation.  Order/deposit deadline for 2010 Spring installations of HSP Garden Buildings is January 22nd, 2010.  Orders and deposits received by this date will be slated for March/April installation.  Deposits received after January 22nd will be installed on the next Spring/Early Summer 2010 visit by the manufacturers from the UK (we're not sure of the exact date at this time but will keep you posted).

If you prefer almost-instant gratification, we have a beautiful Lavenham summerhouse on display here in our garden that is now on sale!  Please call or stop in for pricing and installation details.  An HSP Garden Building will add unmatched charm and value to your home, truly a sound investment.

New Year, New Use--Repurposed Items in the Garden:

Re-pur-pose:  def.  to give new purpose or use to an object or idea. 

Are you sparked with creative ideas when you see items in an antique store?  Using a 'repurposed' element or two in the garden can add a touch of whimsy and fun to an otherwise standard garden all the while doing your part to recycle and reuse.  When we're scouting estate sales for unusual pieces to add to our inventory, we're always on the lookout for interesting textures, materials and great shapes.  Some of the pieces we bring home may have never spent any time in the garden in their former life, but with a little imagination they can begin a whole new career as a focal point in the landscape.

Durable materials that will withstand the weather like iron, stone and concrete are always desirable.  This cast iron hog trough spent the better part of the last century on a farm serving up dinner to a hungry litter of piglets.  Filled with cascading blooms, look how beautifully it complements the slate porch on this old Pennsylvania farmhouse. 

This beautiful iron gate has been reclaimed and would create an extremely decorative and unique trellis.   We have such a great collection of artifacts in our gardens and showroom--we'd love to help you find that special piece.  There are beautiful balustrade fragments that would look great tucked among greenery giving the 'romantic ruin' effect.  See some fantastic cast stone hose guides which have a really great nubby texture and a classic shape.  One of our very creative customers used these as fence finials for her garden project last year!   Browse a nice collection of vintage English terra cotta chimney pots--they not only make great planters but can serve as sturdy, unexpected table bases.  Let your imagination run wild and have some fun! 

Classic Seating for the Garden:

There are so many beautiful bench designs available today, but two classic styles still look fresh more than a century or two later.  Both are instantly recognizable and both bear the last name of their famous fathers.  The intricately-latticed Chippendale style bench (Thomas Chippendale) and the timeless and elegant Lutyens bench (Sir Edwin Lutyens) remain two of the most revered designs in history. 

By the middle of the 18th century, Thomas Chippendale had established himself as one of London's preeminent furniture makers.  In 1754 he published the first of three editions of his Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director, a catalogue of English furniture design.  These books helped launch Chippendale's reputation as one of the world’s best-known furniture makers ever.  Thanks to his instantly distinguishable style, the name Chippendale became synonymous with well-made English furniture of the 18th century, and his designs held wide appeal.  The Chippendale style reflected many elements of the Rococo, Chinese, Gothic and, later, the Neoclassical styles.  This classic style adapted nicely to garden furniture and planters, and the distinctive woven designs provided visual interest and clean, sharp, architectural lines.

A bit later in history, renowned British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens began his practice in 1888, his first commission being a private house at Crooksbury, Farnham, Surrey.  It was during this work that he began his famous collaboration with consummate garden designer and horticulturalist Gertrude Jekyll.  At the turn of the century, he continued to work very closely with Gertrude Jekyll to create some of the world's most beautiful homes and gardens.  His gifted architectural ability and her creativity in the horticultural field led to the historically significant design we now know as the Lutyens bench, a bench design of historic proportions that can still hold its own in any setting.

Whether executed in wood, iron or cast aluminum, a Chippendale or Lutyens bench conveys a quiet elegance that always looks right.  There are many variations on the theme, but like the little black dress, you can never go wrong with one of these benches.  If you're interested in purchasing an heirloom-quality icon of style, please contact us and we'd be happy to help you find just the right material and size to suit your garden.  

Winter Checklist:

On the next sunny day, take a walk around your landscape and make sure that everything is surviving the harsh weather without incident.  Make sure that any empty pots that have been left outside are elevated off the ground and that their drainage holes are free of debris to ensure that they can drain properly.  Check statues to make sure they're secure on their bases; when the ground freezes and thaws, it can wreak havoc on unstable pieces, causing them to topple over.  If you've covered anything for the winter, check to see that the covers are still in good shape and that they're securely fastened.  Please click here for more tips on winterizing your landscape. 

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT – Ann Armstrong:

This month's featured artist, Ann Armstrong, was born in New York but calls the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania home.  After graduating from the renowned Rhode Island School of Design, Ann studied painting with Warren Krebs of the Westtown School  and D. Curtis of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Ann is an extremely gifted painter and sculptor whose love of nature as well as her appreciation of history and architecture are well-nurtured.  Ann and her husband Joe live in an old Pennsylvania stone farmhouse where she also has her studio.  Ann serves on the East Bradford Township Historical Architectural Review Board as well as the Historical Commission, helping to ensure the preservation of the many beautiful historic structures and landmarks in her hometown.  Ann and her husband Joe have two daughters and four grandchildren, and they enjoy traveling, sailing, playing tennis and hiking the Adirondacks.  She finds inspiration on her morning walks across the grounds of the farm with her two Labrador Retrievers as her trusty companions.  Foxes, rabbits, squirrels and frogs encountered on these walks have been captured in clay and immortalized in bronze by Ann.  She's able to capture the essence of these beautiful creatures while adding her own distinctive flair.   This gorgeous bronze fox is one of our favorite pieces and was featured at the Philadelphia Flower Show in 1993.  An iconic classic, it is elegant in form with a stylized effect that's absolutely stunning.  We're proud to have several of Ann's bronze pieces including this whimsical rabbit and a wonderful lily pad fountain that would add the perfect touch to a small garden pool.  For more information on Ann's work, please give us a call or visit our showroom. 

 “TREAT EACH DAY
LIKE A FRIEND –
enjoy it and strive
to do much with it,
so that it will leave you,
as friends do,
with a worthwhile
memory.”
- Unknown

 From all of us at Garden Accents, our best wishes to our many loyal customers and friends for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010.