Years back, I learned about the lesser-known sonambient work of Italian-American designer Harry Bertoia. Bertoia, celebrated for his now-iconic wire mesh seating, created a series of sound sculptures in the 1960s with sonic and kinetic properties. Discovering his sound art led me to reconsider the aural pleasantries of the wind chime. I’ve found that I especially gravitate toward Japanese wind bells, hung at the entrance of the home or from surrounding trees, which are thought to bring good fortune and grant wishes to the inhabitants of the home.
The sense of sound in the garden is often overlooked but shouldn’t be. Here, we’ve profiled our favorite wind chimes to help grant wishes while bringing sound back into the garden.
Above: Designed by Oji Masanori for Nousaku, the Tsubomi Chime is made of solid brass with a thin clapper disk that produces a gentle ringing sound when a breeze passes by. Designed with a trio of cotton pompoms, the chime is designed for indoor spaces and covered outdoor spaces/porches; $110 at Nalata Nalata. Above: The EOS Wind Chime is made of fine stoneware with a white satin glaze and durable cotton rope designed for the outdoors; $24 for a single strand (shown in a group of three) at Stag & Manor. Above: The Owara Kaze No Bon Wind Chime in brass is made in Takaoka City in the Toyama Prefecture of Japan by a company founded in 1609; $75 at Santoku NYC, which has a wide selection of Japanese-made wind chimes. Above: From Wind River Chimes, the Corinthian Bells 44-Inch Wind Chime is a classic western-style chime available in a range of finishes. Visit Wind River Chimes for a sample of the sound; $181 for the 44-inch size. Above: The Porcelain Wind Chime from Pigeon Toe Ceramics in Portland, Oregon, is made from a series of ceramic disks strung together on a deerskin lace cord; $85, available in a range of colors (shown in a natural glaze). Above: The Onion Wind Chime from Nousaku is made of either gold- or silver-finished brass in the shape of an onion; $89 at Jinen.
Who wouldn’t want a rhubarb forcer? Not only do these terracotta cloches encourage tender shoots to grow in early spring, the clay domes also look fabulously sculptural in a garden bed.
If you are the sort of gardener who likes to raise asparagus and chicory as well (and really, who among us does not?), forcing jars will also coax those edibles toward success.
You may wonder after you look at all the lovely rhubarb forcers pictured below why the terracotta jars are a commonplace accessory in England but practically non-existent in the United States. We too are dismayed by the shortage stateside—perhaps local garden suppliers will take note of our 10 favorites. [N.B.: Since this story was first published a decade ago, there’s been progress in the US market, with four stateside retailers now making our updated list!]
The UK’s renaissance in rhubarb forcers can be traced to a chance encounter between the Duke of Edinburgh and potter John Huggins at a recent Chelsea Flower Show, reports the Telegraph. After the Duke “casually asked if he made rhubarb forcers,” Ruardean Garden Pottery designer Huggins became so intrigued that he started buying up vintage forcers to study their shapes and “once he started making them, people just couldn’t get enough.”
Above: A Victorian-style Clay Cloche Rhubarb Forcer handmade on a potter’s wheel has a 38-centimeter base and is £109.99 from Gardens4Less. Above: This English Terracotta Forcer, a collaboration between Gardenheir and the North Cotswolds-based Whichford Pottery, is available in two sizes (19 and 27 inches tall) and are $348 and $598 respectively. Each comes with a 10-year frost-proof guarantee. Above: The Terracotta Rhubarb Forcer is made from Turkish clay and available in two sizes, 50 and 60 centimeters tall; £139.99 and £159.99 at Crocus. (The Royal Horticultural Society also carries them.)
Downlights in a landscape will focus attention exactly where you need it at night, with minimal light pollution from glare and excessive brightness. By pointing toward your feet, downlights make it safer to walk on dark paths without creating skyglow, which obscures the stars overhead and disorients migrating birds.
Are you looking for discreet downlights to mount on an outdoor wall, in a stairwell, or at the edge of a path? Here are 10 stylish sconces that won’t create light pollution.
Above: For our money, this is the most beautiful downlight currently on the market. The clay ORCA x Ceramicah Sconce is $935 and available in two colors (buckwheat and manzanita, pictured) at ORCA Living. Above: Hot dipped in molten zinc during manufacture, St. Ives Mast Light (also featured in the photo at top) is impervious to the effects of weather. Rated for all outdoor uses (including coastal locations), it is £40 at Garden Trading. Above: From Belgium-based Tekna’s Nautic collection, an LED Spreaderlight in sand-casted brass with frosted glass is available in a variety of other finishes as well; from £489.
Design classics aren’t just for interiors. In fact, a crop of notable 20th-century designers made dining and lounge chairs for the outdoors (and/or their designs were later reworked for outdoor use). From the Eameses to Jens Risom to brands including Tolix and Fermob, here are our 12 favorite classic outdoor chair designs. Looking for more […]
After just a week in Maine a few summers ago, I decided that it was my favorite state. The beaches were how I like them: light on people, heavy on dramatic vistas. The weather, too, was my preferred type: temperatures that required at least half of the body (your choice of top or bottom) be covered up. I enjoyed my stay there so much that I did what I usually pride myself on not doing when playing tourist: I left with a souvenir—a doormat woven from reclaimed lobster rope. Every time I step barefoot onto its knotty surface, I am reminded of my trip.
Recently, I noticed that I’m not the only one enamored with nautical rope doormats. They’re popping up in quite a few stores outside of Maine. Here are 10 I like. I am partial to the washed-out, rustic look of the versions made from upcycled lobster rope, but I’ve also included rope doormats that are a bit more refined.
Above: From New England Trading Co.’s Wicked Good line of handwoven Nautical Rope Doormats, this one features a classic tan and black palette; $69.95. Above: From Cape Porpoise Trading Co.’s website: “The rope used to make this doormat was once connecting a Maine lobsterman’s buoy to his lobster trap on the bottom of the ocean floor. This lovely doormat will not only decrease the footprints in your house it will also assist in decreasing your environmental footprint.” The Recycled Lobster Rope Doormat in Machias comes in five sizes; starting from $76 at their Etsy site.
Above: This Fisherman Rope Mat in the colors of Maine’s Bicentennial Flag colors is hand-made in Maine; $60 from Sea Bags.
Above: From Maine Rope Mats, this Double Weave Mat is $59.95 to $164.95, depending on the size, which ranges from small to runner length. Above: “New federal regulations mandate that lobster fisherman can no longer use floating line to connect their traps together, because the northern right whale was becoming entangled in the floating line.” Custom Cordage is saving the rope from ending up in a landfill by weaving them into doormats. The Original Reclaimed Fishing Rope Doormat is $56.99 at Kittery Trading Post. Above: Washashore uses nautical rope that has either been found washed ashore or retired from ocean farming and donated. Their Custom Rope Mats allow you to choose the size and colors; from $50.
When it comes to doormats, there are coco fiber, woven mats and plenty of patterned and multi-color options out there, but what about the more straightforward set? We’ve sifted through the rubble to source 10 of the best modern doormats specifically designed for outdoor wear. For more doormats, see our posts: 10 Easy Pieces: Durable […]
A garden is brought to life by birds, not only with the sound of their singing but the sight of their constant activity, from dawn to dusk. Water, too, is an essential component of a garden with vitality. More than a trickling decoration, it brings in the insects that attract birds; it cleans the birds, and hydrates them. There is really no point in putting out seed without fresh water—which can be as simple as a few bowls (shallow enough for a bird to stand in), on the ground near shrubs, on a wall, on a makeshift pedestal.
People who love birds know that formality is a human, rather than avian interest, and that informal watering holes enhance any space. One of the most memorable aspects of designer Cleve West’s last garden at the Chelsea Flower Show (in 2016) was a trio of large rocks with indents carved into them for holding water. He does the carving himself, and on occasion still makes the kind of bird baths that birds like; there is one for sale now at Lichen Antiques.
Above: Campo de’ Fiori have a range of carved and weathered limestone planters in oval (above), round, square or rectangular shapes, starting at $116.25 for an interior dimension of approximately 4″. If a vessel has straight sides, bees and other insects will find it difficult to get out. Add large stones that emerge above water level or keep the water shallow. Moss is also helpful. Above: A bird will be happy with a wide bowl, or overturned dustbin lid. For more focused beauty in utility, Manufactum sells sensible birdbaths of granite-ceramic (aka Granicum) with an island to hop on to in the centre. €99.90; stainless steel stand also available. Above: The classic concrete bowls and planters that Swiss designer Willy Gruhl designed for Eternit in the 1950s have been used very effectively over the years for water as well as soil (by blocking the drainage holes). This vintage one is $3,200 at 1stdibs.
Above: Water evaporates more quickly from smaller vessels—a good reason to keep them topped up with fresh water instead of letting it stagnate. Made in New Hampshire by Dances with Stone, these hand carved river stones are given bathing-sized indents, with two small stone offcuts supplied to keep each mini pool in place. Available to order via Etsy from $80, and starting at a size of roughly 7-9” in length.
Above: Corten Steel curved water bowls by the Pot Company range between two- to over six-feet in diameter. Starting off as a blue steel, it naturally weathers, developing a coat of rust that prevents further erosion. The Pot Company is trade only (and comes recommended by designer Sheila Jack) but they retail at various online outlets including Harrod Horticultural, where prices start from £159.
