All the garden experts recommend adding height to the garden, and to that end I have almost 20 shepards hooks collected through the years tucked in various gardens to draw the eye up.
One glorious year - roundabout 2006 - Walmart had big hanging baskets of ivy geraniums at $4.00 each and I scooped up a dozen or more. I hung these throughout the yard and they garnered unending compliments.
Since then I've yet to see these hanging baskets under $12 each and have been exploring other options. One idea that has worked well is hanging small lanterns on these hooks. At night I put tea candles in these. Recently a garden club was touring my yard around dusk and I had about 10 of these little lighted lanterns as well as some white fairy lights and it created a lovely ambiance.
I also have many birdhouses and have started hanging these here and there and many resident birds have moved into these hanging abodes. All of these birdhouses as well as the lanterns have been picked up at thrift stores, garage sales, and estates sales, and not one cost over $2.00. As they will remain decorative through the winter too, they offer an excellent return on investment.
But I'm keeping my eyes open and pocketbook ready for the return of the greatest geranium sale on earth!
