One
mans (or woman's) junk is another's garden feature. Some things have a place in
the garden and some just don't. I mean specifically here items that come under the
headings of "hard landscaping" or "features". Rather than getting into discussing
whether or not the likes of variegated ground elder or weeping willows should be
allowed to cross the threshold of the average garden.
I think that my own approach to gardening is rooted in childhood.
I see the garden as a place to be and play. Not so much of an outdoor room as an
outdoor house without a roof. There are public and semi-public areas like the living
room, dining room, kitchen, more private parts such as the bedroom and study, and
I even pee on the compost heap when no-ones looking. As such I think I have fairly
catholic tastes as to what is permissible and what isn't.
My favourite feature at the moment consists of three lengths of
spiral copper tubing with fine fins all down it that I salvaged from a hot water
boiler heat exchanger some time ago. It's latest job is to provide support in a
container that is planted with sweet peas.
Unacceptable Junk
There are some things though that shouldn't even
be allowed in the open air, let alone in the garden in a decorative capacity.
A brand new
entry straight in at number 1. I only saw an advert for this a little while
ago, but it has to be first on this list.
uPVC Decking Boards. I kid ye not. Decking boards made
from the same white plastic used for window frames and doors.
| Is it disguised? |
No |
| Does it look like wood?
|
No |
| Does it look like white plastic?
|
Yes |
| Does a whole deck look like a large expanse
of white plastic? |
Yes |
I predict a rapid demise.
Mirrors.
Mirrors in the garden always strike me as being something that was
put out for the bin men but not taken away yet because it's not Monday.
Brand
new industrial girders. Whatever color they're painted. They just look like
an unfinished building in progress where the ugly parts haven't been hidden yet.
Anything
made from old car tyres. Especially if turned inside out, painted
white
and planted with bedding. The exception of course is if it used for a childrens
play area.
Glass blocks
built into walls. What is the point? Ugly when new and destined to look tatty
and sad when old and dirty.
