Special Thanks
Pack up a picnic basket of decorative goodies sure to spread sunny-day charm throughout your home and garden.
Susan & Spencer Burris, Rosalie & Gregory Cetina, Colleen & KC Charlton, Jane & Steve Evans, Ashley & Jeremy Knapschafer, Katie & Kent McIntire, Carley & Alex Rediger, and Nancy Woodrow.
Colors of the Wind
Whether set in motion by a summertime breeze or standing still, a multihued windmill garden stake can punctuate your green space or be planted amid the blooms in a garden bed. You might also include it in a large, deep container planting, such as a repurposed whiskey barrel.
Slice as Nice
Bring a refreshing taste of the season to a porch wall with this rustic wooden sign featuring a favorite fruit. Place it within a larger frame to expand its footprint, or prop it on a table and surround it with similar folk-art motifs or a gathering of stick flags arranged in a pewter mug.
Canned Goodness
Mason jars are a summer decorating staple. Inspired by their shape, these tin-clad tabletop signs lend a sentimental touch to a movable vignette, tucked amid vivid florals on a rough-hewn wood tray. Consider grouping the small signs with their flower-filled glass counterparts in an array of sizes and colors.
Case History
Stack up a trio of decorative boxes that resemble vintage travel cases with an Americana design. Employ one or more of the boxes in various formations to elevate elements in a display and provide hidden storage for smaller goods, or open up a single box to host a potted plant.
Flowers in Motion
Wheelbarrows or garden carts are typically used as outdoor workhorses, but this galvanized example is purely decorative. The fully mobile planter can be moved from porch to yard to showcase seasonal fare, from a riot of summer annuals to mums and gourds in autumn.
Jaunty Jalopy
This old-fashioned metal pickup-truck planter is the perfect vehicle for highlighting a group of colorful collectibles, such as these croquet balls piled high in its wooden bed. Park it atop a box or breadboard as a bright focal point on a dining or accent table.
Grate Caddy
Designed to resemble a fused-together assembly of upended graters, this three-compartment caddy can contain napkins and utensils at a summer picnic or be fitted with small vases full of cut flowers to create a stunning centerpiece. H