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 ost of the year gardeners are so obsessed with soil, starts and seeds that they rarely think beyond the practical paraphernalia of garden-making. The short, dark days of winter provide the perfect opportunity to consider ideas for decorating the out-of-doors. In pursuit of tempting possibilities, and with the holidays fast approaching, I visited a well-established neighborhood shop, a new store that blurs the line between inside and out with trendy accessories for both, and a shop so successful that it has been transplanted to more spacious digs in the South End.
Herban Pottery, 3220 First Ave. S., Seattle, 206-621-8601.
Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Weatherproof ceramic sun people brighten the garden during winter months and stand ready to accent bulbs and perennials next spring.
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After four years of business in Wallingford, Alison and Dan Bockus moved six blocks south of Safeco Field to 6,000 feet of high-ceilinged space. If you don't immediately notice the barn-red storefront trimmed in green, your eye will be caught by the sidewalk display of mossy roosters and wine-colored pots. Inside, wrought-iron arches lead between rooms devoted to products from England, Asia, Italy, North Africa and Mexico. The selection is amazing; the Bockuses buy pottery from 40 countries and objects from 30 artists and 250 suppliers.
California artist Hazel Olsen has sent some sunshine our way with her cheerful ceramic creatures fired and glazed to withstand the rain, in bright shades of gold, orange and sea blue. Embedded with shells and shards of driftwood, the sun people range from a pair at 8 inches high ($38) to a 2-foot-high bright orange statue (perhaps a winter stand-in for crocosmia?) for $210. For creatures crafted of a more familiar material, take a look at the pigs, cats, frogs and rabbits ($32-$138) made of dried moss that retains its soft green shade, indoors or out, all year round.
A high-fired glaze brings out the brilliant colors of Talavera Mexican pottery, from serving dishes to giant cache pots, patterned with parrots, lemons, leaves and flowers, all the work of two families in Northern Mexico ($8-$300). Designed to stick into the ground, huge "fantasy flowers" are made of iron in the shapes of tulips, daisies or coneflowers ($92-$210). If someone on your list prefers the weird to the pretty, pick up a Bird Gargler ($86). Made by Colorado ceramicist Douglas Fey, these heads of fish, rodents, trolls and warthogs hang on a wall or sit upon a post, providing housing for birds in their open mouths.
Adorn, 7020 Woodlawn Ave. N.E., Seattle, 206-985-4323.
Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.- 7 p.m., Saturday, Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mondays.
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Moroccan tile tables in squares, rounds or nesting shapes, are featured at Adorn, a new shop near Green Lake.
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Opened last May, Adorn is a couple of blocks east of Green Lake, with a flashy baby-pink sign and facade of periwinkle blue. This is the place to find the Moroccan look showcased in several recent Flower and Garden Show gardens, plus a wide array of furniture and accessories from India and Indonesia, to use inside or out.
Rusty tin lanterns fitted with colored glass ($46) and bowl-shaped metal planters topped and footed with curlicues ($36-$54) could be hung from arbor or tree branch to lend an air of the Arabian Nights. The exotica continues with red, blue or green Moroccan tile tables in large rounds or smaller nesting shapes and fitted with iron legs ($88-$850). Looking for something more classic? Whitewashed mahogany columns, from 20 inches to 5 feet high, can be sprayed with Varathane and topped with candles to light up the garden on summer nights ($25-$88). Glazed and tinted concrete lions, resting their shaggy heads on fat paws, are perfect for holding a door open or creating the look of the New York Public Library on the front steps ($44.50).
The Wallingford Garden Spot,
in Wallingford Center, 1815 N. 45th St., Seattle, 206-547-5137. Weekdays 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
This little shop, lavishly hung with baskets, birdhouses and wind chimes, carries objects of ancient and classic design, as well as basic supplies to meet the needs of gardeners in the neighborhood. In spring and summer, the patio brims with organic herbs, vegetables and flowering plants. Inside, there's an emphasis on spirituality from various ages and cultures, with Tiki heads, statues of St. Francis and an assortment of Buddhas. Rusty metal stepping stones come in the shape of paw prints and sunflowers, or can be arranged to spell out a message of happiness and longevity in Chinese characters ($10.98-$16.50).
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Iron and glass clandlesticks at the Wallingord Garden Spot hold votives that light up sun and moon faces.
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Linger at the make-your-own fountain bar, where you can assemble all the various components of bowls, drilled stones, pumps and seashells. Or pick one of the many ready-made fountains, such as a copper faucet dripping water onto a beaming frog perched on a bed of black Japanese stones ($110). Tiny gossamer butterflies or dragonflies made of feathers ($1.89-$2.59) are perfect for garnishing packages or houseplants.
Fresh flowers are always the most welcome of gifts, and The Garden Spot carries plenty of fresh and unusual garden flowers. You can order an arrangement or make your own bouquet right in the shop, choosing from a lovely assortment of ribbons and vases to finish it off.
Now In Bloom: The peeling, curling, cinnamon-colored skin of paperbark maple (Acer griseum) shows most clearly after the leaves fall. From China, it grows slowly to 30 feet and is ornamental year-round, with green leaves, a graceful shape and outstanding bark texture.
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