If you’re a homeowner with a yard, you probably have a garden hose lying coiled somewhere in the yard like a snake waiting to attack. May I suggest a garden hose holder or hose pot?

If you’re like me, you either have tried or inherited various garden hose storage methods. My house came with two very unattractive garden hose holders screwed to the front and back of the house. I mean it when I say they were hideous. It might not have been so bad if some attempt had been made to hide them behind the plants or bushes around the house. But, no, they stood out proudly above everything around them. Okay, I’ll admit they bothered me enough to remove them and let my garden hose coil on the ground. Sadly, that was an improvement! 

In the past I’ve also tried those wheeled contraptions that let you unwind and wind up the hose like you’re reeling in a fish. My fun was short-lived, however, because the hose kept getting tangled up somehow. I stopped using it once I realized I was spending more time “managing” the hose than using it.

Today, my two favorite storage methods are the garden hose holder that attaches to my home and the garden hose pot that I can leave in a convenient place. You might think I would have avoided the attached garden hose holder after my previous horror story. However, my horror was directed toward the appearance of the ones that came with my house, not the general idea. Since most outdoor water faucets are connected to your house, it makes sense to have your garden hose close by. You have to admit that an attractive garden hose holder, like the Victorian-themed one pictured, makes a world of difference! There are many styles available today and you can choose hose holders that best fit with your home and garden decor theme.

The garden hose pot sits on the ground, so you can easily place it near a bush that can partially hide it if you prefer. However, if you choose one that goes well with your garden decor there is little need to hide it. There are many garden hose pots available, but be sure to choose one that fits your needs as well as your garden decor. A garden hose pot should have a sturdy center post to keep the hose properly coiled and a large enough hole at the base to run the hose through for easy attachment to the faucet. This allows you to place the hose pot farther away from the faucet and closer to the area where you will use it. Don’t forget that the run of hose from the hose pot to the faucet will be visible unless you can hide it with surrounding plants.

The brass hose pot pictured has a verdigris finish to match any aging copper accents you may have. The most important feature of this particular hose pot is that it holds up to 150 feet of garden hose. Make sure that any garden hose pot you are considering can easily hold the full length of your garden hose. An overfilled hose pot is not going to be adding to your curb appeal or your convenience when trying to store your garden hose.

Weathervanes are available in several sizes and choosing the correct size can enhance the weathervane’s impact on your outdoor decorating theme.

If you have only seen a weathervane on someone’s roof, you are in for a surprise. Weathervanes are now providing decorative accents for the tabletop, mantel, and shelves. Garden weathervanes are also providing an attractive touch to yards and gardens. And, yes, rooftops are still a very popular location for large weathervanes.

You have two choices to make when selecting a weathervane. I think choosing the weathervane’s location is the first choice. Once you know where you might like to put a weathervane, you can then look at the designs available for that location (tabletop, mounted on a stake in the yard, or roof mount).

Are you looking a decorative accent to add to your indoor home decor? Review tabletop weathervanes that come with a base and stand or the larger ornament from a cottage weathervane (also called garden weathervanes). Just so you know, “ornament” is the term used for the weathervane’s main figure. Although the garden weathervane’s ornament would be too large to mount on the standard tabletop weathervane base, you could mount the ornament as wall decor.

Do you want to add a decorative weathervane to your yard or garden? Cottage or garden weathervanes, and even some full-size weathervanes, are mounted on a pole for this purpose and usually end up 5-8 feet tall overall. This height allows the garden weathervane to be easily visible in your garden or yard. The garden weathervane’s popularity has grown over the years, resulting in numerous unique and interesting designs. Although this is my personal favorite size, I must warn you that the garden weathervane will not be an effective wind tool. Most of our homes today are surrounded by numerous fences, bushes, and trees that will dramatically reduce a garden weathervane’s ability to point out the wind’s direction.

Rooftop weathervanes have been the most popular style over the years and rooftops are the traditional location for weathervanes. Rooftop weathervanes usually range in height from 30″ to 5 feet. Since you may not want your house to look like a huge alien rooster just landed on it, be sure to choose an appropriately proportioned height for your roof.

As a general rule, cottage/garden weathervanes (ornaments of 8″ to 15″) are great for pole mounting in your yard or mounting on the roof of a small garage, gazebo, or shed. The full-size weathervane (ornaments of 12″ to 20″) can work in the garden if it’s toward the smaller size or on the roof of a garage, a house with a long roof line like a ranch-style home, or a slightly bigger structure. The really large weathervanes (ornaments 20″ and up) create the biggest impact on commercial buildings, barns, or larger homes. Keep in mind that the ornament heights discussed do not include the extra inches of directionals (the north, east, south, west piece) and spacer balls that are part of many weathervanes.

Choosing a weathervane size that fits your purpose will result in an attractive addition to your outdoor decor. Remember that you want your weathervane large enough to be noticed, but not so large that the weathervane overpowers everything around (or under) it.

Are you making mistakes when choosing the birdhousesfor your yard? Are the birdhouses you’ve selected for you or for the birds? There are major differences in birdhouses and I’ll keep it simple by saying there are two main categories: decorative birdhouses and nesting box birdhouses.

Decorative birdhouses are my personal favorite because I can pick designs that work well with my outdoor decor theme or designs that are just fun to see in my yard. I have a lot of fun choosing an eclectic variety of designs but other people will want to follow a specific theme. You can also pick a variety of locations for decorative birdhouses: on a pole, hanging from a tree, or attached to a fence. It is important you choose decorative birdhouses that you love because you’re buying them for you, not the birds. This is definitely not a bad thing, it’s just something you need to remember. A decorative birdhouse is not your best choice if you really want to have birds nesting in your yard.

It doesn’t matter if the decorative birdhouse is beautifully painted or wildly embellished, these decorations are rarely attractive to the birds. Most decorative birdhouses have a post or perch that is much more decorative than useful. In fact, that post or perch usually just helps the predators get into the birdhouse. Another negative is the opening. Most decorative birdhouses have a relatively small hole as the "doorway." This would allow smaller birds to enter, but most of these holes are too small for the medium-sized bird. Decorative birdhouses are also not built to be opened for cleaning each season.

Nesting box birdhouses are used for the sole purpose of providing birds with a home for their nest. These birdhouses are not particularly decorative because they are built to please the birds. They are usually made of plain wood, have ventilation holes, do not have a perch or post in front, and have a wall that opens on a hinge for ease of cleaning each season. Placement of nesting boxes is important. You want to keep them safe from predators and in a place where you won’t mind the mess the birds will leave below the birdhouse. In addition, you will want to research any specific requirements of the type of birds in your area.

If you are interested in expanding the bird population in your neighborhood, look for nesting boxes or have trees where birds may nest. If you want to add a decorative accent to your yard and a smile to your face, check out my personal favorite, the decorative birdhouse. 

In case you don’t know anything about rain chains, let me introduce you. A rain chain is usually installed on a choice corner of your house as a decorative (and useful) replacement for your gutter downspout. The rain chain connects to your gutter at any corner. Rain chains and rain cup chains are basically the same thing. Rain cups are the cup-like decorations down the chain, such as flowers or teacups.

If you’re thinking a rain chain is a chunk of chain you find at a hardware store, you’d be very wrong. Rain chains are typically made from pure copper so they start out attractive and the verdigris patina that copper attains over the years keeps it attractive. In addition, copper needs no maintenance so you can enjoy your rain chain without effort!

Imagine how soothing it is to hear the rain chain’s tinkling sounds (similar to a water fountain) each time it rains. Rain chains allow the water to flow down them and then disperse the water over a wider ground area. No more water gushing through the gutter downspout!

Not only do rain chains add an upscale feature to your home, they become part of your decorating theme. At the base of your rain chain, you can decide whether to let the water run into a water fountain, a large flower planter that likes water, or you can design a feature that will encourage the water to flow into another part of your yard. Rain chains are available in a variety of link designs and decorative rain cup designs so it’s easy to match your outdoor decor.

The secret of rain chains is that they are an amazing combination of gutter downspout, garden sculpture, and water feature. You must experience the wonder and beauty of this particular decorating addition to your home.