Washing Machines and Art Collide in a Santa Barbara Garden

“ Honey , I ’m so proud of you turning off the tube and have a sculpture class at the community college . And I ’m sure there ’s a unadulterated spot near the hosepipe bibb where that thing be very happy . ”

alas , that ’s how a lot of “ art ” winds up in the garden , along with the accumulation of stuff you just could n’t pass up at the swap meet . Some people have a knack for “ eclectic ” , but for the balance of us , there ’s another way to personalise your garden .

Take the access my client John and Constance Thayer used , for example . Their novel garden was something they ’d been wait year to design and construct . When it came time to put the finishing touches on the garden , Jonstance ( that ’s how they sign their e - mail service ; I cogitate it ’s cute . ) took their sentence and hear the grandness of marrying the idealistic pieces with each garden elbow room .

If you were the Thayer ’s letter carrier , you ’d know mightily away that these folks know how to have merriment .

The mailbox ( above right ) is a commission work from sculptor Rick Hartner , who the Thayers discovered after falling in love with one of his fount at the now - defunct Nofufi Garden Gallery , in Encinita , CA .

Added bonus : The Thayers are combat-ready bird watcher . Moving piddle and the small-scale kitty at the base attract thirsty visitors like an avian hand truck stop .

“ The confluent we saw in stores were just so much commercial rubble , ” tell John . “ We require something that would fit with the garden we were envisioning . ” work from John ’s sketch , Hartner fashioned a botanically unacceptable hybrid between aFantasiamushroom and a tree from a child ’s book . you’re able to see the result in the photograph below .

The icing on the bar – more accurately , the glazing on the tiles – is thebamboo motif tilesmimicking a massive nearby stand of quality bamboo ( Bambusa oldhamii)(detail photograph , below ) . The universe is n’t just healthy ; it ’s smart as a whip times infinity .

After waiting geezerhood to create their very personal and classifiable landscape painting , John and Constance Thayer ’s affected role and selective approach rewarded them with a garden that reflects their personal style .

“ We love everything about this garden , but it ’s the art that add us so much joyousness , ” says Constance . “ We ’re sometimes tempt to play home yet another impulse bargain , but we know that you could have too much of a good thing . ”

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