Here are some tips from gardening expert and writer Shirley Remes:

• Size: Make sure your garden matches the scale of your house. Check to see that it fits.

• Style: Think of decorations in terms of the relationship of size; sometimes bigger is better. You don’t want to have a Victorian urn sitting on the step of a contemporary house.

• Substance: Choose the material according to the style of the home and garden. For instance, if the home’s style is southwestern, consider decorating with terra cotta pots or ornaments. If it is Victorian, choose a material such as glazed ceramic.

• Color: Choose color based on personality. If you want to blend in, choose muted colors, such as lavender or pastel pink. If you want to be bold and stand out, choose bright yellows, golds or reds.

• Repetition: Find patterns of repetition that work in your decorating. Most of the time, groupings of three work well. If you want to put figurines in your lawn, use several. For example, having five or more giraffes conveys a herd running across the yard, a much more interesting visual than one sitting by itself.

In person

Remes is working on a book about decorating gardens, which she aspires to have published. In the meantime, people who enjoy gardening can see her in person at one of her presentations.

“No More Pink Flamingoes: How to Decorate Your Garden with Style,” will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Plum Grove Garden Club in Palatine.

Call (847) 358-1407 for more information on the event.

source : www.suburbanchicagonews.com