Spring blossoms

Product Spotlight

Lindsey Strader -- Casual Living, 5/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

With spring in full bloom, gardening moves up a few notches on the priority list. From garden-inspired tabletop to rain gauges and birdfeeders, here is a fresh look at some of the newest products heating up the outdoors.

	Displaying a shiny silver finish, the Pierced Fish Lantern from Willow Green adds a touch of sea flair to any garden setting.
Brightly colored hydrangeas, tulips, black-eyed susans and pink camellias bloom on the Flowertime Collection espresso cup and saucer set from Lynns Concepts.
	Abstract in design, the Persuasion copper wall sculpture from Artisan House is hand crafted and hand-finished.
A dainty bird perches atop a leafy branch that winds around the Isabella’s Journey Veranda Collection rain gauge from Manual Woodworkers & Weavers.
	Colorfully hand-painted, Regal Art & Gift’s Snail rain gauge delightfully combines whimsy with function. The design is available in five other styles including: Butterfly, Dragonfly, Bluebird, Hummingbird and Ladybug.
CBK’s Garden Bench spotlights a butterfly back, basket-weave seat and a vibrant red powder-coated finish.
	From Woodstock Chimes, the Celtic Chime features natural finished ash wood, silver aluminum tubes and a genuine agate wind catcher with a gold Celtic knot emblem.
Inspired by the lattice-back and fretwork benches of Colonial Williamsburg, the Hennell bench is introduced from Achla Designs. The graceful fretwork pattern also is reminiscent of the pierced design of a set of four neoclassic-styled salt dishes in the silver collection of Colonial Williamsburg.
	Floral antiques and the gardens at Colonial Williamsburg provided ample inspiration for the Williamsburg Tulip Planter from Andrea by Sadek along with other garden products incorporating spring greens and summer florals.
Woodstream’s Garden Song brand introduces a new line of Top-Fill Hummingbird feeders. The new push-pull function delivers a simple direction for opening and closing the feeder, while the innovative top-fill system addresses concerns about filling and cleaning the feeder. The feeder is offered in three styles: Primrose, Magnolia and Aster.
	The Ultimate Shears from Kuhn Rikon showcase a serrated lower blade and green handle. The shears come with a matching protective sheath for safe storage and transport.
Complement the work Mom does in the garden with this 11” x 10” garden stone by Kay Berry.
	The square Iron Geopiary from Marta Mikey is finished in antique brass. Rectangle and oval shapes are also available in weathered copper or silver.
Vivid blossoms adorn Victorian Trading Co.’s Chintz planter, made of terra cotta.
	Providing a no-slip grip in the garden, Hearthware Home Products’ Foot Claw features five hardened steel grips attached to a rubber shoe frame that can be stretched over the sole of any shoe or boot. Available in four sizes, the shoe accessory gives the user firm footing in the mud, on uneven ground or wet grass.
Homeowners and contractors can enjoy the outdoor ambience of waterfalls without the mess through lightweight, pre-plumbed water gardens from Replications Unlimited. Simple to install, four standard stocked colors and custom options are available.
	Made of hand-cast stone material, Tidings of Joy Nativity is the latest wall plaque from George Carruth, founder of Carruth Studio.
The EasyBloom Plant Sensor, an Internet-enabled gardening device from PlantSense, takes the guesswork out of plant locations and diagnoses ailing plants to allow anyone to enjoy a garden – from a single potted plant to a backyard full of blooms.
	From Haddonstone, the Italian Quadrant Planter provides versatile compartments to suit any space. One section of the planter can fill a corner; two sections can be placed side by side to create a wall trough; three (as shown) can wrap around a corner while four create an ideal containment for invasive plants or herbs.