Frog-shaped flower pots and stylised stepping stones two of the many things that can transform your garden When it comes to flaunting their gardens,people do it in style, says Geeta,a landscape artist,as she points out her collection of garden accessories stone pots shaped like frogs and flowers,abstract art pieces and sculpted mushrooms and balls. People want their lawns to look off-beat, she adds. Gone are the days when creativity in the garden meant pottering around with saplings and flowering shrubs. Now,the basic mud pots,too,have given way to designer ones. Beautifying a garden has come down to a single term,borrowed from the world of fashion accessorise. People prefer pots which stand apart in design or colour, says Rajesh Sharma,a potter. He is doing brisk business at present,as this is the time people start preparing their lawns for the winter. Seema Batish Sharma,a landscape artist for companies like Infosys,Bharti Airtel and Parsvnath among others,agrees that its time to get creative with green. Her own work reflects several themesfusion for DLF,Mediterranean for Parsvnath and contemporary for Bharti. Sharma adds that shes experimented with funky tracks,miniature sub gardens and water features among others. The aim of landscaping is to ensure that structures look as if they are emerging naturally from the greenery, says Sharma. Advocating waterfalls,fountains and pools,she says its essential that water features are sustained by rainwater harvesting. Five to 25 per cent of the overall building cost is spent on landscaping, she says. With tracks and pass-ways dotting most lawns,stepping stones in brick and tile are also finding many takers,feels homemaker Priya Manchanda,who adds that the trend is veering towards high-end material like custom brick,natural stone and blue stone. A little detail can transform ordinary gardens, says Manchanda,who has also installed a deck and grill space in hers. To enjoy a garden after sunset,one must install low voltage lighting, chips in Anuj Sharma,a final year student at DAV College,who says that a good landscape design allows for one perennial to bloom as another fades.
