Most home gardens do a little adapting and see a metamorphosis of sorts over the years. Look through the eyes of your imagination and see different purposes for different areas of the exterior of your home. Some of those garden areas may be working for the ideas you have developed but perhaps they will evolve into a whole new area that you will like even more. Garden statues may highlight areas where there were none before. Or garden statues may appear as focal points in new spots. When you let your needs and your imagination work together what you come up with will amaze you. You will be surprised how adaptable your garden will become.

• An area that I initially wanted to use as a quiet reading area tucked under a lovely tree that protected several garden statues, on the side of the house actually became an outdoor fire pit area, where we can sit and visit in the evening watching the fire.
• My current reading area was initially designed to be a wedding platform for my oldest son and his wife who chose to marry under the huge canopy of an elm tree with angel garden statues watching over them. But it now has a wicker chair, a table for a drink and the phone and best of all a hammock to curl up in and read, then take a Sunday afternoon nap (don't forget to turn off the phone before you nap). Wedding wind chimes still play melodies in the breezes as I read.
• The front of our home used to have a large fanned out "tulip tree" that gave us large, beautiful purple-pink blossoms every spring as one of the first colors after the winter rains and where we always hung hummingbird feeders. But over the years it became diseased and we had to remove it. Now we have a wonderful deck level with the front gardens, made of flagstone, a material we have used in several other flat areas around our home. It serves as a welcoming area for guests as well as a place to sit and enjoy our neighborhood. Garden statues greet visitors with a welcome and a blessing.
• What was once a combined garden of ever blooming white iceberg roses and daisies that enjoyed the full afternoon sun has now become shaded by our neighbors large magnolias. So, I have transformed it into an outdoor dining area under an arbor of wisteria with a water fountain that has garden statues in the center that the water gurgles over for our dinner guests to enjoy.

Depending on your families needs this might be the year to spend a little time and money on your own home turf. Reevaluate the uses of your outdoor spaces and see what becomes of them as you take a fresh approach. You may find that you will create a haven where you and your friends and neighbors might spend a little more time in together. Add wind chimes and angel garden statues to sing to you and bless your work and play.

About the Author: My name is Michle Lallatin and I'm the proud mom of 7 children. Now I am a happy grandma. I love to garden and enjoy the results of the peace and quiet it offers. Life at my house was never boring and we always had plenty to keep us busy. One of the things I worked on, along with raising my children, was my yard. I created beautiful gardens of many varieties and have ended up with several outdoor room spaces. My gardens have angel garden statues, water fountains and windchimes You will find formal areas and old-fashioned garden areas. Everyone loves my garden and I hope you will love the insights I have to share with you. You can read more personal stories of how my gardens came to be at garden decor. See you in my next article.