CARMEL’S COTTAGE GARDENS- Know When To Say When.
Step 6.
At this point, most gardeners find all sorts of wonderful ,whimsical touches to make their garden unique.
We add ornaments such as an old ironwork screen
A mirror “window”
Small home for the garden fairies
Toad House
Butterfly House
Whimsical frogs
Unusual planters like this bench and
Bicycle Basket.
And my favorite
Watering cans with character.
My latest ornament is a “thank you” from some guests who stay in our cottage. A loving “helping hand”
By definition, an ornament is extra. Its only function is to enhance the garden’s beauty, and most gardens are too small and crowded to be improved by more than two or three items like statues, gazing balls and rusted tractor seats.
So when you thrill to the way that one gazing ball looks tucked into the foliage
Source : Pinterest Repinned from lura cook
You may find yourself looking for more great gazing balls 
Pinterest pottedstore.com
One way to deal with your new obsession is to group items together so that many items appear as one to the eye.
But when door to door salesmen come peddling more gazing balls
Pinterest plowhearth.com
Pinned from windandweather.com
Turn them away.
That prevents one perfect gnome
Pinned from google.com
From becoming a gnome brigade.
Pinned from 2.bp.blogspot.com
But in the end, it’s your garden and “Personal taste will be the last judge.”
Once upon a time..Tales from Carmel by the Sea 
Linda I love this post and the 6th layer of gardening. I have mirrors on my fence in my backyard and I love them, lighting is essential and even a gazing ball or two! Great post,
Kathysue
I just want to dynamite my garden and start over. Or, let’s not be hasty, a bulldozer would do it.
Hi Linda,
Love your posts, it almost makes me want to garden! We just got back from a day trip to Carmel as we often do since we are 2 1/2 hours drive from there. We took our grandsons to the Tor House for a tour, what a lovely garden and interesting history.
Perfect gnomes, the plowhearth bunny, the bicycle, and ironworks are my favorite inspirations. Your the perfect person for this and I enjoy reading and following you for the joy of it.
Hi Linda…
Love your blog. A woman came into my open house on Saturday and was so delighted by the private garden of the home, she told me I needed to see your blog. She sent me the link, and I love the way you capture the secret world of the gardens in our wonderful town.
Looking forward to your future entries…thanks you! Dana Bambace
That was such a fun post Linda ! The gazing balls are so beautiful, I’ve never seen this before, and now I want some ! In my garden I have a gnome, bird houses, a fairy statue, 3 snails, a toad house and 2 bird baths. I just love these decorations !