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When we speak of garden decors or ornaments, we often refer to the usual stuff: the gnome, the fancy statuettes, the fancy pedestal, meticulously sculpted driftwood creations. We rarely immediately go to the subject of wind chimes, but this shouldn’t be always the case. Like any other garden decor, wind chimes offer a variety of uses and purposes, and it is up to the garden owner’s creativity and (to some extent) boldness to make full use their practical, aural and artistic possibilities. Of course, garden decors are not only all about sights to see or things to behold—they are also about satisfying one’s other senses. Wind chimes are not only pleasing to look at; they also imbue your garden with that distinct character one can glean from its atmospheric sound. Adding wind chimes to the overall garden-related agenda imbues your project with the additional dimension of sound. In fact, the matter of ambient sound is often neglected by garden designers, although it is by no means important. Consider a good example: bamboo trees, beloved by the Japanese and consequently found in many a Japanese garden, are not only beautiful (especially when their placement carefully considers or takes into account the physical characteristics and colors of nearby plants and shrubs and rock formations), but they also produce that relaxing sound whenever the wind blows. That distinct hum of the bamboo tree’s leaves, that faint rustle and squeak of its trunk, the way the whole bunch of such trees cools down the air and seems to enhance the “windiness” of the garden—these are the effects of bamboo trees when integrated in a well-planned outdoor landscape. Anyone who has encountered this, has experienced “being” with bamboo trees in a quiet garden will understand the kind of deep, palpable calm that pervades the whole place. It is beyond description. And that is not all, of course. With a wind chime, you also stand to get that distinct additional dimension of sound. With the right planning and strategic placement, you can make your outdoor garden “sing.” For example, you can place it under awnings or even hang it from poles. You can also use wind chimes to accentuate your other garden decors, such as statues or some other architectural outcropping. At the very least, wind chimes can enhance or further enrich your garden’s overall design—although we caution not to overdo it and fill up the whole place with thousands of wind chimes. The key to the effective use of wind chimes, of course, is by understanding when enough is enough. When the “sing-song” of your wind chimes no longer calms you down and instead frays your nerves, then you know you have installed too many. Wind chimes are supposed to relieve you of stress or enhance the tranquility you feel in your own garden, and not to provide nervous aggravation. Wind chimes can be purchased at your neighborhood arts and crafts shop or at some store specializing in garden or home ornaments. But there are more and more online stores selling an amazing variety of wind chimes. Any casual search on Google, for instance, can turn up thousands of results, each of which tries its best to grab your attention. But instead of caving in and letting yourself get overwhelmed by the number of viable options, you can, in fact, turn this into your advantage. The huge number of online stores competing for your business means these stores will regularly churn out one marketing gimmick or “online discount sale” after another. And they do. At surprisingly regularity that tends to overlap one another. So depending on where you actually live, choose the “promos” according to how they fit your needs. For example, free shipping is a common promo, along with huge discounts when you bundle items in one order. Do not be “compelled” to order more than you actually need, though, because that would go against the very advantage you are supposed to gain from the discount. In the end, understanding how a wind chime works and how they can further enrich the visual and aural character of your garden are important in achieving a result that will fully satisfy you. Know the importance of subtlety in the way you make different garden decors work or blend together, and you will surely end up creating a truly awesome garden.
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