Earthly Delights

For the past thirty years we have lived in the middle of the city. And while our street is tree lined, our house shares party walls with neighbors whose houses abut ours both back and side. This is in no way meant as a complaint. City living suits us. A less than three- minute walk yields a cup of coffee—tall, black, no sugar—the Boston Globe, freshly laundered shirts, a tube of Colgate and a bottle of Advil. Yet when spring’s pale buds promise to burst into leaf, when a shade tree would offer relief on a scorching day, when leaves turn from green to golden or when the first snowfall blankets our little world in a clean white coat, we long for a patch of earth to call our own. So here, with more than a little vicarious pleasure, is a selection of garden furniture and ornaments we only wish we could use.

Photo descriptions, left to right, first row:
The Classics Beautifully weathered and always in style, this classically shaped, scrolled-arm urn set atop a limestone base is sculptural enough to stand sentry in the garden, either unfilled or laden with seasonal plantings. URN, 30”H X 22”W, $625; PEDESTAL, 28”H X 18”W, $440. NEW ENGLAND GARDEN ORNAMENTS, SUDBURY, MASS., (978) 579-9500, WWW.NEGARDENORNAMENTS.COM

Ripple Effect Teak lathes undulate across an aluminum frame on B&B Italia’s Titikaka bench. Like wind over water, the bench, designed by Naoto Fukasawa, is organic, modern and commodious. 98 3/8”L X 35”D X 30¾”H. $10,712 (OPTIONAL WATERPROOF COVER, $700). WEBSTER & COMPANY, BOSTON DESIGN CENTER, (617) 261-9660, WWW.WEBSTERCOMPANY.COM

Dream Weaver Though woven plastic on aluminum, this is not your grandmother’s lawn chair. The Cape West outdoor armchair, designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba for the Italian furniture company Driade, comes in four colorways, including the gray and white shown here. 31½”W X 30”D X 43”H. AS SHOWN, $1,547; MULTICOLOR VERSION, $1,644. THE MORSON COLLECTION, BOSTON, (617) 482-2335, WWW.THEMORSONCOLLECTION.COM

Gothic Revival Elegant and high performing, the three-seat Gothic bench is, like all of McKinnon and Harris’s outdoor furniture, crafted by hand from aluminum in their Richmond, Virginia, workshop. Each piece is made to order, so custom adaptations are possible. SHOWN, 60”L X 22 3/8”D X 37”H. $5,770. ROY MATTSON, SEA PASTURES, ESSEX, MASS., (978) 768-3688, WWW.ROYMATTSON.COM

Photo descriptions, left to right, second row:
Riveting Both simple and elegant, the Inverlussa Palm Box with Rivets is a heavy-duty aluminum container that looks great in pairs. Use a couple to flank the front door or to announce the entrance to a garden. $5,770. ROY MATTSON, SEA PASTURES

Garden Gem Like a multifaceted jewel, Henry Hall’s Eden planter is bound to draw attention to itself. The eleven-sided planter is constructed of steel with a bronze powder-coat finish. 48”W X 39”H. $10,000. ICON GROUP, BOSTON DESIGN CENTER, (617) 428-0655

Containment Theory Less is more with JANUS et Cie’s Delos planter. Constructed from a composite material of ceramic fiber and stone matrix and then hand finished, the Delos is rustproof, fireproof and environmentally friendly. It comes in three finishes, including the aged bronze shown here. 29”L X 29”W X 33¾”H, $1,599; 24”L X 24”W X 22”H, $1,736. JANUS ET CIE, BOSTON DESIGN CENTER, (617) 737-5001, WWW.JANUSETCIE.COM