Create your own Balinese paradise.

Last week I was writing from the sunny, balmy island of Bali. Today I'm home in Sydney and the rain is splashing against the window glass; the wind has died down a little...... but the heating in on high!  Brrrrrrrr


Wouldn't it be lovely to have a bit of Bali, or for that matter any paradise you dream about, in your own garden. Sometimes all it takes is a couple of statues or ornaments the remind you of a particular place, or specific plants to evoke feeling and memories of being on holiday....every day!

This is a garden I created about 10 years ago and it holds a very special place in my heart. It started with a rectangle of sand that didn't even have a blade of grass. The pool was put in, decking boardwalks were laid and garden beds planted with numerous palms and other 'tropical' plants.

At the rear of the garden a 'bale' style pavilion was created that easily converted to a daybed for lounging about on sunny afternoons. A tented canvas roof clipped in to provide shade but could be removed to let the sun shine in. Gauzy curtains could be easily clipped in to add an air of whimsey and create an outdoor room.


When planning a garden of a particular style it's essential to choose plants that evoke the feeling your looking for, however sometimes tropical plants don't always thrive in sub-tropical conditions. To create the upper story I planted Bangalo Palms, commonly known as  Archontophoenix cunninghamia.  These are tall growing, elegant palms that are 'self cleaning' which means the plam fronds will drop without having to be cut off. Another essential plant for a tropical-style garden is the Frangipani or Plumaria sp. The beautiful colours and fragrance of the flowers is pure 'holiday'!

You can also notice the statues and carvings that help to create the mood. The white stone is very typical of Bali and I had a wonderful time shopping in Batabulan in Bali; an area renowned for stone carving. I picked out a huge array of statues, bowles, stands, lanterns and wall plaques and had them all packed up and shipped home to Sydney.

           

It's these small decorative features that can really help to bring your garden design together. But you don't need to go to Bali to get the goods....although it is a good excuse for a quick getaway.... "honey....I have to go to Bali to buy some sculptures for the garden".....I'm sure that would go down well.

Another idea I incorporated into the garden was an outdoor shower. I thought it would be fun as outdoor showers are common in the tropics, and it could be useful to wash off the dirt and grime from working in the garden before plunging into the pool.

So no matter what your garden style is....or your favourite holiday destination, you can bring a little paradise to your own home. You could even set up your balcony with a daybed and some palms, have a frangipani in a pot, put some decking tiles down over those grotty old quarry tiles. Add a splash of colour with bright pots and incorporate a water-feature to blur the city noise.

Whatever you do, think outside the square and get gardening!

grounded GARDENS: At Home in Bali.

grounded GARDENS: At Home in Bali.: groundedGARDENS is living the life of luxury this week in a beautiful private villa on the dream island of Bali in Indonesia. I'll keep th...

At Home in Bali.

groundedGARDENS is living the life of luxury this week in a beautiful private villa on the dream island of Bali in Indonesia.


I'll keep the name of the villa a secret for fear of letting the cat out of the bag and never being able to secure a booking again!  Needless to say, staying in a private villa completely changes your holiday experience. In fact we have felt so relaxed and 'at home' that we have had a couple of days where we have simply relaxed by the pool, or slept in the shade of the bale and only ventured out for dinner in the evening.

From the moment you enter the carved antique gates you're immediately transported into another world, away from the dusty lanes, the honking taxis and stray dogs. Close the gates and lock away the outside world and your in a private sanctuary. This is a great idea for any home or garden; creating a unique entry point to draw the visitor in giving only a hint as to what exists behind the closed doors.

This elegant seating area is adjacent to the lounge area which can be closed off with bi-fold wood and glass doors for those times when you just need a bit of air-conditioning. Walls are clad in the pale local limestone; small niches hold buddha's which are subtly lit from above; and the built-in seating has a comfortable mattress and cushions creating a lovely place to read magazines or enjoy an evening drink. The black and white check fabric is a sacred design and can be seen wound around stone statues of temple guardians protecting the temples and homes of the Balinese.

    

Essential to any great home of garden design is good lighting. This might take the form of concealed spot lights in the garden to highlight tall, slender palm trees; or small spot lights to illuminate the face of a stone buddha or carved wall plaque.


Here the lighting over the outdoor dining area makes wonderful use of the local crafts; using woven cane fishing baskets that have been lined with an opaque white film to create gorgeous hanging lanterns. Using a dimmer switch these can be turned up to create a bright dining space, or turned down to softly illuminate the dark timber dining table and the faces of friends and family gathered for a meal for drink. And doesn't everyone look fantastic with their tanned skin glowing under moody, soft lighting.


After dinner it's out to the pool for a refreshing dip. I slip into the cool water and as I lay on back I gaze up at the stars to a night sky dotted with stars.

I feel absolutely blessed to be able to spend time in this wonderful paradise with my partner and great friends. Being in the villa is like being in our own home. The lovely staff are so welcoming and have been treating us like royalty. Plates of fresh fruit and strong Bali coffee help us get started, but it's usually 11am before we truly get started and head to the beach.

If you had the space you could create your own Balinese paradise in your own garden......soft lighting, statues and tropical plants....but you would need to have the climate to go with it!

West-Australian Wildflowers.

As promised, today I bring you an insight into the diverse and beautiful flora indigenous to the state of Western Australia. I'm in Perth, the capital of Western Australia and one of the world most isolated capital cities. The state covers an area that is roughly the same size as Spain, France and Germany combined! Known as one of the oldest land masses on Earth, the state is rich in minerals and is a great source of mining wealth (for a few very rich individuals...but lets not go there...); more importantly, it is rich in unique flora, many species of which are found nowhere else in the world.


When the rains of June and July soak the dusty, parched earth.....the rich red soils explode into a riot of vivid colours as wildflowers carpet the landscape lasting for up to 5 months through to December.

    
While there are many tour operators that offer the chance to see these rare beauties in their natural state, you can get a glimpse of these delicate blooms in the magnificent King's Park and Botanic Gardens in Perth.


Perched high above the city of Perth with views over the city and the Swan River, King's Park is an area of 400 hectares which showcases the spectacular flora of Western Australia. The area, located on Mount Eliza, was first gazetted a national park in October 1st 1872.

                                               































The colour and variety of wildflowers defies the imagination, there are between eight and twelve thousand varieties of wildflower in Western Australia and some 319 species are showcased in the park.

Perhaps one of the most unique specimens in the park, and one of my favourites is the Adansonia gregorii, more commonly known as the 'Boab' or 'Bottle Tree'. This is the only Boab tree endemic to Australia, although other baobabs are found in South Africa, Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsular.......interesting links to continental drift!

Easily recognised by it's swollen base which gives the tree a 'bottle-like' shape, this tree is indigenous to the Kimberly region of Western Australia. The tree can grow to between 9-12 meters with a trunk diameter of 5m.

The tree pictures above was moved due to a road widening project; it travelled the 3200km on the back of a truck, from the Kimberly's to King's Park, it's new home. 

The tree played a significant role in the traditions of the local Gija people of the Kimberly's who have now passes it on to the Nyoongar people, the traditional owners of the King's Park area.

Adansonia gregorii can live up to 200 years!

So if you ever find yourself in Perth, take a walk up the winding paths and steps to the summit of Mount Eliza and marvel in the breath-taking views over the city and the Swan River. Take a walk amongst the wildflowers and strange trees that make up a small part of a unique and beautiful part or the world........and get grounded!

A BIG grounded GARDENS thank you!

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who have been having a peek at the grounded GARDENS bog!


In the past month my traffic audience has come from all over the world!!!  I've had visits from USA, Russia, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Gabon!!  That's amazing and I'm so excited to think that people around the world are interested.


I'll be posting a new blog soon from the beautiful city of Perth in Western Australia....one of the worlds most isolated capital cities! 


And please feel free to send me a message at groundedgardens@yahoo.com.au or post a comment on the blog. You can post a comment as anonymous, but if you have a yahoo account post as yourself...and it's easy to create a yahoo account! I'd love to hear from viewers around the world and any ideas for things you'd like to see in the blog.


So once again...Thank you!  tell your friends about the grounded Gardens blog


                                And enjoy the space you live in! 

Is this really autumn?

 Those of us lucky enough to live in Sydney have just experienced our 25th day of blue skies and sunshine. It's been 25 days since we last had rain. If you find yourself a nice spot to sit in the sun, out of the cool breeze, you could be forgiven for thinking that we were experiencing a late summer!!! 


But alas, it is autumn and winter is fast approaching. Deciduous trees are loosing their leaves and most plants are going into a dormant state of no growth. It's at this time of year that gardens can look a little bare and colourless. Most gardeners will choose some bright and colourful annuals to spruce up the garden, and it's at this time of year that pansies and violas pop up; massed together in a riot of colour in garden beds and pots.


But what about bringing some of that colour inside? I have the perfect plant:

                                            Cyclamen  sp.


Cyclamen are a genus of plants containing 20 species that belong to the Primulaceae family. In the wild they are native to parts of Europe, western Asia and North Africa.


Cyclamens are the ideal indoor winter-flowering plant. In areas that experience a cold winter but where temperatures remain above freezing they can be used as a bedding plant in the same way we use petunias in summer. There are many hybrids of the principal species Cyclamen persicum and they grow from a fleshy tuber.

       

    

Ranging in colour from the purest white through pale pink, mauve and reds, cyclamens will last the entire winter if given a little tender loving care. And little care it what they like; don't overwater your cyclamen or they will rot away.....instead lightly mist the plant every few days and water with a light fertiliser solution once every 2 weeks. 

One thing cyclamen don't like is heat....so if you do have the air-conditioning or gas heating on make sure you pop you plant outside on the porch or balcony at night. The cool night air will keep your plant looking fresh and upright.

The petals of the Cyclamen are known as 'reflexed petals' because of the way they whorl away from the centre....almost as though they are caught in a fierce wind. 

     
If you've managed to keep your Cyclamen alive through the winter ...well done! Most people tend to over or under water and they only last a month or so. Never-the-less they are worth the effort. And unless you have a dry, cool place to leave them through the summer it's best to say goodbye...and pop them in the compost!


So forget about a buying bunch of expensive cut flowers that will only last a week and make the water in your vase go green, smelly and slimy. Go out and get a couple of lovely Cyclamen and be creative in the way you display them: wrap the plastic pots in coconut fibre and place them in clear glass vessels, or get a large bowl and put 3 small plants together in their pots for a mass display; fill in between the pots with sphagnum moss or small coloured stones. Or maybe just a single, regal plant in a plain white pot! Cyclamen will bring a burst of summer colour to brighten your winter days.

The Nature of Design...and design in nature!

  Everywhere we look in nature we are greeted with a myriad of shapes, colours and images which inspire us all; from gardeners and chefs, to artists and designers.


While wandering through a roadside market in Mumbai, India I was struck by the natural beauty of the goods on display. It was not just the fruit and vegetables as items for sale, more the way they worked together to create an image or picture that would inspired the passer-bye to make a purchase, or just stop and look! This is visual merchandising at it's simplest!

As the old song says...."I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts".


Who would have thought that these stringy, strange looking drupes would have such visual appeal! This picture shows what is the mesocarp, or middle layers of the coconut and I love it's fibrous texture and blend of neutral colours. 

At the next stall a completely different image.                           
But once again a combination of colour and texture at has inspired artists and designers throughout the ages. 


The pineapple is an image that appears in 
paintings, fabric design and in home-wares....
Who doesn't love a pineapple-based table lamp?


Pineapples are actually the edible fruit of a Bromeliad, their botanical name is Ananas comosus
and it is not a single fruit, but a mass of coalesced berries, named for it's resemblance to a pine cone!


In the Philippines pineapple leaves are used to make a fabric called 'pina' and are also a component of wall-paper!


     Next, a bowl of dried chillies .....something to fire up the imagination!

And there we have it....colours, shapes and textures that appear in nature that inspire someone like me to stop...to smell, to touch and feel.......

     

So next time your wandering through the roadside market stalls of Mumbai,

.....or maybe it's the fruit and veg section of your local supermarket....

STOP    ...smell....touch....and feel....  and admire the incredible beauty of the simplest things we sometimes take for granted.


                         Nature;  the worlds greatest designer!  


   


  

Your own back-yard in the city!

Many of the greatest cities of the world have grown up around open spaces that were set aside as areas of peace and quiet by our clever pre-decessors. London has Hyde Park, New York has Central Park, there is Ueno Park in Tokyo...and Sydney has our very own and tranquil Centennial Park. Each of these parks provide a green oasis which is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of living in a busy city.

Opening in 1888 for Australia's centenary, Centennial Park is a part of what is more correctly known as Centennial Parklands, which includes Queens Park and Moore Park. Centennial Park sprang forth from uninviting swamp land and was laid out to be a grand Victorian park in the European tradition. Covering an area of 189 hectares, the park showcases spectacular seasonal garden beds, large specimen trees, and wooded groves.

  

An important feature of the park and one which helps to attract the many birds and animals that shelter in the area are the beautiful lakes and waterways. Although these waterways

have been made my man, the area

was originally known as 'Lachlan Swamps' and was the main water supply for the city of Sydney from 1837 to 1859.

Another key feature of the park are the beautiful specimen trees that dot the landscape. These include Norfolk Island Pines, Port jackson Figs and Holm Oaks.

(Left) The setting sun casts a beautiful silhouette through the branches of this Norfolk Island Pine. 

(Right)  This Port Jackson Fig will grow

to become one of the giants of the park and provide shade for generations of park-goes in the future.

The entire area of Centennial Parklands covers some 360 hectares and is home to more than 15,000 trees. A lovely feature to notice as you walk around the park is that many of the benches and trees have been donated by friends and family who have lost loved ones. Small plaques commemorate the lives now gone and are a lovely way to remember those not with us and to reflect in a tranquil and peaceful surrounding.

Today the park is enjoyed by hundreds of people every day from joggers and cyclists to roller-bladers and horse-riders and of course, those just wanting to relax with a picnic and enjoy the sun and serenity. 

 

So next time your travelling the world and you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the shops and crowds, head to one of the beautiful local parks or gardens and take some time out. Find a nice spot to sit and enjoy the sun, take in the view and feel the stress of city living fade away.

Public parks and gardens are for everyone to enjoy. Sometimes the garden your in doesn't have to be your own.....to get 'grounded'.

Glorious Ginkgo.

Well....I'm absolutely furious!!!!


While in LA the other day I'd taken some lovely photos of the glorious Ginkgo biloba trees gracing the streets.....and then my Iphone decided it had had enough!!!  And because i'm slightly techno challenged I forgot to backup my pictures before I went into a complete melt down and had to restore the phone to factory settings!  So.....pictures lost!


Anyway, enough about me....more about Ginkgo!


Also known as the Maidenhair Tree, Ginkgo biloba is a unique specimen that has no living relatives! The tree has been widely cultivated since an early period in human history and has been used as a food source and as a traditional medicine. The trees have strange, somewhat erratic branches and the leaves are easily identifiable.

Leading on from my last post, Ginkgo's are deciduous...and interestingly enough are 'sexual'....some plants being male, and others female!  Their reproduction ritual is quite complicated....but needless to say it works as they've been on this earth for a very long time!                                     

Being deciduous, the leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow in the autumn before they fall.  Once widespread throughout the world, the Ginkgo in nature now grows only in a small area of China but has been naturalised in many countries in Europe and also in North America.


Ginkgo's are very tolerant to pollution and extreme weather conditions and have been used for years as street trees and as specimen plants in parks and gardens. They are so tolerant of 'extreme' conditions that 6 trees growing between 1-2 km of the 1945 Hiroshima nuclear blast in Japan have survived to this very day!


They prefer a neutral to acid soil and can grow in restricted soil conditions, are virtually pest resistant and rarely suffer from diseases. For this reason they make excellent urban and shade trees.

Because the Ginkgo leaf is so identifiable, it has been widely used in a variety of decorative applications such as jewellery, fabric and wallpaper designs and to adorn porcelain and pottery.


As a medicinal herb Ginkgo is thought to improve thought processes and memory loss in older patients and has been suggested as a treatment for Alzheimer's.                                                                      


The Ginkgo biloba is the national tree of China.


So if you live in a temperate area and your looking for a specimen tree to grace your garden, or to provide shade in the summer....consider the graceful Ginkgo.....and own your own unique piece of  horticultural history!

Undressed elegance....the case for deciduous trees!

Over the years I've been really fortunate to spend a lot of time in London. It's an amazing city of history and culture. Beautiful buildings, museums and galleries, and of course wonderful gardens and parks. Wandering through Hyde Park or St James Park is a delight at any time of the year....in spring the blossoms are bursting...in summer London is in full bloom.....in autumn the trees are awash with oranges, reds and yellows......and in winter it's positively 'skeletal'. But that in itself has its own beauty....the silhouette of bare limbs against a grey sky. Yesterday I wandered around the streets of Kensington, and even though it's now spring, the bare trees were quite fascinating.  

I love the patterns that deciduous trees create against the afternoon sky. Some trees have an multitude of branches that create a spider web of pattern, others are bold and bare and give a sense of strong rigidity.

Deciduous trees are used extensively throughout London for the shade they provide in summer, and for the architectural design element they provide to the landscape in winter. They are not so common in Sydney, however many streets in Surry Hills and Redfern in the city are planted with rows of Liquidambar trees which help to shade the old terrace houses from the hot Aussie sun in summer, then drop their leaves to allow the sun shine through in winter. If you travel to the Southern Highlands outside Sydney you get a true sense of the seasons with the colder weather turning the trees all the colours of autumn. 

If you live in Sydney and love the look of deciduous trees and find their bare branches in winter a sculptural element to a garden you could choose a species such as a Largerstroemia Sp., commonly known as the 'Crepe Myrtle'. In summer these trees have lovely lime green foliage and abundant flowers in white, pink or red. In winter the branches are completely naked, giving only a hint of what they were in summer and will be again next year! 


So with autumn now upon us and winter just around the corner, watch the changing landscape as the leaves start to fall, and appreciate the undressed beauty and sculptural elegance of deciduous trees.  

look at all the pansy's.......

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!!!!!   Gay, Lesbian or Trans-gender....no matter who you are...this weekend in Sydney, Australia, is a celebration of individuality and self-belief. It's about being proud of who you are, what you have achieved in your life and what you have to offer your community. I love the 'buzz' of Mardi Gras....all the gorgeous people,the happy feeling,the excitement and being so proud of who we are and everything we have achieved in our lives.


So I thought......(somewhat in-appropriately ...LOL)....that my flower of the week should be the Pansy!!!!!


Who doesn't love a Pansy?  Great shape....gorgeous structure and fabulous celebratory colours!!! (can't go past a combination of purple and yellow). The Pansy is derived from the 'Voila' family and is technically known as Viola x wittrockiana (as if you could remember that in your state!!!)

Pansey's are a strikingly simple plant...they love the sun, hate humidity, and will grow to a height of nine inches!!!!! 

But they really are a great plant for pots or hanging baskets. Being an annual you'll only get one season out of them...and it's best to pinch off the spent flower heads to keep them blooming for as long as possible. 

Pansy's come in an amazing variety of colours....all the colours of the rainbow!!!!

The markings on the flowers almost suggest faces smiling up at you through their petals......outrageous eye-lashes and bleeding lipstick (look at the yellow flower in the picture above..and the red one...and the blue... !!!) 

So 'Happy Mardi Gras' to everyone out there...all you 'Pansy's'. Just remember it's not only the beauty on the outside that makes you who you are...it's also the beauty within.  

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Lounging on the lanai .......

Isn't 'lanai' a FABULOUS word!!! Sounds a lot more glamorous than balcony, deck or terrace!


When my friends approached me to give them some ideas about how to use a west-facing outdoor space in their new apartment I jumped at the chance to create a chill-out area for reclining and relaxing. A daybed was a must, as was a couple of big comfy chairs to lounge about. They also needed storage for all the cushions and pillows....and a huge splash of colour to bring it all together.

  
I started with a black and white theme....classic and simple, then found a great floral print to add the colour. The colours in the print dictated the accents of lime, orange and aqua. The daybed is painted in a satin black while the tables are in a high-gloss white. Both the coffee table and side table have a white perspex-covered top which is really easy to wipe clean. The tops are hinged and open up to store accessories. The daybed also has storage inside for all the cushions. I don't profess to being a carpenter but I had a great time making the furniture which is constructed from 15mm weatherproof ply.


When it came to the casual seating I was going through a 'bamboo' faze and found the most amazing chairs made by an Australian company right here in Sydney. These chairs are classic and chic and I really think they make the whole area!

Made by Casablanca Cane, the chair is called 'Queenslander' and it really does exude that 'tropical' style that I was looking for. Check out their website at www.casablancacane.com.au for their great range of cane and bamboo furniture. We had the chairs delivered under-coated ready for us to spray paint, but they come in other finishes....and the classic tortise-shell finish is beautiful. These chairs are HUGE and make a real statement. Rather than using the black and white strip for the cushions we decided to use the print piped in black. The accent cushions can be changed around depending on your colour-mood!  

I'm really pleased with the way it has all come together, and the guys love it. The bamboo mirror on the wall above the daybed ties in with the chairs, and the black and white theme is carried through to the pots of white terrazzo planted with Strelitzia nicolai and various succulents which are all 'mulched' with shiny black pebbles.

Sometimes you find the perfect piece of furniture, like the bamboo chairs. But sometimes you just need to make it yourself. The daybed and coffee-tables were really not that hard and if you have a few basic tools you could certainly give it a go. All the fabrics are weather-resistant and colour fast so the afternoon sun should not present any problems. We had all the cushions and daybed mattress made to locally. (contact us if you'd like details of the many fabrics available and where to have similar cushions made)


So give it a go.....create yourself a place to lounge. Make it bright, colourful and comfortable.........and make the most of your outdoor space!

Create a 'Greenbo' garden.

As your walking around the city, look up towards the sky and you may get a glimpse of the burst of colour adorning the balconies of our towering apartment buildings! This riot of colour is courtesy of a great new planter system specifically designed to sit snugly on your balcony railing.


                           It's the 'Greenbo' planter system!

Designed by industrial designer Miki Ganor, the 'Greenbo' planter is made in Israel of high quality, UV protected Polypropylene. Safety is ensured with a patented rail stability design to create a snug fit on your balcony railing without screws or brackets ...so no more unsightly rust marks dribbling down the wall.                                                      

                              

Available in 16 contemporary colours, the 'Greenbo' planter has a built-in drainage system which is removable for easy cleaning. These funky planters are available in 2 sizes which retail for $45.00 for the Large, and $65.00 for the X-Large. Fill the planters with lovely annuals such as Petunias or Violas; or try some retro trailing plants like 'Black-eyed Susan'. Plant the turquoise blue 'Greenbo' with bright red geraniums and pretend your on your balcony on Mykonos!!!

You could even fill the planters with a variety of herbs and soft-leaf vegetables; a variety of lettuce or even a trailing cherry tomato and have an instant salad at hand.

The 'Greenbo' planter system is available from stockists or directly through Greenbo Australia. Check out their website at www.greenbo.com.au for all the colours and sizes available.

Alternately you could email info@greenbo.com.au or call 9262 5202.

So bring a little colour to your life and home with the 'Greenbo' planter 

......and get gardening!!! 

If your a lover of unusual plants and amazing flowers then you can't go past the amazing Tacca integrifolia, or as it's more commonly known, the 'Giant Bat Plant'. I was in my local 'Bunnings' store last week when the excited garden attendant was almost having conniptions .....grabbing the attention of any passer-by to show off his latest prize possession! I must admit I was pretty excited too, to see this amazing flower in the decidedly 'un-tropical' surrounds of my local hardware store...... so I proceeded to take a couple of photos on my Iphone much to the joy of the proud "Bunnings-boy'.

   

                       
 Also known as the 'White Bat Plant' they are extremely unusual. There are two white bracts held aloft, while the true 'flowers' are like purple buttons hanging below. And just to complement this crazy arrangement are the long, whispy whiskers sprouting from the centre of the flower.

Tacca sp.    are a native of Malaysia so they like it warm and wet, but protected form harsh sun. In NSW it does well in shade houses from Coffs Harbour north, but protect in a shade-house in the colder months. Also be careful with watering as this plant grows from a rhizome. If it's over-watered it will die back to the rhizome completely. In temperate and sub-tropical areas it remains dormant in winter but will not die back.

There are approximately 30 species of 'Bat Plant' but the Giant is the most spectacular. So if you have a lovely shaded outdoor space or maybe a large bathroom with filtered sun this could make quite an impression....certainly more so than a plastic fern!

Lovely lanterns.

Who doesn't love the flicker of candle-light through a wicker lantern? Candles casts a magical glow and are ideal for subtle lighting in protected courtyards and terraces when you don't want the harshness of low voltage lights and halogens. The great things about candles is that they don't require electricity so you can hang a lantern with a candle anywhere you like! 

I love these black and white bamboo lanterns. They have a classic shape yet would look great in any modern setting. Black and white is always a great colour combination. You could hang a combination of both colours....or go monochrome for a more streamlined look. And if your up for a little colour, these fab lanterns below are the way to go! Bright and inexpensive, these lanterns will add a splash of colour to any outdoor space!!!

 And who says they need to be outdoors???  Use candle lanterns inside for a holiday feeling all year round!

These lanterns and many others can be found in stores such as 'The Urban Balcony' in Sydney's Pyrmont.