Archive for June 18th, 2008

Accessorize Your Landscaping with Garden Flags and Banners

Flags aren’t just for pride in our nations any more - many people are choosing to display a variety of Garden Flags and Banners to liven up their landscaping or for holidays and other special occasions, too. There’s really no limit to your imagination for including flags in your garden. The article that follows offers an entire panoply of suggestions.

Decorate to Celebrate With Garden Flags and Banners

Flags, banners and windsocks bring in a festive look. We tend to use decorative garden banners and flags outside the home. A pole is fixed to the house and this goes through the sleeve at the top of the banner which hangs down vertically. Flags, on the other hand hang on a conventional flagpole to represent your colors. Of course, there is no particular restriction that flags and banners must only be hung outside the house. Banners are larger than garden flags.

Garden flags are used on any occasion both inside and outside the house. Inside, they are hung as wall decorations. The most common places where we see large and mini garden flags are below the mailbox, along the driveway of the house, on the patio, porch or deck and the lawn. Often, flags are put up when a favorite sport is on, to support your favorite team or to celebrate a national holiday with the American flag. There are a variety of styles, colors and sizes in garden flag.

A mini garden flag can go up the regular way on a stand. You can also fix them to your car window or the windows of your home with the help of suction cups.

In addition to decorative garden banners and flags, windsocks or wind spinners are also used as decorations. Windsocks are like wind chimes that do not make any sound and can be as long as forty feet. These are hung from trees or from the side of the house and are usually cylindrical in appearance. Windsocks can also be hung on the same pole as your banner, if you have one. They have tassels at the end that cheerfully blow in the breeze. Windsocks can also come in different fun shapes such as animals and yes, they make great gifts too.

Garden flags can also be used to make wedding announcements, baby arrival news, and a whole lot of other special occasion messages. Some people just put their monogram on the house and garden flags. By putting up these flags or banners, you can add color to your home. They can be displayed the year around be it summer or winter.

Since banners and flags come in various sizes it is better to first measure the area in which you intend to place them before you buy them. Make sure that they are not too close to your outdoor cooking equipment, fireplace or bbq.

Interestingly, heat sublimation, silk screening or applique processes are used to make banners and garden flags. With heat sublimate flags, an artist drawing is printed with sublimation inks that permeate the fabric of the flag in such a way that it looks just like the original artist work. These kinds of flags look beautiful. The silk screened flags print the design on the surface of the fabric. Usually the heat sublimation and silk screened flags show only on one side of the flag. The appliqued flags are constructed by appliqueing several pieces of a picture together with a zig zag stitch and you can see the design on both sides of the flag.

You will need flagpoles and other display equipment to show off your flags and banners. You can either fix them to the sides of the house or drive them into the ground depending on the space available. Many people prefer to display their garden flags on a stand alone pole. Window hangers are handy for those who do not have the luxury of a porch or garden.

Flags and banners can be used over and over when you look after them. Since the ones hung outside can fade over time, applying a coat of scotch guard can leave them looking new for a longer time. Some people prefer to hang them out only on occasion and at other times, just wash and preserve them for the next time when they will need them.

About The Author: Jonathan Goodman is the owner of Market Merchants an online retailer specializing in home and garden products. My passion for bbq grilling and fireplaces is the core focus of Market Merchants. I am a member of the Hearth Patio Barbeque Association (HPBA), the National BBQ group (NBBQ), and the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). We sell these products because we love them and are passionate about consumer living needs. So whether its furniture and decor, home improvement, kitchen and dining, or outdoor living Market Merchants brings a dedicated commitment to the customer and a passion for high quality products. Visit the Market Merchants website: http://marketmerchants.com

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June 18 2008 | flags | No Comments »