Wind Chimes: Soothing to a Gardener’s Soul
Wind chimes are a very pleasant addition to any porch, deck or garden. There is little that’s soothing a gardener’s soul more then the soft melodic sound of wind chimes as they catch a breeze on a summer’s day? If you stop what you’re doing in the garden and listen they will tell you, all is well with your world.
Did you know that some of the first sets of wind chimes were made from plain sticks and/or strings of small sea shells? Then wind chimes graduated to those made from the hollow stalks of bamboo, which resulted in a more pleasing sound. Once that sound was discovered, some smart soul went on to learn if those hollow tubes were cut to varying lengths, wind chimes could become almost musical in nature.
Something as simple as metal wind chimes can add beauty to your life that you may not have known you were missing. Besides the beauty of the sound of metal wind chimes you can find many things that most people find comfortable. Metal wind chimes are among the simpler things that can bring about calm and peace during the day that may not seem like a big deal, but the various tones of metal wind chimes can bring you a sense of tranquility, making you relaxed when you need it the most.
Today, some of the nicest sounding wind chimes (at lest according to some) are made from these hollow tubes made of light weight metal such as aluminum. The longer the tube, the deeper the tone. It is now common to cut 4 or 5 tubes of varying lengths and attach them to a wooden disk at the top, while inserting a second wooden disk in the center of the tubes. The purpose of the second disk is to allow the sound of each tube to come forth as it hits the wooden disk, as driven by the wind.
On the other hand Bamboo wind chimes look beautiful and have a pleasing, mellow sound that you can’t get with ceramic or metal chimes. Making them yourself is not that difficult, since even if you don’t have suitable bamboo growing nearby, you can get a few pieces at your local crafts store. Bamboo wind chimes may not be quite as durable as metal ones, but the deep, hollow sounds they create are relaxing. They also can not be tuned like metal wind chimes, but the sound quality is still excellent. There is one tendency of bamboo wind chimes that is not good and that is over time they tend to split.
One of the first wind chimes I ever noticed was made of thin pieces of glass. They were extremely common at the time as they were available in almost any department store for very little. They were probably made in China or Japan. Though they weren’t all that well put together, the sound they made was charming.
Did you know you can enjoy wind chimes inside your home as well as outside? I’m kind of surprised more people don’t seem to know that. Just hang them in front of a window which you are inclined to leave open all summer long, then listen for the melodic tones upon the whim of the breeze.
The material of choice for those searching for unique and decorative wind chimes is either glass or ceramics. They are great for both outdoor and indoor placement and the shapes and designs are endless. Take a listen then decide what kind of sound you would like to unexpectedly hear in your home or garden when a breeze begins to blow.
Once you have bought the wind chime of your choice make sure you put it in a good spot in your yard where the breeze will catch the “sail”. Many homeowners hang wind chimes from tree branches, overhangs, decks, porches, and doorways. I know you have just the right spot waiting to be discovered.
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January 23rd, 2010 at 3:42 am
I love the sound of wind chimes and think they add to a garden visually as well.
March 1st, 2010 at 5:29 am
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