Come, swing along on the garden gate

What if we told you MacKenzie-Childs not only makes items for outdoors, but we found something charming that's all black?

That's right, the company known for its multicolored creations presents the forged iron Mrs. Powers Garden Gate.

And it would provide a warm welcome for any garden or path.

A genteel lady swings above a row of what are probably daffodils. Birds and other flowers join bells and what the company calls "furbelows." Yes, that one had us scrambling to the dictionary, too. "Showy ornamentation" seems to cover it. You will need to seal the iron if you don't like the rusty look.

The gate is $750 plus $35 shipping.

Visit www.mackenzie-childs.com.

Run a rest area for feathered friends

We hear how important it is to provide habitat for wildlife. These birds and bugs are more and more threatened because they have so few places to rest and eat.

"The Wildlife Gardener's Guide" by Janet Marinelli (Brooklyn Botanic Garden, $9.95), will give you lots of ideas on how to do this.

And we have a special responsibility because we live in the Mississippi Flyway. Migrating birds fly this route hundreds of miles - perhaps from Mexico to Canada and back again. And of course, many of the wild areas where they traditionally stopped to rest and eat are now subdivisions.

So the author wants you to create a hedgerow. Even if you have a small yard you can do this by leaving out the tallest trees.

Here are ideas for plants in your hedgerow.

Oak or other canopy trees are the tallest, then flowering and evergreen trees like dogwoods.

Many types of shrubs - including brambles - come next.

Don't forget shrubs that bear fall fruit.

Finally you need vines, nectar-bearing flowers for hummingbirds and milkweeds and goldenrods for monarch butterflies.

There's even a chapter on building wildlife-friendly container gardens. And the gorgeous photos alone make the book worthwhile.

Decorate inside and out this summer

The current issue of Domino magazine is full of ideas for summer projects.

One thing about New York City apartments - they give plenty of ideas on how to make the most of small spaces.

For example, the editor with the tiniest apartment (do you believe she has a separate bedroom in 200 square feet?) put molding on the wall behind her bed rather than taking up space with a headboard.

And her kitchen (OK, it's one wall in the main room) does not have a single drawer, so she put silverware in a caddy that she hides behind a curtain and other utensils in an showy ice bucket.

When it was time to go shopping, the editors got really smart and hit the Windy City.

Maybe you'll find a new shop to love in Andersonville, Wicker Park or closer to downtown.

If you've been searching a while for a sofa, you might be interested in a new line by John Derian, a decoupage artist with a Manhattan shop.

These are great, classic shapes and not as large as some you'll see. The prices start at $4,900.