Those Magnificent Mailboxes

As individual as the garden in which it resides, a uniquely conceived, well-crafted mailbox can punctuate a landscape with just the right amount of panache. Designed and constructed with various combinations of wood, stone, plastic, metal, tile and paint, an artful mailbox can enhance the architecture and landscape which surround it. The mailbox, standing sentry at the front of the garden, can provide a glimpse into the minds, hearts and souls of those who reside inside the house behind it.

With the abundance of home and garden megastores, neighborhood nurseries and Web-sited manufacturers, available resources for boxes have multiplied, and mailbox art has taken on new life. Ohio landscape architect, Patrick Cloonan, says that his clients have "a lot more fun with mailboxes these days. The possibility of creating a custom box is usually mentioned during initial conceptual discussions, when material for architecture and landscape are reviewed." More often than not, Cloonan states, "the design will reflect those elements, but in many instances, it has relevance to a client's hobbies, careers or special interests."

During the course of a recent landscape commission, in order for his client to pay homage to the beloved "stogie," Cloonan was instructed to design a mailbox that would incorporate a sculpted hand. Strategically placed between two of the sculpted fingers was a cigar.

Owner of The Mailbox Factory, in Kirtland, Ohio, Wayne Burwell confirms that mailbox design styles are as varied as his individual customers.

"But styling often seems trendy and it reveals itself in spurts," Burwell says. Some months, the bulk of his thriving manufacturing business is consumed with the construction of replicas of beloved pets--dogs, cats, cows and pigs. Then a "shift toward more rusticated product might take place, with a demand for redwood boxes." This type of mailbox can contain elaborate carvings of animals, and this work often leads to additional commissions for garden carvings of totem poles, ship figureheads and angels.

Clients arrive at The Mailbox Factory in various states of preparedness. For those with only a sketchy idea of the finished article, Burwell and his team of multi-disciplined artisans provide the requisite expertise to complete the design and fabrication of the mailbox unit, which is comprised of the mailbox itself and a post onto which the mailbox is secured. Other clients might arrive at his shop with fully developed drawings and specific material selections and requirements. Over the years, completed products have left the factory in the shape of golf balls, popular cartoon characters, Tudor houses, family crests and emblems and rendered images depicting the owners' interests -- ranging from botany to the railroad locomotive.

And today's mailboxes can become tomorrow's mementos. Designing and maintaining a mailbox can become a genuine part of the love and dedication a good gardener pours into the landscape. Rose Tourje, whose Pasadena garden garnered the Golden Arrow Award, presented by the Pasadena Beautiful Foundation, has two mailboxes. She has a standard box for receiving mail and an antique box that was preened over by her father 60 years ago. As a boy, he was charged with annually applying flesh coats of paint and restenciling the family name onto the metal structure. This proud relic now holds an honored position in the family's patio garden. Even with decades of rusted and patinaed finish, the Tourje name is clearly identifiable.

The price tag on a custom mailbox is less than one might imagine. A quick check among manufacturers represented on the World Wide Web places the average cost at $99 and up, depending upon the complexity of design and the materials used. Dozens of novelty boxes are already standard in most product lines, making the chance of finding an appropriate expression of your interests quite likely, without further customization. Another resource for locating a quality manufacturer is the American Society of Landscape Architects, which sponsors a Directory and Buyer Guide of recommended products.

As for the placement and size of the box, landscape architect Cloonan says "almost anything goes." In checking with the postal service, one uncovers only general guidelines. A curbside mailbox, for instance, should be 40 to 48 inches off the ground. Openings should be wide enough for mail to be placed inside with one hand movement by a postal delivery person. And at minimum, a mailbox should be approximately 19 inches deep, 6-1/2 inches wide and 8-1/2 inches in height. Further information relating to approved specifications for mailboxes can be obtained through the local post office. A representative will consult with customers on guidelines for box size, strength and quality of construction.

Now imagine you're outside toiling in the front garden, wiping perspiration from your forehead and reveling in the inspirational quality of such hard, but loved labor. Then give some thought to this object that could be a focal point for those would-be admirers of your landscape endeavors: the mailbox.