Card In The Yard owner Elaine Williams has designed a novel way to celebrate weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and birth announcements and other special occasions.

Ms Williams hopes the the six-foot tall eye-catching signs offered by the new gift card service will ensure everyone knows about a special occasion.

“The idea is to rent greeting cards for people to display on their lawns, instead of sending flowers, a balloon bouquet or a card they can send a six-foot card and send anything from a get well announcement, congratulations or job promotion announcement,” Ms Williams said.

She is opening her own small business on November 15 after retiring after from the Bermuda Hospitals Board. She had been employed there for 17 years, and spent the final five and half years managing the department of diagnostic imaging.

“I see a market in Bermuda for this idea because it is something new and different and the signs will bring happiness to any recipient,” she said.

“Bermudians love to celebrate special occasions and they appreciate how their lawns look and this will only enhance their appearance.”

Ms Williams draws and paints the cards at a warehouse located in St. George’s with designs such Balloons & Stars, Love-Birds, Celebrating with Champagne, Pink Flamingo’s, Stork and others using an oil based finish.

Specialising in surprise deliveries, she said the signs are available with props such as a six-foot bouquet of flowers for one day rental from dawn until dusk or additional days if needed. A delivery service is also available.

Ms Williams said the signs can be personalised with humorous, tongue in cheek or heartfelt messages.

“This is a personalised service, so I can be pretty creative with the signs, one gentleman is sending the Love-Birds as a wedding proposal.”

“Everyone who I have shared this idea with or looked at our website has wanted to order a card. My slogan is, ‘who do you want to surprise?’, as the recipient will go out in the morning and later discover a six-foot greeting card in their yard.”Orders can be placed online at www.cardintheyard.com/bermuda or by calling 293-5758.