Garden Ornaments for Your Patio

GARDEN ORNAMENTS

A well-chosen ornament can bring a touch of distinction to a patio, especially in winter when there may be a shortage of plant material to bring the area to life. They can be given a position of some prominence or be hidden among plants or pots to make a personal or witty reference. Reflected in water or a mirror, their impact will be doubled. At best, they give a sense of permanence to the garden.

Make sure the ornament is in scale, but err on the large side if you are in doubt. Too small an ornament will look mean and lost, but one that is large will look grand and imposing and will make a considerable impact in a small patio.

Types of Ornament

Garden statuary is a matter of taste. Top of the list would be a work (possibly abstract) from a sculptor’s studio, but this is likely to be beyond the purse and aspirations of most gardeners. Garden centres stock a wide range of mass-produced ornaments, and whether your preference is for stone animals or abstract designs such as obelisks or balls, you will probably find something to suit your patio.

For something a little more individual, go to a reclamation yard, where you can often find old statues and other ornaments. A rusted piece of agricultural equipment can make an appealing objet trouve. Ceramics can be beautiful, though the production process limits their size. If you are naturally creative, you could try making your own abstract piece.

Materials

Bronze is beautiful and ages sympathetically, but the price is likely to be prohibitive. Nowadays, synthetic resins provide a convincing substitute at a much lower cost. Stone ornaments are heavy, and reconstituted stone pieces often have a tell-tale seam left from the mould that betrays their manufacture. However, they weather beautifully, acquiring an attractive covering of moss in time.

Plastic ornaments are light and tend to blow over, so they are perhaps best used among plants rather than as stand-alone features. Ceramics need to be securely placed, since they can crack or even break if they fall over.