Animal, vegetable ....or MINERAL!

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I love ornaments, objects and various artefacts in the garden. It always fascinates me to see what people like to put in their gardens, and I have had a great time browsing the garden ornament pictures on GoY. Ornaments give a whole extra dimension to a garden and I had a wander round mine just focusing on all the non-plant things I have collected over the years.

This area is my biggest garden ornament. The “window” hangs from the board at the top and the door is leaning against the wall. The window frame is backed by perspex and a piece of black weed control fabric. The door was rescued from a neighbour’s skip – it had a glass top panel which we replaced with hardboard. I “assembled” the area some years ago. The water feature to the right is a bit the worse for wear now – it’s a pebble pool structure, but above ground, with a small fountain (which the birds sometimes use as a shower!) I am mulling over what to do with it, but in all probability will leave it for the time being. Actually, the whole corner needs a bit of a tidy, but that will happen as I see to the containers. When the bluebells are finished, I’ll pull them up (though they’ll be back again next year, because I never get all the bulbs up.) The other clumps are the leaves of cyclamen coum, which are just beginning to die down. They do really well here. Because the rather large patio has an outbuilding on the far side, I wanted a courtyard effect by having something opposite. I am pleased with the result. Aslan, who has a partner – Rolf – at the bottom of the steps, really belongs to my daughter, but she hasn’t got a garden yet so the lions have lived with us for some time. When they go I shall miss them a lot, I fear!

The stepladders were made by my father-in-law 50 years ago. They are very heavy and we use aluminium steps now, but they are perfect for displaying pots in the summer. The trees are the remains of leylandii which I eventually had taken down last year. I used to have them taken down by a third every 5 years, but am glad they are now down (almost). It has made quite a difference to the amount of sun on the patio. The wisteria travelled from the house corner and covers the dead branches beautifully. And the trees provide a great home for all sorts of hanging things including, of course, a couple of hanging baskets!

These containers will be filled /added to at the end of the month. The solar lamp standards were a birthday present from my husband a few years ago, and the other bits have been collected at various times and places. The half barrel, which I have had for about 12 years is actually plastic. The birds drink from it and even bathe in it sometimes.

The forsythia in the top picture was originally a peastick for some everlasting sweet peas I tried. They didn’t live up to their name at all, but I do have a lovely forsythia!

Down in the wild area I put some paving stones in the spot that catches the last of the evening sun. I’d like to keep a seat down there, but several years ago, some youths came over the wall from the playing field and took a few things from the garden, including the seat. We found it smashed to smithereens in the woods – they didn’t even want it for sitting on! They also took the owl from the patio (it was further down the garden then). We got it back unbroken, but it had been given a silver chest and eyes! (The paint has worn off now) So all precious items are kept up by the house. (Two doors down had a full-sized trampoline removed – manhandled over a 6’ wall, but they got it back undamaged!) The “table” is a stepping stone on two redundant storage heater bricks – it’s just the right size for a bottle and two glasses!

The glass carboy came from a school fair.

This old baby bath doesn’t make a particularly picturesque pond, but the frogs love it!

The left hand door is for what the estate agents call the “gardener’s toilet” (very useful, actually!) and the right hand door is the garden shed for all the tools etc. The ivy on the left has been growing happily for 12 years in a large container, supported by a plastic trellis. It hides the dustbins and a big storebox.

More steps (the rest of the blue set on the patio) again great for pots. The clock on the wall has never worked because it’s too hot in the sun, but I like the look of it.
The keys are from the garden centre. The lion’s head came from Corbridge, Northumberland, one of my favourite places.

Writing this, and reading Scotsgran’s blog is making me itch to do my containers. I shan’t be able to resist much longer!

• 7 May, 2012
• 6 likes

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