The Garden

At last the gloomy rains of early spring have given way to clear skies and lush pastures here in Virginia.  My reward for slogging through weeks of daily storms and mildew is that  now I’m enjoying the happiest flower garden in years.  The rose bushes are so laden with blossoms their little heads are dragging the gound.   The smiling pansy faces, like babies in wide-brimmed bonnets, are crowding their pots.   I’m making a plan for the garden this summer, and this year I want to add some interesting focal points.

I just started carrying this line of garden ornaments from Orlandi Statuary, and they add so much personality to the landscape.   A pair of classic urns on either side of the front door  instantly creates structure and balance, like punctuation marks in a paragraph.  A figurine, such as a woodland animal, adds a bit of whimsy and tells visitors that we don’t take ourselves too seriously here.

Remnant of a Greek goddess

This reproduction of a remnant is fantastic peeking out from under the boxwoods.  She would look just as good resting beneath my enormous hostas at home.

 

Wee, wee, wee all the way home!

This little stone pig greets customers at my front door and makes them feel welcome.

 

Pansies on the front steps

Simple pots and containers add charm to the front porch.  It’s easy to change the plants seasonally.

 

Winged urn

All of these pieces are a made from a mixture of stone and fiberglass.  They’re beautiful, and you can move them without the help of some big man!

Grumpy little gargoyle

Each year I invest in one special, permanent garden fixture or ornament.  Some years it’s a very small thing, like the stone bunny that sits beneath the bleeding heart.  A few of my large containers were a bit of an investment, but they’ve been well worth the price for the statement they make.  Last year I brought home an antique weather vane from England, a running fox painted black.  I mounted it on a wrought iron pole and placed it by the patio among black-eyed susans, tall phlox and daylilies.   He is so handsome out there, and I can see him from the kitchen window.   The weathervane draws my eye to a particular point in the garden, the way a beautiful fireplace mantle directs one’s gaze in a room. 

This year I’m giving my husband this little gargoyle for Father’s Day.  It’s only about six inches high, and so quirky it’s adorable.

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