Garden Ornaments

“Garden ornament” is somewhat of a catch-all phrase in modern landscaping. Simply put, it refers to anything that can be used to enhance the appearance of a garden or landscaping design. This includes purely decorative items like holiday ornaments, but also items with both ornamental and practical applications—such as birdbaths and decorative lighting. While a landscape’s plant culture must give some consideration to sustainability and equilibrium with the local environment, homeowners usually employ garden ornaments as a means of improving or coordinating the local aesthetic.

The options for garden ornaments are nearly limitless. Gardening publications, landscaping magazines, local plant nurseries and garden centers, blogs, and websites can make the process of selecting suitable garden ornaments seem overwhelming. Homeowners can avoid the stress by planning their aesthetic before they begin purchasing. This can help to cut down on post-purchase hiccups (such as expensive transplants or returns of heavy fountains).

DIY landscapers need to ask a series of questions about what they wish passersby to take away from looking at their property (or, if the landscape is meant to be a secluded spot for relaxation, what kind of ornamentation would contribute to that aesthetic). Garden ornaments usually involve coordination of specific design elements to achieve a theme. For example, if seclusion is the goal, homeowners may pair tall hedge bushes with a small koi pond circulated by a water pump. Birdbaths and fountains are also popular choices, as they attract local wildlife looking for a reliable source of water in all seasons. Budget concerns are important here as well. Homeowners are advised to write out a budget before any purchases are made, in addition to prioritizing how much money will go to each specific area in the landscape. There also needs to be a grasp of how the new garden ornaments will impact the surrounding area. What kind of effect will an excavated pond have on local drainage? How will DIY landscapers mitigate functional (crop or flower-growing) space with decorative items?

Prior to making purchases, homeowners are advised to take a drive around their neighborhood to see what kinds of landscapes are on display around them. What do they like about these landscapes and why? Getting a sense of the options will help in the planning process, and DIY landscapers may even find that conversations about neighbors’ landscaping designs can elicit some helpful advice. In any case, the primary focus in choosing garden ornamentation is that homeowners enjoy their own surroundings. Taking measures, however small, to improve the appearance of a piece of property is important to physical and emotional well-being.

Tags: garden, ornament, decorative, landscape, homeowner, DIY