Garden Decor

When shopping for garden statuary, and outdoor garden decor,  

keep in mind the overall style of your home and garden.

     Childhood garden statuary is very versitile, and will especially add charm in an urban setting. Consider the Leapfrog Garden Statue, or the Teeter-Totter Tots to add the character of an old fashoned city park.
 
     A contemporary home and garden could really sparkle with Crane Sculptures, or perhaps a Bird Family Trio Garden Statuary.

     Ah! And what could look more at home in a country garden than the classic Hen with Chicks Sculpture?

     Of course, classical garden statuary, such as a Saint Francis Birdbath with Feeder, or Angel and Cherub Statues, are usually best to embellish a more traditional home or garden.

     Design a wooden birdhouse for the Carolina Wren. The ♫ song of this bird is so delightful ♫ that it is worth trying to attract!   

     South Carolina is so fond of this melodic little bird, there is a picture of one on the S.C. state quarter! If you’ve put together some of the state quarter garden stepping stones (earlier post) , under or near your new Carolina Wren Birdhouse might be an excellent location for it!

     The wooden floor should measure 4″ by 4″.  The front and back walls should be 8″ tall. Cut a 1½” entrance hole 6″ from the bottom of the front wall.

     The Carolina Wren wooden birdhouse should be placed 4 - 6′ above the ground, post mounted or hung, near thick underbrush.

     Nestled deep in the woods of the Great Smokey Mountains lived three bears birds in a little Log Cabin Birdhouse.
     One day a little girl came along and peeked into the opening. She saw three little open beaks, and the little hairless bird chicks were just quivering! Being quite startled, she jumped and ran away.

The moral of the story…
Leave them alone, and mama will come home with treats for the quivery bird chicks!

Ok, I’m a tragic failure at story telling. But bird watching is great fun, and with birdbaths, and birdfeeders, and novelty birdhouses, you’ll have lots of bird company to enjoy!

           House Finches are wonderfully attractive little birds that like to be around people. So attracting them for close observation can be great fun!                         House Finches like wooden birdhouses mounted 8’ to 12′  high on a post, away from trees or buildings.  But the house finch will also nest in a wooden birdhouse near a window of your house. This way you can watch up close all the activity of egg laying, hatching, and feeding the little ones!             The best wood to use for a House Finch nest box is Red Cedar, rough-cut on both sides. This provides the birds with rough wooden surfaces for gripping, both inside and outside of the birdhouse.             The inside dimensions for the wooden birdhouses should be 6” X 6” X 8” (8” height)  Cut a round entrance hole 2” in diameter, to be 4½”  above the floor.             Complete instructions can be found at http://www.50birds.com/MPb0606-412-2.htm. 

            Always wear eye protection!  Other important safety features include using a work bench of proper height, and keeping all equipment out of the reach of little children!

     For outdoor garden decor, decorative birdhouses are great!

     There’s lots of unique birdhouses to choose from - the log cabin birdhouse for the mountain lover in you, the lighthouse birdhouse for those whose favorite hobby is beach combing, and of course the victorian birdhouse for those of us who love reminiscing.
    
      Birds will use them. However, some are more interested in the birds than the abodes. And for those of you who prefer unique birds to unique birdhouses, here are some hints for building wooden birdhouses for the birds you want to see:
    
     Chickadees look for an access hole 1 1/8″ in diameter at a height from 4 to 15 feet above the ground.
     If you’re looking to house a Tree Swallow, the access hole should be 1 1/2″ in diameter, located 1 to 5 feet above the ground.
     And the ever popular Bluebird  will seek to nest through a hole 1 1/2″ in diameter, but about 6 feet above ground.  (A word of warning: those pesky house swallows prefer wooden birdhouses designed for bluebirds. You’ll have to inspect it daily and clean out any house swallow nesting materials.)

As you spend time in your garden, what are you thinking about? Let your immagination wander about as to what to choose for garden decor and statuary.

A common difficulty gardeners encounter when buying garden statuary is deciding on size and quantity. Cutting pieces of garden statuary out of cardboard and placing them in different locations throughout your garden can help you in planning for sizes and characteristics to shop for in garden statuary.

Keep in mind that the guiding principle that less is more. One large statue accentuated by greenery will usually look better than several smaller pieces, which may tend to appear cluttered.

If you need a really large garden statuary, you could purchase a life-sized fibreglass and resin Tyrannosaurus Rex online for $57,000.

But seriously, shopping online for garden statuary can give you the advantage of immagining the items in your own garden without the distraction of the garden supply nursery setting.

The garden decor and statuary that you add to your space can be a complete reflection of your personality.

There are plenty of ways to add to your garden decor through sculptures, statuary and garden decor. The arrangement and choice is limited only by your imagination. In using outdoor garden decor to enhance the theme of your garden sanctuary, you can be as bold
 or as subdued as you like. Give your garden a delicate flavor with angel and cherub statues, or liven the atmosphere with chickens or cranes!

You might also use garden yard stakes for an economical colorful lawn and garden decor embellishment.

I spotted this treasure among a few spectacular hand made decorative birdhouses while browsing around the internet.

Ah! That the website belonged to a dear friend of mine…
Even without the birds, this thing is a real eye catcher.  Outdoor garden decor extraordinaire!

But very simple lawn and garden decor and decorative birdhouses can also be very attractive in the midst of your own private garden sanctuary. I love to see decorative birdhouses and novelty birdhouses accentuated by clematis vines or simple ivy.

If you’re one of those birdhouse crafters, say “howdy!”  I’d love to see your handiwork!

…and there’s a lot of activity at the birdfeeders today! The House Finches are congregating and having a great time. Occasionally a Black Capped Chickadee will flutter up to these decorative birdfeeders, light, grab a seed, and flit away.

But for the House Finches, it looks like it’s mating time again. They appear to be feasting and celebrating; preparing to raise another brood for this year.

As you know, the nest will accomidate 4-5 hungry little finches, and the male will gather food and tend to his mate while she nurtures the babies.

I’m looking forward to watching all the activity in that little log cabin birdhouse just outside my window!

Gardening may be made a less lonely endeavor when it is done in the company ofsome favorite garden statuary. 

 Many find angel garden statues or cherub sculpture to be an especially comforting addition to their surroundings in the garden.

The use of garden statuary and sculpture is an age old method for adding personality to your patio or garden. Also, angel and cherub statues have a history of being a huge part of Renaissance and gothic art.

Instead of, or in addition to the renaissance concept, one can also choose from a wide selection of delightful garden statuary of children and animals to give the garden a fun and playful atmosphere.

Garden decor and statuary can do much to enbellish and enhance one’s beautiful garden sanctuary!