Ornamental Horticulture

Garden adornments

There are several garden adornments and accessories such as bird bath, sun clock, fountains, garden seats, ornamental posts, pillars, etc., which make the garden more enjoyable.

Garden-seats: The garden-seats should not look out of place. They should be comfortable, durable and artistic looking. Seats made out of wooden or fabric material are comfortable to sit compared to those built in stone or iron. The wood used is to be treated with a preservative and painted with moisture proof chemicals. Iron or stone or concrete seats get easily heated in the summer months and become cool in the winter months, thus making them uncomfortable to sit. Concrete or stone seats are preferable in public parks as they are durable in nature.

Ornamental tubs, urns and vases: The tub or the vase can be made of timber or preferably of brick, concrete or carved out of stone, which can be kept permanently or temporarily. These can be positioned over ornamental pillars, at the end of paved paths, near the gate or near the staircase of the main entrance. Ornamental urns made of metal with carvings outside look beautiful in the terrace, near the staircase or even inside the house.

Bird bath: It is a large, bowl-shaped container generally made of concrete, fixed over a pillar or column, which is about 1m tall. Water is stored in the bowl for the birds to come and drink or bath in it. Bird baths may be constructed at the quiet corner of the garden.

Sun dials: It can be used as a focal point in a garden, can form a centerpiece of a formal flower bed, and can be placed in the centre or at the end of the lawn or at the junction or termination of path. It is also a good feature in a sunken-garden. The sundial should be positioned in a place where the shadow from a tree or building does not fall for a long duration.

Floral clocks: These are huge clocks generally operated by electricity, having huge hands for showing the seconds, minutes and hours. The machinery of the clock is concealed in an underground chamber with only the hands showing above the ground against a dial of carpet bedding plants or flowerbeds. Instead of live plants, the dial can be decorated with various coloured pebbles.