Sundials & Other Sun-Loving Ornaments for the Garden



Posted: Wednesday, February 08, 2006

by lorien1973
Online Discount Mart Home & Garden Decor

By 1500 B.C. when the sun cast its shadow over the invented sundial—humans could mark the passage of time. Although sundials are no longer required to tell time, they are still popular features of many gardens. Coming in many styles of many different materials, this garden ornament can be purchased and even made at home. The following article discusses different kinds of sundials as well as other useful and decorative ornaments for gardening sun-worshippers.

There are essentially two elements of the sundial—its face with the marked hours and the gnomon which is the shadow indicator. That said, there are many variations on this theme. Horizontal sundials are most widely used in today’s gardens. A flat circular face, traditionally made from bronze, sports a triangular indicator and either sits on a tabletop or most frequently, atop a pedestal. Weather bronze, cast iron and stone (granite or marble is lovely) are generally chosen materials for today’s sundials. Of course, creative sundials either painted or decorated with mosaics can be readily found at local garden centers and even some craft stores. A birdbath sundial actually serves a dual function in the garden.

Sundial pedestals can be attached at the time of manufacture or purchased separately depending on the model chosen. Interesting pedestals might feature statuettes of Father Time or Cupid holding up the actual sundial. Such features make great focal points for gardens—depending on one’s taste. Many traditional sundials also featured inscriptions. Consider English poet John Donne’s, “Busy old fool, unruly sun" or some such classic sunny ode. Vertical dials are closely related to the horizontal style except these are mounted on walls or columns.

Armillary sundials three dimensional. They could almost be thought of as garden sculpture whose classical purpose was once to tell time. These are made of a series of spheres and they can be adjusted to tell time at any latitude. Originally, they were used as astronomical models. This might be an ideal ornament for a classically formal garden.

Of course, nothing decorates a landscape quite like a floral sundial and experienced gardeners take great pains with establishing these. Floral dials are made on the ground using plants to represent both the dial face and indicator. Trendy in the seventeenth century, they are still planted by ambitious gardeners today. Different sections of flowers would denote different hours or grass could even be mowed or left to grow tall to form the Roman numerals. This is truly the ultimate garden sundial.

Not surprisingly, there are many sun-loving objects available for garden use online or at local garden centers. Solar fountains and solar pumps are excellent ways to conserve energy and use the sun to power your water features. Many novel and decorative fountains can be purchased with solar panels included. Once it is installed, you have a continuous power supply that doesn’t cost a penny. Consider solar pumps for other water features as well.

While a greenhouse is built with the sun in mind, most gardeners don’t have them built in the backyard. However, miniature versions are available that may be more decorative than functional for your tropical plants—but they will prevent insect pests from a particularly vulnerable plant. Set them on patio tables or embed them in the garden—they are of great visual interest and small enough to be moved from place to place.

Gazing balls are found in many gardens and their reflection of the sun may be all the decoration needed for your patch of sunflowers. Other sunny garden enhancements may be as large as a sundeck built off a pool or garden pond or as small as a stepping stone molded with a sun-face. Garden centers often employ the sun in all kinds of designs from sunny containers to painted sun faces for wall of your garden shed. Gardeners owe much to this great celestial sphere (so do we all) and it is an ever-popular image to decorate the outdoors.
This Article has been viewed 597 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.