Garden Ornaments

by Mary Harrod Northend

There is no set rule that can be laid down for its placing. One is usually safe, however, in locating it at the intersection of two paths near a vine-clad pergola or within sight of a summer house or garden seat. Formal gardens use it frequently as a central feature. If, however, a water garden takes this central place, the sundial should be at the end of some alluring path surrounded by masses of bright bloom. The chief fault that we find in contrasting the sundials of a century ago with those of the twentieth century is that there is now too much sameness. They seem to follow the same lines, more perhaps, than any other form of garden furniture.

This can be overcome by designing them yourself, working out new ideas in the decoration and its motto. Here the gnomons offer a chance for variation for instead of a plain, simple shaft, it can be changed into an ornamental design that helps out in changing it from monotony to originality.

For the simple garden, why not make one yourself? It is not a hard matter, that is if you have any ingenuity. The only thing we must consider is to have it set perfectly even, to be sure the pedestal is carefully laid so that it will not tip and spoil the marking of the hours. There are so many materials that you can construct one from, there is no need of sameness. The most inexpensive is the rustic sundial. This is made from a small tree trunk. It should be about six to eight inches in diameter, tapering at the top, and show branches irregularly cut within three or four inches of the main trunk. There is a reason for this; it adds picturesqueness to the effect and gives pegs for the vines to climb over. Do not top it with a wooden dial. They are never satisfactory, for they are apt to warp and thus ruin the entire scheme. You need not go to great expense to procure a satisfactory one, for there are many materials to draw from, iron, brass and slate being the most desirable. The latter are not expensive as they cost simply the price of the material and engraving. It takes a piece that ranges from an inch to an inch and a half in thickness and should not be more than a foot square. For this, one should not pay more than seventy-five cents, although if it is cut round it will be a little more expensive. If you prefer to use brass it costs more and needs a machinist who is used to handling this material to put it together for you and burnish the surface. You must remember that this applies to the dial only, the pedestal being a separate proposition.

THE SUN-DIAL IS A FEATURE IN ITSELF

For a little inexpensive time piece for your garden you can make one of wood, coloring it any shade that you like but so that it will contrast prettily with the flowers. The only thing that you must bear in mind is that care should be taken in its setting. If it is out of plumb it will not keep good time. Should you, by chance, be able to procure an old mill stone, it serves two purposes, first it is a practical foundation and second it lends an old-time setting that is appropriate. For a simple, every-day foundation, stones can be laid about six inches deep and filled in with mortar. Cement is also appropriate and oftentimes bricks can be used to good advantage.

For a pedestal, a rather good idea is to use second-hand bricks. These can be cemented together with mortar, the red giving a touch of color to the drapery of the sundial that is picturesque. Sometimes a boulder is used for this purpose or a slab of stone.

If you purchase a sundial, you should bear in mind that if it is a genuine antique, it may not be suitable for our latitude. In cases like that it is best to have it looked after by an expert and so placed that it will be a correct timekeeper.

We tire of the same idea continuously reproduced so why not work out a design of your own? This is hard to do, however, unless cement is used, when some floral design or ornamentation that is appropriate for the garden can be introduced. For the dial the gnomon is made much more interesting if it shows a unique formation rather than a straight shaft, as in the sundial at Didsbury, England, where a harp is introduced, and in another case where a dragon holds the uplifted shaft.