Garden Ornaments
Why do we need garden ornaments? Aren’t flowers, shrubs, and trees enough? I think it is the element of surprise, the contrast of something by either shape, style, or color made by man, to the more expected organic nature of the landscape. Sometimes it’s just the addition of a little whimsy to make you smile.
Floating Solar Fountain
Awhile back, I ordered this little ‘Ankway‘ Floating Solar Fountain
. When I say little, you need to understand that it is but it is perfect for this small birdbath. The box the fountain came in measures 6-inches square and is 2-inches deep. You simply unpack the unit, place a nozzle on it, and put it in the water. If the water shoots up too high, you can remove the cap on the nozzle. You can choose from three caps with this fountain. As soon as I took it outside in the sun, the motor started up and I had to turn it upside down to keep it from running until I reached the fountain. The solar cells are on the top. (We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales through this link at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting this website.)
That was a bit surprising! I thought it would have to charge first. That is not the case.
I love this little fountain! It sometimes just squirts a little when there is very little sun but it is enough to attract butterflies and birds. When the water is squirting higher, the wind sometimes empties the bird bath a little too quickly and water has to be added.
Teacup Bird Feeder
Remember the teacup bird feeder I made a few years ago? So many birds ate from that little cup. Unfortunately last year, a squirrel knocked it off the pole. For a while, it sat on the deck rail filled with seed and I got so many wonderful pictures of the birds! In the end, the squirrel did me a favor…
Anyway, I made another teacup bird feeder from a matching cup. This time, you’ll notice a “Slinky” was added. I found this smaller version of a Slinky at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. I like that it is smaller than the large one for this little teacup. It looks less clunky. 
The idea behind this is that the Slinky will help keep the squirrels off the feeder. Hopefully, the Slinky does not rocket the cup off the pole! Have you seen the videos where the squirrel grabs the Slinky and falls to the ground? That is what I am hoping happens.
You can find the complete directions for the original teacup bird feeder here ►Teacup Bird Feeder DIY. Just remember if you are adding the Slinky, it needs to be glued to the saucer after gluing the end cap to it and before gluing it to the pole.
Fish Pond Ornament
The search was on for a frog garden ornament that could be used as a water feature. As is the case lots of times, one idea was replaced with another. At Homegoods, one of my favorite stores, this little fish caught my eye.
Upon further investigation, it seemed perfect for the water pond. There was already a place for the water tube to run without any extra work. He can sit perfectly flat.
I bought some clear tubing to connect to the black hose that runs from the pond pump that is located in the lower pond to the top pond.
The black tubing would have been too large for the opening in the fish’s mouth. Using the bag of leftover parts from the pond pump, (Never throw away leftover pump parts!) a reducing connection was found that just fit over the black hose snuggly. A little electrical tape was wrapped around the connector tightly.
Then, the clear tubing was placed through the fish mouth opening. It needed something to hold it more firmly. Back to the leftover parts bag.
This little black plastic piece was found in the bag and it worked perfectly. I have no idea what it is called. It fits snugly from the inside of the fishes mouth. The longer thin end goes through the hole for the fish mouth. You can see in the picture of the fish with water streaming out his mouth below that the clear tubing extends past the opening about an inch so the water stream projects a little farther out into the pond.
Of course, the fish water tower is in the lower pond. This is one of the neatest and easiest things to do! I created this, with a little help from Jon-Michael, my oldest son. We found a plant stand and a clear plexiglass vase and voilà! You do need some type of aquarium fish tank vacuum cleaner to set up the vase. You can find the complete step-by-step directions here ►Fish Tower.
Armillary Sphere
Remember to use restraint when choosing the number and size of your garden ornaments. Too many little items can look cluttered. Avoid an abundance of small items unless you are intentionally going for a cluttered look. Too many ornaments can be distracting and lose their significance. A garden ornament placed in a strategic spot can be a breathtaking focal point, or at least an eye-catcher. Sometimes, less is more.
The frog and armillary sphere in the picture stand about four-feet high. The sculpture adds a bit of whimsy to the garden. Imagine this picture without the frog and armillary sphere. This little corner of the patio wouldn’t be nearly as interesting, would it?
Also, notice the pots with the stenciled design on them. These were cheap plastic pots from the nursery! You can find complete directions for making these here► Paint Your Cheap Plastic Pots.
Maybe one of these garden ornaments will inspire you to add a new feature to your garden.
