I know many of you have seen most of these items, but I thought I’d post about them anyway.
Furnace barrow, groundmans’ barrow, chimney pot, recycled church pews and watering can.
The gardens are littered with all sorts of odd paraphernalia which I tend to notice more in the winter. Recently I’ve been forced to accept that I’m a veritable magpie with extremely eccentric eclectic tastes.
Potato scales, original stocks, ships’ armillary, hanging antique teapot [top right, in the tree] and of course, skeletons.
The problem of late is that some of these items are deteriorating and in need of repair. I constantly ask myself if I should part with them or put the time and effort into repairing them. The reality is that anything made of wood will simply rot away, and that is probably what they will do, given there are also a shed-load of jobs that need doing in the house along with the garden.
Potato digger
This is something that will take centuries to rot. It weighs half a ton and almost demolished the porch when it rolled off a truck while being delivered. It’s also almost impossible to move.
If this was in Italy, it would be seen as rustic….
I also have a substantial collection of watering cans. This one is sitting on a recycled church pew. They seem indestructible! Many are still in regular use.
A variety of antique tools, everything from [left to right] scythe, wooden hammer, milk ladle, ancient saw, mooring pins, secateurs, among other things.
Given how much paraphernalia I have has meant that I’ve stopped going to auctions as there’s simply nowhere to put anything new…old!
A pair of milk urns.
So many of these items have become old friends and I toy with the idea of us all growing old together, warts and all.
Ships’ wheels, antique sprayers, corporation gas lamps.
I painted many of these items in the Roses and Castle’s style as I had a narrowboat at the time and fell in love with this style of painting.
Middle Eastern wrought iron screen.
Milk urns, more watering cans and milking pots.
An oil can. I cut the sides out and planted it up.
One of my favourite things is the chiminea. How I love sitting out in front of a roaring fire.
I could go on as these items are merely the tip of the iceberg…..
I just love seeing my old friends through fresh eyes each winter and wondering about their former owners who used and and no doubt depended upon them, excluding the stocks of course!
And Finally…
wrought iron birds, there are four here…..
and another almost totally consumed by bamboo!
Your garden has so much character. I love the blue barrows.
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia. I do love the colour blue.xxx
Some very cool stuff! Where did you get it all? Around here this sort of thing if found in an antiques store, even way out in the country, can be pretty expensive. I especially like your potato digger and the metal birds. And what’s an armillary?
Thanks Jason, most of the things are from auctions although a lot came from a museum that closed down and sold all it’s stock. An armillary is a ships candle holder, it keeps the candle balanced.xxx
What a great collection. I didn’t realise it was so extensive. Original stocks? Not in use I hope. I love the painted barge stuff. I’m not sure about the skeketons, They’re not real are they? As in actual dead people?
Hahahaha….not even I could cope with real skeletons although I have seen them up for sale at auctions. I think they are 18th century doctor ones. To date I haven’t put anyone in the stocks…..although the leaf blowers sorely tempt me! Thanks Chloris.xxx
I think gardens are more fun when they feature fun, funky items that are meaningful to the gardener. It makes the garden more personal. I love all those watering cans.
Thanks Casa, you certainly have your share of interesting items!!!xxx
OMG ! and Holy Buddha ! is so right ! LOL .. You have amazing artifacts to enjoy in your garden. They all have a story to tell (what about those skeletons ? You have my curiosity with those guys !) .. we have had clear out every few years .. I have let go of things I found VERY hard to let go of .. but I fear being a hoarder .. while in the military we moved so often it was just a matter of fact to get rid of things .. but since we have lived here 20 years now, we FORCE ourselves to purge once in a while. But I get that you have feelings for these things and it is difficult to think they might leave … I am getting a new wheel barrow and I feel sorry for the old one having to leave .. now how silly is that ? LOL
Oh, I can never part with old wheelbarrows, I always end up planting them out. It is good to purge though and I try to do that every now and then. I have no idea why I bought skeletons for the stocks….another crazy impulse I guess. Thanks Joy.xxx
Like others who commented, I think that the paraphernalia adds interest to the garden. It’s fun to discover items when walking through a garden.
Thanks Sheryl. The bits and pieces seem to disappear into the greenery most of the year, they only seem noticeable in the winter.xxx
Holy Buddha! What is in your garden (collection of unthinkable oddities), here, is inside the house…
I don’t tell you the discussions with the rest of my family: for me, they are “memories” of great value, from all over the world… for them, dust collectors that should be scrapped.
But I’m tied up, well, yes, basically, they are part of my collection of “stuff” brought from everywhere.
To be honest, I had not yet thought of cataloging (lack of time?) You gave me a nice idea… just for luck because probably the “big plague of the 2019 coronavirus ” will also strike here.
I am ready (I still have 19 masks), and bad, since in all the pharmacies in the canton of Ticino you can no longer buy them.
Let’s hope that this medical crisis (in addition to the ecological one) is not the beginning of a bad and sad story yet to come…
Hugs and love :-)c
I, like you also have all sorts in the house that my family consider to be dust collectors!!! Goodness me, are the masks really sold out?? I must check locally although I doubt they’ll do much good. The spread of the virus is rather worrying, how I feel for those in China. Hopefully it will peak soon and fizzle out. Thanks Claudine.xxx
It’s amazing that you have space doer plants!
I couldn’t agree more. Thanks Sue.xxx
A veritable outdoor museum.
Indeedy! Thanks Menhir.xxx
You really do have an interesting garden.Eclectic – an interesting description.
Thanks Peter, hope all is well with you.xxx
What a wonderfully creative eclectic mind you have:). No wonder I love you.
Love the middle eastern wrought iron screen. You could open up your garden as an ‘antique/interesting memorabilia trail’ and you might make a fortune….XXXXXXX
Why thank you Janet!!! I think you have the same kind of mind as me!!! Lol….I’m not sure my bits and pieces would go down well with the public! Love and hugs.xxx
So many lovely old stuffs you have there! If I’m you, I would repair them! Wish I could have some of them in my little garden except those scary-looking skeletons though I do like them too!
Hahaha…yes, those skeletons are over the top for sure!What a shame you’re not closer, then I could pass some onto you to repair! Thanks Jade.xxx
I was thinking I’d have a hard time being surrounded by so much stuff, delightful as it is. Of course, I’m only a couple of months past my move, and the pleasure of being in a radically cleaned-out space hasn’t faded. Of course, I’m not living with four walls and a floor, myself. There’s plenty of evidence around of my past life: African masks, antique china, cowgirl art, and so on. I know this — I’d never turn lose of the potato digger or the milk cans — or the water cans or the tools, for that matter! But I agree that the best of all is the chiminea. There’s just nothing better than sitting around a fire!
I often feel like a good old clear out, unfortunately every time I have one new stuff creeps back in. There are some things I’d never part with. That old digger could easily still plough a field of potatoes. I do like the sound of some of your possessions, you should do a post on them. Thanks Linda.xxx
Wow what an amazing collection. I bet they make your garden a much more exciting place to be than most!
Thanks Sustainablemum. The collection certainly has grown over the years.xxx
I always think it’s nice to have garden paraphernalia, as each piece often brings special memories with it – I know it has done in our gardens over the years …
All the best Jan
Oh yes, they all have stories attached to them. It’s such a shame they don’t last longer. Thanks Jan.xxx
What a variegated collection! I can completely understand that they all give you such pleasure. It is hard to know what to do when something lovely starts falling apart and can’t be mended … I guess death and decay is as normal a part of life as birth and growth. Hugs xx
Yes, death and decay are certainly part of life!! Hopefully a few nails will keep the barrows together a little longer. Thanks Gill.xxx
Unique and colorful, like you, with varied and delicate patterns, and surprises galore: also like you, Dina! I love the ways our gardens reflect us, in and out: Who we are, who we were, and who we dream of becoming…you have so many treasures in your life and garden; it’s a wonder and delight to ponder! Thank you for sharing and letting us glimpse your beauty, humor, loves, and mysteries. I would enjoy being with you by the fire and gazing at it all!!!
You do say the nicest things! I almost feel unique and colourful!!! Yes, our gardens do reflect us for sure, no two are ever the same. How I wish we could have a chinwag around an open fire….one day hopefully. Love and hugs as always.xxx
I may have several chins to wag by then, but I remain hopeful!
Hahahaha…you and I both! Hopeful…indeedy!xxx
Yes I agree with the comment before mine. I love to think of all the people who have made and/or used these objects before.
.. and I also love to sit around a fire at night … my absolutely favourite thing.👌💕
Thanks Gerrie, you and me both re sitting around a fire, unbeatable.xxx
You have a wonderful collection of items that add interest to your garden. I like the narrowboat style painted ones and the old watering cans. Where you got the stocks from is intriguing! Sitting by your chiminea enjoying the warmth you can think about the people who have used some of your garden ornaments in the past 🙂
Thanks Linda. I got the stocks from an auction, they were used in a local village.xxx
That’s certainly a fascinating collection, especially the potato digger. xx
Thanks Flighty, that potato digger will stay put as it’s almost impossible to move.xxx
I love your eclectic garden ornaments; they add such character. I recently found an old enamel teapot by some bins in Bristol. I rescued it and hung it up in our cherry tree in the hope that robins may decide to nest there – fingers crossed. I love your painted items too and really envy you your narrow boat. What made you part with it? Here’s to more characterful gardens! xx
Thanks Veggiemummy. Your teapot sounds lovely, that’s the sort of thing I would do too! I hope you get the little robins nesting in it. I loved our narrow boat, but we simply didn’t have the time to use and maintain it, it became a veritable money pit, but still, I miss it. Maybe we’ll get another for retirement.xxx
They certainly add such a lot of interest to the garden. It is hard keeping up with all the jobs though, a garden is a never ending job, and no matter how enjoyable it is to keep everything ship shape, there’s only so many hours in the day.
I’ve long since given up on keeping things shipshape! I do enjoy have a few interesting bits and pieces around the garden. Thanks Jo.xxx
Of all your garden accoutrements, I think the screen is my favorite 🙂 Can certainly agree with you on the shed load of things to attend to both in and out of the house.
I am very fond of that screen too,the craftsmanship is marvelous. Oh…sighs…there is always so much that needs doing!!! Thanks Anne.xxx