Garden Fun...or...Can you do the Funky Chicken?

Gardening should never be all work and no play. I enjoy using what I call my garden "do-dahs" to add some fun and whimsy to the yard and gardens. When choosing garden do-dahs, one must be careful to skirt the fine line between whimsical and tacky. How to define "tacky?" Hmmm...of course this is largely a matter of opinion, but as a general rule I would say you should usually avoid items made of plastic. I also shy away from garden ornaments with the look of being mass-produced, and anything devoid of a personality. Here is a sampling of some of my favorite do-dahs.

These funky chickens were a Christmas gift this past year. Talk about personality! I just love them! They are made of metal and have stakes at the bottom of their feet so they don't topple over. I gave them a few coats of polyurethane before setting them out so that they won't rust.

I also love these cast iron frogs. I have a set of three and they reside in the large flower bed which I (now improperly) refer to as the wildflower garden. From time to time I move them around and it has become a game for observers to try and find them all. Here are two of the frogs. I couldn't seem to find the third as I was taking the pictures...

The "grow" ornament adds some height to the gardens which is nice. I also like this do-dah because it is unobtrusive and subtle. It also serves as a sort of silent prayer. Unfortunately, it also works for the weeds!

I'll share more of my favorite do-dahs in a future post.