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| Garden ornaments, feautres and figures |
MAKING FEATURES FOR THE MINIGARDEN
Treillage, fencing, gates and gateways (usually used for backgrounds), can be represented with tiny pieces of wood cut and
glued together and suitably painted. White shows up well in
conjunction with very formal gardens and evergreen conifers.
Bridges in the occidental garden are usually made to neat,
classical stone design with parapet or balustrade (made as under
stonework) or of wood, either with boards, but frequently to the
rustic pattern, and sometimes with a lantern raised in the centre.
They can be made with small pieces of wood and twigs.
ORNAMENTAL FEATURES
Statuary is particularly effective in the formal style minigarden,
but it should be very carefully selected to the mood, style and
proportion of the garden, and must not be overdone. Note the
little Venus statuette in the centre of the pool in Plate I. Choose
statuettes for their charm, elegance and grace for formal gardens;
they can be a little more whimsical where they are to fit in with
less rigid surroundings.
Usually little statuettes can be bought and this is the most satisfactory solution unless the minigardener is also a good modeller
(when modelling paste can be used). Sometimes it may seem
desirable to finish off the little model to represent marble, stone,
lead or bronze (either green or gold-brown) and this is normally
best done with paints. Statuary is usually placed as a centrepiece to pool, court or terrace, or it may be placed in a niche or
arbour (as in a background wall).
Sundials and Birdbaths can be constructed in similar ways to
stonework, or if small, as for the Japanese pieces. Fittings (as for
the sundial), or to represent wrought iron work, stands or
brackets can be made with wire; metal panels with a fairly soft,
easily handled metal such as zinc. In placing a sundial, do not
forget that it should be placed in a position where, logically, it
can function, i.e., in a sunny position. There is, in fact, no reason
why a sundial could not be set in the minigarden in such a way
that it really could function.
Ornamental vases and urns can be used in some particular styles
of garden, but need even more careful selection and placing than
other features. Sometimes they are used in conjunction with
balustrades, sometimes to hold small trees or plants, sometimes
just ornamentally, and sometimes in such a way that a continuous stream or trickle of water flows from one into a rill or
pool. Such vases can be bought or made in modelling paste, but
never forget proportionate size.
FURNITURE
Furniture is not such an easy feature to include in the minigarden as might be supposed. For the formal garden a stone
bench or a formal white-painted seat might be used; and perhaps
a little rustic furniture for less formal types.
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