We love our lawn ornaments (con't)

“I think plants do enough!” he laughs.

Terryberry says some cultures “have always used this type of decoration” so we see statues and water fountains – which used to only decorate the estates of the rich – now in the lowliest of private yards.

“It might go back to childhood preferences,” for the type of ornament a homeowner places on their lawn, he said.

Geese seem to be sported by older people, gnomes or gargoyles by those with a devilish streak in them.

And those who keep Santa Claus on their front yards in the middle of July are just being plain contrarian.

In any case, drive down even one city block and you’ll likely see at least a few properties with the ubiquitous ornaments.

Geese seem to reflect the taste of an older generation.

“They’re not really that popular now,” said Lily Daniher, owner of Lil’s Country Gardens on Manning Rd.

“We still sell them but not like what we used to,” said Becky Van Kesteren of Heritage Gardens and Nursery Station in Chatham.

But geese used to be iconic and people actually dressed them.

According to the web site ehow.com geese “began their migration” to suburban yards about 1980.

People would buy all kind of costumes “including negligees and curlers as well as leopard-spotted bikinis and sunglasses.”

Statues of animals remain popular and are sold in solid gray concrete weighing hundreds of pounds.

Or they can be lightweight and made of fiber glass and resin.

“The resin they’re painted, some of them almost look like a real dog - you have to look twice,” Daniher said.

So by their lawn ornaments can you tell how old the people living inside the house are?

Maybe.

“The new generation of gardeners isn’t so much into that kind of ornamentation,” Van Kesteren said.

“They want something a little bit more modern.”

Daniher says popular sellers are Buddhas, gargoyles and Japanese lanterns, and smaller ornaments like dragonflies and butterflies – a perennial favourite.

“They could hang them on a deck wall or fence, those are very popular,” she said.

Van Kesteren says what really have taken off in sales are fire pots.

“They’re huge this year.”

Not to be confused with fire pits these are ceramic or metal pots (see picture) where people can burn various fragrances or even anti-insect fluid.

They come in various sizes from six by six to 24 by 8 and can range from under $20 to as much as $80.

And then there are the authentic craft-made metal or brass garden ornaments like the kind sold at art fairs.

They’re often of birds, bees or dragonflies.

Van Kesteren says another new ornament is outdoor paintings made of plaster, aluminum or covered with a sealant to protect for years.

People place the paintings on fences or decoratively on benches or even on easels in their gardens.

But some objects never seem to die in popularity.

”My benches and bird baths are all popular,” Daniher said.

Pictures: Santa geese - stonecoldstump:wordpress.com; Fire pot - www.handmadefirepots.com

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