Spring-2023

into a produce garden with more than 100 different species of fruits and vegetables. She produces 145 pounds of produce distributed locally on the island every week. Singer and musician Sting takes gardening seriously. He bought a 900- acre estate with a vineyard in Tuscany where he converted a barn into a recording studio with a store on property selling his wines, olive oil and honey. It is 100% organic. Gardens have been the inspiration for collecting garden elements that embellish the organic material. It’s incredibly addictive and the hunt for these treasures to place around the plants and trees, satisfies the addiction. Putting up sculpture in the outdoors is one of man’s earliest compul- sions.There are whirligigs, wishing wells, sundials, topiary, gazing balls, armil- lary spheres and rain chains. But nothing is more charming than a weath- ered old garden critter. The more chipped and faded, the more cherished it becomes. Experts warn against cleaning garden antiques, as their aged patina and distressed appearance preserve their charm and value. Collecting vintage garden sculpture, seating and containers has become a specialized field within the antiques marketplace. There seems to be a movement in the industry for fine and rare examples of garden objects. On a shopping trip along the Central Coast, years ago, I came upon an old house that had been converted into an antique shop. I didn’t even make it through the door, as I was drawn to the garden surrounding the house. It had old, worn garden critters and statuary that sat scattered among the overgrown coastal grasses.They looked like creatures in their natural habitat. I wanted to adopt them all, but they were not for sale. Just as well, as they belonged there in the coastal breeze with salt-licked faces, happy in their complacency. Not everything we covet is for sale. That makes us want them even more. The passion for gardens and garden ornaments is sweeping the country. It could be due to our concern for the environment or an escape from a complex world.Whatever the reason, the joy of collecting garden sculpture is a personal passion only a few enjoy, and choosing a garden fig- ure is most often an affair of the heart. Marjorie Snow is a published writer and photographer with a vast knowl- edge of antiques and their history. Snow was the owner of Terra Cotta in Las Vegas, an exclusive architectural vintage gallery, which has been featured in numerous West Coast magazines. From a stone alligator head emerging from a pond, to a chipped and patina-aged metal flamingo, to two stone Foo Dogs, garden statuary has become a much sought-after passion by gardeners and collectors. C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 83 “A garden is a fragile vision that can quickly disappear out of neglect, but with constant work and tender love, it can preserve beauty forever.” —Oscar de la Renta