Landscape & Urban Design Issue 24 2017 | Page 10

Chilstone Bespoke Cast stone Portico and window sills. The diversity of cast stone garden ornaments – who knew? Ideas to personalize your garden Ornaments When you think about garden ornaments do images of traditional gnomes with pointed hats and fishing rods spring to mind? Or do you think of grand gardens surrounding stately homes with statues and fountains? Things have really moved on and you would be surprised at the range and diversity of garden ornaments on the market. Colour The garden ornaments made by Chilstone are hand finished and provide a versatile material for any garden whatever the size and style. From temples and fountains as focal points for large gardens and hotels, to small flower planters and on trend pineapples for urban spaces. 10 Landscape & Urban Design Not many people know this, but cast stone can be painted to customise your look. This was used for the urns in the famous Laskett Gardens on the Welsh Boarders to create an old meets new pop art feel. You don’t have to have vast acres of land to make a statement though, as Solus Décor displayed at the Chelsea Flower Show. Their stand was punctuated with tall obelisks stained a bright purple to add a contemporary feel to their urban garden stand. They made a big feature in a restricted space and could be replicated in a court yard garden in any city. If you want a more traditional look you can still choose from six shades of stone from Portland to Light Bath. These can be sealed to maintain a freshly hewn look or you can let the elements age it. Weathering Unsealed cast stone naturally weathers in the garden to look like it has always been there. A section of balustrading at Hever castle was replaced by Chilstone and was artificially weathered to blend with the original stone work. Many builders also use bespoke cast stone for house renovations, blending new door and window surrounds with the existing structures.