GARDEN ANTIQUES

Antique objects create focal points in the garden and give a sense of timelessness. Choose purely decorative pieces to draw the eye to a corner of the plot that might otherwise be overlooked, or functional objects such as water features, planters or seats that are both beautiful and useful. Whatever you choose, position it with care, says Darren Jones, managing director of Lichen Garden Antiques. ‘A statue will provide a point of interest at the end of a vista, while a pair of urns will look fabulous placed either side of a path or entrance. Decorative gates left ajar will always be an invitation to walk through and explore the next section of the garden.’

Flanking steps or a doorway, a pair of planters add a note of symmetry: 19th- century French cast-iron garden urns, £ 580 FAR RIGHT A decorative sundial is a romantic feature in any garden, £ 2,600, all Lichen Garden Antiques