Here is my two cents..

I have three..I have had one for quite a few years now. Occasionly I have to replace one because it falls over..but not too often. I think the stand matters. I had one stand that was solid, there was no where to stake it. It was prolly the one responsible for most broken balls. I personally like the simple black iron ones. I use tent stakes to anchor it to the ground by clipping it over the iron near the ground and driving it in. It seems to work well. I do not use two sided tape on the balls as they recommend because when I bring them in for winter, thats a pain or a bad storm. I use velcro tape instead. Mine are all blues. I love them and love how they reflect the flowers in them. When I was young, my great grandma always had one and I thought they were mysterious :)

I wish I could find one of the original gazing balls like my Great-grandmother had. I believe they were made of blown glass - quite heavy anyway. They stood much taller than the ones you get now and they set just fine on their solid pedestal which were made of stone, concrete or iron back in the 19th century. They weren't blowing anywhere. I hate plastic.

Still I have looked at the ones they sell now. Wondered if I could drill a hole in it and fill it with sand to make it heavy. Then seal the hole with some kind of plastic sealant. I think that would work.

~Annie

Friends of my Mum's had one when I was a kid. I remember loving their gardens, and that gazing ball in particular. It had a stone base, and was probably mercury glass. I know I'll never find one like that, or at least one like that that I can afford!!

Annie, I'll bet you could put sand, or even water, and seal it with clear caulking. Water might be very cool!!

Nancy.

My parents had one of those original balls in the 50s with the concrete base. Many Easter photos were taken in front of that gazing ball, lol.

I have one, but it's not that reflective and it sits on the shed porch instead of in the yard. We don't get a lot of wind, but I'm still leary of putting it out in the open. Have a string of white lights inside for nighttime.

This was just before moving to the shed porch a few months ago.

{{gwi:673209}}

Natal, that's one I'm considering on buying. I like the stand and it seems to hold onto the ball a bit better.

I've done a lot of surfing reading up on those things and there isn't anywhere that says how to keep them from falling off and RUINING my flowers. lol.

I really want one!

I can't give the link because something's messed up here.

I ordered the Mystic ball from Plow and Hearth, it's a light rainbow of three colors. She said they sell more of the Mystic because of the better reflection. I also bought the iron stand which is 24".

The ball is made of stainless steel and won't break.

I can't wait until my grandchildren are old enough to look into it and think it has "mystical" powers. lol