United House Wrecking does indeed have some great things, but they are exorbitantly expensive, IMO.

Richie, there's a place ... oh, goodness, it's on the edge of my memory here... I think on Rt 25, maybe in Bethel? Newtown? If you are traveling from Monroe up Rt 25 it's on your right. It's got all kinds of statuary and birdbaths and fountains, etc. One of those places I've driven by and always wanted to stop but never did... For all I know they can be exorbitantly expensive too!

Sorry I don't have a name. Maybe if you go to yellowpages and put in statuary in Newtown/Bethel something will come up.

Dee

I remember United House and they are an option but it may be a bit fancy for me! Dee what side of route 25 is it on? Is that the place that sells the firepits ot chimineas also?

Two years ago we did get an unusual, and large, gargoyle at Q Gardens. You really have to go through their lot to find something different. There's also Enchanted Gardens on Derby Avenue in Orange. You'll see it on the left as you drive through Orange toward New Haven. Have you ever been to United House Wrecking in Stamford? Once upon a time you could get great (also cheap) things there but I think it's become more high end now.
Molie

I think United House is a bit over the top for my taste. I don't like going to Q Gardens if I don't have too. I don't find the people that work there very helpful. I did get 2 pieces over 20 years ago and may end up going there again but I am open to other options too. Anything up by Waterbury/Cheshire area?

There's Elemental Garden in Woodbury ... fun place to browse, but if United House Wrecking is too "over the top" I'm betting you probably won't go for a $1,600 English stone planter, either ... right? (though my, those new little European strawberries would look GREAT in that! :)

What type of "garden art" do you have in mind? Cute stuff or weathered antique-y things, furniture type stuff or real statuary or planters or what?

Geez, yeah, how could I forget Enchanted Gardens? That little purple house with the large buxom lady out in front, lol! Another place I drive by often but have never visited.

I did a quick google search and a yellowpages search for the place in Newtown I'm thinking of, but I didn't find anything. But it did turn up a hit for Hollandia. I guess they have stuff, but I couldn't say for sure - haven't been there in years!

Dee

Well this is my situation now. I have a buddha and pagoda on the north side of the house and they have been there about 20 years now. We put in a new bed in between my garage and the neighbors in the back yard and moved my tall Walmart windmill, yes Walmart but it's actually metal and all rusted now and it looks great into that bed and then added the buddha and realized a buddha and windmill don't work together, yes this is Ansonia aka "the valley" and most folks here would probably be ok with that but it's a bit tacky for me...LOL. So I guess I want something to go with the rusted windmill. Maybe a Venus de Milo statue might work..LOL...no serious, something not fancy at all. I saw a fun cement peter cottontail rabbit at an old fashioned hardware store in Waterbury but they painted part of the face and that made it look tacky. Agway next to the garden swap in Monroe had a neat north south east west marker but just a bit too tall. Marty, the place in Woodbury sounds great but I would be afraid to put out something that expensive.I guess the yard art has to be rustic.It would be fun to find a weathered antique thing. Maybe I will find something at the upcoming Brimfield antique shows.

Marty, I think I found something at the Elemental garden place in Woodbury. Just a bit out of my range though!

http://theelementalgarden.1stdibs.com/store/furniture_item_detail.php?id=444484

I understand what you mean about the 'temperament' of the people at Q Gardens. However, when we poked around towards the back we found lots of stuff that looked as if it had been there for years (and probably was). We were able to get a simple, geometric stone birdbath really cheap.

Robert Treat Farm on New Haven Avenue in Milford often has unusual garden items but again these can be on the expensive side.

Oh, I agree that the Brimfield Show is a great place to look for something unusual! Brimfield's first event begins May 8 --- not too far away. Of course, getting exactly what you're looking for there is a crap shot. When we've gone, we bought something that wasn't even on our list --- kind of like grocery shopping when you're asking yourself 'how did this happen?' at the checkout.

Molie

Brimfield can be dangerous especially if you bring your credit card and check book but it's fun. I am going on friday May 11th.

Try The Elephant's Trunk - flea market Sundays, Rte 7, New Milford

Richie, maybe you can get that piece at the Elemental Garden when in goes on sale, lol.

Dee

Wow, Dee! The items at the Elemental Garden are amazing --- it must be a great place to visit, but, I'm sure, way beyond my budget. Probably if everyone on this thread chipped in, we still wouldn't be able to afford that statue. (Always a tip off when you have to log in to even find out the prices.)

Still, I think you're on to something here. Just driving around the hill towns of CT can turn up some amazing places to shop. For example, whenever I go to visit my aunt in Ivoryton, I pass by this antique shop on the main street. It has all these great things out front & I always tell myself --- next time I'll stop.

Molie

Dee, even at sale prices it's outta my range..LOL! I go to the Elephants Trunk once in awhile so I will check out there. I even found something on craigslist that I am going to look at this weekend. I have been out of control with antique shops lately. I plug the shops into the GPS now whenever I find a shop while readin the antique newspapers,even far away ones when I go on vacation are fun to visit. We drove down and back to Florida a few weeks back and had a blast stopping at shops not far off I-95 The little town of Selma, NC has some great shops downtown and we always find stuff there.

Have I got a companion for your windmill! How about a pair of
authentic Dutch wooden shoes? They've been sitting on a shelf,
collecting dust, in my basement for years - always thought I'd pass
them along to some child, but never did - and here you have a
windmill looking for a companion! Drill a couple holes in the
bottom and these shoes would make great planters. . .they're
yours if you want them. Shall I bring them along to the next Swap?
Or you could collect them from me during one of the CT garden tours
I attend this summer. . .

Carl

Carl, I don't know. I am trying to class up the neighborhood and not sure if wooden shoes will do it. The buddha will be moved back to where is was and who knows, maybe the windmill will go to but this is what I have there right now. I am trying to disguise that awful awful house in back of me. My neighbor was generous enough to let me plant right up to his garage. I am so lucky one of my best friends bought the house next door to me.

Ooops! Forget the wooden shoes. . .that windmill is way bigger than I
expected - (but it looks great, and if you ever decide the windmill
"has to go", I'll be happy to take it off your hands!) - but it immediately
suggested that it needed a water feature as a companion.

That's a handsome fence, by the way, and I actually have a design suggestion
involving a fence addition that would immediately screen out more of that
neighboring building. I've used this method in my garden to screen out a
neighbor's garage, and also used it in a number of client's gardens. . .let
me know if you're interested, and I'll stop by during one of my CT garden
tours and explain it.

Carl

Thanks Carl!!! I'll listen to any suggestions. I am however limited on how tall the fence can be and that's where I am right now, 6 feet. You can also see my 50' x 100' expanse! Let me know when you will be in the area and we will even have you over for lunch/diner. Thanks,Richie javaandjazz@yahoo.com

So I stopped into Q Gardens in Milford yesterday. The garden statuary has moved to a lot on the left side of the store, last time I wasd there 20 years ago it was on right. You should have seen the way they had it displayed. I wanted to get the owner/manager and say something. Some of the items were overgrown by weeds and you could not even see them, they were buried! It looked more like a junkyard, very dumpy. I know times are tough but how can this person expect to sell anything? I ended up finding a very classic decorative acorn at Marcucio Garden center on route 34 in Derby.

Here is a picture with the latest piece.

Nice choice! I think that you might want to consider one of the bigger clematis (maybe Betty Corning?) growing up that windmill and across wires at the top of the fence to give you a bit more sight line shelter from the building behind you.

The decorative acorn looks great there --- classic shape and very restful to the eye. In fact, the whole garden creates a beautiful sense of calm/peace.
Molie

I'm probably a little late to the game here, but BJs online has a pretty big selection of garden statues. There is not much of a selection at my local BJs. I like the fact that shipping is included in their prices. Granted you have to be a BJs member. I want to buy their maple leaf stepping stones. But need to figure out where to put them first!

Here is a link that might be useful: BJs garden statues