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How to Buy Garden Art as a Gift

Chosen well and with the recipient's taste foremost in mind, garden art can be a treasured gift that gives enjoyment for years, if not decades.

1. Check out several suppliers of garden art. Good garden art can be hard to find, so browse through holiday art fairs, Web sites, garden and gift catalogs, and your favorite local retailers.

2. Consider your budget. Garden art can range from just a few dollars for a flea market find to thousands of dollars for works by recognized artists.

3. Consider the wide range of garden art. Garden art doesn't have to be just a statue any more. Much garden art now consists of very functional things that have been crafted to be unusual, whimsical or otherwise exceptional. In addition to statuary, consider birdbaths, birdhouses, sundials, benches, plant supports, fountains, planters, plaques, tables, chairs, and collectibles, such as old watering cans or antique tools.

4. Look for quality. Much of garden art can be considered rustic, but rustic shouldn't be a code word for shoddily made. Make sure the piece seems solidly constructed and heavy for the materials used. Check, too, for unfinished or inappropriately rough areas.

Tips:

Stumped on how to wrap a large or exceptionally heavy piece of garden art? Take a photo of the piece (or if you ordered it from a mail-order catalog, clip the photo from the catalog), tuck it into a box, and wrap it. Another alternative is to simply place the garden art out in the garden on Christmas Eve and decorate it with a big red bow - the kind used to decorate doors.

Provide an out. It's tough to choose garden art for anyone - even a spouse. Just in case the gift isn't a hit, include information on where the item was purchased so an exchange can be made. Even many local craftspeople are happy to let a recipient come in and swap a piece for something else of similar value more to their taste.

Warnings:

Never assume that all art can withstand the outdoors. The vast majority of cute birdhouses, for example, aren't meant for birds to live in. Many finishes and materials will break down even if placed in direct sunlight. Others are fine to leave out during mild weather but must be brought in during winter.

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