GAZING BALLS: AN OLD AND NEW FAD
Gazing balls are said to have originated in 13th century Venice where they were hand-blown by skilled Italian craftsmen. During the 17th century in England, gazing balls were used to protect plants from the wicked witches who would come to steal them. Once the witches saw their ugly reflections, they fled the garden and the plants were safe
During Victorian times, the Butler Ball served as a mirror so servants could see when guests were needing assistance without staring at them throughout the meal. Another practical use was in the foyer of the home. Parents could keep a close eye on their daughter and her beau as he bid her goodnight.
One can tell the purpose of a gazing ball, or gazing globe as they are sometimes called, by the various names attached to them: Good Luck Ball, Victorian Ball, Witch Ball or Globes of Happiness. Whatever they have been called in the past or are called today, when used in our landscapes, they can take a bland space to a magical one by adding color, depth and a new view.
Gazing balls come in many different sizes, materials and colors. They are hand-blown glass, stainless steel or copper and they sometimes rest on stands of wrought iron, stainless steel, cement or polyresin, as well as directly on the ground. The polyresin holders show up as animals, angels, fairies or columns, both plain and ornately decorated.
Some glow after dark while others are simply reflective. Do-it-yourselfers have been known to decorate no-longer-used bowling balls with broken bits of ceramic tiles or pieces of plain glass or mirrors.
Currently, there is only one gold globe on a wrought iron stand in my garden. The site changes each year. Since I've learned how gazing globes have been used in other gardens to the best advantage, I'll be more aware of the picture I want to create. Also, it goes without saying, my sole gazing ball will need to be joined by others of varying sizes and colors. Here are a few of the ideas I've run across of placement and use of these versatile and decorative garden ornaments.
One gardener grouped a few of them outside of her home office window and in December she strung lights around them creating reflections of lights and snow. Another placed a gold globe next to a field of golden grasses accenting the colors of dried stalks and seed heads. A grouping of container plants of various shapes and colors was made more interesting by placing a silver globe among them. Using a green globe, a gardener placed it in a bed of hostas with varied hues of green foliage. This idea could easily be adapted by matching a blue globe with blue flowering plants or red with red and so on.
Every landscape would benefit from a gazing ball/globe or two or three. Even Mole's garden in the book, The Wind in the Willows has one: Out of the centre of the pond rose a fanciful erection clothed in more cockle-shells and topped by a large, silver glass ball that reflected everything. Actually, you only need to start with one to add a little spice to your own landscape. Then again, hmm, maybe two.
Betty Magnan
Beltrami County Master Gardener
