Jardiniere

Jardinière is a French word, from the feminine form of "Gardner." Jardinière has three meanings:

1. The first meaning of jardinière is also a large stand, pot, urn, or receptacle upon which, or into which, plants may be placed. Jardinieres tend to be highly decorative. They are often used for: a garden accent element; for large plants; and for raised culinary and herb gardens
2. The second meaning of jardinière is a culinary term, meaning a dish that is cooked or served with a mixture of spring vegetables, such as peas, carrots, and green beans.
3. The third meaning of jardinière, in French, is a name for the golden ground beetle, the European Mole Cricket and other species of beetles attacking plants in kitchen gardens.

Wikipedia

With spring in the air and everyone getting their gardens ready for the summer, I thought I would post some beautiful garden urns and some very unusual stepping stones.

Tuffits are concrete stepping stones that mimic the look and charm of vintage accent pillows.  Each stone is a 13" diameter and weighs 12-14 pounds.  Pigment is mixed into the concrete so that the color won't chip to show gray concrete.

Each tuffit is hand crafted in Petaluma, CA and comes in a beautiful palette of garden colors. (I personally love the lilac one)  For more information check out their website http:www.tuffits.com.

All images of the urns are from the website New England Garden Ornaments and can be viewed here http://negarden.com/.

19th century, English cast iron urn, campana form with handles ending in masks.

Old cast stone urn and planter, well weathered and mossy. From an estate in Norfolk MA 

A magnificent urn or finial modelled after a Coade Vase circa 1780. 

Part of the Robert A.M. Stern Collection

A large, elegant tazza with elaborately interlaced ribbonwork decoration around the bowl.

Rococo urn decorated with vines terminating in two goats heads with lead horns.

These magnificent urns were designed by John van Nost, the elder, in 1700 for William lll's palace at Hampton Court.

Simple ovoid bowl on square base.

Large Adam Urn

A very elegant Georgian urn with formal floral and lion-head decoration. Haddonstone was commissioned to restore the original urns at Margam Orangery, South Wales, as part of the British project for the 1975 European Architectural Heritage Year.

Goes well with the Ribbon pedestal, nicely proportioned

Large plain bowl also suitable as a fountain.

I love all of these and would have a very difficult time selecting a favorite.  Each urn has a perfect place in someone's garden.  How about you, which one would you take home?