Decorations for a Rock Garden

Bird Friendly Decor

• Encourage birds to visit your rock garden. A bird bath can be ornamental or simple in design. Choose one that will fit your garden's style. An overhang or tree near your rock garden can be used for a hanging bird bath, while a pedestal-style bird bath can be placed on one of the flatter rocks. A simple terracotta dish or other wide and shallow container will work as a birdbath. Hang one or more birdhouses, homemade or bought, in a nearby tree or mount one on a post in the garden to help the birds nest in the spring. Decorative bird feeders can provide them with seed. Situate feeders where the resulting mess won't mar your rocks.

Statues

• Garden statues, especially those made from stone, will fit in well in your rock garden. You can match the main color of your rocks, or try for a contrasting color. Choose a statue that will set the right mood for your garden. Give your rock garden an Asian style with a Buddha statue or use traditional robed figures and cherubs more suggestive of an English-style garden. For a fun style, use small stone or resin animals such as lizards, rabbits and frogs, posing them throughout your rock garden.

Water Features

• The sound of trickling water adds a restful atmosphere to your water garden. A small fountain, freestanding or in a small pond, can be made from natural materials and nestled among the rocks. Fountains range from stone and metal to bamboo and resin, but shouldn't be so tall that they overwhelm the rock garden's lower-growing plants. Using a pump to circulate the water, build a small waterfall and dig a trench to create a stream that will wind through the rocks. The running water will also attract birds and wildlife for you to view.

Reflective Decorations

• Reflective surfaces in your garden create interest and catch your eye, especially when the sunlight reflects off of them. A gazing ball can be placed in your garden as a reflective ornament, and would serve as a contrasting shape if the rocks in your garden are sharp-edged. Metal wind chimes can be hung from tree branches or overhangs near your rock garden, to provide reflection and music.