Even your garden decorations can be sustainable; see rock sculptures at Lockwood’s

by Connie Oswald Stofko

We’re concerned about how our gardening practices affect the environment, and that concern can extend to the ornaments we use in our garden, too.

You can get garden decorations made with stones and rocks that are not only charming, they were created using sustainable practices.

These garden ornaments are available at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg.

You can also find them at the Lockwood’s booth at Plantasia, fitting this year’s theme of “Plantasia Rocks.”

Plantasia kicks off with a preview night 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30 at the Fairgrounds Event Center, 5820 South Park Ave., Hamburg. It will continue from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 31- April 2 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 3.

The flowers (they remind me of cattails) are made of rocks on aluminum stems set in a granite base by an American company called Sea Stones.

The company, with permission, gathers stones from private rivers and beaches. When a stone is collected, they want to make sure there will always be a replacement for future gatherers. So for each one harvested, a new stone (purchased from a quarry) is “planted” off the New England coast. Over the years, the water tumbles the rough “seed stone” into a smooth, rounded stone.

In addition to a tabletop size, there is a spectacular version of the flowers or cattails that is about seven feet tall that would make a dramatic display in your garden.

The animals are handcrafted from iron and fieldstone by a Minnesota company called Francis Metal Works.

Each spring, due to the cyclical freezing and thawing of the ground, farmers in Minnesota find that rocks have popped to the surface of their fields and have to be cleared away.

Francis Metal Works takes these fieldstones, which come in many shapes and sizes, and add iron work to create one-of-a-kind sculptures.

In addition to the ducks and rooster, there are herons, swans and a moose.

While you’re at Plantasia, you can try to unlock a $16,000 backyard makeover, attend free seminars, let the kids enjoy activities in the Children’s Discovery Garden, and talk to the more than 170 vendors offering plants, grills, outdoor furniture, lighting, garden décor and more.

Tickets for Plantasia will be available at the door. Tickets are $9 for adults (save $1 with the coupon), $7 for senior citizens ages 60 and over (no other discounts apply) and free for children 12 and under. You can also buy Plantasia tickets online.

For more information and group rates, call (716) 741-8047.