Hammocks Swings & Chairs

Sundials have been a favourite of man since the dawn of…time! The Egyptians, Mayans and later the Romans developed their own systems of following the sun and telling the time. Yet, even though we’ve long had mechanical time-telling, the attraction of the sundial has failed to subside.

 
While today they serve more as decorative items in our back yard or garden, they are still a feature bound to attract attention in life outdoors.

There are two systems used for telling the time in sundials. The first are Altitude dials which tell the time by the height of the sun on the horizon. The second system is the Azimuth system, which shows the time by highlighting the angle of the sun on its daily arc through the sky. There are literally countless designs for both categories of sundials and, while many people prefer a traditional look, ultra modern sundials are available to compliment a modern patio and courtyard.

A great attraction of sundials in gardens is that they can accentuate a patio or a large back yard. They can be is large or small, ornate or simple as you like. They may be wall-mounted, stand-alone or incorporated flat into lawn areas or paving but make sure you ask your supplier how to set the particular sundial up you purchase correctly. Even if you want it simply as an outdoor feature, these ornaments are quite capable of doing the job they were made to do!

While there are too many types of sundials to list in one article, perhaps the most ornate sundials are armillary sundials. These are made of rings or metal (usually brass) and show the time from the angle of the sun at any particularly moment during the day. They are superb focal points in any outdoor area, as they are give a highly sculptured look to any sized garden or patio. They also make excellent and unique gifts for garden lovers.

The most popular sundials we see are horizontal sundials. These have a triangular wedge attached to a flat base and are made from numerous materials. Bronze is the traditional construction material as it is, in fact, what the Romans used but sundials can be cast, carved or built out of just about anything. Casting with metals such as iron and bronze is expensive but a very similar effect can be attained with cast aluminium which is later decorated to look like bronze and iron.

Outdoor garden centres usually supply sundials already mounted on columns, however it is possible to by a sundials separately and have them mounted on a pedestal. Whatever sundial you choose, you can be assured it will be a talking point with young and old alike!