These days, those bitten by the gardening bug are collecting more than just heritage seeds and species hostas. It seems as though anything used in the garden-the rustier the better-has achieved collectible status. From hand tools with turned wooden handles worn smooth by use to French garden chairs with wrought-iron scroll work, garden collectibles are the new must-haves attracting designers and gardeners alike.
Warning: Collecting these items for recreation can induce competitiveness and slight obsessiveness (Gardeners? Obsessed?), creating a “serious” collector for whom the hunt becomes the fun and the score becomes “an investment” (the latter, most likely the plea to a spouse when stakes get high).
Garden accoutrement are everywhere: open-air flea markets, antique malls, antique stores, estate sales, garage sales and online auctions (see TransCanada on page 91 of our September 2004 issue for listings of flea markets and antique shows in your region). And proprietors of garden decor shops are increasingly mixing antique gardenalia with their new product lines, offering unique and unexpected finds.
Who knows which garden items from our era will achieve collectible status? It likely won't be the SpongeBob Squarepants sprinkler-although in its original packaging, you never know!
CYBER AUCTION: THE ABC's OF EBAY
For those wary of online shopping, you may be missing out. With more than 19 million items from all over the world up for grabs on EBay (www.ebay.ca), the selection is extensive and the process is simple, with systems in place in an attempt to keep things honest. Buyers and sellers can rate one another after each transaction; ratings are then posted, so it's in a seller's best interest to behave in an ethical manner. You're free to browse the 35,000 categories and begin window shopping, but you must register if you want to place a bid or sell an item (there are presently tens of millions of registered users). Generally, each item has a starting bid and a time frame in which the bidding must take place. The highest bid wins and the buyer pays the seller directly according to the seller's specifications. Shipping information and pricing is usually included in the payment details. Try it, you'll buy it!
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