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History of Gazing Globes

In today’s modern garden, you will often notice beautiful orbs of shiny iridescent glass, often set on top of a pedestal of some sort standing among the flowers and plants. Since the 13th century, gazing globes have been a very important part of gardens, both spiritually and aesthetically. The first records of gazing globes show that they were hand made by Italian artisans who crafted them out of mouth-blown glass. They were also known as the garden ball or garden globe. Even many kings in Europe chose to have these beautiful orbs in their gardens, and believed that they held magical, mystical powers. Many felt that the globe could ward off bad things like disease, evil spirits, attackers, and even ghosts. It was also known in some legends to keep the witches away from one’s home. If the gazing globe was placed near the door of the house, the witch would supposedly see her own refection and be scared away, giving the home owners a sense of protection. Others believed that by staring into it long enough, you may become one with the universe because you could easily get lost in the point of light that appears within its center.

As time progressed, the glazing globes served other purposes besides just decoration and ornamentation. Many people gave them the nickname “butler ball”, because the servants would use the globes as a mirror in order to see important guests approaching. This mirror like glass ball was also used to see whether or not the guests needed help without having to stare at them directly while they ate their meals. In other legends, people believed that gazing globes would attract fairies and various other mystical, magical spirits. These beautiful globes became a standard fixture in Victorian gardens, and are still popular today. They add beauty and an almost mystical wonder to outdoor garden areas. Gazing globes can come in a variety of colors, sizes, and styles. They can be found in most hardware or nurseries (garden stores). Some can be custom purchased and made to order for your personal style and liking. While most are coated with a mirror-like coating, some are simply clear, and others are hand painted with various patterns and designs. Gazing globes are versatile and weatherproof to provide long lasting beauty and enjoyment.

It has been said that many kings from the regions of France to the Netherlands demanded gazing globes in their palace gardens. They were thought to have brought prosperity and good luck to any who owned one. Some kings placed several of them throughout their gardens for even more luck. Eventually, the gazing globe trend had found its way to America around the early 20th century. Soon everyone had at least one of these lovely ornaments in their gardens, with colors ranging from luscious greens to bright blues. They became a status symbol in American, signifying wealth and success. Today, these beautiful orbs are a common sight in gardens all over the world. They may not have as much of a deep meaning as they once held in times past, but gazing globes are still a beautiful piece of art that adds life and personality to any garden. They come in all different forms and looks, and are mounted on various platforms of your choosing. They can also be purchased without the platform and simply placed on a table or even on the ground. No matter what kind of gazing globe you choose for your garden, it will certainly become an important and lovely fixture to enjoy for many wonderful years to come.