Reviewing the Basalt Birdbath by Stone Age Creations

My birdbath on a West Virginia ridge.

I have been eyeing these beautiful carved stone birdbaths for years. Only last week did I finally splurge on one. The Basalt stone bird bath by Stone Age Creations carried what I consider a hefty price tag but I think it is worth every penny.  This unique stone bath speaks to me, it is a perfect addition to my "yard", and it will be appreciated by the birds that visit me at The Shack for years to come.

Why Bird Baths are Important

Not only are bird baths wonderful lawn ornaments but they also provide water for the local birds. Birds need water; most birds drinking daily. And birds bathe in order to clean their feathers. Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides important information about proper upkeep of healthy bird baths and why birdbaths are useful. 

Birdbaths also attract a variety of birds to your yard. If you enjoy backyard bird watching and want to attract more birds, you'll love Mary Bath's gorgeous photographs and story about her own backyard birdbath. I always look forward to seeing her photography of her feathered visitors.

What is Basalt?

By looking at and touching the birdbaths at Sun Nursery (where I purchased my birdbath), I could guess that Basalt was some sort of stone. For the purpose of this article, I looked up more information.

Basalt - "the dark, dense igneous rock of a lava flow.... often displaying a columnar structure"  - dictionary.com 

Basalt is also described as

• as heavy as granite, sometimes heavier
• high in iron content
• as durable as granite
• aesthetically interesting due to the iron content
• is a stone that has been used in architecture for centuries
• in addition to landscaping and architecture, basalt is used as massage stones and as healing stones in jewelry

And an interesting bit of trivia is that some of the iconic "head" sculptures of Easter Island are carved from Basalt! I don't know very much about those Moai carvings but I have always thought they are made from beautiful stone. 

Easter Island Moai stone carvings
(photo credit: public domain courtesy of Aurbina)

A Basalt Birdbath at The Shack

I wanted this particular bird bath for several reasons. It is beautiful. The rustic stone exterior and super smooth interior portion of the dish is interesting in appearance and blends perfectly with the rugged ridge landscape.

It comes in two pieces. Each piece is still quite heavy, but the two pieces allowed me to haul it in the Jeep and carry it to it's spot under the apple tree.

My beautiful basalt birdbath

The bowl is quite shallow. During my next visit I am going to add a flat rock to the bowl - giving the smaller birds another spot to perch or use as a step. I really like that this bowl is flat-bottomed and Cornell Lab recommends shallow bird baths. 

The deer are into every single thing that is outside at The Shack. I am hoping that they are not able to knock this heavy birdbath over if they decide to help themselves. Also, the wind blows quite hard coming up and over that ridge. I am sure this bird bath will not blow over.

My land is at the top of the ridge. The terrain is rocky and dry. There is a creek somewhat nearby but it is at the bottom of the hill. I'm sure the birds will be appreciative of a convenient water source.

Related Link: 

During my last trip to The Shack, it rained a lot. So much so that I didn't get much done. I wasn't able to prepare a spot so the bath sits level. But I did have an opportunity to take a hike. If you want to see the photos from that hike, click here. 

I have wanted this bird bath since discovering Sun Nursery years ago. Sun Nursery has a HUGE selection of plants and staff that are both helpful and knowledgeable. If you are near the Maryland and DC areas, Sun Nursery is well worth a visit. 

Stone Age Creations makes some gorgeous items. I am partial to their birdbaths, benches, and boulder owls. If there is not a distributor of their items in  your area, you can find some of their items on Amazon. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Stone Age Boulder Owls Review

What in the world is a Stone Age Boulder Owl?  Well, I'll tell you what it is. Today, I discovered an item that will delight owl lovers, gardeners, and carved stone collectors alike. Boulder Owls are one-of-a-kind garden ornaments carved from stone.  As I looked at their little faces today, I wanted to take each one home with me.  

Carved Stone Garden Ornaments

I enjoy nice garden ornaments and statues.  I don't want many. Just a few expressive, quality items. I am also quite fond of stone. Stone of all kinds. So naturally, these little carved stone owls immediately caught my eye.  The difficulty was not deciding that I wanted one, but rather, deciding which one I wanted. 

Since I was seeing them at Sun Nurseries, I could see and touch each one individually. These little owls were so simple, yet so expressive. And because they are made of natural stone, they are substantial. Even at their sizes ranging from 6" to 18" they would be solid additions to a garden.  Unlike many yard ornaments that are made from lightweight and flimsy materials.

A small portion of the Boulder Owls I saw today

Fairy and Miniature Garden Sized Owls

These owls are also offered in 2" sizes that are suitable for fairy gardens. I know precious little about these teeny gardens but have seen a few adorable examples.  These smallest boulder owls are perfectly sized for miniature gardening.  

Some reviewers report that the 2" owls are slightly less detailed. However, this makes sense to me due to their very small size.

Stone Age Creations, Ltd.

Once upon a time, there were two cousins who shared a passion for stone.  They made a few carved birdbaths and benches that were sold locally.  Since then, they quit their unrelated, full-time jobs and began earning a living doing what they love. They now manufacture and distribute their items to retailers (such as garden centers).  I had the privilege of seeing MANY of their products: benches, birdbaths, stone lanterns, garden accents, and animals. Every item was high quality and beautiful.

If you like quality stone items, you should take a peek at their photographs on the Stone Age Creations website.

Boulder Owl by Stone Age Creations

Note: When ordering online, because they are handcrafted, each one will be different. And will likely not be the owl pictured in the photo.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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