How to Bring a little Pan (the Greek God) into your Garden.

Pan is the mythological Greek God of the forest, meadows, and mountains. Ancient stories would tell you, Pan wasn’t the nicest guy in mythology and he could conjure up panic in anyone (Pan = panic). He had his strengths in music and the environment. This is why Pan is used in garden ornaments from the Sydney Botanical Gardens to the Gardens of Versailles in France. #1 because Pan became the symbol for nature and #2 because keeping Pan represented in your garden might keep fear and panic out of your home. Add Pan to your own garden with some subtle and surprising garden decorating techniques.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pan statues and/or ornaments.
• Hand pruners and small shovel or trowel.
• Imagination.

1. Pan among the maple leaves. Pan hidden at the base of Japanese maple makes a "last minute" focal point. This statue has been stained a darker color, so he's not obvious right away. As you stroll closer to him, while walking through the garden, Pan catches your eye and draws you in.
2. Mesmerizing in the golden oregano. Pan as a "sneaky surprise." The use of this technique is to give a last minute startle to the garden visitor. As you draw near the herb patch, those cobalt blue eyes catch you off-guard.
3. The ladybug larvae on his face for good-luck. Pan as a main focal point. This baby version of Pan lives right at the edge of this garden border and his light grey color contrasting with the dark leaves of the Heuchera makes this little one "pop." I had a great picture, which I can't find, of a life-size statue of Pan that lives at the Sydney Botanical Gardens, right across from the Opera House. I loved that statue because Pan's face was so full of charisma, that even with the Opera House to your back, that statue could compete for attention as the focal point in that garden area.
4. The Iris leaves mimic reeds. Giving Pan his own garden, the plant varieties are limited and that makes this statue really stand out, even if he's hidden.
5. A good color contrast. Another surprise. This little mask-type statue is only 7 inches tall, but I found a spot in the rock wall and snipped away a few plant stems to add Pan into this garden. He's hidden here, but near a cafe table. As visitors linger over a cup of coffee, they notice him eventually.
6. Pan being put to use. This pot with twin Pans waits for winter to end before its formal topiary gets planted.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your hand tools to clear away debris and level out the soil before you place your statue.
• If you have a larger mask-type statue with a sturdy hook, you could insert a Shepard’s hook into a shrub, only leaving the hook exposed through the leaves, and hang the mask so is appears to be "peeking through" the shrubbery. Just snip away any leaves or branches that start to cover the face.
• These ideas can be used for any kind of garden statue or ornaments, I just happen to really like and collect Pan.
• Keeping your collection as a theme gives the garden a little more sophistication. Using a billion different kinds of decorations and statues might be called "whimsical."