If you love the fountain, I would get it. I fell in love with a small fountain about a month ago and brought it home. I decided to return it and someone bought it as I was returning it. I really regret it because I loved that fountain. I think about that fountain almost everytime I look out my window.... But if you are not in love with that fountain see if you can get your money back....
Really wanting that specific fountain is the key.

Maggie, I sympathize because I know that feeling, I have been there before. Can the place you bought the fountain from originally order you another one?? If not, it was not meant to be and an even better one will come along eventually (even if it is not right away and you have to keep waiting and searching). That is how it usually works and everything happens for the best.

This statue isn't a fountain, if I'm reading your post correctly? What finish, light or dark? Set on a wooded lot among perennial beds sounds fine to me. 4' seems like an appropriate size. Is the rest of your garden in front of your house or in the back? When you say "traditional" what style home is that exactly?

Like maggie berry said, I think you really want the statue and will regret never knowing if it would have worked out.

Is it like this one? Will you have the pedestal, too?

{{gwi:1986}}

Schoolhouse, that is the exact statue! (correct - not a fountain) It is from Henri Studios, the color on mine is a light grey though. It would not have the pedestal - the pedestal at the Garden Center was defective and cracked, that is why they sold me the statue at a big discount. It is like a now or never deal! Without the pedestal, the statue itself measures 4 foot. All of the gardens are in the back and sides of the house. We have not done anything with the front yet because we don't have the money yet to do brick sidewalk, shrub & tree landscaping, etc. Also, it will be a little difficult because it is dead north and doesn't get a lot of light and stays wet at times. By "traditional style" I meant - it is a white two story house with dark green shutters, brick front, porch, etc. I tried to do a "Williamsburg" look. I really appreciate yours and everyone's replies!

So, you are going for a colonial garden look? Very nice. As soon as you mentioned brick, I thought right away that your statue would look great with brick paths among boxwood and flower beds in the wooded area in back of your house. Only, I bet that darker finish (in pic) would be better. BUT, if it's made of concrete (the site said "cast stone concrete (?)), it will weather and get a nice darkish gray, sometimes greenish cast. You could create your garden with the statue as the focal point.

Do you have any books on the gardens of Colonial Williamsburg? If not, you could visit your local library or book store. Flip through it and take note of any statuary and where it is placed in the gardens.

Yeah, the light gray finish would not have been my first choice....but they sold it to me for 65% off and I could not have afforded it otherwise. I hope it does patina like you say.

Color change will take a few years, depending upon the site conditions (shade/moist ground) and weather and how fine the concrete finish is. If you're not quite ready to set it out in the garden yet, you could always experiment. Bury the statue in the ground or under a pile of mulch until next year.Brick can be aged this way. But, then again you might not want to risk putting that much money under dirt! ha. I'm going to try it with a small broken concrete figure and see what happens. It is a of a cheaper cement mix, I'm sure; but I'll let you know if I create an antique.

I will sometimes paint mine if pieces look to "fresh" against the stone. A thin wash of acrylic paint in raw umber, burnt sienna and payne's grey colors, using a dry brush. Normally lasts several years and looks better as it fades. Your statue is of much finer quality. The concrete statuary available in my area is not as good as it was years ago. I don't know if they've had to cut costs and use inferior materials or what. The older pieces have lasted many years, the newer ones tend to crumble faster.

Hope you post pics after you've given Daphne her proper place. I'd like to have one like her myself some day.

:) I'd bury her feet in corydalis's and back her with ostrich ferns (both shade-friendly) and wind the path around so you can sort of sneak up on her...

and I'd really be encouraging the moss to grow in the folds of her gown - yogurt or buttermilk blended with dry moss brushed over the surface definately helps.

There are some great concrete stains on the market now. I would pick the color I like and stain her...

Garden for life - the suspense is killing me. Did Daphne arrive at your house yet? Or did you change your mind?

schoolhouse, she is here, residing in my back yard in front of a grouping of irises, creeping scented geraniums planted at her feet, and a small tree nearby that has an arching branch over her head. I'm so glad I did it except I need to age the stone because, though meant to look antique, it really looks new to me. I am going to experiment with the suggestions above. I can't seem to be able to post a photo though. I tried and wasn't successful. I will try and use the help feature here... thanks for asking!