Gardens are at their most compelling when they hold more than plants—when they carry history, material presence, and the quiet authority of objects shaped by hand and weather. Design historian and passionate gardener Elizabeth Lay Little explores how a single obelisk can shift the mood of a border, why a cast iron urn reads differently than a concrete one, and how time-worn surfaces create depth a new object cannot imitate. Whether your garden leans cottage or formal, the right object can anchor a space, lend narrative, or simply offer a moment of stillness amid the green.

Little examines materials—wrought iron and cast iron, concrete and cast stone, rattan and wicker— to discuss what each brings in terms of durability, patina, and presence. She demystifies auction terminology and explains what phrases like “attributed to,” “in the school of,” and “after” reveal about authorship, value, and risk. She also details where to source objects, how to assess quality, and what gives a piece lasting character.

Drawing on her background in decorative arts scholarship, museum work, and design, Little shows how time-worn objects make gardens feel layered, personal, and lived in. October is the ideal time to begin: the right antique takes time to find, research, and place before the garden awakens again in spring.

This Smithsonian Associates lecture takes place October 5 at noon. $25 members, $35 nonmembers. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/antiques-in-garden