In summer or when the weather outside becomes milder, people like to get busy in the garden and realize exciting outdoor projects. Interesting investments that perform relatively flawlessly can be traded quickly even by inexperienced hands. A homemade sundial in the garden is certainly not only exciting for the viewer, but is also a creative activity for the hobby gardener.
Rewriting sundialsKinderin the sand and it's almost as easy to build a real one on your own. However, in order to show the exact time, both mathematical and astronomical knowledge is required, but you can live with small deviations of a few minutes. But one thing is very important – knowing the longitude and latitude of the place where the watch will be used.
The simplest variant is to design this for a wall facing south. Otherwise, only a starting point and a pointer are needed. You can mark the times as you wish. A very imaginative way to create a creative garden design would be to design the plants as a clock face and build a pointer yourself from a large rod according to the dimensions of the desired system.
Another craft idea is to create this with flower pots and plants. Remember that the clock shows the time from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and prepare 12 flower pots. You can color these as you like and decorate them with numbers from 6 to 18.
Choose a suitable location where there is no shadow and is clearly visible from all sides. You decide the exact size of the clock yourself and accordingly select the other elements according to size. A stick made of wood or metal is required for the pointer. It is either placed upright in the center or can be triangular and placed straight on the surface.
Choose the elements that will show the numbers as large as the distance between them is a few centimeters depending on their size. For a sundial in the garden, it would be appropriate to include potted plants in the design and design them with them.
Since the clock will show the time from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., you need a rectangular surface or a round one that only uses half of it. In our example, a large circle is rewritten and a flower pot with the pointer is placed in the center. A horizontal line is drawn, which represents the west-east line, and a vertical one – the north-south line.
6 a.m. and 6 p.m. are basically on a line, which is not really horizontal, but shifted by 7.8°. If these times are determined, the others can also be determined and marked. The sun moves 15° per hour and the number of hours shifts in relation to each other. Then the distance between the numbers should be exactly 15°.
Of course it's easier if the scale is smaller or you prepare a smaller scheme. The most important thing is to determine exactly the starting points - north-south and west-east. You can easily calculate the distance of 15° using the protractor. To place the hour numbers in the distance, continue drawing the angle lines precisely. How accurately your sundial will show the time depends on the accuracy of the calculations, dimensions and work steps.
Make the diagram on a piece of paper and then, when you've got it exactly right, transfer the results onto a board. Also make sure that the morning hours are on the left half of the board and indicate daylight saving time.
Another variant of the indicator would be to fix a triangle with a 52° angle to the board. It should run exactly across the middle line, 12 o'clock and the west-east axis. The angle of 52 degrees corresponds to the latitude in Berlin, so it should have different values for locations.
A thin rod, made of metal or wood, is also suitable as a material for the pointer. It should be attached or bent at an angle of 54 degrees to the board or surface.
If you have made a clock for the garden yourself, it is worth using weather-resistant materials. If you have decided on a wooden sundial, don't forget to impregnate the wooden material and either engrave the numbers or apply them with waterproof paint.
The sundials can also be seen in public spaces. Creative street artists interpret the long-known time indicator in new, unusual ways. Here a street sign or perhaps a traffic light serves as an indicator and shows approximately the time on the pavage.
If your house facade faces south, it is particularly convenient to place such a clock there. This will not only decorate the outside of the house, but also have a practical use.
Numerous creative ideas serve as outdoor decorative elements. Homemade timepieces that do not show the time exactly or at least not correctly, but rather represent the rhythm of life, work as garden decorations. Let this inspire you and make one that you can place outside.
When a giant sundial is designed, even the human figure could serve as an indicator. The correct starting point should be fixed and cast shadows on the hour numbers when the sun is shining. A great idea that you could also put into practice in your own garden.
A sundial designed on a sandstone slab looks very authentic. For complete step-by-step instructions, see the video below. A rusty nail hammered into the stone slab at an angle of 53 degrees serves as an indicator.
*You can find the complete instructions for 'Build your own sundial in the garden with potted plants'here
