FAQs & Shipping

We now offer the ability to purchase and ship online! Just select your items and place them in the wheelbarrow. Proceed to checkout and follow the steps. Of course, you can always order offline by calling us at (978) 579-9500 or emailing: info@negarden.com. Our friendly service and support is always available.

We travel the globe in search of fine garden antiques and reproductions. Most of our collections come from the United Kingdom, France and Italy.  We also work with many local stone and metal artisans to add handmade rustic elements to our selection.

We have a mix of old and new.  About 50 percent of our inventory is either vintage or antique. The remaining pieces are handmade reproductions.  If multiples are needed – no problem. We have new reproductions in many sizes and shapes to choose from.

Yes, we turn planters into fountains; build fountains from antique stone architectural and farming elements; add lead or stone medallions to a planter for a custom appearance, or adjust plumbing and drainage to fit a location. Tell us about your project. We will figure out a way to make it happen!

Yes, we first show you in-stock products and then we show the products that will need to be ordered and custom made. 

Absolutely! Not every project runs on time.  We will hold a piece up to 5 business days and we will be happy to store a purchased item up to 3 weeks.  After 3 weeks, a fee of $10 per day will be charged.

If you’ve received an error message, then the website is just missing a piece of information which prevents a quote from being generated.   Please email or call us during business hours and we’ll provide a shipping quote immediately!

Planter, statues and fountains are often made out of dry cast limestone or concrete, among other materials. They might look similar but concrete uses a manufactured process, whereas dry cast limestone is hand-crafted, using a centuries-old process. The rough surface and minerals of the limestone encourage lichen and moss to grow. A patina quickly develops on the ornament, whereas concrete takes longer to develop such a patina. But whether dry cast or concrete, all have elegance and durability. We have more information in our blog on the difference between dry cast limestone and wet cast concrete.

Both lead and cast limestone ornaments weather beautifully with time. Lead just needs a few months of moisture to develop its silvery grey patina.  Limestone needs more time to develop a patina of lichens and moss growth. But we can give you a head start with faux-finish aging techniques. We use a light grey stain to weather our new cast limestone ornaments, soaking the ornament, then applying a light layer by hand. After it dries, the color and overall look is reviewed, and if it’s not dark or mottled enough, the first step is repeated until the desired look is achieved. The end result is a garden ornament that looks as if it’s been in your garden for decades!

Our lead ornaments are cast and hand-finished using pure lead ingots. Lead ornamentation does not leach, slough or dissolve (like lead paint) into soil or water because pure lead binds very tightly to itself on a molecular level. The oxidation of lead produces a wonderful weathered look which also seals the lead further for years to come.

Lead animal figures, vases, urns, troughs, fountains and sundials are wonderful, safe, long-lasting garden elements.

English landscape architects and designers have been using lead ornamentation for centuries. As Gertrude Jekyll the famous English garden designer pronounced firmly “There can scarcely be a doubt that the happiest material for our garden sculpture and ornament is lead.”

To learn more about the history of lead ornamentation, please click here to read our blog.

Whether it’s a larger statue or a small planter, all pieces need a bit of forethought before installation.  A properly installed garden ornament will last for generations!

To learn more about preparation and installation, please see our Installation FAQs.

Any orders that are not local (see delivery FAQs below), are shipped nationally or internationally. We are able to ship all pieces in our collection. Shipping costs for smaller items, under 50 pounds, ranges from $25-$125 depending on location, size and volume. Expedited shipping is also available.

Larger items are palletized and crated. We use many different freight companies for shipping the crates. Shipping typically ranges from $250 to $650, depending on delivery location, crate size and weight.

There are significant cost synergies when shipping several items – so load up! Large, heavy pieces – such as a 4,000 pound trough – are shipped from our warehouse in Sudbury, Mass., in custom-built wooden crates secured to pallets. Transport is usually 5-7 business days

Once your order has been packed, crated and shipped from our warehouse, we’ll email you the tracking information. Transport time can range from 2 to 7 business days depending on your location.

When your order has arrived at the freight company’s regional operating center, they will call you to arrange a specific day and time frame for delivery.

Delivery will be curbside; please note that the driver will not unpack or place the garden ornament. It’s your responsibility to receive the crate, open and inspect the items.

Inspect all sides of the crate for damage before accepting the shipment from the driver.

Open the top of the crate which is screwed down (we suggest using a cordless drill) to review the contents inside for obvious damage. If the piece looks intact, then sign the receipt.  If contents are damaged, make a note on the receipt and ask the driver to also initial the note.  Please keep your copy and contact us.

Using a cordless drill, remove all sides of the crate, starting with the top.  Remove all of the plywood siding before taking apart the framing.  Leave each piece in its position until the top and sides of the crate have been carefully dismantled. Inspect every piece for damage. If any damage is noted – take pictures and email the delivery confirmation sheet to info@negarden.com.

If your pieces have been strapped down, then cut the black straps using a utility knife avoiding contact with contents of the crate. Carefully remove each item and place it on a soft but firm level surface, such as cardboard, moving blanket, or Styrofoam board.

NOTE: Cast stone is heavy. When moving each piece, don’t support or move the item by its fragile corners or edges, which may chip if not handled with care.

We try to recycle all of our packing materials by reusing the materials that we receive from suppliers and shippers. Even our employees bring in their old Amazon boxes, bags, styrofoam and paper so that we may reuse what’s already out there. Our goal is to be our own mini recycling center! The only new materials that we purchase must be compostable such as cardboard, wood wool and wooden pallets.

So if our packing looks “used,” then rest assure, it is!

In the unlikely event that you receive damaged merchandise, please describe the damage on your receipt or Bill of Lading before signing. Document the damage by taking photos, then call or email us within 3 business days, and we will follow up with the freight company. If there is extensive damage (like a crate that is completely crushed), then it is your right to refuse delivery.

Once we have received the returned item, we will send out a replacement as soon as possible. Contact us at info@negarden.com or  978-579-9500.

You have up to 10 business days to return an item for store credit. Product must be in its original condition. Custom-made pieces are not refundable once the deposit has been paid.

Please note that shipping is not refundable.

Our typical delivery vehicle is a Ford 350 truck with a flat bed and lift gate. We will deliver up to 5,000 pounds curbside throughout New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island) as well as New York. Your order is securely packed on pallets for safe transport. The driver will call ahead before he delivers. Any orders outside our region will be shipped (see shipment FAQs above).

Whether it’s a large statue or a small planter, all pieces need a bit of forethought before installation. A properly installed garden ornament will last for generations. We provide installation advice, helping our customers consider all aspects of an installation but cannot offer full-project planning and site preparation. Ask us if you have any questions or consideration about the placement of certain ornaments – our friendly service and support is always available!

If you would like to learn more about the installation of your garden ornament, then please read our Installation FAQs