WHAT TO COLLECT NOW: GARDEN ANTIQUES

We visited Robin Jenkins in her Bristol, Rhode Island, antiques shop (robinjenkinsantiques.com, 278 Hope Street, Bristol, RI  02809; 401/254-8958) on a recent Saturday morning when there was the  faintest hint of a warm breeze in the air, and the talk quickly turned to garden antiques. Jenkins, who has been in the antiques business since 1994, has seen an increase in the demand for garden antiques in recent years.

She says the four most highly sought-after types of garden antiques are:

Urns: In cast iron or stone, urns in such classic shapes as Grecian are always popular. Jenkins had a 19th-century cast-iron urn on display in her shop; its original painted surface had a romantic aged quality to it, and she had placed long branches in it for effect. “I look for old original surface,” says Jenkins.

Victorian Wire-Work: A settee on the lawn behind Jenkins’s shop was a charming example of the allure of these late-19th-century pieces, often painted, that are popular as garden ornaments and seats. “I always look for functionality,” says Jenkins.

Stone Statuary: Some of the most charming examples of stone statuary are the small figurals, like the painted cast stone 1940s frog in her shop. These stone figures make decorative accents in a garden or even indoors, in a mudroom or kitchen.

Watering Cans: Nineteenth century tin watering cans with long spouts convey an English garden look even if they are just placed on a terrace. Jenkins had two English 19th-century versions with wonderful patina.

Jenkins keeps the price range for her 19th- and early-20th-century garden antiques in the $50 to $1,000 range, although she says some garden antiques soar into the five and six figures.