Sundials

Sundials are a throwback to times long before any of us were born.  Timekeeping using sundials typically works in one of two ways - either relative to a point of light or relative to the line of a shadow. 

In order to work properly, the "style" or straight-edge you see protruding up from a classic sundial must be pointed to true north (not magnetic north).  Furthermore, the style's angle to the horizontal plane, has to be equal with the sundial's geographical latitude.

Sundials basically work on the principle of the Earth's rotation around its axis.  Traditional sundials needed constant adjustment due to variances in the Earth's rotation and the sun's location throughout the year.

As time went by more and more sophisticated forms of telling the time using the sun came along, but suffice it say for our purposes, it's probably better to leave our sundials to their decorative objectives versus trying to use them to tell the time of day. 

For obvious reasons, place you sundial where it can get direct sun (just in case you want to try to tell time), but give yourself a nice garden bench under an arbor or covered patio so you can take advantage of the shade.