A well-thought out and thoughtfully placed sculpture can have a significant impact on your garden, creating a beautiful focal point and complementing the style and design of your space.
A gorgeous garden is not only a real pleasure to live with, it can add value to your home, boosting the valuation by up to 20%.
Garden sculptures range from the tiny to the grand, and can cost you a few pounds or many thousands. If in doubt, go and visit show gardens, or sculpture parks, or even look through magazines for inspiration. Before you buy, there are a few things to consider to help avoid a costly mistake.
Location, location, location
Positioned well, a sculpture, statue or water feature will draw attention through the garden, maybe highlighting a particular tree, or a flowerbed. Positioned in the wrong place, it can look, well, a bit odd. Ends or intersections of pathways are good spots, but don’t block paths with statues, and make sure they’re not obscuring a view. Equally, make sure the sculpture can be seen!
Scale
A very large statue will look wrong in a tiny garden, and a smaller size might get lost in a large space. Save big pieces for open spaces where they can be fully appreciated, and place smaller statues or sculptures in beds and borders, where they can add interest throughout the year.
Not just stone
You don’t have to go for a classical stone statue. Bronze animal sculptures make a stunning alternative to stone and add real charm. If you want to add something with real meaning to your garden, artists like http://www.gillparker.com/ can even create a bespoke piece to commemorate a loved pet, or just your favourite animal.
Old or new
Generally speaking, traditional sculptures look better in traditional-style gardens, and very contemporary pieces sit better in modern landscaping or planting schemes. However, modern pieces can work very well in the most rustic of gardens, if the location and size are right. It’s probably harder to make a classical statue work well in a super modern, minimalist setting, but the contrast between old and new makes a clever design statement, if done well. Architectural salvage yards often have statues and sculptures, and even old gardening equipment that can make fantastic pieces of art.