Using art and ornaments in your garden
Gardens have always been a valuable addition to one’s property, but many of us failed to notice their beauty until the pandemic had us cooped up at home. No matter whether you’re going through lockdowns, or your budget comes out short and you’re not able to leave the daily woes behind hiding in a far-off retreat, the garden is the place where you can go to relax and have a bit of well-deserved me time.
The best thing about it is your garden doesn’t have to be huge to be special, and it all comes down to what you adorn it with.
Same as your interior, the outdoor space could do with a little decoration, and it’s not only plants that breathe life into it. A quick search online to gather some inspiration from the most famous gardens worldwide is enough to show you just how quintessential art can be, whether it’s in the form of a modern garden ornament or any other style for that matter.
Reasons why your garden needs art
While flowers add colour to the space, it’s statues that work as the finishing touches since they define the style and showcase your taste. If you want to personalise the area, there’s no other way about it – you ought to acquire some statuary!
This especially becomes imperative when you’ve got perennials that lose their sparkle during the cold months and decorations could take over the role of focal points, maintaining the liveliness of the space.
Besides letting your personality come to the spotlight, and owning up to it, well-chosen decorative modern garden sculptures can help you add dimension to the outdoor area. By placing statues and other ornamental pieces of different heights, you can have fun layering and dispersing them all around. This is a solution that would visually increase the space if you’re working with a small garden, as well as inject it with some movement for instance.
Another benefit that stems from this is the added texture that draws attention to the area. You’re even at liberty of creating a themed environment if you feel like it, but remember to pick out pieces that complement each other, in addition to complementing the plants, for a harmonious outcome. Filling up awkward empty spots is also where their magic lies, so there’s really no avoiding them.
How to Choose a Garden Statue
With so many modern garden ornament options at specialised stores, as well as other styles, it’s expected to be overwhelmed. However, rest assured it gets easier when you use the following categories as your starting points for the quest for the ideal art pieces.
And, of course, don’t forget it should be something you love because you’ll be seeing it in your home every day. No matter how trendy a certain model may be, steer clear of impulse buying if you want to protect your garden, and passers-by, from a tacky result.
The Style
With various choices of modern, traditional, classical, religious, native, and realistic statues, it’s easy to lose sense of what you truly like. Sometimes, even styles you wouldn’t normally pick might appear appealing, but to be certain you make the right decision it’s advisable to consider your home’s décor as a whole. If your dominant style is minimalist, then statues of gods and goddesses have no place in your outdoor space.
The sleek lines of modern statues for garden would work wonders by adding an abstract touch that invites people to reflect and make comments of what they think your choice of art means because it can be thought-provoking.
In case you have admiration for Japanese-inspired zen yards, then Buddha statues would be most welcome. So, before rushing through the shopping process, it’s necessary to have a clear picture of what would most suit that which you already have.
The Material
Same as the style, material is an aspect that can significantly affect the decorative result in more ways than one. The vast array of traditional, native, religious, classical, and modern garden ornament designs you’re going to come across can be found in a range of materials, from ultra-stylish metal, and fibreglass, to the more subtle limestone and concrete, and elegant marble.
Again, your main choice here depends on the style of the rest of your abode. If you have sleek metal elements that are already part of the curb appeal, in the likes of fence, mailbox, lanterns, benches, then metal sculptures are your best pick. Options like stone and marble, on the other hand, are a safe pick for traditional homes. The other aspect of choosing materials has to do with weather exposure and durability.
Out of all the materials mentioned, metal statues are among the most durable, though stone isn’t lacking behind either. With a little care and maintenance, you’d be able to have them around for a long time. And even if they eventually show signs of wear, the aged look has a great deal of charm in it that you’re going to end up loving it too.
The Size
This is yet another aspect that requires your utmost attention considering the ornaments are available in many sizes. At first, it’s important to choose based on your garden’s size. If it’s on the smaller side, then filling it up with large statues might come out overbearing, so they’re best used in large yards. Then again, when choosing for the purpose of adding a focal point, larger can be better, as opposed to smaller pieces working perfectly as accents.
How Do I Display Statues in My Garden?
Don’t rush into thinking style, material and size are all there is to choose the ideal statuary – you need to carefully plan where to display them.
It would be of immense help if you visualise the layout prior to buying the statues, using some phone apps to do the job. In case you’re more old-school, you might try and fill up the specific spots you’ve set your mind on with “temporary” statues made up of nothing other than boxes you have lying around the house to give you an idea.
Dull spots are the more obvious candidates, however, it’s recommended that you also keep the view in mind. What use would it be to choose the most high-end modern garden ornament if you can’t marvel at its beauty from various points of view? Make sure there are no obstructions and you’ll do fine.
It would also help if you create resting spots with benches or a bridge where you can stay for a while and appreciate the interests decorations add to the setting. Some of the strategic spots include the fence, the entryway, the garden paths, the porch, or even the fancy plants. Speaking of the combination with greenery, it’s a clever way of adding some balance.
The softness of the foliage and flowers can even out the boldness of concrete or metal statues, so don’t be afraid to mix it up.
Small statuary placed around flower beds is a nice touch. If you also want to invite some animal life in the mix, be sure to get an ornament with water, like a fountain or bird bath.
With a garden such as this, who needs to go to a luxurious and expensive retreat when you’ve got your own safe haven in the garden!
