Sculpture

Adding a piece of sculpture, no matter what the size of your garden, is like adding the finishing touch.  It completes it, and reinforces your overall concept/feeling for the garden.  It informs the visitor of your aim for the house and garden so choosing a suitable piece is critical.

Although placing sculpture in your garden is a personal thing to do there are certain guidelines you should stick to.

Generally I like to use sculptures that are made from materials, like steel, bronze, stone or timber.  These undergo the aging process over time and as the garden matures they are a subtle though bold addition. Whilst I generally opt for these more organic looking type of sculpture of, that’s not say that other man made materials won’t look good.  I’ve seen a life size, bright red plastic cow sitting in a formal suburban garden, which sounds kitch but was really effective, as the garden was green on green and formed a great contrast for the cow.

Always choose a larger scale for sculpture than you think, no matter what size your garden is. It will make the space seem larger.  It’s the same principle as choosing a large paver for a small area, or a large mirror for a small room.  If your garden is small, try and choose a piece that is open and your eye can’t go through, rather than anything too solid, or the view of the sculpture will be too abrupt.

Try to give your sculpture breathing space rather than recessing into a tall hedge, or hiding it, in this way it looks as though you always intended it to be part of your design rather than an after thought.

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