The Artful Garden: Animal Ornaments Bring Style and Surprise to the Outdoor Space
Every outdoor space, no matter how big or small, can bloom from a dull piece of land to a breathtaking work of art. Usually, when we think about beautiful gardens, the first things that come to mind are the lush plants and magnificent flowers.
However, those aren’t the only elements involved in the big picture. Pathways, water bodies, 3D structures, garden furniture, ornaments, and the like can all help you create a spectacular masterpiece as gorgeous as Claude Monet’s garden.
Outdoor statues and sculptures, in particular, play an important role in garden design. When carefully chosen and placed, they can transform and ennoble an outdoor space like nothing else can.
From statement-making classical Greek and Roman sculptures to charmingly whimsical gnomes, all the way to delightful animals, garden ornaments come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Why Are Animal Garden Ornaments an Ever-Popular Choice
If you want to incorporate statuary art in the garden in good taste, buying animal garden ornaments is one of the loveliest ways to do so.
Since wildlife belongs in nature, seeing these divine creatures represented among the flowers, bushes and trees simply looks and feels right. Yes, even the pink flamingo that is often considered tacky, can fit beautifully near a pond in the backyard. Maybe it’s your favourite animal, or it simply brings you joy and makes you smile. After all, traditionally crafted animal garden sculptures are works of art, and art is subjective.
Speaking of favourite animals, many people decide to honour their pets with a fitting statue as a symbol of their deep love and affection for their furry pal. Whatever your choice might be, animal statues never seem out of place in the garden.
How Do You Decorate with Statues
Just like paintings, animal garden statues can add to the style of your outdoor space, tell a meaningful story or introduce an element of surprise. Moreover, you can use them to add texture, colour and height to the landscape to draw more attention to your garden. You can also use animal statues to create an inspiring themed garden, something that’s very hard to achieve with plants and flowers.
For instance, if you want to elevate your landscape design with luxury, a pair of grandiose statues of lions can be added to the entrance towards the garden to help you make a powerful statement.
If you’re decorating a meditation corner or a private nook, a graceful deer statue can add a sense of peace and serenity.
Or if you’re looking for an instant mood uplift, a playful hare or baby duckling placed among a bunch of dandelions will certainly inspire smiles.
When decorating with outdoor animal ornaments, you should remember that every piece should serve a purpose, be it a decorative or practical one. Yes, animal garden statues hold both aesthetic and functional value.
For instance, if you have a bare spot on the lawn, you can masterly conceal it with a beautiful statue. Or, if you have an empty, shaded spot where plants don’t thrive so well, you can adorn it with a striking piece of art to complete your landscape puzzle.
Wondering where should garden statues be placed?
In the front and centre, or hidden in the background, that’s totally up to you and your personal preference.
Keep in mind though, statues are 3 dimensional and worthy of admiration from all angles, so they make fantastic focal points. If you want to draw attention to a particular area in your garden, you can choose a substantial animal sculpture that’ll guide the eye in the right direction.
Of course, you can also use statuary art as a backdrop to complement the overall design without stealing the spotlight of your beloved plants and flowers.
Since the UK has to offer a fine choice of animal statues, the hardest thing to do when shopping for statuary art will probably be to stay mindful of the space you’re working with. While it’s easy to fall in love with a beautiful statue, you should remember that just because something looks good online or in-store, it doesn’t mean that it’ll fit into your garden or backyard.
For instance, if you have a small backyard, a life-size animal statue of a deer or lion may take away way too much of your precious space and hinder the functionality and design of your landscape.
Similarly, if you’re lucky to have a spacious backyard, a single statue of a puppy or a kitten can easily be overpowered by plants and remain unnoticed.
What Is the Best Material for Outdoor Statues
If you decide to buy animal statues, there are a few other things you need to consider apart from the shape, size and price. Since these ornaments are an investment that stays out in the open, exposed to the elements of nature, durability is something that should be on top of your list of priorities.
When shopping for animal garden ornaments UK wide, you’ll come across a wide variety of materials such as bronze, metal, stone, plastic and resin, just to name a few.
While each of these options has its perks and downsides, bronze, metal and stone all excel in terms of durability.
In addition, they can be placed virtually anywhere since it’s very unlikely for them to break or bend under the pressure of weather conditions. Plus, they require little to no maintenance to retain their beauty for years down the line.
On the other hand, plastic and resin statues may not be as resistant to harsh weather, but they are oftentimes more affordable.
Another great thing about plastic and resin options is that these materials weigh significantly less than their cast-stone or metal counterparts. This makes them a good choice if you plan to frequently move them around the garden. However, you may need to protect them from naughty, mischievous and curious pets.
With that being said, you can now check out some of the intricate animal statues the UK has to offer online or in-store and breathe new life into your garden. Cats, dogs, reptiles, birds, there’s something for every taste and style.
