The attitude to the summer cottage has changed in our time. If earlier it was a place for growing garden crops and fruit trees, today an increasing number of cottage owners want to equip a comfortable and beautiful place for recreation at their site. Hence the huge interest in a variety of areas in landscape design. There are a huge number of ways to decorate the garden, some of them are complex and time-consuming, others are simple. The latter include garden sculptures.
History and Modernity
The sculpture can be called one of the most ancient forms of art. Most ancient civilizations used statues and various images on marble and other materials to decorate palaces and parks.
The perfection and beauty of antique forms captivate man today, so lovers of the classics choose antique colonnades, fountains, flowerpots and sculptures to decorate their garden. Today, there are many gypsum forms and sculptures in the antique style on sale. Plaster products are inexpensive, a great way to decorate the garden. But in this case, it is not recommended to use another garden decor, strict classics and antiquity are perfect, but do not fit well with other landscape elements. Any element of decor should be located correctly, so if there is an opportunity, it is always better to consult a designer. Sculptures must correspond to the style of the garden, each of them carries its own semantic load.
Of great importance is the observance of proportions - large antique forms require a large garden, while small garden figures can be used on any site.
Even if your garden is unremarkable, it has little vegetation and flowers, garden sculptures can significantly enliven its appearance. With them, the garden will sparkle with bright colors, will cheer you up even on a gloomy day. You can create an original garden landscape by yourself. At the summer cottage you can use any attributes of landscape design - flowerpots, flower pots, columns, fountains, statues and figures of animals, birds, fairy-tale characters. It is very interesting to try yourself as a designer and try to create interesting compositions in separate areas and corners of the garden.
Varieties of garden sculptures
Consider the varieties of garden sculptures. Specialty stores today offer a huge selection, but if you feel a craving for creativity, you can do a lot with your own hands.
The most common type of sculpture is a three-dimensional image of a living creature (human, animal, fairy-tale character). The figures can be either small or life-size or significantly exceeding the natural dimensions.
Today, garden design also uses steles - slabs with various images that are installed in an upright position. The steles were established by the ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians. A stele will be appropriate in a nook.
Monument - it can be a bust, a statue, an arch, a ground plate. The function of the monument is to remind about something or about someone. Often on the monuments you can see the inscription.
Garden figures can be singled out in a special group - not only familiar, but the most diverse materials that you have at hand are used to make them. It can be wood, metal, plastic, ceramics, gypsum, pebbles. Figures can be of any size and depict anyone. They can be three-dimensional or two-dimensional, flat.
The sculpture of which materials is better?
If you want to install a very beautiful and durable sculpture or composition in the garden, pay attention to bronze. Sculptures from this material look elegant, rich, impressive, a bronze figure will decorate any corner. The material allows you to work out the smallest details, so the figures look like alive.
Stone, ceramic and wooden sculptures are very popular. Wood products are good, but short-lived. Therefore, it is recommended to treat the tree with various protective impregnations that extend the life of the material, or paint with paints.
Topiary (green sculpture) is very popular today. In general, topiary is a curly, artistic haircut of trees or shrubs, when a plant is given the shape of a ball, cube, pyramid or even some kind of living creature. Topiary is an ancient art, originating in ancient Rome.
Not so long ago, Americans invented a woven topiary frame filled with seeds and soil. With proper care, plants fill the framework as they grow. The result is various green sculptures. If you want to decorate the garden with a topiary sculpture - buy a frame or plant a tree or shrub that is convenient for cutting - thuja, barberry, yew, cotoneaster.
The principles of arrangement of figures on the site
Garden sculptures draw attention to various corners of the site. Antique forms look beautiful both in an environment of lush greenery and in open space, a rose is the best flower that sets off the nobility of classical forms. Small figures of gnomes and other funny creatures will decorate a zone for children or a path, a flower bed.
If you have a rather large ceremonial part of the garden, decorate it with figures of elegant animals or ancient deities, place a fountain or beautiful flowerpots here.
Figures of animals need to be placed, taking into account their natural features. Near the water you can "settle" ducks, frogs, herons, swans; on a rock or boulder - birds; in the sand - lizards or crocodile; anyone can look at you from the lush green grass - a funny dog, a kitten, a tiger or a fantastic creature. However, the arrangement of several sculptures in the garden should be done taking into account the following rule - they should not be visible all at once.
It is much more interesting to discover sculptures and their groups, walking around the garden when they suddenly appear in front of your eyes. Guests will appreciate every song, and you will enjoy the fruits of your imagination.
Figures of animals and characters of fairy tales, placed in the garden - this is a constant positive, uplifting. They spiritualize the garden, make it vibrant, unique, unique.
The design of the site with garden sculptures has a significant plus - almost any sculpture can be moved to another zone if you do not like how it looks in the territory chosen for it.