Garden sculptures for summer cottages and parks

When decorating a garden plot, it is necessary to pay due attention not only to plants, but also to decorative elements. Manufacturers offer a wide range of decorations for a summer cottage or park: lanterns, fountains, fences, original flowerpots, pots. However, the most exquisite and interesting decorative elements are garden sculptures, which set the basis for the style and decorate the site.

Modern garden sculptures differ in a variety of sizes and shapes: they come in the form of animals, people, geometric shapes, abstract objects. Different raw materials are used in the production of these products. The most creative homemade materials are plastic bottles, car tires, tree stumps, driftwood and stones.

• Small sculpture (more often made of wood or polymer compounds, surrounded by secondary plastics and decorations);

• Art sculpture from modern compositions (abstract forms and shocking compositions);

• Sculptural addition from any material, size of different shape, which is part of a certain composition (for example, topiary).

There is the following classification of these accessories: statues, steles, monuments, obelisks. If we classify sculptures according to style, we can distinguish between antique and classical sculpture, pastoral and with a national character.

Today, garden sculptures are made from different raw materials. Let's consider the most relevant.

As a rule, these products are chosen by hand-made lovers and families with a small budget. You can give preference to figurines made from tree roots, old stumps or other driftwood. For durability, it is worth covering them with a special compound.

Wood is an environmentally friendly material and more "alive" in comparison with metal or concrete, so it harmoniously brings comfort and warmth to the garden. It can be used to combine a sculpture and a bench, a sculpture and a table, creating an unusual decor item. Carving wooden sculptures is done by hand, so creating them may well become your hobby. Choose oak, pine or aspen; after carving, do not forget to treat the material with a tinting agent.

Plaster figures are quite cheap and fragile, while they look dignified and beautiful, having a slight shade of antiquity. If you gravitate towards classicism, choose elegant columns or statues on pedestals. If you want to add elements of fabulousness to the garden, look for small plaster figures of fictional characters, mushrooms or other accessories. Do not forget that you can make such a decor for your home yourself.

Stone garden sculptures look luxurious, but require appropriate framing.Various geometric shapes, pedestals, figures of animals, mythical creatures, flowerpots and bowls made of stone in which flowers can be planted are popular. Stone blocks of natural shapes and sizes will become a fashionable solution.

To create a stone sculpture with your own hands, you will have to use concrete., which is a mixture of cement and sand.

A cheaper option is compositions made of polystone acrylic stone. Among natural stones, sculptures made of marble (smooth and luminous), granite and sandstone are distinguished.

Figures made of metal and copper are popular, including in city parks. Such forged compositions can serve the owners for many years. They look solid and are well placed against the background of buildings or gazebos, without overloading the space with weight.

If European gardens inspire you, turn your attention to plant sculptures. They represent a frame made of wire or metal mesh, filled with soil and hay, into which selected seeds of low-growing plants and flowers are planted. After the seeds germinate, it will be necessary to trim the composition, adjusting its shape. The figure itself can be made of artificial grass. The most original solution would be to combine different materials.

The size of the sculpture depends solely on the landscape design, the size of the site and the overall picture. It is worth remembering one important rule: large and heavy figures are installed on the foundation in order to avoid subsidence of the earth. If the figure is small, you can limit yourself to compaction of the soil area. Those sculptures that are decided to be placed on the stairs or paths are fixed by using reinforcement.

Most often, garden sculptures are performed in calm shades - bright colors will merge with the floral-green base of the garden plot or park. Exceptions can only be in playgrounds - it is there that the place for multi-colored characters and objects.

On the garden plots of people nostalgic for the past, you can often see animals or fairy-tale characters made of wood (such as were popular in the USSR). Such figures are often found in playgrounds (cats, dogs or gnomes). They are often an integral part of the game complex. Fountain sculpture is a traditional choice that can fit into any landscape design. It can be of various shapes and sizes, it differs in the direction and strength of the water pressure, but it always gives grace to the site. In classic projects, such accessories are organically combined with columns and arches.

Sculptures from plants give a wide scope for imagination. It all depends on the shape of the frame, so the site can be decorated with an abstract composition, or with the silhouette of an angel, unicorn, soccer ball, horse, or another shape. Such compositions are among the most popular in landscape design today.

When choosing a place for a garden sculpture, try to fit it organically into the surrounding atmosphere. If in doubt, it is better to refuse the figurine, even if by itself it looks stylish and attractive. Sculpture should not always become the center of landscape composition: it is better if it becomes a neat accent.

In addition to sculptures, there are paths, arches, gazebos, gates, and fences on the site. They all have their own unique style. Strive to combine everything into a coherent picture. When deciding on a specific point to place the sculpture, create a life-size sketch of it on heavy cardboard or other material, and then walk around the garden and figure out where the accessory will look best.

The following places are usually chosen: the beginning of the track, the end of the track, or existing plant compositions that require addition. Don't overdo it with an abundance of decor. When installing the sculpture in the chosen place, do not forget about the stands, which must be securely fixed.

Many people prefer not to throw out old things, but turn unnecessary trash into a work of art with their own hands. This is how garden sculptures from scrap materials are born. Such figures are not particularly beautiful, but they have soulfulness and demonstrate the creativity of their creators. The results of their labors are swans, waterfalls, beetles, lanterns, mushrooms, flowers and scarecrows. It is especially convenient that such sculptures do not require any financial investments - all materials can be found in the garage or closet. Do not forget to only complete their creation with bright waterproof paints.

The simplest solution is to paint large rounded stones, turning them into ladybirds, bumblebees and other insects. Even ordinary stones covered with original patterns, which you combine in size and dimensions, will look beautiful, creating a complete composition. From old clothes, bags and rags, you can build a scarecrow that will become the highlight of the garden area.

If you decide to purchase ready-made sculptures, base your choice on the existing style of the garden. In a small area, limit yourself to one or two shapes and a few small elements. Having a sufficient area, you can place a series of sculptures on the site. For creative owners, abstract art sculptures made of metal and copper are suitable, for family people with small children - wooden heroes of fairy tales and painted cobblestones. Don't mix styles and try to bring art and nature together.

Small figures with light elements (for example, gnomes) will stand well along the path. You can install a sculpture of an angel among the greenery, in a niche of stones or plants, show only a certain part of it and add mystery. If there is a large statue, it should occupy the main place, and the rest should serve as its frame. If you have to arrange a large area in the same style - refer to copying: create a matrix similar to the original. Fans of Japan will be delighted with the Buddha figurine, which will turn the lawn into a place for meditation, children will delight in cartoon characters or funny animals, adherents of the classics will appreciate balls, bowls, vases or columns, and fans of romance - the figures of nymphs, goddesses or mermaids at the fountain.

For information on how to properly decorate the garden with sculptures, see the next video.