Decorative figures of fairy-tale characters, geometric shapes or creative compositions on various themes are actively used in the improvement of garden and park areas. Garden sculptures are of interest not only as original decor, but are also popular as functional elements of the exterior.
Garden sculpture storks
Garden sculpture “angel”
Types of garden sculptures by material
The following materials are used to make all kinds of statues, shapes and figures for garden decoration:
- wood, natural stone;
- metal, ceramics, polystone;
- concrete, gypsum, cement;
- green spaces.
In specialized stores it is not difficult to choose suitable sculptural compositions, and if you wish, you can order an exclusive design of the author’s work.
Garden sculpture “fairy”
Antique garden sculpture
Types of small architectural forms for cottages and gardens
Small architectural forms are decorative elements that can also be functional. They are selected according to their appearance and are designed to convey the mood of a certain space, its stylistic and functional load.
Let's take a closer look at the types of small architectural forms:
- universal . They are intended for general use. These could be benches, beautiful lanterns and other lighting fixtures, flowerpots, trash cans, etc.;
Original flowerpots
- decorative _ They are intended exclusively for decorative purposes and do not carry a clearly defined functional load. These can be sculptures or sculptural compositions, bridges, arches, pergolas, fountains and artificial reservoirs;
- leisure . They are installed for sports or games. These can be playgrounds, slides, trampolines, wall bars, exercise equipment, sandboxes.
An arch will help to beautifully divide the space.
There is also another classification, depending on the functionality of the object:
- Decorative . Designed solely to create style and maintain the overall stylistic concept. These include statues and sculptural compositions, arches and decorative bridges.
- Functional . Designed to create comfort and coziness. These are gazebos, fountains, lighting fixtures, bridges over artificial reservoirs, sports and children's playgrounds.
Garden decor and statues can be made with your own hands or purchased in specialized stores. But only you can bring your design decision to life in every detail. Sometimes finding the necessary decor takes a lot of time, and it’s easier to make it to order or with your own hands, which will show you as the owner in an even more favorable light.
Cute turtle made of wire and stones
Wooden sculptures for the garden
Wood is a universal material for creating all kinds of figures in large and small formats. The product fits harmoniously into the exterior design; wooden garden sculptures depicting characters from fairy tales are especially popular. Place a cute figure of a gnome with a vintage lantern near the gazebo - young household members will be delighted with such a funny company.
Garden sculpture “hippopotamus” made of concrete
Garden sculpture made of bronze
Turtle sculpture
To make garden sculptures from wood, experts use species such as oak, pine, aspen, and beech. The production technology uses protective impregnations and paint and varnish products with a stable composition. Garden sculptures made from driftwood are often found in the collections of craftsmen. Natural masterpieces in the hands of a master acquire a second life, impressing others with their original forms.
Hedgehog sculptures in the garden
Cat sculpture for the garden
Manufacturing materials
Sculptures are used to decorate a personal plot for the holidays - then lighting is often added to them. Today, many companies are engaged in the production of garden figures from gypsum and acrylic stone. You can find original, high-quality concrete sculptures that will become a stylish decoration for your suburban home area.
Statues can also be made of wood. The work uses branches, stumps and rhizomes of such species as:
- beech;
- ash;
- maple;
- oak.
Wooden figures are appropriate in every area; they will fit into any stylistic solution.
Marble looks luxurious and elegant in the garden. It is used to make figures of angels, goddesses of Ancient Greece, and mythical characters. Architectural forms made of granite and stone look monumental. Amphoras and flowerpots decorate paths, ponds and fountains. Bronze casting looks impressive in the garden.
Natural stone: severity, nobility and power
Natural stone forms the basis for creating flowerpots and bowls for dwarf bushes or perennial flower crops. Columns, pedestals, geometric shapes and figures of living creatures are made of granite, marble and other rocks. Stone sculptures look dignified; with their help, the noble rigor of the exterior design is emphasized.
A fashionable trend in landscape design is the use of stone blocks of natural shapes as an independent composition. No less relevant are statues of noble animals, mythical creatures, and ancient amphorae.
Plaster sculpture in the garden
Dwarf sculpture
Plaster sculptures - luxurious surroundings for the garden
A significant part of decorative compositions are made from gypsum. This is an inexpensive and very malleable material. Despite the fragility of the base, with proper care, garden sculptures made of gypsum will last a long time. They are installed under branchy bushes or near gazebos and terraces, and used in compositions as an addition to the central element.
Stone sculpture of hares
Concrete bowls, flowerpots and figures in the garden
Multi-format garden sculptures made of concrete are made using the casting method. To do this, use ready-made forms or construct formwork. For example, to make a concrete flowerpot you will need a pair of basins of the same shape with different volumes. It is worth working on the formwork first if you plan to create complex structures or concrete pedestals of original geometry. The material is destroyed under the influence of sharp temperature fluctuations, but a concrete product lasts longer than its plaster or wood counterparts.
Gypsum carps for the garden
What materials are the best for sculpture?
If you want to install a very beautiful and durable sculpture or composition in your garden, pay attention to bronze. Sculptures made 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 lifelike.
Children's figurines are especially good made from bronze - the material perfectly conveys the subtlety and clarity of lines, body proportions, they look simply alive
Stone, ceramic and wooden sculptures are very popular. Wood products are good, but short-lived. Therefore, it is recommended to treat the wood with various protective impregnations that extend the life of the material, or paint it with paints.
Barnyard made of wood - animal figures are sanded and painted in a special way, forming a single funny ensemble. With such a composition, the yard will not only not seem empty, it will attract attention and lift the spirits of both adults and children
Topiary (green sculpture) is very popular today. In general, topiary is a curly, artistic pruning of trees or shrubs, when the plant is given the shape of a ball, cube, pyramid, or even some living creature. Topiary is an ancient art that dates back to ancient Rome.
A figure of a fantastic creature in a park in Montreal, Canada, where a festival of modern topiary of enormous size was held. In your garden, you can start by creating simple topiary shapes or grow topiary shapes using a frame
Not long ago, Americans invented a wicker frame for topiary filled with seeds and soil. With proper care, plants fill the frame as they grow. The result is a variety of green sculptures. If you want to decorate your garden with a topiary sculpture, purchase a frame or plant a tree or shrub that is easy to trim - thuja, barberry, yew, cotoneaster.
The teapot is a frame topiary figure. Growing such a miracle is not so difficult, the main thing is to water the contents of the frame in a timely manner and periodically remove too long blades of grass
Polystone - a fashionable accent in the garden
Luxurious summer garden sculptures are made from polystone, acrylic stone with many advantages:
- the material is resistant to climatic influences: does not react to moisture or temperature changes;
- not afraid of mechanical damage;
- statues and figures made of polystone are made without seams, the product has high aesthetic characteristics and does not lose color;
- polymer stone has less weight compared to its natural counterpart;
- garden decorations made of polystone are easily attached to surfaces made of various compositions; for this, cement glue is used.
Polymer products have an affordable price and can decorate an area with any stylistic design.
Hanging koala sculptures for the garden
Noble metal – a classic of the sculptural genre
The status basis for garden plot decor is noble metal. With the help of bronze and copper figures it is easy to transform the space and give the garden a more luxurious flavor. The material practically does not react to environmental influences. Among the disadvantages are the following:
- decorative structures made of copper and bronze, busts and statues are appropriate in the exterior with exceptional style, they are difficult to implement in the design of an ordinary site;
- high cost of production.
As connoisseurs of splendor and luxury in landscape design note, the image qualities of sculptures made of precious metals, durability and ease of maintenance offset their high cost.
Lion sculpture in the garden
Frog sculpture for garden pond
Animal sculptures for the garden
The main rule when choosing animal sculptures for the garden is the originality of the artistic embodiment; an overly realistic depiction of an animal does not always look interesting, it is better to avoid this. Today the sculpture penetrates into all corners of the garden plot and decorates not only its front part. Miniature animals and birds are placed on lawns, flower beds, next to ponds and inside patios, taking into account their natural features: frogs, storks and ducks are good near a pond and stream, rabbits and sheep - among the grass, a cat - on a ledge of a wall or on retaining wall. Sculptures help in placing accents. They control the movement of the gaze, they are used to highlight key points of the composition and form the rhythm of the landscape.
In a modern small garden, sculpture is most often not the dominant feature of the garden, but simply a pleasant surprise; it hides among the plants and reveals itself only to an attentive eye.
Green spaces as a sculptural composition
An original way of creating decorative figures from bushes and trees involves cutting plants and giving them the chosen shape. Such decor can enliven even the most modest garden. For topiary, choose green spaces with dense branches and small foliage.
The priority is evergreen boxwood - it grows quietly and has dense leaves. An equally interesting idea is to grow an emerald carpet on the surface of the frame.
Metal sculpture in Art Nouveau style
Classification of garden sculptures
Decorative figures for the garden are classified into 4 main groups.
Classic and neoclassical
Includes garden sculptures made of natural stone or precious metal. With the help of decorative compositions of this category, the status of a garden or park with a classic design concept is emphasized. At the same time, the shape and size of statues and figures can be any, attention is focused on the material.
Copper garden sculpture
Small sculpture
When planning a garden plot, space is often allocated using compositions in which the central object is surrounded by secondary images - small plastic elements. The small sculpture is made of wood or polymer compounds and has compact dimensions. Secondary structures are used as elements of background decoration for the main accent image.
Flower bear sculpture in the garden
Art sculpture of a summer garden
It is a sculpture with abstract forms. Shocking compositions of unusual design are made from modern compounds, most often from polymers or metal. Abstraction of forms personifies the creativity of the creator's thoughts, expressed with the help of elementary materials: metal sheets or rods, wire, plastic, cement or plaster, polyurethane foam or other adhesives.
Deer sculpture in the garden
Sculptural addition
It represents a functional decor of the site. Statues in this category serve as a complement to a certain sculptural composition or architectural structure.
Decorative birds for the garden
The shapes and sizes of products are not so important, the main thing is functionality and relevance for practical purposes.
Mermaid sculpture
What to make a sculpture from: choice of material
Plaster statues
Gypsum is one of the most popular materials for making garden decor. Almost any shape and size of product can be made from it. Plaster is easy to paint and is quite inexpensive. Price in this case very often turns out to be the decisive factor influencing the purchase. Among the disadvantages of the material, one can note its fragility. Therefore, such sculptures should be handled very carefully.
Before you make a sculpture, think about what you want to create. If these are simple balls, hedgehogs or mushrooms, you will need one set of tools. If these are angels and other anthropomorphic figures, then another. Plaster can be purchased at any hardware or art store. Next, you should dilute it to the desired consistency (instructions are usually printed on the packaging). To make the plaster more durable, you can add PVA glue to it.
The simplest plaster sculpture is a mushroom. To do this, you need to take a deep bowl, cover its bottom with polyethylene, fill it with plaster and, after drying, sand it with sandpaper to get rid of defects. A piece of log or a thick branch is quite suitable for a mushroom stem. You connect the parts of the figurine, paint them, and now you have a harvest of huge mushrooms that will delight you for several seasons. It is best to use moisture-resistant paints or top coat with varnish.
Mushrooms for your garden
From gypsum you can make columns for the entrance to the gazebo or supporting pillars in the form of sculptures, in this way bringing a touch of antiquity or renaissance to your garden. Specialty stores also sell plaster casting kits. You can use any gypsum plaster as a material.
Garden sculpture made of wood
You don't have to be a genius carver to make a garden sculpture out of wood. You can turn any snag or stump you find in your garden into a masterpiece. You just need to have a fairly good imagination and a sense of humor. It is very easy to make stylized animal figures from tree trunks sawn into round dies. Owls, hares, foxes, bears, wolves, cats, hedgehogs and other animals will become a cute decoration of every garden.
You can buy realistic figurines of animals and birds from master carvers. If you have a child, create a whole menagerie of wood for him. It will be fun to play with them in the garden. They are quite difficult to break and are not very heavy.
The child will be happy to have a pet elephant
You can also make a large chessboard as an original idea for the garden. These chess pieces will be interesting to play not only for children, but also for adults. To prevent wooden garden decor from being exposed to the negative effects of the environment, it must be treated with special means. Impregnation that protects against pests and fungus, as well as varnish that protects the color and texture of the product.
Concrete sculpture
You can also make garden decor from concrete. This is a good budget alternative to expensive natural stone products. Among the disadvantages is that garden sculptures made of concrete are short-lived. In addition, making such a sculpture with your own hands will be somewhat problematic.
Concrete is used to make shaped decorations for paths, original tiles, decor in the form of geometric shapes or simple sculptures. To make such a decor, you will first need to make a metal reinforcing frame for the sculpture. Otherwise, nothing may work out.
The cat is the keeper of peace and satiety
Metal sculptures
These can be either figures cut out of sheet metal or simply metal products that a creative owner will turn into a work of art. Such sculptures are made from:
- wires;
- springs;
- tin cans;
- old garden tools;
- other metal objects.
Very simple and very cute
You can make metal sculptures with your own hands without having serious skills in working with this material. For this you will need:
- metal scissors;
- pliers or round nose pliers;
- nails;
- glue gun
Stone sculptures
Stones have been used in landscape design since ancient times. The Japanese even turned the creation of compositions from stones into an art. There are several main options for stone sculptures:
- Stones selected in the form of simple geometric shapes.
- Compositions of small stone figurines.
- Full-fledged statues made of stone plates superimposed on each other.
Several stones of different sizes - and the masterpiece is ready.
Separately, we can highlight a composition of stones in the form of a sundial. It can be made not only from stone, but also from any other materials. Of the natural stones, it will look the most organic and natural.
You can also order a real stone sculpture from savage, granite or marble from the workshop. It will serve you for an incredibly long time and will not be afraid of exposure to the atmosphere. Stone statues have stood in parks and gardens for centuries. If you take care of them, they will not even lose their original appearance. Of course, such a sculpture for the garden will be very expensive and weigh a lot.
Tire sculptures
Sculptures made from tires are very popular now. This waste material, which cannot be recycled at home, can get a new life in the form of garden decor. Swans, animals, human figures and fairy-tale characters are made from tires. It all depends on your imagination and the number of tires you can spend on making garden decor.
Gorgeous peacock made from tires
Choosing a good location for decorative figures
The principles for placing sculptural decor include the following positions:
- a minimum number of statues are installed in a compact area. A good solution for garden owners with a creative nature is a solitary setting in the form of an art sculpture, and for practical owners - a functional sculpture, for example, an idol with a built-in street spotlight;
- When landscaping a spacious area, compositions of various formats are appropriate. Decorate the seating area with cute statues of ancient deities or abstract shapes. Near the playground, make a place for a plastic mushroom meadow. Next to the garden barbecue complex, install a plaster figure of a gin with a jug on a cement pedestal;
- along the path it is worth placing several decorative accents with a battery-powered lamp;
- do not arrange flower beds on banal beds; it is better to use bowls made of concrete or polystone.
Sculpture in the form of an evil gnome in a private garden
Sculpture from branches for the garden
To veil the rough finish of a garden sculpture made of stone, it is easy to create a frame of climbing green plants. Or place the statue under a flowering bush so that the branches hide part of the statue. Small wooden sculptures for the garden with a colorful design looking out among the tall grass also look interesting.
Mirror sculpture for the courtyard of a private house
Choose statues and figures to decorate the area, taking into account the features of the space. If you are planning a large-scale landscaping project, invite specialists: this requires a professional eye and very skillful hands.
