| The great classic gardens of the past almost always | | | | As with many product, you can go to the bottom end |
| featured garden statues as focal points in their designs. | | | | of the market and choose plastic statues. These may |
| These would often be on a grand scale, with larger | | | | fulfill your immediate needs, but if you are seeking to |
| than life portrayals of men, women, birds and beasts. | | | | reproduce a classic garden of old, you will probably |
| They would be used to attract the eye down | | | | prefer sticking to stone, concrete or concrete |
| particular vistas, to add height and interest to a flat | | | | aggregates. It is well worth the extra expense both for |
| area, or to provide a foil for water gardens or ponds. | | | | statues and outdoor planters. |
| Can those classic traditions be transported to ordinary | | | | Subjects for Garden Statues |
| householders' garden? The answer to that is "yes", | | | | There has always been a wide choice of subjects for |
| although it is usually in a miniature form. A small garden | | | | garden statues. Many are of classic origin, such as |
| cannot reasonably display a 20 ft stone statue, but | | | | cherubs, angels, Appollo, Venus, Sphynx and many |
| can attractively display the same design at one tenth | | | | more religious and mythical icons. In recent times, |
| of the height. Garden statues have therefore become | | | | though, animals have become a popular choice of |
| very popular for the modern garden and gardener. | | | | subject for garden statues, and you may find the |
| Materials Used in Garden Statues | | | | majority of the statues you see today are of animals. |
| Garden statues have traditonally been carved from | | | | Statues of lions and unicorns go back many centuries, |
| natural stone, but similar and often cheaper results are | | | | but today most popular animals can be found as |
| now commonly achieved through the use of concrete | | | | garden statues. Cat and dog statues are easy to find, |
| moulds. Apart from concrete and stone, though, some | | | | but you can also find frogs and toads, squirrels and |
| may prefer the shiny Asian garden decor created | | | | other animals. |
| from bronze. However, that is not all that is available. | | | | Planning Statue Placement |
| Marble is a type of stone, but deserves separate | | | | The best time to consider where to place garden |
| mention due to its superior and luxurious lustre; you can | | | | statues is when you are planning your garden design |
| also find garden statues in fibreglass and metals other | | | | and layout, but that is not a necessity and may not be |
| than bronze. | | | | practical anyway. The great country gardens of the |
| Concrete statues, although tough, can still get | | | | past, and today, used large statues as focal points in |
| damaged, and concrete aggregates such as | | | | vistas, or in prominent positions, where they can freely |
| fibrestone are now regularly used in the production of | | | | impose their stature without detracting from the rest of |
| garden statues from concrete moulds. Fibrestone, for | | | | garden. Smaller statues can be very effective in small |
| example, is concrete reinforced with a fine but very | | | | gardens, but to get maximum effect, as with large |
| strong mesh, which gives extra strength and durability. | | | | gardens, it is worth spending a bit of time considering |
| This is ideal for high quality, long lasting statues, and can | | | | their surrounds so they blend in seamlessly with the |
| even be used effectively for large, classic style | | | | garden design. Just buying a statue while you are out |
| statues for the larger country garden. Also, being lighter | | | | because it catches your eye may lead to |
| than concrete on its own, fibrestone is easier to | | | | disappointment when you get it back home and find it |
| transport and move around the garden should the | | | | looks out of place in your agrden wherever you put it. |
| need arise. | | | | |