Outdoor Garden Statues Make Your Yard Special

Most of us think of statues as sculptures of people. They could be angels, saints, glorified women or men on horseback but for the most part, they are about people. However, I think we can extend that to 'people and things that they like. For instance, my dog is not a person but I like her and would like a statue of her and my grandson is nuts about frogs.

For the purpose of this lens, I am blurring several classifications such as statues, figurines (small statues), and lawn ornaments. To some extent, they all fall under Outdoor Garden Statues.

As a little girl, I really didn't care how big the statue was or if it was a person or not, I simply liked finding something unique in the garden. With that sense of wonderment, let's look at things that would look at home in our yard today.

Remember scale always plays a part in how attractive something is. If you put a giant statue in a small yard, it won't look very nice and your neighborhood association is going to send you an unpleasant letter. At the same time, while you can put a small ornament alongside a path in a large yard, if you are looking for a focal point, it will need something larger. The only way around it is to have a garden area where a smaller statue is in scale with the localized area. See what I mean?

You also have to consider the setting. I don't think anyone wants to see a garden gnome in the middle of a meditation garden. It's probably better to let him hide somewhere along a path. As humorous as that sounds, it wouldn't be the place for Sir Somebody on a horse either. Let's save our meditation garden for some kind of water element and maybe a tranquil piece to think on.

There is a lot to consider when furnishing a garden ornament. Is there a garden theme? Is it formal or informal? What is the atmosphere of the garden itself - serene or busy like a plot near a street. What about those who may visit it - children, adults, lovers?

With that in mind, price and materials come to mind. Are you on a budget - under $100 or $1,000? Do you think the statue will ever be moved; if so, fiberglass, concrete, marble, bronze, etc? There are very nice models to fit all of these criteria so it really comes down to personal preference.

Once the primary considerations are met, it's time to figure out what statue you want. There are many to choose from. Angels and cherubs, animals, religious statues, children statues, oriental or even Greek and Roman statues are all popular.

I was recently thinking about northern gardens in winter. If you happen to wander there after the frost has hit, what is there to see? Properly preserved Outdoor Garden Statues can give year round satisfaction. It's something to think about when the snow drifts and cabin fever sets in. Why not update your garden plan?

My 20 month old grandson now has some favorite statues. You can read about that in Sogs. It's further proof that a statue doesn't have to be huge to make a big impact.