Having an outdoor space is a true blessing and if you take good care of it, it can act as a sanctuary to help you get away from the everyday worries and make you feel more relaxed.
Working in the garden offers a lot of benefits, including stress relief, immune support, and improved mental health.
And of course, the beauty your garden adds to your home appeal.
Every garden has its unique beauty thanks to the use of flowers and greenery, however, introducing some garden art is always a good idea.
Using garden art can show your personality and your style, whether you prefer modern, rustic or refined.
A great way to use outdoor artwork in your garden is to create a theme.
For instance, you can use animal garden ornaments to add a touch of fun or create a peaceful natural ambience and refresh your exterior décor.
They are some of the most popular ways to complement your existing garden features and create a harmonious look.
However, you need to make sure to choose every piece strategically if you want to make your garden look more attractive.
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Simplicity Is Key When Choosing Garden Ornaments
Animal statues, sculptures and ornaments fit very well into most gardens. Very often, they put the finishing touches on a garden.
Statuary can be used in a formal setting or in a more subtle way, depending on your style and preferences.
It’s always a good idea to limit the number of ornaments in a particular area, so if you want to use a few pieces, make sure they are visually separate.
You can choose from a wide range of animal garden ornaments and select the ones that blend with your garden.
Animals usually fit better in a rustic-style garden, but if carefully chosen, they can work well in a formal setting as well.
To make the right decision you may need to ask yourself where are the best focal places in your garden and see which statue will fit well in those areas.
If your garden is in a more traditional style, with well-maintained plants and hedges, elements of balance, and geometrical shapes, consider items that are also traditional, like lion or peacock statues, for instance.
If your garden has predominantly natural vegetation, you can choose animal garden statues that are earthy and rustic, like ducks or a goose.
Small animals such as cats, rabbits, birds and more, can be fun accents to scatter around on your patio or as focal points in flower beds.
The easiest way to enhance these features is to surround them with plants.
You can either choose plants that complement the colours of the statue or contrast with them, but make sure they are not overwhelming and will not obscure the statue from view.
Also, it’s important to choose the plants with the seasons in mind.
Think about when the plants are likely to flower and if they offer foliage all year long or only at certain periods.
Consider the impact their flowering can have on the look of the statue and the overall look of your garden.
The Material Plays a Big Role in the Quality of the Statue
The material that your garden statues are made of can make a big difference in the overall style you are going for, but also it can impact how long your statues will last.
Garden ornaments are placed outdoors throughout the year, so you need to consider the effects of sun, wind, rain, bird droppings, and more.
Animal garden statues come in a variety of options to suit various color schemes and garden looks.
The following are some of the most commonly used materials and what you should know about them.
Metal
This is a long-lasting material and looks great, especially if stainless steel or brass. But you need to make sure you take proper care of it as it can corrode over time.
Stone
Stone has been the favourite material for gardeners for ages. It is long-lasting and even if it weathers, it will still look good because it gets an ancient, well-aged appearance.
Concrete
Concrete is used to mass-produce reproductions of common garden statuary like small birds.
Concrete may crack, and limbs of the figurines may fall off, so that’s why it’s often dressed up with the use of tiles, rendering and paint.
Bronze
This is probably the most popular garden ornamentation material out there.
It’s labour intensive, therefore more expensive, but it creates beautiful art sculptures and statues that can last for centuries.
Bronze statues require low maintenance and age to an attractive green hue.
Resin
This is one of the newer materials for garden statuary. It’s light and easy to move. Resins require no maintenance and also are very durable for outdoor use.
Pick the Size of the Statue Carefully
Choose the size of your animal statue based on two things – how big is your garden and how striking do you want it to be.
A life-size or bigger statue can be used to create or emphasise your garden’s spirit.
It can become the focal point of the garden, placed at the end of a path or slightly elevated within a flower bed.
Smaller statues, on the other hand, tend to bring you closer into the garden and need to be placed effectively as well.
As they are not as big, the eye is less likely to be drawn to them right away, so you need to make sure they will be seen.
If there is a pond or a fountain in your garden, you can place a few smaller animal ornaments nearby to give it a more natural feel.
Why Choose Garden Animal Ornaments?
Garden animal statues are an excellent way to add dimension and detail to a garden of any size.
Representations of animals are some of the most popular forms of garden statues in the past and today as well.
They are especially important to many Native American cultures as families or clans often featured totem animals that represented their qualities and serve as guardians.
Investing in an animal statue can add beauty, personality, and maybe even a little mythical protection to your lovely garden.
