Garden Sculpture
10. Classic revival. Sundials, astrolabes and compass motifs have long been features of classical European gardens. In this garden in Southern California, a metal armillary sphere topped with a decorative mythical animal anchors the center of a formal courtyard.MoreWhat Sculpture Brings to the GardenTurn Your Outdoor Space Into a Sanctuary
5. Moon gate. Create an intentional transition from one area of the garden to the next with a gateway stunning enough to double as garden art. Chinese moon gates are traditionally circular or semicircular gateways that mark the passage from one space to the next, echoing the natural cycle of birth and renewal.
2. Natural form. Man-made works inspired by, say, the symmetrical wings of a butterfly or the vein pattern on a leaf look perfectly in keeping with a natural landscape. This weathered metal sculpture of an upturned blossom seems almost like an oversize waterlily floating above the shrubbery. Viewed from a distance, such sculptures could prompt a second look to see if the pieces are man-made or natural.
Variegated Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegata’, zones 5 to 9; find your zone), blue fescue (Festuca glauca, zones 4 to 8) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, zones 3 to 8) grow around the stacked stone orb. 1. Stacked stone orb. Simple art pieces with organic shapes and subtle colors work in harmony with the landscape, adding to, rather than competing with, a garden’s natural beauty. Here, landscape designer Arthur Lathouris used irregular pieces of ironstone, a local sedimentary rock, found on his property to put together a natural stone orb. Nestled in a meadow garden, the sculpture provides a weighty contrast to the airy ornamental grasses that surround it.See more of this lush Australian garden
6. Metal spheres. Although most likely anchored in place, a pair of hollow metal globes set in a contemporary front yard look as if they might roll across the pea gravel patio with a slight push. To mimic this suggestion of motion, look for perfectly spherical forms and set them on a flat surface where they have plenty of room, rather than nestled in a garden bed.
9. Empty vessel. The simple, graceful form of an empty urn with an earth-toned glaze complements nearly any garden setting. Place the vessel in a garden border to anchor perennial plants and add interest to the bed once flowers fade. Or site a container at the end of a garden pathway for a simple focal point. Smaller pots can be propped up on pedestals to give them more impact as pieces of art.
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