“A garden without its statue is like a sentence without its verb” -Joseph Beach.

Constituents of a Garden Statue 

Just like the atoms and molecules of our bodies make us vulnerable to certain conditions and aspects like we cannot stand in the fire but, water is fine for us. Similarly, your garden statues and their constituents play a vital part in their maintenance and appearances. (If only we had Elsa’s magic cloud so we could make a snow statue with a small Cloud on its head, minimal cost, and easy maintenance but, eh! So, talking about materials, let us sift through some possible and best options at hand for the ultimate statue to decorate your garden. 

Material choices

The most common materials used in statues are marble stone, limestone, or concrete. The material of a statue is of utmost importance and, its selection is directly related to the basic questions like the following: –

– Do you live in an area with too much humidity? 
– Or near the equator of the earth with its core just below some sedimentary layers? 
– If your house is near the cold winds from the Arctic?
– How much can you afford to spend on the statue(s).
– How much space do you have in your garden for the statue(s).
– Do you relocate often and need to move furniture and statue(s). 

Stone marble, limestone, or concrete? 

Rock paper scissors? No, Rock, Rock, Rock. Let us talk about the three most extensively used materials to make statues.

There are advantages yet disadvantages of every material. Stone marble with its characteristic veining gives an antique finish with unique patterns but, they are prone to scratches. Easy to shape but are too heavy to relocate. Less expensive but susceptible to acid etching.

For limestone has dependability, as it is durable and would not freeze or change over time, but is soft and porous and, in case the limestone statue is not sealed completely and accurately, then any liquid can seep through it and cause staining and make it weak. It is less expensive but can crack in excessive heat.

Concrete has high compressive strength so; it could bear a heavy load if you wanted to build a fountain with a sitting place in the surrounding. But, concrete has low tensile strength and can cause cracks to form. Concrete is less corrosive and has less weathering due to climate change, but fresh concrete can shrink down and, hardened concrete can expand when dried. 

So, when choosing a material, several factors like cost, appearance, weather stability, and maintenance are to be considered. Aside from the obvious choices such as Marble stone, limestone, and concrete, the advancements in the area of home decor and innovation have led to many new options to be explored, examples are, Bronze, Fiberglass, metals like lead present more durable materials with higher tensile strength and less weathering over time. You can also go for the dragon glass in case you happen to stumble upon it. So, you can kill the white walkers if God forbid the winter comes. 

Our recommendations

A statue should be paired with a fountain, Before buying a fountain, check my article ” Your Queries for an outdoor fountain ” to clear all your queries.

Statue material and weather

While choosing a statue, the main concern should be the geographical area. In areas with high temperatures, the material of your statue can bend out of shape or expand due to excessive heat. If there is frequent rainfall where you live, then do not buy the statue made of material that absorbs moisture. For example, Limestone can retain water and inhabit many microorganisms like Algae and Bacteria that thrive on moisture. These tiny infectious agents can grow on the surface resulting in greenish slime appearing on the statue which is not a nice view. Climate is a crucial factor in choosing the statues. The scientists are claiming that due to increased global warming important heritage sites like the statue of liberty and Venice of Italy might be at threat of losing their beauty and grandeur.  

Most popular sculptures

After figuring out the material, the next thing to think of is what kind of sculptures to keep in your garden. There are so many options to choose from like cute little fairies to other whimsical creatures, a horse with wings, or gargoyles to ward off evils. Historical figures like Buddha, Jesus, or favorite hero who sacrificed his life for the country to pay tribute. In case your mood is a bit adventurous, go for a big elephant or lion. Little cute animals like cats or dogs chasing a butterfly or a ball can be a uniquely new idea. If still, you want something more out of the box, go for a statue of yourself with your partner, your handprints and footprints together embed on a slab of concrete or chalk, you can also make a mold of your hands together with wax and fill it with limestone to result in something unique. Anything that comes into your mind can be a sculpture with a bag or two of concrete or limestone, few tweaks, and professional touch. 

Our recommendations

How can you use Sculptures to reflect your style? 

You can channel your inner personality and showcase it in your garden with an artistic approach. A sculpture that shows your style is the perfect way to let people know the inner artist. If you are an animal lover, go for animal statues, if you are a religious person, it is time to bring out the cross. If nature attracts you, think about an intricate bonsai sculpture with extensive roots and tiny leaves. If it is the history that attracts you, take a start with those old roman empires, lion-man, Maman, and the Venus of Willendorf. There are so many options to explore just tap into that inner stylist and make your garden a unique and welcoming place for the guests and yourself. If the waterworks attract you, get a fountain where the birds chirp and sing and have water to satiate their thrust in the summers.  

Size considerations

Just like the appearance, size does matter. And it depends on the size of your garden as well. If you have a spacious garden and can keep a big statue in it, without it turning into a big chunk of distraction then, go ahead. If the area is small, go for a cute and small piece to fill the spot perfectly. You can take a measuring tape to measure and then place the equally sized box in a place you are planning to keep your statue and see if the shoe fits, in this case, if the box fits and goes flawlessly with the surrounding things.  

So, when choosing a material, several factors like cost, appearance, weather stability, and maintenance are to be considered. Aside from the obvious choices such as Marble stone, limestone, and concrete, the advancements in the area of home decor and innovation have led to many new options to be explored, examples are, Bronze, Fiberglass, metals like lead present more durable materials with higher tensile strength and less weathering over time. You can also go for the dragon glass in case you happen to stumble upon it. So, you can kill the white walkers if God forbid the winter comes. 

Our recommendations

Color and Finish

Colors, like other factors, are necessary to consider as they relate directly to your mood. A psychological study suggests colors are a part of one’s visual experience. They can affect your mood swings and emotions. Colors warm to the eyes like yellow, orange, and red bring out feelings of aggression and warmth. As the opposite, the blues and greens can make you calm or depressed if worked otherwise. Each different shade creates new emotions. Colors can make us either sad or happy, angry or relaxed, depressed or calm. So, choosing the correct color combination is very important too. The finish of the statue is crucial as it means either your statue is rough in appearance or smooth to touch. So, that depends on your preference, and you can go for it the way you prefer.  

Location of your statue

When you are considering so many things, putting much effort into your statue, its design, color, appearance, size, and surface, another thing to ponder over is the location. The statue should be at the optimal place to be visible clearly from a distance, connecting the whole garden and adding to its beauty. You can go for the central position for your statue or near the patio so you can look at it while having your evening tea. It all depends on what makes it more visible in the whole surrounding. Statues large in size can become a focal point in your garden, drawing all the attention towards them. So, considering the views surrounding the statue, its position can be adjusted to get the perfect setting.

Adding a little something to your already perfect statue

Suppose, at last, you are happy with your choice of a perfect garden statue. You have decided on the material, its shape, and its style placed it at the perfect spot in your garden. Finally Inner peace…! but, you still have a day left from your free weekend, what else can you do to add a little more to it? How about fairy lights on your statue to make it glow and twinkle in the dark. Little stars and light up and hang from a stand above your statue to make it light up and look pretty. A water feature or sculptures with small feeders in which you can add crumbs of food for birds and small animals would make your statue come to life. You can also lay down small steps in your garden that lead to the statue to draw more attention towards it. 

Surrounding plants

The garden, randomly grown flowers with a well-chosen statue presents a good enough picture but, you can modify it further by growing plants that would complement the colors and appearance of the statue. Growing plants of colors would praise your garden statue and help in making your garden even better. Flowers all yellow would go perfectly with a brownish-colored statue. Black Roses grown around the grey concrete statue would be a unique yet fascinating combination, surrounded by the greenery. These are some of the ideas to play around with. At the end of the day, it is all about whatever floats your boat and, in this case, whatever plants you can grow in your garden. The plants should not overwhelm or obscure the look of your statue and hide the elegance and uniqueness of it plus, the plants chosen should be seasonal and do not need much maintenance.  

Cost of the statue

It all depends on your budget. If you want to go all out and treat your garden with an exquisite and high-class statue then go for a Bronze Michael the Archangel Sculpture that costs around $10,000 or, if you have a tight budget but want to decorate your garden, you can go for a concrete statue of Birds on a log that costs about $100 or so. You can also use some tricks to make your statue look more expensive and high-end by decorating it with twinkling lights, small flowers, and all the accessories discussed above.

To complete a garden decor, you should add outdoor furniture too. know How to Buy Outdoor Furniture That Lasts in this article.

Our Expert’s advise

No doubt, a perfect statue can bring out the face of the garden and change the whole outlook from the old school and bland to trendy and stylish. Follow these pointers to get yourself a perfect little hang-out place at the back of your home, depending on your budget. For all the guidance you would need to choose a perfect garden statue, this article has got you covered. Here is the best guide for the best statue. Happy shopping!