December 21, 2005

The use of statues or figures in gardens, is a practice that dates back to ancient Greece and Rome, before there actually were the kind of formal gardens that we enjoy now.

In that era, many “gardens”, were essentially large lawns, divided by carefully cultured and pruned hedges. The Romans in particular were very fond of mazes, and tales exist of people being lost in them for days.

This type of landscaping was generally only lightened by strategically placed benches, and the occasional statue or bust on a pedestal that was placed in a niche trimmed out of the hedge, or in a space provided between trees or bushes.

But thanks to a boom in gardening as both a hobby and a business, back in the 1800s, we now have the pleasure of as many beds of flowers as we have the time to plant and weed. And we can still add the “ancient” touch to our garden décor, with the right garden statues.

If you like the historic look, and it fits with your landscaping, you might choose a pair of regal lions to flank the entrance to a garden, a path, or driveway. The lion, revered in Roman times as a symbol of strength and virility, was used copiously as a design on everything from gateways, to sewer covers, to fountain heads. It’s also possible to get reproductions of some of the more popular historic statues, including Venus de Milo or Michaelangelo’s David. Although these will be much smaller than their actual size, they make a lovely accent to a darker or mono-colored area of the lawn or garden, because they are generally reproduced in their original, marble white color.

If you have a taste for the mythical, there are many variations and poses of fairy, angel, and cherub figurines that are a delight in either painted forms, or cast in alabastrite or copper.

Of course, where Nature’s blooms provide a riot of color, what can be more natural a choice than animal figurines? For the cat lover, there are painted, alabastrite and copper kittens to cavort amongst your calendulas. You can also find weatherproof vinyl characters in squirrels, rabbits, turtles and other assorted wildlife, looking so real you’d almost expect them to pull up a daisy and eat it!

Possibly one of the most enduring garden statues or figurines that you’ll come across, has to be the ever-popular gnome. These whimsical creatures were originally thought to be Earth spirits which had strayed from underground, and been paralyzed into statues by the sun. They caught on as a fad, after the first ones appeared in Germany around 1860, patterned on a German mythological figure called a zwer. The “originals” were terra cotta figurines, which did not have the enduring quality of marble that Roman statues had, and hence there are few very old gnomes, to be found today. With the exception of a single example from the 1800s collection of Sir Charles Grisham of England. The gnome, christened “Lampy”, travels around the world on exhibit. This perhaps started the highly popular sport of “gnome napping”, where a garden statue is taken, and photographed in various exotic locations, before being returned. But perhaps your gnomes won’t want to leave home, if you provide them with the perfect spot to show off their favorite poses.

Garden statues and figurines are that extra little touch that can add another dimension to your outdoor décor. Whether you put them on a patio, lawn, or in a garden, they’re guaranteed to be eye-catching.