Simon Whitbread
With the approach of cooler months rather than head indoors, think of ways to bring your outdoors to life throughout all four seasons.
Like hanging art on your interior walls, bringing a sculpture into your garden tells your style story. If you’re looking for garden edging ideas, wear your art on your green sleeve by bringing in a single statement piece to add wow factor and bring a hit of character and warmth to your outdoor space.
“The beginning of autumn is a great time to get outdoors and start landscaping for the cooler conditions,” says founder and creative director of Landart Landscapes, Matt Leacy.
“You don’t want autumn to signal a move indoors and less time spent in your outdoor spaces – you ideally want to adapt and tweak your spaces to make them right for the season and to keep maximising their potential,” he explains.
Be bold in your choice in terms of size – a large sculpture can be nestled between hedging, buried in native grasses or adjacent to a mature tree and still create an impact.
“Sculpture is the art of intelligence”
Pablo Picasso
Think carefully about the placement of your sculpture – it doesn’t necessarily need to take centre stage to be effective – an ample piece will work equally well when somewhat hidden from view. Art in unexpected places is always delightful!
Think outside the square – if sculpture in the human form is not your thing, opt for a large scale urn or sphere to add texture, break the lines of your garden plantings and give pause in your landscaping scheme.
“Fundamentally, autumn landscaping is all about bringing warmth into outdoor spaces – introducing features and elements that warm up the spaces to keep them inviting,” Matt says.
Materials and care
In terms of material, consider the surroundings immediately nearby where your sculpture will sit. Stone, carved timber and terracotta will all develop an attractive patina outside when exposed to the elements so if this is not your preferred look, a coat of paving or sandstone sealer will protect it.
Metal sculpture too, will require care if you wish to avoid a buildup of patina. The best cleaner for bronze sculptures, says Richard Rist of Large Art, is mild soap and water. A wax finish can be applied for a lasting shine.
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