Garden statues come in all shapes and sizes, and choosing the right one can enhance your outdoor space. If the outdoor statue is too small, it gets lost; too big, and your garden gets lost.
If you tend to lean more towards large garden statues for your yard art, you may find the latter result an issue, but with the right piece and placement, you can incorporate a large garden ornament for a unified look. Keep reading to learn how to indulge in your love of large garden statues without making your garden look like a junkyard.
Tips for Incorporating Large Garden Statues
What is considered a large garden sculpture or statue is subjective. Some people think a large outdoor statue is as tall as a person. Others characterize extra large garden statues as being over three feet. You should judge the size of a statue relative to your garden and use that as a baseline.
No matter the measurements of the outdoor sculpture, one thing to understand about large garden statues is that they can become the focal point of your garden. For some people, this is the desired outcome. Others don’t want them to overwhelm the backyard. Luckily, there are ways to manage how a large garden sculpture affects your garden and how others perceive it.
To help you make the right choices for your garden, here are a few tips for incorporating large garden statues into your backyard.
1. Choose a large garden statue that reflects you.
For many people, all aspects of their home are an extension of themselves, including the outdoor space and garden. Chances are your garden statue will be large enough to be seen quite prominently in your garden, so you want to ensure that you choose one you’re proud of and that reflects your style and taste.
If your style is classic, it’s best to go with a classic sculpture. If you have a modern flair, choose a more abstract statue to stand out in your garden. Some other examples of a large garden sculpture include:
- Religious statues
- Sculptures of animals
- Sculptures with different types of material, like resin, stone, or concrete
Even though your statue should reflect your style, don’t be afraid to experiment with different options. You may end up evolving your design style!
2. Figure out how your large garden statues fit in your garden.
The next tip for incorporating large garden statues in your backyard is understanding how your sculpture of choice will fit.
By this, we don’t mean that you have to figure out how the garden statue physically fits into your yard. Instead, you have to look at the bigger picture and determine how the statue fits with your vision.
This tip goes hand in hand with the previous one of choosing statues that reflect your style. Choose one you love, but ensure it’s in line with what is already in your garden.
If you choose a sculpture but find that it isn’t currently a good fit for your backyard, you have two options:
- Make changes to your backyard and garden to better suit the sculpture.
- Choose another large sculpture.
The second option is usually less work and gives you a larger range of possibilities, considering there are different large garden statues to choose from.
However, to avoid running into this problem in the first place, before you commit to a statue, take a photo of it and photoshop it into your backyard to get a better idea of whether it’s a good fit for your garden without having to physically place it there.
3. Choose a location that best showcases your large garden statue.
Placement is key to how well your large garden statues suit your backyard, so choose a location that best showcases them in the way you want them seen. That doesn’t necessarily mean having it front and center.
Where you place your large statue will affect how it is perceived and the overall effect on your garden. Here are a few common placements for statues and their influence:
- In the center: When you place your large statue in the center of your backyard, it becomes the focal point and makes a large statement.
- Off to the side/in a corner: Placing your statue in a corner might bring more balance to your backyard, especially if you want to incorporate multiple large garden statues. It allows for other elements of your yard to shine.
- Within a bush: Incorporating your large garden statue into a bush or a flowerbed turns this area of your yard or garden into a live art piece, as your plants will continue to grow around your sculpture.
4. Be sure to maintain your statue to keep it looking good.
When you choose large garden statues, you understand that these statues are meant to be seen. That means that it’s important that they always look their best.
Just as you maintain your garden, you should maintain your garden sculptures. A garden statue covered in leaves, bird droppings, and other debris has a higher chance of cluttering your yard and making it look unkempt.
Make sure you conduct a routine inspection of your garden sculptures to ensure that they’re still in the best shape, especially towards the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Large Garden Statues Are More Versatile Than You Think
You might feel like having such a large structure in your backyard is restricting and even suffocating for your outdoor decor, but if you think critically about where and how you want them placed, large garden statues can add a unique element to your backyard. Take the time to find the right one for your garden to give it an extra touch of charm.