Our fondness for ornamenting gardens is nothing new - the effigies of gods and mythical heroes that adorned the outdoor spaces of Ancient Greece and Rome are testament to that. The trend began to take hold in Britain around the 17th and 18th centuries, inspired in part by the al fresco fashions of Italy, where elegant ornamental gardens impressed the visiting Grand Tourists, and ornate fountains, stone pillars, and classical figures began to proliferate in the gardens of wealthy British trendsetters. Today, garden ornamentation is not merely the preserve of the rich, and statuary in myriad forms is an accessible way to add a finishing touch to any domestic outdoor space.
Whether you're tempted by a rustic trough or urn, or an ornate sundial or figure, statuary makes a striking all-season focal point for any garden. And although armies of new statuary abound in garden centres across the country, there's something about an antique piece that offers additional charm and interest. Even better, such pieces tend to come complete with their own weathered patina.
Lead statue of a water nymph (c1910), £2,800 (+VAT), Westland London.
Rare Coade stone figure of a seated man fetched £1,350 at Summers Place Auctions.
The best part about collecting garden ornaments is where and how you place them in the garden, in a way that complements the plants around them. You get to use your imagination, and you don't need to be a keen gardener to achieve spectacular results,' says James Rylands, Director of Summers Place Auctions, which specialises in garden statuary.
Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
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Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
48 hours in FUNCHAL
Jenny Oldaker discovers Madeira's capital to be an elegant, artistic place with wide open spaces, verdant beauty spots and a picture-perfect sea-facing location...
LUKE HONEY'S Enthusiasms
On an autumn day in 1783, a sheep, a duck, and a rooster became the first living creatures to fly in a hot air balloon.
Collecting NUTCRACKERS
Not just for Christmas, these nostalgic keepsakes come in an abundance of novelty shapes and styles, offering character and affordability for budding collectors
WHY I COLLECT Medals
Oliver Miller, managing director of Bishop & Miller Auctioneers and Valuers, is fascinated by medals - for him it's all about the preservation of stories for future generations...
Fashionably CURATED
Roni Lang's home in Deal, situated above her clothing store, is every bit as creative and stylish as you'd expect from a fashion designer
Work life balance
Lucy and Guy Rutter - a ceramicist and artist respectively - have found the ideal place to live and work: a Victorian property in Faversham attached to a once-neglected studio...
Farm FUSION
A farmhouse near Cape Town has been given a rustic-meets-industrial makeover, using found materials and objects, as well as treasures brought back from afar
SAVVY Sophistication
Affordable and intriguing charity shop and eBay finds are teamed with statement pieces in this impressive Victorian home in West Yorkshire
DARREN APPIAGYEI
The wood artist talks to Dominique Corlett about seed pods, creative reinvention and the life-enhancing feeling of turning a lathe
Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS
From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place