Trulawn went to the 2015 RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show to check out the latest trends in garden design. There was lots to see with some inspiring show gardens, plenty of plants as well as outdoor buildings and furniture on offer. One of the more interesting aspects of garden design we saw was the addition of sculptures in gardens and the different types of sculpture on offer.
Sculptures tend to be present in large gardens of many acres, or corporate gardens that need an injection of creativity, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have them in your back garden. From our trip to Hampton Court we saw that sculptures can range from the abstract to the whimsical, and come in all shapes and sizes.
One of our favourite sculptural designers was John O’Connor whose striking sculptures would certainly add some character to a garden. Made of bronze and depicting the human form, they certainly made an impression at Hampton Court with the hard metal contrasting beautifully against the meadow like flowers below. The forms are reminiscent of another British artist Antony Gormley whose art similarly manages to be both strong and vulnerable.
On the other end of the spectrum Robert James Limited’s sculptures were of a more recognisable character. His work is inspired by childhood classics with sculptures of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan attracting a lot of attention. These would make great additions for those young at heart, or who want to make their own garden a wonderland and are available in sorts of sizes for those who may not have a lot of space.
But sculptures don’t have to be made of metal in order to make an impression. There were wonderful things made of wood that were also on offer. Many of them had a zoological theme with long necked wooden horses a hit with youngsters. This sort of wound wooden sculptures also make great archways and have a more rustic sensibility to them.
Sculptures are great if you have artificial grass because the grass around them never needs trimming. You’re never in danger of damaging the sculpture through maintenance because maintenance is virtually non-existent. Sculptures have also often been placed at the centre of elaborate designs, involving mazes and intricate lawns. Anyone who would like to create an ambitious design may want to consider artificial grass to ensure clean lines. That way the focus remains on the sculpture and not on the state of the lawn!
