Stone Sculptures for the Garden

A sculpture is the only piece in a garden that neither grows nor fades. It stands in February exactly as it stood in July, and that is why it carries a garden through the whole year, at the point where the planting no longer can.

Why a garden needs a figure

Plants change constantly. They break, flower, fade and retreat. That is the appeal of a garden and at the same time its problem: between November and April it loses its hold. A stone figure gives that back. It is the fixed point everything else refers to, and under hoarfrost it looks better than it does in high summer.

Then there is the eye. A sculpture holds it. Looking across a lawn, we instinctively search for something to rest on. Without that point the eye moves on and the garden reads as arbitrary, however well it is planted.

Where a figure belongs

Three positions work almost always.

At the end of an axis. Where a path, a hedge or the view from a window comes to an end. This is the classical solution and the most effective, because the figure provides the conclusion the garden asks for anyway.

In a niche. An opening cut into a tall hedge, or a position against a wall, gives the figure a frame and a quiet background. Without a background even a good sculpture loses its outline, because the silhouette dissolves into foliage.

Beside steps or a gate. Here pairs work: two lions, two dogs, two urns. They turn an entrance into an arrival, and they forgive a plain facade.

The materials

Most of our figures are made from a fine cast stone, a dense mix that is harder and heavier than ordinary concrete. It holds edges and detail sharp, stays outdoors all year and ages well: it darkens, gathers moss in the folds of the drapery and after a few years looks as though it had always stood there.

Bronze sits at the other end. It outlasts practically everything, holds the finest detail and develops the green patina familiar from historic settings. For figures that are viewed close up it is the more honest material.

Marble is the classical choice for busts and figure studies. It reads cool and refined, and in return asks for some consideration: a sheltered position, not under a tree that constantly drops leaves and resin.

Then there are resin and fibreglass for the very large formats. Where a stone figure would weigh several tonnes and need a crane, the same subject in fibreglass can be carried, positioned and moved again if needed. From the outside the difference is barely visible.

Size and effect

A figure has to suit the distance it is seen from. What looks imposing from two metres disappears from thirty. As a guide: if the sculpture stands at the end of a long axis it can hardly be too large. Beside a seating area knee height is enough, and an animal figure works better there than a human one, because it comes closer to the viewer.

A plinth changes everything. The same figure on a column is a different figure: it rises to eye level, gains dignity and becomes visible from a distance at all. Suitable bases are under columns and pedestals.

One or several

The most common mistake is not the wrong figure but the second figure within sight. Two sculptures that can see each other weaken one another, because the eye swings between them instead of coming to rest.

There are two exceptions. First the pair, two identical pieces left and right of an entrance; they read as a single element. Second the sequence in a large park, where the figures stand far enough apart that only one is ever in view and the next is discovered as a reward for walking on.

Positioning

Stone figures are heavier than they look, large pieces weigh several hundred kilograms. They need a load bearing, level base; on undisturbed ground a compacted gravel layer with a slab on top is usually enough. Being level is what matters: a figure that tilts even slightly looks wrong at once, and the eye notices before the mind can name it.

With tall, narrow figures and with pieces on plinths it is worth dowelling the plinth or at least pointing it properly. And orient the figure to the view rather than to the path: it should look towards where the viewer stands.

Over the years

Cast stone and bronze need nothing. They improve on their own. If you like, brush leaves and soil out of the recesses once a year, no more. Avoid pressure washers: they remove in minutes the patina that took ten years.

Marble is more sensitive to lime and organic staining. A sheltered position saves most of the work, and if cleaning is unavoidable, use clear water and a soft brush, never acid.

Subjects

The range holds more than two hundred figures. The classical lines are animals (lions, dogs, horses, eagles), mythological and classical figures (goddesses, putti, angels, busts) and abstract forms such as spheres, stelae and columns, which suit modern architecture as well.

All pieces are newly made after historic models, not antiques. They follow the originals in form and drapery but are newly cast, without prior damage, and therefore sturdier than anything that spent a century outdoors.

The range

The full selection is under garden sculptures. To think about the setting at the same time, look at columns and pedestals, fountains and water columns, planters and garden and terrace lights, which are what bring a figure into its own after dark.

See them at the Castello in Essen

With figures in particular it is worth seeing them in person, because scale and expression are hard to judge from photographs. Our showroom holds furniture and garden pieces from the current range across around a thousand square metres, in a listed building from 1870.

Castello Casa Padrino, Hammer Str. 64, 45239 Essen, Germany. Monday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 2 pm. Call ahead if you want to see a particular piece: +49 212 14912917.

Questions we are often asked

Can the sculptures stay outdoors all year?
Yes. Cast stone and bronze are frost resistant and stay where they are. Marble also stays outdoors but appreciates a sheltered position without constant leaf and resin fall.

Are these antiques?
No, they are newly made after historic models. They age beautifully but reach you without the damage of a genuine original.

How heavy are the figures?
Large stone figures weigh several hundred kilograms, and the exact weight is given with each item. For very large formats the same subjects exist in fibreglass, which two people can carry.

Does the figure need a foundation?
A load bearing, level base is usually enough, such as a compacted gravel layer with a slab. Being level is decisive; a figure that tilts slightly looks wrong immediately.

How many sculptures does a garden take?
On a normal plot, usually exactly one per sight line. Two figures that can see each other weaken one another. The exceptions are pairs at an entrance and sequences in a large park.

How are the figures cleaned?
Brushing leaves out of the recesses once a year is enough. No pressure washer, it removes in minutes the patina that took years to form.

Are the figures available in other colours?
For many models, yes. This matters above all for contract projects where several pieces have to match. Please contact customer service.

How are they delivered?
Smaller figures by parcel service, large ones by forwarding agent to the kerbside. With heavy pieces, settle in advance how they will reach their position on the property.