Even with the increasing number of indoor activities today, there is still so much one can do and enjoy the outside of your home. The sights and sounds of nature are, for instance, undeniably more attractive than anything you might do inside the house. For this reason, it is important to design and maintain an outdoor space at your home or office, somewhere you can always retreat to. A well-designed garden will make a world of difference not just for you, but for your family and customers too. The Landscape Expert is your best choice for a beautifully designed garden if you are within Orange County, California. We will ensure your garden art is well-executed and advise you on how to maintain it.
Garden Art
Art is essential in our daily lives especially because it makes life more interesting, joyful, and can significantly improve one’s mood. Adding some art to your landscape design is, therefore, a great idea if you are the kind of person who wants to derive great satisfaction from just being in the garden.
How does this work? Any piece of art can be added to a garden to improve its look and feel. You do not need a particular reason to add a certain piece of art to your garden. What matters is that you like it and you think it will look great in the garden.
What this means is that garden art should be done with the owner’s needs and wants in mind. You should be the one to decide what you like and how you like it in your garden, to create a design that will always appeal to you.
However, it will help a lot for you to understand how art can be incorporated into the landscaping to create an impressive garden design. This is where garden art experts come in.
Reasons to Add Art to Your Garden
The benefits of landscaping are many and garden art makes a well-maintained garden even more enjoyable. Some of the benefits of garden art include:
- Art in the garden gives you a point of focus
An extraordinary piece of art will definitely stand out from everything else in the garden. While this may not be so good if you don’t want people to see what is in your garden, it can be a great idea for someone who wants to draw people’s attention to some parts of the garden. Art will be the focal point for you and anyone else that will go out into the garden. If you want to shift people’s focus from your garden or add beauty to the garden, this will be an excellent idea.
Note that the art will be placed farther away from the viewer, so, it should be of substantial size. If it is a statue, for instance, choose a bigger one and place it strategically in a place where the viewer will be able to see a lot of its detail.
The piece of art should be attractive too for the viewer to want to get close to it for a better view. A big and interesting piece of art will serve the purpose.
- Art can change the size, shape, and texture of your garden
If you have plants of the same size and texture in your garden, you could break that monotony with a piece of art. Pieces of art differ from plants so much especially in their shape, texture, and sometimes color. An expert gardener will know that different plants have a different texture, though most leaves are of similar shape and texture. One needs to get really close to a bed of plants to see how different they are but from far, they may all look the same.
If you want to dramatically change the shape and/or texture in your garden, a piece of art will always be the best choice. For this to work, choose a piece of art with a recognizable shape like a rectangle, triangle, or circle. The shape will be very different from that of plants, and this is exactly what you need to break the monotony in your garden.
Due to its shape, a triangular painting in a bed of plants will stand out significantly due to its unique shape.
Note that, pieces of arts that depict flowers and plants will not be the best to use here, as they may end up disappearing in the garden.
- Art will add color to your garden
Most art features distinct colors that can hardly be found in a garden. It may be difficult to get the exact colors you love in your garden, but a piece of art can make this very easy to achieve. For a person that loves brilliant colors, for instance, it may not be easy to have all your desires met in your home. You may for instance not be able to paint a bright yellow or red in any part of your home but you can have that exact color in your garden.
Bright colors in large splashes will look great in the garden, and a piece of art is the best way to add that extra hint of color.
- It’s a great way to display your collection
If you are an art collector, placing some art in your garden can be an excellent way of displaying your collection. Good thing is that there is an endless list of antiques that one can collect for his garden including lanterns, bird houses, and wagon wheels among others.
Garden Art Tips for your Home
A piece of art in the garden will obviously put a smile on the faces of people who will pass by your garden. It will create a lasting impression as well as make it a place you always want to be because of how different and remarkable it will look.
However, art has to be well chosen and placed for it to work to your advantage. It is not enough to just collect pieces of art for use in your garden. You may end up with a look that you did not intend to create. If you truly want to give your garden an exceptional look and feel, you must invest some time to learn more about different art designs and how they can be used to create different senses in the garden.
The most important ambiance you want to create in your garden is the feeling of happiness. Every piece of art you pick for your garden should be able to add some element of happiness to your landscape. How do you achieve that?
- Pay attention to the type of art you choose
Note that any piece of art can be used in the garden, but the impression you want to create is what will guide you to the type of art you choose. If for instance, you want to create a rustic look in your garden, an old looking piece of art together with old-fashioned flowers may give you exactly that. If on the other hand, your aim is to block out an unattractive part of the garden, a massive block or art is exactly what you should go for.
- Pay attention to where you place the art
The second most important thing in art gardening is in the place and manner in which you place the piece of art in your garden. You may consider taking a walk in your garden, just to think of the best place to position your art. You can also try a few spots, just to see how it looks, before you can choose the most ideal location. To choose the best location, think about the viewers. Where will they be viewing the art form? Lastly, think about the use you have for the art. Do you intend to highlight an attractive part of your garden or you want to shift people’s focus from the unattractive parts?
- The style and color of the art
The style and color of the art you choose should be an addition to the style of your property. It should complement a well as blend with the style of your garden and home in general. If yours is an old English garden, for instance, avoid a modern sculpture as it may look out of place in such a garden.
- The proportion will matter
Like I mentioned earlier, larger pieces of art will work perfectly in gardens as compared to smaller art pieces. A small piece will get lost in a large garden and may not serve its purpose. If yours is a small garden, ensure that the pieces of art you choose are proportionate to the size of that garden.
- Consider the neglected parts of the garden
Garden art can work very well for areas of your garden that are easily forgotten. Instead of focusing on the areas that are already looking good, you could try highlighting those areas that are hard to maintain to give the entire garden an equally impressive look.
How to Preserve and Protect Your Garden Art
However good your garden art looks, exposure to the elements will damage it, just like every other outdoor item. You need to protect and preserve it, so as to keep it looking good for a long time. Here is how:
- The metal garden art
If possible, buy metal art that is made of steel with a powder coating as this will be enough protection from the elements while at the same time keeping them safe from chipping, corrosion, and fading. However, even with the most powerful coating, the finish will not last forever. That is why you might consider adding a coat of polyurethane before placing them in the garden. This should be repeated from time to time to give the art a fresh and new look all through. Polyurethane can be applied with a brush or spray, depending on your preference.
- The stone, ceramic, resin, and cement garden art
These are the common materials in the construction of most garden art. Even though these materials are more durable, they can crack easily especially when exposed to extreme temperatures or in damp areas for a long time. If possible, this art should be placed in a temperature-controlled environment.
Resin can fade very easily, so you might consider placing your resin art in an area that receives more shade in a day. You could also treat them to the polyurethane coat. Fortunately, there are brands that feature UV protection, which is important to keep their bright colors.
Clean year resin art with soap and water from time to time, then you can apply the polyurethane coat after it has completely dried.
- Wooden garden art
If you have pieces of art that are made of wood, such as furniture or planters, be sure to treat them periodically with a sealant. You might consider buying covers for your furniture, especially during extreme weather conditions to give them a longer life.
In addition to these tips, keep some spray paint as it is applicable in a variety of items, including plastic pots. Just choose the finish of your liking and spray them when they are well cleaned.
Besides, some of these art pieces come with the manufacturer’s instructions on preservation and protection that could be very beneficial in keeping them in good shape and look for a long time.
Finding A Landscape Expert Near Me
Landscaping your home or business comes with many benefits including making your surroundings more beautiful as well as increasing the value of your property. Garden art is an amazing way to achieve that and more. Whether you are an artist or an art collector, there are many intricacies of garden art you may not be familiar with; that is why you need The Landscape Expert to walk with you and ensure that your needs are fully met in the end. We have profound experience in all aspects of landscaping in Orange County, with tons of satisfied customers in our track record. Call us today at 714-855-3479 and let us help you redesign your garden to your appeal.
