While the mostly shaded bed along the back fence is planted with more hostas, monkshood and, to fill in the temporary spaces, annuals such impatiens, the focus is the large statue of St. Francis of Assisi.

“It was a gift from my mother,” Petrina explains. “My father died on St. Francis of Assisi day. My father had the character of St. Francis: he was a gentle caring man.”

Petrina illustrates an appreciation for childhood with other statuary as well: fairies hidden in the middle bed where her newly acquired grandchildren can see them if they are looking. She is also in the process of creating a secret garden for these little ones at the end of a path through the shrubbery. “I think it’s important to create beauty for children, and foster their imagination,” she says, obviously taking as much pleasure in its creation as they in the discovery.  (From Finding new ways to live in her older home by MARG HRYNIUK, for the Leader-Post, August 27, 2009)

This article spoke to my heart because it encompasses so many of the teachings we share here at Outdoor Garden Statues.  It is so important to figure out what you need from your garden space before turning it into your little spot of Heaven on Earth.  Otherwise, you will keep adding stuff trying to achieve a balance but never quite finding it.  My last article called Finding the Key to Your Outdoor Garden spoke to this.  By defining exactly what you want from your garden, you have an achievable  goal to work toward.

Cherubs or Putto as they should be called became popular during the Italian Renaissance period and were often included in religious paintings and sculptures.  Sometimes you see them in Madonna and Child paintings as if Jesus had angelic playmates.  They were often portrayed as a beautiful winged child or the winged head of a child.  As such, they represented the innocence of childhood or a pure detachment from the mundane things of this world.  Because Cupid is a form of putto they can also symbolize love or eros and may be associated with non christian deities.

Today, people use cherub garden statues to help create a peaceful, stress free atmosphere. Although they are often used as memorials at the graves of young children, they are also perfect accents in quiet formal gardens.  It’s nice to pair them with a fountain or wind chime to mask the daily noise of the surrounding area, but these should appear delicate rather than the more heavy cement pieces you often see in gardens.  Add a bench or other seating arrangement and you will create a peaceful place to pause and reflect. What better complement can your garden receive than that their visitors left more relaxed than they came?

If you like cherubs, you should enjoy visiting our Cherub Garden Statues. I especially like the cute little guy holding the golden orb.

Girl Garden Statues have long had their place in the home landscape.  Even though gardening is not relegated to one or the other of the sexes, when you are creating a garden setting that will demand an emotional response from its visitor, a female form is often chosen.  As with any statue, there are things you should be aware of before you make your purchase but they are particularly important when dealing with the human form.

When comparing statues, note the detail of the faces involved.  The sweetest form can lose its charm if the facial features are indistinct.  This is one reason to research the substance of the statue you are considering.  Concrete will never be as distinct as bronze or resin.  It also tends to lose its detail as time goes on so consider that in your planning.

The statue subject will denote placement.   Your statue won’t show to it’s best effect if it is in the wrong setting.  Consider, a young girl reading a book is wonderful in a secluded side yard but not so impressive next to a busy driveway.  Conversely, children jumping rope or chasing dogs are a fun addition to a patio but are too busy if you intend to create a serene meditation garden.

The statue’s size must also be considered.  A small statue might benefit from being placed on a pedistal that will bring it up to eye level or placed near a path in a small garden.  Likewise, a larger statue can be too imposing for today’s smaller yards.  That is why you have to know where you are going to display your garden statue of children before you buy it.

Today you also have to consider security.  It’s an unfortunate fact of life that you have to protect your investment.  When the economy gets tight, some people will steal bronze statues for their junk value.  Depending on your neighborhood, you might need to keep your statue in a locked back yard where it can’t be seen from the street.  I hate to have to mention such a thing but better to be safe than to lose such a treasured possession.

Please visit our Children Garden Statues Catalogue page.

It’s always fun to add a statue to your garden landscape.  The most successful gardens do so sparingly with a thought to the mood they are creating.  Carefree children don’t belong in a meditation garden.  Likewise, religious statues aren’t usually chosen to decorate playgrounds.  As obvious as that may seem, there are some things you need to be aware of before you purchase a statue for your lawn or garden.

When you are looking for a Boy Garden Statue, be sure you particularly check the detail of his facial features.  What he is doing will of course be important but if his face is weak, it will mar the over all effect of the statue itself.  Different mediums will of course give differing results.  Concrete isn’t very good for fine detail and over time will lose some of the detail it starts with.  Brass or resin gives a more satisfactory result.  Check with your statue supplier so that the results equal your expectations.

What the boy is doing is equally important.  Pick something that reminds you of a pleasant childhood pursuit but be mindful of the setting you want to put the statue in.  There are many boy statues peeing all over public gardens but your homeowner’s association might object. Besides that, there are enough crimes committed against children that even displaying nude statues may be frowned on.  Just because something was appropriate in the past doesn’t make it acceptable today.  Remember the lawn jockeys people used to put outside their homes?  Doing so today is considered a racist statement.  Make sure your  boy garden statue will be acceptable for a long time to come.

As with any statue, be sure the statue’s size is appropriate to the place you have chosen to display it.  Many times garden statues of children are placed alongside a patio or walkway.  It shouldn’t impede traffic flow.  Additionally, your statue should visually fit the area you place it.  A tiny statue in a large lawn will be lost.  Better to put it alongside a tree or in a side garden where it can be given a more dominant position.

I recently wrote an article on the Arnold Palmer Hospital Play Area that visualy demonstrates these points.  Their play area is designed to give an ill child a break from hospital routines and they did it very well.  It’s worth looking at.

Also, please don’t forget to visit the children garden statues page.