We had a stone cat in our former garden that was so lifelike that our Jack Russell terrier Snap would hackle up and bark at it whenever she ran by it. Our serene and stone-faced cat sat at the edge of our water garden where it was surrounded by catmint (of course), casting its feline shadow into the water above the koi and water lilies. The cat used to startle me sometimes, because it was so lifelike.  

Adding statuary to the garden is a tradition that dates to Roman times: The first garden ornaments. Gardens were enhanced and adorned with statuary that was beautiful (such as the human figure) and useful (such as sun dials that charted the time of day).

And so it continues. Stone, ceramic, or metal statues in your garden help redefine an area of the yard as a garden. Here are other ways statuary help enhance a garden space.

Set a romantic tone. Human figures (children, women) add a touch of Old World beauty to a garden bed. You can surround statuary with romantic plants as well, such as fragrant Confederate jasmine around a classical woman, at left.

Create a focal point. Setting a statue into a garden draws in the eye. The simple placement of an object transforms an unorganized bed into a garden. At left, two ceramic heads placed into a bed of succulents create a memorable centerpiece. 

Infuse your personality. Decorate your garden with all creatures great and small. Adding the likeness of an animal, such as a cat, dog, toad, or butterfly, reflects your preferences in the animal kingdom.

Illustrate a theme. Statuary can be a visual identifier of a type of garden. For example, a metal butterfly, bee, or bird atop a post, surrounded by nectar-rich pollinator friendly plants, is a garden ornament that works beautifully in a nature garden.

Show off your sense of humor. There is no shortage of whimsical options for garden beds. Fairies, gnomes, dragons, and other mythical creatures create instant connections to a garden. It’s a long-standing tradition too: Gnomes have been popular garden residents since the mid 1800s.

What kind of statuary do you use in your garden?

Written by Karen Weir-Jimerson