| HOME | MEET THE STAFF | PAST ISSUES | IN THE KITCHEN | ABOUT | WHERE TO FIND IT | CONTACT | ADVERTISE |
Bookmark page
 Print this
 Email this
|
Last updated: November 06. 2006 2:14PM
Gardening
Garden grandeur
But doing it right (by now, many people are beyond the nearly life-size lighthouse overwhelming a front yard) can be as challenging as choosing the right paint color and couch for your living room. Much like your living room, a little research can save you from making a purchase that ends up in the annual neighborhood yard sale or in the next load headed for Good Will.
Local landscape architect Heather Burkert says you should keep in mind two fundamental rules when creating a residential outdoor statement.
Make sure your landscaping harmonizes with your living quarters and your installations evolve into a recurring theme. “You wouldn’t mix an English garden with an Asian garden,” Burkert says, “and the same goes for any statuary you may want to put in place. You also don’t want to overpower your landscape with statues. If you have too many it will work against your landscaping design. You want to create a nice balance.”
Fortunately, the Wilmington area offers you a lot of options for landscaping styles. Historical downtown homes often have preserved or restored architectural elements that are a natural fit with formal statuary. The historic Cameron-Hollman house, located on the riverfront, was constructed in the late 18th century. Current owners Diane Boissiere and Mike McCarly have carved one of Wilmington’s prominent slopes into a multi-terraced garden with levels of manicured boxwood, azaleas and roses. The couple also installed a statue of the Roman goddess Diana next to a succession of ivy-strewn arches, remnants of the old Broadfoot Iron Works that once occupied the site. The statue lends an elegant touch, making the garden feel as established as the home.
While historical architecture is oftentimes perfectly suited for formal statuary, there are contemporary mechanisms that work well, too. Burkert says pergolas and arbors make excellent frames for formal statuary while live topiaries are complementary as well.
And the coastal air also seems to bring out personalities not usually seen farther inland. “People living at the beach are more likely to indulge their whimsical sides,” says Vicki Morrow of Saltscapes. It’s not unusual to find a giant mermaid statue, a working lighthouse or dolphins, swordfish and other fish found off the East Coast.
Morrow reiterates the importance of consistency within your outdoor design. “If you choose to have a whimsical beach theme, then you need to go all the way,” she says. “You can’t just throw a giant mermaid in any garden.”
To accentuate beach-themed statues, Morrow recommends use of coastal grasses and palms such as Sago and Sabal major. And for a splash of color, include flowering plants like lantana and dianthus. Also popular in coastal locales are Asian gardens. Statuary is imperative to these spaces as they are constructed to create a balance of different textural elements.
Dr. Donald and Alison Getz own The Bali House – which serves as part guest home, part vacation rental. Getz has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia, and with the help of local mason Doug McGraw, has created a little pocket of serenity heavily inspired by his travels. He has collected statues from Cambodia and Thailand, of prominent kings and warriors, and incorporated them into his garden oasis.
The statues are housed under brick pagoda-like structures, standing guard over the centrally located koi pond. An egret statue is perched at the edge of the pond amidst Japanese maples, wild cherry trees and azaleas while a Buddha statue monitors the constant flow of water from atop a fountain.
You can achieve similar solitude in your own garden. The good news is that you don’t have to ship statues from halfway across the world to do it. Whether it is whimsy you desire or something a little more traditional, several local stores specialize in yard statuary.
Nina Brown, owner of the Stone Garden on Market Street in Ogden, says her biggest statuary sellers are whimsical children, animals and cherubs ranging from $30 to $250 each. The store carries large Diana statues valued at $426 and Buddha replicas for $362, and has an extensive collection of catalogs on hand to special order for customers who can’t find exactly what they desire on site.
When searching for statuary, keep in mind that different recipes are used for casting a piece of statuary, some more superior than others. Most mixtures include sand, cement and water, but some also add stone dust and stone pebbles. Often referred to as sand stone and limestone fines, these materials make a statue much more durable, Brown says. She also recommends checking a company’s installation policies before purchasing a large statue. It can be difficult to move heavy or fragile pieces on your own.
At the Yard Shop on Wrightsville Avenue, proprietor Mary Mintz has been casting statuary in her small work shed for the past 45 years. Along the way, she has mastered the perfect mix to fill castes ranging from rabbits to St. Francis of Assisi. “I do a lot of the heavy lifting myself,” says the petite Mintz, “and I’ve grown pretty strong over the years.”
Most often, landscapes are established before the addition of a statuary, but sometimes finding the right piece can be the inspiration for an entire garden theme. Either way, a landscape with well-suited statues can be an excellent way to enhance your home.
|
Here is the list of Wilmington's culinary greats who you selected from.
More fundraiser/gala photos. |
|
Looking for a special recipe for your next party? Browse all the recipes from Wilmington Magazine.
|
|
|
