Outdoor Sculptures Archives - Inspired Home Ideas

Outdoor Fountains And Water Features

Outdoor Water Features -beautiful Shower structure waterfall from viralnova

Beautiful shower structure waterfall. Source from viralnova

A water feature in a home garden adds something to the overall ambiance that makes one’s soul feel welcomed and at home. Some people say they could sit and stare at a water feature for hours. The sound of dabbling, dripping or running water has a calming and soothing effect and can help melt away the everyday stress many of us feel under.

There are many different types of water feature, from a simple pond through to elaborate cascading fountains. If you are considering renovating or remodelling your back garden, you really should consider installing a professional water feature, ideally near to where you might be seated when you are entertaining outdoors. There can be some relatively simple and cheap water features, but it is often worth the extra investment to have a pump installed to keep recycling the water through the process.

Well worth it in the long run, and if you choose well (in terms of design)- you will add value to your home, and if you ever do decide to sell, the water feature will have people liking your home just that bit more.

Stunning tornado look water feature

Water feature Source via don gardner architects

Water fountain in the garden or park

Water fountain with abstract background

Cascading water feature Image via 5-livedan330-com

Contemporary patio fountain water feature

Classic water fountain

Diy waterfalls for your garden showing a stunning copper sheet water feature. Image via beesandroses.com

Water fountain creating ripples in the pond

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Amazing Public Sculptural Artworks

The official definition of public art is any visual artwork, sculpture, mosaic, mural, memorials and any other form whether it be functional or aesthetic, that is located on a publicly accessible site should be considered public art. A very general meaning for a concept as broad and varying as, well, art.

And to make it all-encompassing, public art also covers street performances such as, parades, street theatre, outdoor concerts – any sort of live performance. The scope of this article, however, is much more narrow and defined. Public art = structural artwork made by an artist with the intention of improving aesthetic environs or providing a functional gathering place.

Many of us have walked past, eaten lunch under or beside, thrown coins at, and completely ignored a whole array of public art. But not any more! Public art is a blossoming component of our built landscape that, in many cases, we can be involved in.

Local governments and art organisations, depending on their public art policy or specific requirements, allow for community consultation on design and basic structure. The level of consultation, of course, depends on the function and placement of the piece being planned.

Arts organisations, museums and galleries that are involved in bringing art to the public, have stricter opinions on what constitutes public art and less scope for community consultation.

Their goals are different. Developing and coordinating outdoor exhibitions, of one artwork or many, is vastly separated from local government acts that require their planning departments and private developers to make provision for art in future developments.

What I love about public art is that the artist often has space to create really big works! Works that can inspire and uplift by their sheer physical presence alone. We won’t like them all, but we’ll pay attention to the statements the work and the artist are trying to make.

Local government authorities around the world have development policies that require a percentage of a proposed development’s value to be spent on commissioning art. The art may be required to suit a particular location’s natural environment or heritage identity, or fit in with the cultural or tourism demands of the area.

Public art can be temporary as in outdoor exhibitions and building wraps, or permanent such as fountains, memorials, roadside noise reducing barriers or street furniture.

The possibilities for public art continue to grow as many regions include Public Art Trails in their tourism plans. Guides, maps and booklets are being developed that outline and locate notable artworks in an area, and then targeted to local and international tourists.

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Backyard Pond Designs

Garden landscape with clean modern tiled pond surrounded with lush floral growth

The above garden landscape is a beautiful example of what can be achieved with a clean water modern tile lined pond surrounded with lush floral growth and a modern gazebo shelter for seating and all contained within the boundaries of a tall plant laden wall.

A garden pool area can create a very unique theme to your home. Many Asian influences can be seen in a lot of typical garden ponds and yet the typical garden pond needn’t follow that traditional path. The design of a backyard garden pond can range of style and look considerably. They can be custom built or as simple as you like. There are many available pre-cast ponds that can be inlaid into a dug out garden area and in a matter of a few hours, you have your garden pond feature.

Other pond designs can develop organically and others can be crafted by landscape designers who will often take into account the plantings and other aesthetic features that will surround the pond. Installing a waterfall feature will be beneficial to help maintain a regular flow of water which will help prevent the pond water from becoming stagnant (an important consideration).

Whatever you motivation for a home garden pond, in this gallery you will discover a number of interesting and unique designs and styles. Hopefully, you will find something of interest that will inspire you to create one of these garden ‘enrichments’ to your landscaping.

A luxurious rock feature garden with Asian style pond and elevated terraced water fall feature

A stunning and also cute garden setting with a large fish pond containing an array of water lilies and flowers, a footbridge and a path leading to a relaxed seating area. Source www.bhg.com.

A landscaped rocky waterfall and fish pond garden feature. Source www.spreaddecor.com

Peaceful landscaped garden pond with water lilies and rock edging

Japanese carp fish swimming in a garden pond with a waterfall surrounded by trees and bushes

Landscaped garden design with a walking path through a pond in asian style.

Landscaped garden pond with water lilies and timber decking surround

Cottage garden with an inset pond feature with water lilies and grasses

Small pond with various rock form edging on a summer day in the garden

Above ground garden rock pond with small trickling waterfall.

Beautiful classical design of a fish pond in a well cared backyard garden

Garden pond with water-lillies in a beautifully landscaped setting

Landscaped garden area with hexagonally shaped pond with plantings

Garden area with feature pond, rock edging and various shrubbery

Pretty garden landscaped area with pond surrounded with mature greenery, flowers and trees

Outdoor landscape garden area with concrete and rock edged pond in British Columbia, Canada

More Landscape and Garden Design Ideas (Part 2)

Landscape and Garden Design Ideas showing a stunning and colorful landscaped garden design

This is a stunning and colorful landscaped garden design with floral abundance and a feature water fountain and pond in the background.

Welcome back to even more Landscape and Garden Design Ideas (Part 2) where we add to the previous gallery post of ideas with 30 more beautiful and stunning examples of fantastic landscaping and gardening designs. We adore beautiful landscape ideas and love sharing these with you. We do hope that what you find here provides some real inspiration when it comes to developing your own home landscape concepts and ideas.

We’re also adding some tips about landscaping your home to help you maximize your home value because investing in your own home garden area with good quality landscape design and quality plantings will definitely provide additional value to your home. There’s no definitive answer as to exactly what percentage increase you should expect when investing in your landscaping, however some people have invested sums of $20,000 in landscaping their yard and garden areas, and seen returns of up to $200,000 additional value within a year. So there is definite value in allocating a good portion of your makeover, or renovation budget to the landscaping of your home (if you are wanting to increase its desirability and its value)

Here are some interesting pointers from the Blog Article by Jacqui Thompson in 7 Landscaping Tips to Increase your Property’s Value

Fast facts:

Trees increase value: Australian research found that a broad-leafed tree located on a street verge in front of a home increases the median property price
Choose a leafy street: A case study, put together by an Australian City Council, found “leafy streets, with 50 per cent or more tree cover, contributed approximately 5 per cent more to the median house sale price.
Landscaping achieves high-value returns: A Michigan University study found that homeowners achieved more than a 100 per cent return on every landscaping dollar spent – higher than any other home improvement.
Good landscape design increases value: The same Michigan University research found good landscape design – as judged by plant type, size and design sophistication – increased perceived home value by around 5–11 per cent.

This is a mature garden landscape setting with small concrete tiled patio pad and a relaxed timber swing seat.

Matthew Carroll from Nursery & Garden Industry Australia and creator of online gardening resources Hortiman and Hortipedia provided his top 7 gardening tips for improving your home’s value.

1. Defining lawn edges

At the very least mow and edge your lawn. Edging your lawn makes a garden (or yard) look restrained and tamed, which gives it the appearance of lower maintenance – a popular selling point.

Add interest to your garden landscape with features like this amazing garden water feature design which is an extension to an adjacent pond.

2. Solve problems with plants

Addressing your property’s shortfalls such as busy roads or being overlooked by neighbours can be solved by planting-out your gardens. Plants may not initially create a full visual barrier, or any real sound improvement, but the perceived improvement from a buyer’s point of view will be worth it.

Including beautiful decorative feature pieces like this home garden granite marble waterfall pond set in a landscaped garden will definitely make your visual landscape interesting to the eye.

3. Mulch and weed

Weeding and mulching your plant beds will help your garden appear low-maintenance and well kept. Choose a utility mulch such as pine bark or forest fines, as they look neater, and when you’re selling, it’s less about function and more about appearance.

Stunning well designed landscaped garden path with tall shaped side walls covered in beautiful pink flowers.

4. Limit the number of plant species

Minimising the number of plant species in your garden will make your garden appear easier to maintain and give it a more uniform look. Don’t be afraid to create some plant diversity as it does encourage biodiversity, is good for the local ecology, helps reduce pest impact, extends flowering times and generally looks more interesting, but just don’t go overboard.

A great looking landscaped garden pathway adorned on the side with decorative pots, pedestals and statues.

5. Lay new lawn

A lush lawn will make any home sparkle. If you need to plant new grass seed, or start over from scratch, choose a grass option that you can afford but that will still look good and be relatively easy to maintain. If your lawn is looking a bit patchy or has browned-off over the hotter months, you could over-sow with a lawn seed blend typically made up primarily of fescue and rye grasses. This will thicken up and green the lawn. Alternatively, you could look to lay ‘ready lawn’ (Pre grown lawn that can be delivered and laid in strips without having to wait for the seed to grow)

A new suburban Australian townhouse with newly landscaped garden plantings.

6. Add colour and form

Add welcoming planters to entranceways featuring clipped topiary, and ensure you fill any other pots in garden areas with bright flowering annuals or perennials to give your garden an immediate lift.

Nicely decorated landscaped colorful flowerbed with flowers, stones and bushes set within a beautifully edged and trimmed lawn.

7. Prune conservatively

The aim is to make your home look well-maintained and cared for, and pruning or tidying up plants and trees will achieve great results, but don’t get too carried away, you don’t want your garden to look hacked bare.

Backyard inground swimming pool with landscaped garden, gazebo, deck and stone patio

Walk way in beautiful landscaped garden with small waterfall and relaxing seat

Lovely front of house landscaped garden with paving stones and plantings

Lush green landscaped garden with perennial plants and statue near stone wall

A beautiful landscaped pebbled pathway and boardwalk in the garden

Stunning mature landscape design with an abundant display of white and pink flowers

A moss laden rock landscape design

A landscape designed pathway with lighting and plants

Nice landscape design of a rear yard with tiered timber edging and coniferous plantings

A beautiful home with extensive landscaping design in the garden

Interesting landscaping in the garden with a concrete tile path, pebbles and spherical boulders

Contemporary home with deck bridging a pond, a pair of yellow loungers, and a landscaped yard

Landscaped garden with two dining table sets, pergola, and trellis walls

A waterfall into a swimming pool in a tropical landscaped backyard

A curved walkway in the garden leading to a beautiful summerhouse set in a mature landscaped yard

Natural stone landscaped pathway and retaining wall in front of a house

Amazing landscaped rock pathway meandering between flower beds in the garden and a carefully trimmed and edged lawn. Stunning display.

Beautifully crafted brick stepped pathway immersed in a garden landscape

Natural stone multi-tiered garden bed landscaping in a newly planted home garden with piped irrigation system

Lush compact landscaped backyard flower garden with flowerbed and gazebo covering table and chairs

Natural garden landscaping with oriental themed pond with goldfish and spouting water

Scenic view of of a mature landscaped peaceful and lush green garden setting with a comfy relaxed and peaceful seat

To see Part One of this two-part post on Landscape and Garden Design Ideas, click here

Garden Topiary Forms and Topiary Art

Garden Topiary Forms in the form of topiary art elephant trees

A beautiful garden arrangement of garden topiary forms. These topiary art trees are in the shape of a number of elephants.

Topiary is the practice of developing and maintaining clearly defined shapes, whether they be geometric or creative. Creating garden topiary forms is all about training trees and shrubs over time to grow into various shapes and objects. This is usually achieved by way of a topiary frame which thereby makes practically any shape or object possible within the confines of one’s imagination and creativity.

The frames are not traditionally something that is readily available off the shelf but can be crafted by someone who knows what they’re doing (usually from stainless steel rods) into the shape you want, but it can sometimes take a very long time once set in place for the plant/tree to grow into the shape. However the end result, will, in time be something that provides a great deal of pride and joy and satisfaction (as well as a garden ‘WOW’ factor).

Other topiary art shapes can be achieved more simply by just cutting and shaping an existing bush or tree over time into simple shapes such as cones, or squares, where frames are not necessarily required. Below is a gallery of topiary art and trees crafted into various recognizable shapes and styles. If you have a garden of similar trees yourself, or you’d like to take on a project and create one of these in your own garden, then hopefully, you will find some inspiration and ideas from this gallery.

French landscape gardens with large amounts of carefully trimmed topiary trees and bushes