Art In the Garden

On a beautiful summery day in early September, I visited the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens with my friend Karen. Our specific purpose was to see the exhibit of George Sherwood’s kinetic sculptures then on display at the garden. I am a big fan of Sherwood’s work, especially the large-scale pieces, some of which I had seen previously at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. These sculptures are made of stainless steel, often have organic shapes, and are designed to move in the breeze.

The older Sherwood pieces that I was familiar with, like Wind Orchid (above), have large moving parts. The newer works in this exhibit have smaller moving pieces so that the aspect they present to the viewer and the way they reflect light continually change. Photographs can’t do justice to these sculptures.

It doesn’t really capture the way Memory of Water shimmers in the sunlight,

or the constant but subtle shifts in Memory of Fibonacci (my personal favorite).

Flock of Birds had the most dramatic movement, as the “birds” changed direction, moving now toward you and then away.

Seeing these sculptures with Karen was a revelation; she is herself an artist, and she combined aesthetic appreciation with an analysis of how Sherwood’s pieces are constructed. The visit not only gave me a much deeper appreciation of these works of art; it also got me thinking about the place of art in gardens.

Art and gardens seem to go together. Gardens are, in a sense, works of art, and it’s probably not surprising that many artists are also gardeners. Moreover, gardens often include objects d’art as part of their design. Carefully chosen pieces of art can provide a focal point or destination in a garden or can help set the mood. When I was first trying to understand how to create a mood of serenity in a garden (see Design Ideas from Butchart Gardens: Creating Serenity), I noted that serene gardens I visited included art objects made of natural materials like stone or wood.

Despite my love of both art and gardens and my understanding of the important role art can play in a garden, I have been very hesitant to add objects d’art to my own garden. A piece of art is a substantial purchase and may also be a substantial object that is difficult to move; I worry about making an expensive mistake. The kinds of small, inexpensive gnomes and fairies that work well in cottage gardens don’t fit the aesthetic of my garden. While I like a bit of whimsy both in art and in the garden, kitsch is not right for me.

I felt very confident when I bought my one garden art piece, a “rock spinner” by Maine blacksmith Andy Lech , for my serenity garden; but while I still love the piece, I have to admit that it’s not working well in its current location. The rock spinner seemed quite substantial when viewed in a grassy area at the Common Ground Fair, but it practically disappears against the tall pine trees that back my serenity garden; I need something with more mass for this location. Eventually, I will find the right piece for the serenity garden and move the rock spinner to a more open location where it will show to better effect.

One impediment to acquiring works of art for my garden is the problem of “champagne taste and a beer budget.” I would love to have a George Sherwood sculpture in my garden, and seeing photos of his work in his own garden made me swoon (see Favorite Garden Books: The Inspired Garden), but his pieces cost tens of thousands of dollars. I also love those large concrete urns from Lunaform; but they, too, are out of my budget.

I need to find pieces that costs tens, or at most, hundreds of dollars, not thousands. Something on the order of these garden fish on display near the Sherwood sculptures at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens would work in my garden and might be affordable. I also want to see what’s available from Maine potters. I saw a vendor at the fair selling birdbaths that were essentially large pie pans mounted on copper pipes. One of my favorite Maine potters, Bonnema Potters, used to sell large planter-sized pieces that they displayed outside their shop. If they are still selling these, and if they can either be left outside through the winter or are light enough for me to move indoors for the winter, they might be ideal. I have many of their pieces inside my house, and I like the idea of using garden art that would reflect my indoor design aesthetic.

In the next two years, I would like to focus on adding art to my garden. I plan to start with something that could be used as a focal point in my new fragrant garden and also find the right piece to replace the rock spinner in the serenity garden, which will then free up the rock spinner for a location in the new front garden.