Does the joy of living outdoors not reside in the contemplation of that which surrounds us? A work of art does a wonderful job of adorning a lush, green environment and some gardens are fortunate enough to have one.

Corten steel is a material much prized by sculptors and garden designers of exterior decorating elements. The tough alloy of steel and other minerals has an oxidative coating that protects it from the weather. With its rusty colour, Corten steel works in harmony with the greens of nature, keeping its look over time. In one stroke, it adds a note of contemporary originality to the garden and can be combined in a variety of practical and artistic forms: stylized borders for a planting area, wind breaks or esthetic privacy screens, original planting containers, modern-looking basins and falls or inspiring sculptures.

Another material attracted my attention recently. We should add to the landscaping a base on which to stand an animal not usually seen in the garden. An enormous deer which – oh joy! – does not eat the flowers. This is how I discovered a Québec artist who represents, in a unique way, the wildlife of Québec… in a form which lives very comfortably in a garden. It involves a technique for sculpting a life-size animal in resin and fibreglass, in which it’s possible to project lighting. Among his creations, the owl, wolf, moose and polar bear. These latter give you the feeling of being observed by nature’s own.

Whether it’s a vase, sculpture or something else, to become an object of contemplation it must be located in the right place, one that highlights it, and be properly illuminated.