It’s always a real treat to drive through neighborhoods looking at how well manicured the lawns and gardens are. Even though your grass is cut regularly with the edges done well along the sidewalks and driveway, there just seems to be something missing. Even with the bushes trimmed back and seasonal flowers always in bloom, it seems as though it’s lacking that extra something that so many of your neighbors have that you don’t. Could it be the statues they have placed in various spots around the yard and in the garden?
Have you ever wondered why they’ve chosen the exact statues they’ve placed in what seems to be the perfect location? Some people like little garden gnomes and fairies while others like animals, and others yet like religious statues of the Blessed Mother of the Sacred Heart. Some homes even have a variety of saints and although you don’t know exactly which saints they are, it’s easy to tell because they are usually garbed in long robes and if you can see their feet, they are wearing sandals.
Can you imagine why they’ve chosen those religious statues and why they seem to be placed in very specific spots, facing specific directions? It’s curious but usually, they have reasons for choosing the statues they choose and then how they are located. Here is some of what we know.
A Historical Perspective
Throughout history, the use of statues in gardens and on lawns of manor homes there was always a significant meaning involved. While they were obviously a thing of beauty, the statue itself bore some kind of symbolic meaning. For example, in ancient Greece, the statues were of the gods and their placement bore specific meanings. While they were usually placed in temples, they were also found in groves and gardens and each statue of a god had a specific meaning. Whether they were the gods of fertility or war, an onlooker would immediately see the significance and would know the importance within the house or temple.
In ancient Rome, it was much the same. While the Roman gods were different than the Greek gods, they each were the god of something. Like the Greeks, the Roman gods were the gods of love, fertility, war, weather, and so forth. Upon viewing an exterior statue hand sculpted by a famous sculptor of the day, the passerby would know the essence of the temple or home. In later, medieval times throughout Europe, outdoor statues were religious as well but there was but one God and although many of the sculptures outdoors were of saints and angels, there were also statues of the Lord.
Statues in Use Today
Most statues on lawns and in gardens today are secular in nature. There is a huge body of people who love fantasy statues, so you are likely to see unicorns, a winged Pegasus, gnomes, fairies, and other spritely figures. In fact, garden gnomes are extremely popular in Germany.
You can always identify Christian homes because like those statues in the Middle Ages, you will often see sculptures of the Sacred Heart, angels, and even saints which are often difficult to discern. St. Joseph is a common saint for outdoor statues in the yard or on a porch of Catholics because he is the patron saint of families. Families with members who travel for a living such as truck drivers and airplane pilots will often have St. Christopher statues as he is the patron saint of travelers. Not only will those who travel in their line of work wear St. Christopher medals around their neck, but they will also have a St. Christopher statue near the door or on the walkway to the entrance. As the patron Sating of travelers, Catholics pray that he intercedes with the Lord for the safe return of their loved ones.
Beauty in the Eyes of the Beholder
So then, statues can simply be an adornment to add beauty to a home’s exterior or they can have special meaning. Typically, secular statues are placed there simply for the beauty they provide but statues with a religious significance are there as a prayer for those who live within.
They can be part of a grotto with a fountain, or they can stand alone. In either case, there is nothing quite as attractive as a sculpted statue gracing the exterior of your home. When choosing one for your home, you can choose a statue for its beauty alone or for some symbolic meaning. With that said, what kind of statue would you like? If you can answer that question, you are sure to find the perfect statue for your yard.