Urns Hold Huge Potential for Garden Decorating
Classic urns have uses far beyond holding olive oil and flowers. See how to use them as unexpected sculpture and more in the landscape
Becky Harris
May 25, 2012
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
There have been odes written about them, and they've stored everything from wine to cremated ashes. Today, we typically use urns in a range of styles as decoration throughout our homes and in the garden. Lately large, simple, Mediterranean-style urns have been catching my eye around Houzz landscapes. They add curb appeal to entrances, draw the eye as sculpture, add color to the garden and serve as fountains. Check out a group of urns that range from antiques to modern art, along with some ideas for how to use them, to see if using a large urn in your yard is for you.
Bring in a splash of color. While this home and its surrounding landscape have many traditional elements, the avant-garde outdoor art collection and furnishings delight and surprise. This sculpture takes the traditional urn form, blows it up to unexpected proportions and draws the eye from all over the yard because of its bright orange hue.
Make a bold statement. This gigantic urn sculpture is an apt choice for an olive grove, as large urns were traditionally used to store olive oil in places like Italy and Turkey. However, I think of this as an urn-inspired sculpture because I doubt even a large number of gladiators led by Russell Crowe could carry this thing around full of olive oil without creating an oily mess.
Create a fountain. This designer created a fountain using three hand-thrown Greek urns against a stone wall and three spigots.
See the rest of this home
See the rest of this home
A single urn fountain's bubbling water invites visitors to explore a garden.
Make a focal point. A large glazed urn plays off all the shades of green in this garden full of conical evergreen trees and rounded boxwood shrubs.
Likewise, you can use an urn as a focal point in a courtyard or on a patio.
Some pools go on to "infinity," while others need a focal point to mark the spot where they terminate. This black urn is classic because of its familiar shape, modern because of its placement and dark coloring.
Fashion a planter. Urns occupy the space between the ground and a stone wall here, serving as architectural bases for climbing vines.
Complement stone facades. Antique and reclaimed building materials were used throughout this Mediterranean-style home in Arizona. The urn's patina fits right in with the antique weathered palette.
Add an appropriately scaled architectural element. Large palm leaves and other tropical plants could eat up most garden statues like a Venus flytrap gobbles insects. This urn's simple shape does not distract from the shapes of the lush and exotic plants.
Create symmetry. A pair of urns glazed in deep blue hues connects a pergola to other elements in the landscape, like this pool.
Pick up on overlooked hues. The ochre of this urn ties together the colors of the dry grasses, the sand and weathered portions of the wooden fence.
Enhance an entryway's drama. This pair of urns reinforces the symmetry and accentuates the exotic feel of this inviting and exotic threshold.
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Great article for anyone wondering how to use urns in their landscape design! We offer a wide assortment from traditional to modern on our website - all with free shipping.
Shop Landscape Urns at AuthenTeak
It would be wonderful to incorporate that idea of using a gigantic urn sculpture into my garden. However, I doubt it would look as elegant as the example in the picture. For the most part, this gave me a better idea of what decorating items I want to use in my garden. http://www.giftsespecially4u.net/np1-listing-dept-30000
Styrofoam. nursery pots.