Last fall, we went to San Antonio and as part of our trip, we went to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. The highlight of this visit was not only viewing the beautiful plants throughout this site, but a fun display of plant, animal and insect sculptures made from nearly 500,000 Lego bricks. There are 14 displays placed throughout the Garden, the displays range in size from 6 inches to nearly 8 feet. The largest sculpture is a mother bison, made from 45,143 bricks.
It was fun to see everyone, especially the children, running to find each of these sculptures made from the same type of Legos they probably play with at home.
Many of these art pieces are very large, and glued together using only the connections of the bricks, one at a time placed by artist Sean Kenney.
Adding sculptures and artwork to gardens has long been popular for Botanical Gardens to add to the beauty of their garden and to attract visitors. The Lego sculptures in this Garden used a fresh and unique idea which was creative and colorful. Often artwork can be subtle and symbolic but it was evident that these sculptures were intended to dazzle and add some fun.
In addition to the Lego displays, as you leave the Garden, there was a walkway lined with hand crafted scarecrows. Each of these were unique and interesting, and were done by schools, families and organizations. Instead of the traditional stuffed scarecrows, this group was made from everyday materials like old milk jugs, gourds, flowerpots, wood, burlap, yarn, moss and other found or recycled items and each had their own theme. It was a great way to welcome autumn to the garden.
Adding artwork is a great enhancement to any landscape and garden. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive but certainly can be a great way for your garden to stand out. Here are a few ideas for adding affordable color and design to your garden. Even the plant placement can bring their own statement and design that can span over several seasons:
