Keeping our gardens looking great becomes more challenging in the autumn and the winter months. As the summer flowers that brightened up the garden start to die, as well as the leaves that fall onto the grass it can make the garden a much less jolly place to be.
Although there are garden plants which will bloom through the winter, such as native evergreen holly, as well as hanging basket and bedding favourite, winter pansies, at this time of the year, you may be more reliant on garden ornaments to keep your garden looking good.
For many people, special statues and ornaments make a garden their own, and one of the most beautiful materials for statues and sculptures is bronze. From figurines to wildlife like this bronze animal sculpture by www.gillparker.com it is a metal favoured by both artists and art lovers alike.
If you have a bronze sculpture or are thinking of getting one for your garden, it is a good idea to make sure that you care for it well, as being outside, especially in the winter months means that it is inevitably under more pressure from the elements. However, don’t let this put you off having a bronze sculpture outdoors – as long as you care for it well it can easily last a lifetime and more.
When a bronze sculpture is completed, it is coated in wax to give it some protection. You will be able to spot when this waxy layer is no longer protecting it because when the rain falls on it, the water will no longer sit on it in beads. Now this is when it is time to clean it but be aware that there are a lot of companies out there all looking to sell you bronze cleaning products, promising all sorts. However, the truth is many of these products are not that great or some could potentially do more damage to the bronze.
The best thing to clean your bronze sculpture with is good old soap and water. A mild and non abrasive liquid soap is all you need, and try to avoid scented soaps and those with any chemical additives – the plainer the better for this task. Once you have cleaned the sculpture thoroughly with the soap and water, give it a once over rinse with just water and a clean cloth to remove the soapy residue.
