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Concrete Art in the Garden - Concrete Statuary

As Good As Grass editor:
Compliment your outdoor flooring solution with superior concrete art. These decadent statues will undoubtedly start a conversational critique among all your friends. Please note this news item is about concrete statues and not specifically patios.

From whimsical to classic, concrete statuary and garden accents are available in every form and genre imaginable. The Concrete Network's recently launched Concrete Statuary section explores the decorative options, designs, photos and more available to homeowners, landscapers, and designers.

The Concrete Network, the largest and most comprehensive source for concrete information, has just launched a new Concrete Statuary section on its Web site. The section details design options, colours and finishes, tips for buying, how to care for pieces, and more on this popular new trend.

For centuries, landscapers have recognized the importance of balancing the lush floral beauty of a garden with statuary, fountains and other ornamentation that provide structure, contrast and decorative interest. Even though stone has long served that ornamental purpose, today there's growing interest in a concrete alternative that offers even greater aesthetic value at a fraction of the cost.

Statues, fountains, benches, pond blocks and a vast array of other decorative pieces made of cast stone are showing up in gardens everywhere in every form imaginable.

"Concrete is an ideal medium for creating themed gardenscapes," says Janice Lucioni of Secret Garden Statuary, Seattle.

Cast stone is a highly refined architectural precast concrete that can be manufactured to simulate nearly any type of natural cut stone including limestone, sandstone, granite, slate and travertine. It can be made from white or gray cement, and often mineral pigments or decorative aggregates are tossed into the mix to add colour and variation.

For more inspiration, browse through The Concrete Network's Concrete Statuary section for examples of fountains and modular ponds, and tables, benches and containers. Information is also provided on outdoor flooring.

Established in 1999, The Concrete Network's purpose is to educate consumers, builders, and contractors on popular decorative techniques and applications including stamped concrete, stained concrete floors, concrete countertops, polished concrete, and much more. In March 2007 The Concrete Network Web site had 997,745 visitors researching decorative concrete.

The site excels at connecting buyers with local contractors in their area through its Find-A-Contractor service. The service provides visitors with a list of decorative outdoor flooring and concrete contractors throughout North America.