A life-size menagerie of animals, the works of Yorkshire wirework sculptor Chris Moss, will be found amongst the borders and gardens at Stillingfleet Lodge visitor attraction near York this August.
Hens, guinea fowl, ducks, pheasants, cats, dogs, a fox and a 14hh pony will sit alongside the rare hens, insects, birds and wildlife which owner Vanessa Cook has spent over 35 years attracting to her four acre garden.
Inspired by Henk Gerritsen, a Dutch garden designer who explored and set new boundaries for naturalistic planting which worked with nature, Stillingfleet Lodge garden is now home to abundant wildlife. It provides the perfect backdrop to showcase animal sculptures.
“I love the naturalistic settings at Stillingfleet which means I can place the sculptures interacting as they would do in real life” says Chris Moss.
“So the hens and pheasants can eat corn scattered on the ground whilst a fox, not far away with his nose twitching, considers them. A dog, its ears suddenly pricked, catches sight of a flash of russet coloured fur as the fox disappears.”
“Because my sculptures capture something of the essential spirit of the animals and birds I see around me they often provoke a response from their real counterpart. I’ve seen a real dog sniff a wire one in the usual fashion and a cat become a ball of fur-on-end at it spies a feline sculpture.”
Vanessa hopes the temporary animal visitors will attract people who don’t usually visit gardens and offer a different approach to using and choosing sculptures outdoors. With prices starting at £110 for a small bird to £395 for a dog they are also very reasonably priced.
The garden, nursery and café are open between 1pm and 5pm (until 7pm on the 14th August) as follows in August: Friday 2, Saturday 3, Sunday 4, Wednesday 7, Friday 9, Wednesday 14, Friday 16, Saturday 17, Sunday 18, Wednesday 21, Friday 23, Wednesday 28, Friday 30. Entry to the garden for a single visit is £4.50 or 50p for children aged 5-16.
For further information: www.stillingfleetlodgenurseries.co.uk
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