Weatherproof artwork for your garden
If you not familiar with outdoor art and don't think pictures belong in the garden, well Yorkshire's Insideout Garden Art begs to differ. So if you look out on an empty wall or fence, turn it into a gallery space!
Based near York, Sue Badby and her partner Paul hand-make lovely pictures to enhance gardens and outdoor spaces. They have an impressive range of 500+ images, from flowers and places to trompe l'oeil and abstracts, that add charm and a touch of intrigue. Images are printed on a PVC canvas and stretched over a sustainable hardwood frame.
You may never have thought of having a picture in the garden...perhaps hanging on a fence or leaning up against a wall.
But when you see the work of Sue Badby and partner Paul you may well cast an eye over your outside space and think mmm, perhaps that drab bit of wall over there could come to life with a large trompe l'oeil canvas, or the bare fence around the deck could look fabulous hung with a picture of an allium.
And once you start thinking about it, you can see that hanging pictures outside is a great idea. Especially when it's winter and the garden's in hibernation - then that large canvas of a bluebell wood can bring real solace.
'People are used to the buying pots and sculpture to add interest to their garden, but we felt pictures could do wonders to bring a garden to life too,' says Badby. She and Paul have artistic backgrounds and they initially investigated ways of printing a visual to put in their own garden. They liked the results of their experiment and developed their business, Insideout Garden Art, from there.
Made in England
They're proud to use offer products that they make themselves, using a PVC canvas sourced in England. PVC is not the most easily recycled plastic (though more of it is being recycled in the EU*), but Badby says it is hugely long lasting. 'Our pictures can stand outside all year round for years and years and look as good as new. They don't degrade and all you have to do is wipe them down with a damp cloth from time to time.
'We use meranti hardwood from sustainable forests for our frames and galvanised steel staples that won't rust, so we are making pieces of art that can withstand whatever the weather throws at them.'
What about heavy snow, hail or weeks of torrential rain? 'The pictures will be fine, really,' says Badby.
Through the garden gate
The company has a delightful portfolio of images, including a selection of trompe l'oeil secret garden photographs that show gates leading into gardens beyond.
'People do love these..they are good at adding depth to a small garden. But they do need to be of a certain size to work, which is the height of an average gate or garden door... so from 100cm tall,' says Badby.
And provided files sizes are large enough, the company can turn customers' photographs into garden pictures.
Prices from £85 to £339
