My native bird sculptures are some of my favourite pieces to make, and in corten steel they're made for the garden. There's something right about a tūī or karerū in warm rusted steel among the planting. Here's a look at the range and how to place them.
I make our native birds as garden sculptures: the tūī, fantail, karerū, kōtare and more, cut from corten steel. Corten weathers into a warm, earthy rust that looks completely at home in a garden, and it needs no upkeep once it has settled. Each bird is an original design, drawn by hand and cut here in Auckland.
Alongside the smaller pieces, I make the birds in larger sizes for when you want a proper focal point. A big bird on a stake in a garden bed, or a set spaced along a border, gives the garden scale and something to look at year-round. Bigger reads better outdoors than most people expect, so a larger piece rarely looks too big once it's in the garden.
Corten bird sculptures suit a garden bed among the planting, the end of a path, beside an entry, or grouped as a small flock across a lawn or border. They look especially good where the rust can play off green foliage, timber or stone.
Many of the sculptures are on stakes, so they push straight into the soil and can be moved as the garden changes. That makes it easy to try a spot, live with it, and shift it if you want.
Corten develops its colour over the first few months, running a little as it weathers, so keep new pieces off pale paving early on. After that it looks after itself for good. It also handles coastal gardens well.
Browse my garden sculptures and garden art for the birds, or get in touch if you'd like a particular bird or size for your garden.
Native birds including the tūī, fantail, karerū and kōtare, each an original design cut from corten steel here in Auckland.
Yes. Alongside smaller pieces, I make the birds in larger sizes for a proper garden focal point. Bigger tends to look right outdoors, so don't be afraid to size up.
Many are on stakes that push into the soil, so you can position and reposition them as the garden grows. Larger standing pieces hold a permanent spot.
No, once weathered. Keep new pieces off pale paving while they settle in the first few months, then they look after themselves with no sealing or cleaning.
Every one, designed and cut in Auckland for NZ gardens.
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