One of the greatest pleasures in viewing sculpture al fresco is how seasonal variations in the landscape and changes in weather reveal nuances and subtleties in the artwork. Jeff Spaulding, a Washington, D.C., sculptor, loves that “great golden hour just before sunset”—the coloration lends majesty and the long shadows, romantic mystery. Alternatively, “after a snow,” he says, “everything looks a little more real.” Perhaps this embrace of the ephemeral and enigmatic in nature is the essence of the sculpture garden.

Nord Wennerstrom is a freelance writer and art critic based in Washington, D.C.

THE EXPERTS' FAVORITE GARDENS
A survey of some opinionated landscape architects, designers, artists and curators yielded the following list of favorite U.S. sculpture gardens. Determining factors include the quality of the artwork (which all considered paramount), juxtapositions and siting of the works and the balance of  the art with its environment.

The Nasher Sculpture Center tops the list, says Mark Coetzee, director of the Rubell Family Collection in Miami. Van Valkenburg and Reed concur, the latter adding that the Nasher, designed by Peter Walker, is “one of the most successful integrations of building [designed by Renzo Piano] and interior and exterior space. It’s a seamless experience that begins with intimate pieces inside the building and flows into the garden. There’s a thoughtful itinerary and organizational structure—pieces don’t compete with each other; they have adequate space.”

The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is the largest urban sculpture garden in the nation; its discreet, rectilinear design masterfully unifies an eclectic group of works. (Designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes in collaboration with Peter Rothschild, with later additions by Michael Van Valkenburg.)

The Storm King Art Center is a “huge landscape for big stuff,” says Olin, who notes that it makes large-scale artworks approachable. (Designed by David Collens, Ralph Ogden, William Rutherford Sr. and H. Peter Stern.)

The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, on the 144-acre PepsiCo World Headquarters site in Purchase, New York, has a choice collection of excellent works that are beautifully sited—smaller works are featured in intimately scaled “rooms” and large works are given lots of breathing room and can be viewed from long vistas. (Designed by Russell Page, with later additions by François Goffinet.)

Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina is historically significant for its encyclopedic collection of American art. The 9,200-acre facility includes a 50-acre sculpture garden. As many as 850 works are displayed throughout the year, approximately 300 sculptures are exhibited on the grounds; 50 to 60 sculptures in the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion; and 400 to 500 artworks at the Offner Sculpture Learning & Research Center. (Designed by Anna Hyatt Huntington.)