The Sculpture Garden at Birtley House, Bramley

Last Friday was the perfect evening for a wander around the beautiful grounds at Birtley House, currently hosting The Sculpture Garden, an annual event that has grown to be an important date in the summer art diary.

The range of work at the exhibition is exciting and varied. Wherever I turned another surprise greeted me - birds of prey, a nut-brown twisted column of wood, a spring hare, a walnut or a simple cocoon pod.

A beautifully serene piece carved in serpentine stone by Zimbabwean artist Ronnie Dongo caught my eye as it rested peacefully in the sun. I couldn't resist stroking the cool smooth stone, and the curator told me that their regular groups of partially sighted people always stroke and feel the sculptures, perhaps gaining a sense of the piece that the sighted may miss.

On a slight incline a majestic welded steel peacock by Amy Goodman peers towards the lake. Sculptures by Peter Little include wonderful wafting water lilies crafted in steel, copper and sedum. And there are also smaller to admire - glass and stone pieces by Adam Aaronson and birds, beasties and insects by various artists. 

The inspiration and development has been steered by local artist Juliet Scott who works mainly in clay, producing elegant works of art based on her observations of every day life. Her original pieces are cast in bronze, aluminium, copper, iron and other resins.

Every style, shape and size of sculpture is covered in this wonderful exhibition. Indeed, there is so much to see that another visit is marked in my diary.

The Sculpture Garden is raising funds for the Community Foundation for Surrey who support local community and voluntary projects, improving the lives of those in need in Surrey. 

The Sculpture Garden is open daily from 10am to 5pm until Sunday June 2nd. Birtley House is in Bramley, just south of Guildford. Visit the website on www.birtleyhouse.co.uk or call 01483 892055 for more details.