The opportunity to exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show – arguably the most famous flower and landscape gardens show in the world – led Gloucestershire-based designer David Murphy to seek the support of Columbia Metals. With almost 30 years’ experience in the creation of one-off garden centrepieces, David required several brass sheets to produce a sphere of interwoven butterflies.
“CZ101 contains 90% copper which allows me to Tig weld my sculptures,” explains David. “Brass is one of the best materials for use outside due to its excellent non-corrosive properties.”
The alloy, also available to the European CW501L specification, offers excellent cold working properties and is generally not susceptible to dezincification or stress corrosion.
David first approached Columbia Metals in early 2020 with a view to exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show in May that year. The introduction of coronavirus restrictions forced the cancellation of the event, which was rescheduled for September 2021. This represented the first time in its 108-year history that the Chelsea Flower Show was held in the autumn.
“I used Columbia’s fantastic sponsorship to create my Swiss butterfly sphere,” enthuses David. His exhibition stand displayed seven spheres ranging in size from 0.75m to 1.2m diameter. Each one featured exquisitely crafted elements including leaves, trees, planets, stars, flowers, birds and butterflies.
“I always buy my brass sheet from Columbia. They have a wide range of thicknesses of brass available and ensure swift delivery. They are great people to work with and leaders in their field for many years.”
About David Murphy Sculpture
David Murphy is a designer specialising in the creation of brass and steel sculpture and furniture for gardens. Using almost 30 years’ experience, David produces one-off designs intended to provide a centrepiece or focal point for any garden.
About CZ101
CZ101 is a brass alloy containing approximately 90% copper and 10% zinc. Its attractive rich golden colour and cold formability make it a widely used material for architectural and decorative applications. Columbia Metals stock CZ101 in sheet form in a range of sizes up to 3.25mm thick.
