Garden as a Concept

 

Garden as a Concept

I went to a most unusual garden last week. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is not about botanical nature but more the nature of the spirit. It was created by mosaic mural artist Isaiah Zagar, in a couple of vacant lots on South Street adjacent to his studio. It is an incredible exhibit. Every space within the building is covered – floor, walls, and ceilings –  and so are the outside walls, stairs, arches, and pathways of the lots. Tiles, some of which are handmade, wheels, pottery, bottles, small ceramic statues, pieces of glass, and mirrors are integrated into patterns that draw a visitor along in a state of awe. One of the guides told me that the mirrors draw you in and make you part of the exhibit as you see yourself reflected in the art. 

But that is the nature of all gardens, I think, no matter the content. We are reflected in our creation of the space. Zagar didn’t use flowers but the garden is alive with color. He didn’t plant trees, yet his garden soars upward. It is a growing space for his art and inspiration.

Every garden has its own energy, embedded by those who create it. The plantings and the design reflect thought and character. They are a presence for ideas to develop and grow.

Sometimes the garden needs to be re-thought, re-planted, and re-imagined as we rethink, re-cultivate, and re-imagine ourselves. A garden takes planning. So does life. What works at one time may not at another. Things change as the garden matures. So do we. At each stage there are options to try and ways to beautify our garden.

This is the right time of year to plan a garden. Whether in a plot or a pot, through art or earth, let’s find what best reflects us – and then share it with the world.

This will help you plan your garden:

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/tog/planning.cfm

If you happen to be in Philly, be sure to stop by:

http://www.phillymagicgardens.org/about-us/history/ 

Gardens – Our Inner Voices Made Visible

Gardens – Our Inner Voices Made Visible

On this Labor Day weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to feature a neighbor’s garden. It has the usual bushes, specimen trees, a birdbath, and…the Statue of Liberty!  The weeping tree behind the statue almost looks like a background of fireworks. What a wonderful reminder of our roots. 

It makes me aware that gardens are more than plants – they are our inner voices made visible. Some gardens are perfectly groomed, each blade of grass tended, every bush placed in a precise location. Some gardens are specific, favoring a particular style, an English garden perhaps, or a peaceful Zen garden, while others run wild, looking unkempt and troubled. And there are water gardens, vegetable gardens, raised bed gardens, container gardens, roof gardens, and don’t forget about flowers. Wow, what possibilities.

Our garden is somewhat planned but in many respects is free, as we tend to favor a fairly natural setting. We often take our cues from the plants themselves. The privet hedge we planted many years ago does not like the shade that has developed from our now mature trees and has turned woody. We probably will replace it, perhaps with the Rose of Sharon bushes that seem to be establishing themselves near the privets; they don’t seem to mind the shade at all.

And after seeing the statue in our neighbor’s yard, I think I would like to have something in our own that would reflect our personal spirits. Maybe a path of hand-crafted stepping stones meandering down to the back of the garden. Perhaps a trellis created from the tree limbs that have fallen from the maple trees for our veggies next spring. The choices are many, as many as we are in our great country.

Here are some garden ideas to consider:

http://greenwoodproject.com/2011/02/different-types-of-gardens/

Gardens through history and around the world…Incredible!

http://home.comcast.net/~lorraine.sherry/gardens/handouts/Examples.pdf