Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
It’s intriguing to see inside a tree. I’m fascinated by the uneven outline of this cross-section – how it has what could loosely be described as a star shape.
The worth of an artwork is not so much tied up in its monetary value for me, but is more connected to how long you can look at it, enjoy it or think about it. I could look at this slice of tree for a long while. Continue reading “Wall Art: Rustic Tree Slice With A Wiggly Outline”
For a few months, The Muses gleamed in the water feature at Missouri Botanical Garden as part of Craig Mitchell Smith’s Garden and Glass exhibition. The water feature is a circle of jets of water that shoot up from the ground, reach the extent of their energy, and bubble back down. Continue reading “Fun in a Fountain: The Muses by Craig Mitchell Smith”
A’net by Brenda Jet was one of the installations we were able to get up close and personal with during our stay at Broomhill Art Hotel and Sculpture Garden in Muddiford, North Devon. The garden is a naturalistic one that runs alongside a stream, through a meadow and in the woodland of a steep-sided valley.
Brenda Jet collects plastic waste, such as tangled fisherman’s twine which she patiently cleans, unravels, then winds into neat balls of raw material. The finished sculpture is felt-like, colourful and textural. Continue reading “A’net by Brenda Jet at Broomhill Sculpture Garden”
I’ve met many horticulture people I love, admire or both, but few I admire more than Beverly Welch who, together with her husband, Max, owns The Arbor Gate. No matter how many times I visit, I’m always taken by her hospitality, kindness and composure even on one of the busiest days in her calendar.
My sweetheart lectures there, so I don’t claim to be impartial. I’m a fan. It’s my favourite plant centre outside the UK and I suspect there aren’t many better ones in the world. I love wandering around, admiring the plants and marvelling at the garden art while trying to avoid being taken off guard by the Texan sun.
He’s actually lecturing at The Arbor Gate as I write, while I’m back in England, feeling nostalgic and making up for not being there by sharing a much overdue gallery of pictures from my visits over the last few years.
One the plant front, visitors can expect to find roses, perennials, annuals, succulents, trees, shrubs, vines and a big collection of herbs.
I’ve written before about the inspired partnering of plants with art glass at Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle. Here are some more pictures with a blue theme, shared for Becky’s March Squares.
Jenny Pickford’s allium sculpture is perfectly placed at the Sir Harold Hillier Garden in Romsey, Hampshire. The echinops flowers reflect the shape of the artwork, creating a visual echo.
Susan Rushton 