Gazing at the Aralia elata 'Variegata'
The Ganesh Holds Court
What is that in the White Pine Allee?
Closer.....
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Viola!
Terry Reeves and David Baum have an extraordinary garden in Peterborough. Their 230 year old colonial house boasts ancient 200 year old maple trees and a seven foot tall barn foundation that forms the backdrop to beautiful mixed border. But this year the highlight was a sculpture at the end of an allee of huge pine trees that was once a country road. David and Terry commissioned Vermont artist Mark Ragonese www.markragonese.com to make an installation especially for the Garden Conservancy Open Days.
Terry had a vision of nest-like sculpture and the collaboration with Mark produced a huge egg shaped structure with a sort of stone cairn as a focal point. The sculpture, about 10 feet tall, had to be quite large to be in scale with the enormous pine trees. The best part of the experience is how the visitor can not see the sculpture from the house. As one follows the curved path of mowed grass, they suddenly see the focal point in the distance. A wonderful surprise in a very inviting garden.
Absolutely exquisite!
ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
The sculpture and placement are great but I really love that allee of white pines. How wonderful to have an allee which was once a country road. The feng shui will of course be all of itself! I grew up in a large garden which was imposed on the landscape in the way that seventeenth and eighteenth century landscapes were, moving even villages if they got in the way. And there was a long path called Lovers Lane which was an ancient right of way-no longer of course-but there was a palpable feeling that was completely different. These senses of the past are so important in the landscape.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this
Best Wishes
Robert
Robert,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughtful comment. That allee is a very special place. This is the first year David and Terry have fully realized its potential. They limbed up the dead branches and removed the brush tat was growing up around the trees.
Have you ever been to Ninfa in Italy? It is a magnificent garden created in the ruins of a medieval village. It has exactly that feeling you describe.