Garden Design No. 32 - Architectural Salvage in the Garden

Admiration to the one who looks at a former spire of a cathedral church, takes it apart and rebuilds it in a garden. What a way to take architectural salvage that is patina-colored with moss-covered crevices but filled with history and memory and stand it proud in its next home. 

Whether the architectural salvage used in the garden is from a church or not it all inspires an environmental quiet reverence to its visitor. The origin of this salvage could be unknown and still the regard for its story subtly asked for appreciation.

The hooves of the horses and the paths they took that caused the shoes on the sphere to be worn down can tell your story if you want. Horse back riding on the paths you took. The wagon wheel that now acts as a window in the ivy covered stone wall may have been found in an abandoned field with a history unknown. Create one of your own. After all, the garden is a place for reflection to nourish our soul - so what trip did you take carting a wagon or not, that is the nearest to your heart?

Whose porch the fretwork and columns came from are yours to discover. The weathered and chipped paint on the columns that held up that porch probably had a wooden plank floor to match. What stories were told on that porch with an iced tea in hand regardless if it was a sunny or a stormy day?

Where did the pieces come from that created the rusty poppy flower pods? And what earth did the salvaged shovels move that created the giant pine cones? These histories are yours to discover.

The discarded architectural concrete that was salvaged and placed in the garden by the fern to be covered in moss - where did they come from? And what stone mason carved the details into them?

What story does the de-spoked wagon wheel turned water feature have? 

One thing they both have in common is a place in history that is preserved by someone who knew it wasn't time to close the book, their story isn't over yet.

You don't have to know the history of architectural salvage you use in your garden. You are the honorary owner of this piece in history, its guardian. The chime of the skeleton and clock keys bids you ado with a tone of appreciation, giving it to you with its harmonious song conducted by the breeze in the garden. Welcome to your sanctuary! Drink it in with all five senses.

Be inspired!

Sources: Remove and Replace, Terrain, Etsy, Old World Garden, Carolyne Roehm, Three Dogs in a Garden, Heir and Space, Pinterest

Garden Design No. 31 - What Does A Painter, A Gardener, and A Leadership Book Have in Common?

 

British Artist, Cedric Morris (1889-1982) was the only person of his generation to achieve national stature as both a painter and a plantsman says the Garden Museum in London. And Sarah Price did him proud at this year's Chelsea Flower Show with her Painterly Garden display. 

This garden's design inspired by Morris' paintings, his love for bearded iris, he cultivated over 90 new irises - is dear to my heart. My Mom loved her garden row of bearded irises that was planted between our vegetable garden and our row of clothes line. She called them flag iris and the internet goes back and forth about the difference between the two designations. So we will just call them irises.

What I did learn about the iris flower is that it is said to symbolize power, with the three parts representing wisdom, faith, and courage. That definitely defines my Mom - wise, faithful, and courageous. 

I can only imagine what standing in Sarah Price's painterly garden, inspired by Morris must have felt like. The photographs of this garden alone, have me awestruck. I've never experienced the reverse story of a live object mimicking a painting, only a painting inspired by a live object. I'm grateful for the experience of the photographs and the story behind this garden design that in itself inspires me. 

So what does a painter, a gardener, and a leadership book have in common? One of the books I am currently reading is "The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership."  Commitment #2 - Learning Through Curiosity, challenges the reader to be "present now - totally available to the moment and to what the moment brings."

At first, I dove into this commitment with the thought of looking for every "live" moment and making sure I was present in that moment. But this strange collision of my love of flowers and paintings, curiosity in what was new at the flower show this year, and my latest unrelated read -  presented a new meaning to what a moment is exactly. 

Here's what I found, that when one is learning to align their interests with their purpose and growth,  more and more moments become aha moments I think because we are looking for them with expectation and our soul is craving them.

When an artist/botanist, a garden designer, a memory of my Mom, and a leadership book all collide, it's a beautiful moment.  Curiosity is a funny thing.

Sources: 2023 Chelsea Flower Show, Garden Museum of London, Gardenista, Pinterest, The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership