Sand, sheds and stone at the flower show
Submitted by Ledge and Gardens Blog
High
Low 18 F
Who doesn’t love making castles in the sand? Mine usually consist of a couple of towers made from paper cups and a few walls but some people have incredible imagination and talent. I know Miami beach is famous for sand sculpture but for the last few years there have been sculptures at the RI Flower Show and this year we visited Egypt for this incredible sculpture. He sits smug and stately holding court in the Convention Center. I’m not sure if I showed last year’s sand sculpture but here is one of them.
The same designer created both and is on hand during the show to continually sculpt and speak with the crowds. Just sand, incredible!
To call these beauties sheds is a bit of a misnomer. Garden cottage is a more appropriate term for the structures at this year’s show. Who wouldn’t want one of these little getaways strategically placed in their garden for a moment of respite. I tend to think it would be much like the garden bench which has a function but is rarely used. Or, maybe not, a quick nap in one of these havens might be just the inspiration one needs for planning a new garden or garnering a bit of strength for weeding. Check out the size of the front step on this first shed. This is New England Granite which probably weighs in at half a ton. The roof is complete with plantings. I know that there are great applications for green roofs but I also know that this would need some extra watering. I think I’ll keep my plants closer to the ground. It is charming though isn’t it?
Here is another fanciful shed.
There was no access to the inside but I can ‘feel’ the hammock hanging there and there is room for a potting bench and tools also. This one also has an interesting front step in the form of a cross cut section of a tree. This last picture was taken the eve before the show at the preview party and it was in the darkened and somewhat inaccessible vendor area. I had to peek through the curtain to get this shot.
This is a functional, yet beautiful glass house. Which one of the above is your favorite?
Moving on to stone, there were huge pieces of granite in this exhibit. My sister, Sue, is graciously providing scale for the slab above. Here is another complete with lichens still attached. It looks just like much of the ledge here at Ledge and Gardens.
There were also raked gravel gardens which incorporated large stones in the garden. They provide such stability and structure.
Here is a garden with a moon gate.
I would love to see one of these in the process of being built as the keystone in the top center holds it together. I imagine ten men or women holding it together until the last stone is dropped into place.
This display had some wonderful, fanciful stone features which any one of us should be able to put together.
I am going to give them a go this coming season. I particularly like that fan shaped creation above and it even has a bit of moss tucked in between the stones. What do you think of these? Would you try them in your garden?
