Art in the Garden

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Umbrian

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #150 on: December 22, 2017, 08:02:36 AM »
Wow - well done indeed.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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Alisdair

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #151 on: December 22, 2017, 08:51:22 AM »
Brilliant, John - and Thea!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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John J

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #152 on: December 22, 2017, 03:47:31 PM »
I have to point out that all the credit belongs to my wife (Charithea) and the other members of the village Environmental Committee, I am merely the messenger.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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John J

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #153 on: July 13, 2018, 05:58:35 PM »
Again not Art in the garden but the village Committee asked my wife to make a mosaic to display at one of the entrances to the village. Below is the finished product.
The lady who owns the workshop where Charithea put it together said that if she was to sell it in her shop it would be priced at   1,500 euros minimum. Needless to say my wife charged the village only the cost of the materials and nothing for her time, which was quite considerable. I didn't keep track of the hours but I can say that for at least 2 weeks I have been a mosaic widower, with her disappearing between 8 and 9 every morning and not reappearing until 4 or 5 in the afternoon.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Hilary

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #154 on: July 13, 2018, 09:35:43 PM »
Congratulations
I love the choice of colours
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Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Umbrian

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #155 on: July 14, 2018, 06:59:57 AM »
Terrific work Charithea - wondered why you have been absent from the Forum for some time! Hope John kept watchful eye on all your treasures in the garden.........
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

David Dickinson

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #156 on: July 14, 2018, 03:05:54 PM »
Hi Charithea

Must add my name to the list of admirers of your work. The colours of the "welcome" sign are simply perfect, capturing Mediterranean light to a T.

I think there should a sister category to "Art in the Garden" and that is "Kitsch in the Garden". I can't decide if what I made recently is so kitsch that it should be dismantled and consigned to the bin or allowed to stay on the grounds that the sound of the trickling water redeems it sufficiently.

Years ago I found some colourful pebbles but they only show their colours when wet. So I put them away until I could think of something to do with them that would involve water. To cut a long story short, finding first a couple of hollow stone fish and later a copper dish that looks a little like a lotus flower gave with idea of making a little water feature for the courtyard. A simple solar-powered fountain provides the water movement and getting the fish to spurt water into the glass jar provides the trickling sound as the jar acts as an amplifier.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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Charithea

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #157 on: July 14, 2018, 04:31:23 PM »
Hello and thank you for your kind words. Hilary, as usual, your postings have been informative. Quoting William Shakespeare  raises the Forum to a higher level.  Carole, I used to get up around 5 in the morning to check on my 'treasures'  and the 5 cats. Your two small cuttings are growing well and David's Guaraniticas are flourishing but my Salvia patens 'Guanajuato and Spathacea have succumbed to the heat.  David your water feature is very clever. The sound of water is always welcome in a garden.  Having spent 2 weeks in the company of two artists was exciting and useful. One is a Fine Arts graduate and the other studied  and taught Art for many years. She spent time in Ravenna so she knows her 'mosaics'.  There are many examples of different forms of Art in the shop. All interesting.  I have been asked to make the Byzantine Eagle'  by a young friend for our local church but it is a difficult piece of work.  It will have to wait for a convenient time.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2018, 04:34:40 PM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Umbrian

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #158 on: July 15, 2018, 07:32:55 AM »
Your water feature is very inventive David and you are so right about the beauty of many pebbles only being revealed when they are wet. Definitely a work of art that you should be proud of and one that will give you much pleasure when tending your plants - that's what it's all about surely! -  intrigued by the use of solar power.....can you elaborate?
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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Alisdair

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Re: Art in the Garden - David's fountain
« Reply #159 on: July 15, 2018, 07:57:34 AM »
It's lovely, David! (And very ingenious.) Also, thanks for revealing that there are such things as small solar-powered fountains.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Pallas

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #160 on: July 16, 2018, 10:00:35 AM »
Charitea, your mosaic is absolutely ravishing! I love the delicate shading of the colours and the different textures of the trees and walls. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. You are a true artist.

David, I also love your lotus water bowl with the fish. I don't think it is at all kitsch, and even it if were, as long as you enjoy it, that's the most important thing. I also love the way your idea was "marinading" for some time before it all came together: the wet stones, the bowl, the fish -- sometimes, it takes time for everything to come together just right.

If you find the time, I'd be grateful for more info on the solar-powered pump, its design and how you mounted it into the bowl. Trickling water doesn't go with the waterlilies in my garden water feature (a large stone bathtub) so I have been hatching plans for a small fountain for the patio and keep being stumped by wanting to be green, ie not use electricity.

I am not very artistically gifted, so my 'art in the garden' is purchased: two cast-metal cranes, with a beautiful green patina, recently found on a Spanish second-hand/flea market/antiques website. They are perfect in the lush planting around the white stone bathtub.

The sound of trickling water in summer is so refreshing, as the Moors here in Andalucia and Arabs well knew. The Japanese also use water to evoke coolness, perhaps more the sight rather than the sound of it, and in summer it is very popular to place wind chimes to catch cooling breezes.

Sorry for rambling... it's hot!
« Last Edit: July 16, 2018, 10:09:47 AM by Pallas »
Small (300m2) south-facing garden on the outskirts of Málaga. RHS H2 / USDA 10b.

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Charithea

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #161 on: July 21, 2018, 06:11:42 PM »
Thank  you Pallas. The castle is a well known landmark in Cyprus so we had to keep ttrue to the colours. We used natural stones for the castle so it will age well . I am not a natural artist but I studied maths , science and art  and  while teaching young children  it was necessary to create things with them.  Practice helps.  I do love David's creation. It is also very smart. 
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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John J

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #162 on: August 06, 2018, 06:19:51 AM »
Not exactly Art in the Garden but after finishing the Castle mosaic my wife decided to replace the table outside the front of our house with a more substantial one. Following on from all the classical and realistic stuff she has been doing she obviously had a brainstorm and went all contemporary, or as she claims a bit 'Daliesque'!
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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JTh

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #163 on: August 06, 2018, 04:53:01 PM »
Wow, no need for a table cloth there!
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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Charithea

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #164 on: August 07, 2018, 07:44:02 AM »
Hello Juron. You are correct . No tablecloth needed. I had written a reply to your commends but somehow it did not come up. I must have made a mistake as usual. Anyway,  I left the blue period behind for a bit knowing that I can use my diamond cutter to change the colour of my new table. I am waiting for my granddaughter to see it when she returns from Halkidiki where she is holidaying with her parents a a group of friends.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.