Art in the Garden

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David Dickinson

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #195 on: August 19, 2020, 01:24:04 AM »
Alisdair's dog (first posting in this thread) might have fun chasing this guinea pig around the garden. The guinea pig would be less happy, I imagine.
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.

David Dickinson

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #196 on: May 16, 2021, 11:58:40 PM »
Strange how things just come together. I had a metal structure - no idea what is was. Then I saw a nice dish for a bird bath in a second-hand shop. Next, the the gas board took away the old meter which was standing on a block of bricks no longer needed for the new meter. Hey presto  - a new bird bath.
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 #197 on: May 18, 2021, 04:25:47 PM »
I love your bird-bath. You are very inventive.
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 #198 on: August 11, 2021, 12:38:03 PM »
My wife has a cousin who's husband is a metalworker. She commissioned an arch from him to go over one of our pathways. It was delivered yesterday. Now all it needs is for the temperature to go down so that I can set it in the ground without passing out from the heat!
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)

David Dickinson

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #199 on: August 11, 2021, 12:46:47 PM »
Great. What are you going to grow up it? Any ideas? It would be a shame to cover it completely and thus lose all the detail.
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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John J

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #200 on: August 11, 2021, 03:34:54 PM »
That's the point, David, it wasn't meant as a support for a climber, but as a feature in its own right. Some of the shrubs close by will no doubt encroach on it a bit, and we plan to move a couple of blue-flowered salvias from their current position, where they are suffering from too much sun, to alongside it on one side. As I said my next task is to get it set into the ground.
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)

Umbrian

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #201 on: August 12, 2021, 07:59:48 AM »
Very pretty and indeed a feature in its own right. A dainty small leaves climber might be OK - I had an Akebia quinata climbing up part of a similar structure in my former garden and it never seemed to dominate.
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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John J

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #202 on: August 12, 2021, 08:13:53 AM »
That's an idea, Carole, but our thoughts were that a climber might make the area look too 'busy' and possibly detract from the shrubs and trees that are already in place. A few low-growing perennials around the base was what we were looking at.
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)

Umbrian

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #203 on: August 13, 2021, 07:32:23 AM »
Think you are right John - it is a very organic and sympathetic design without added embellishment😊
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 #204 on: August 31, 2021, 01:01:08 PM »
Pauline wrote in this topic about  lettering in the garden. I replied saying I had some tiles I planned to write something on. Since then I have got some slate tiles which brought back the old idea of writing on them. To my eternal shame the original post was in 2015! Anyway, I have made a start. Nothing like the tasteful chiselled lettering Pauline was referring to, I'm afraid.

The Italian one was cribbed from some street art in Rome. It works better in Italian than English as the article "la" can be used both for the planet earth and the material we grow our plants in.

https://www.nikonclub.it/gallery/1485956/finalmente-compatibili-con-la-terra-di-sandrol



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 #205 on: August 31, 2021, 01:31:07 PM »
Well done David. In this case it is called 'omaggio' no theft of  an idea.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #206 on: September 26, 2021, 07:25:17 PM »
Thanks Charithea. I'm not sure a judge would agree with you but let's hope it never comes to that.

Unfortunately, a very close friend died a while back and I have been mulling ideas over in my head how to remember him. His partner, who never missed one day at his bedside in over 2 years of sickness, deserves recognition too. I found a free program for making anagrams and thought of making a garden name plate from their names, Craig and Howard. Some interesting things came up but nothing that really fitted the bill. From their surnames, Delmonte and Willis, up came "let, in, smile and wold",. Perfect. Wolds recalls my home county of Yorkshire and Howard was ever ready for a smile and a laugh. He is buried in a bluebell wood and I grew up with a bluebell wood at the back of my garden. Hence the, somewhat stylised, bluebell on the name plaque too.
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.

David Dickinson

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Re: Art in the Garden
« Reply #207 on: September 26, 2021, 07:41:04 PM »
This time a saying that caught my eye on the internet, Written with a pen designed for writing on ceramic, as you suggested Charithea. Thanks for that tip :-)
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 #208 on: September 30, 2021, 12:31:55 PM »
David, both of your  latest Art in the Garden are rather beautiful.  I love the colour of your delicate bluebells. You might have to go over your writing, in your second piece,  with the pen again in a few years as the sunlight unfortunately  will fate it.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.