I’ve decided to write some shorter posts from SFGS to highlight some of the amazing stuff I saw there. As a designer, I have three eyes at these shows. One sees each whole display and notes what “works” as good design. Another eye sees all the tiny kinds of things most people walk past so that I can tell my Hunky Foreman how things were put together. And my third eye is like a 2nd grader and screams, “Ooooh, pretty!!” at every turn.
Today you get my first and a bit of the second eye. I love, love, LOVE rocks–I love rockyards, climbing over piles, even the dust in my hair. It was in a rockyard that I started seeing the Foreman as Hunky. But, I digress. At The San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, there is always awesome rockwork by incredible masons–the floor of the events center is, of course, concrete, so the designers have to build “up,” and add huge boulders and walls to hold it all together. The logistics and artistry that goes into this work is nothing short of mind-boggling. This one was my favorite:
This stunning wall was built by mason Doug Bryant for the display garden “Changes” by Mariposa Gardening and Design. Doug is a true artist, and was on hand to genially answer questions from the show goers. Look at the details here–we’ve got stacked stone, boulders, and smooth chunky river rock all melding together to form a gorgeously structural wall. Plus, it’s not even mortared–it’s “dry set,” or as Doug’s little daughter proclaimed, “That means it doesn’t need glue!” I was amused that there was even a mailbox post surrounded by concrete worked into the wall:
That wall was on the outside of that particular display garden; on the inside was another wall, completed by a different mason whose name I didn’t get. Unfortunately, it’s also not listed on their display notes and that’s a shame, because I like to give the artist credit where it’s due. But check it out:
Look at the perfect angle of the rock slabs–there’s something almost Dr. Seuss-y about it, like you’re not quite sure if it’s going to fall down like dominoes. As you follow the wall around (it curves around into almost a spiral), there’s this awesome cubby hole that defies gravity:
So what did I take away from this? And more importantly, what can you take away from this? If you are in the market for a retaining wall , don’t settle for just the same old-same old! Ask your designer or mason to put together a more artsy, cobbled look from a variety of materials. Show him or her pictures of what you’re looking for, but remember–art cannot be “duplicated.” Showing a pic of what you’re going for will help your designer see what you like, but then you have to let go a bit and let the mason do his “thing.” That’s what art is all about, isn’t it?
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Beautiful! There is something very majestic about the careful integration of something organic in an otherwise rhythmic wall. Great post!
This entry is an example of artistry that few can exhibit. All were outstanding. thanks for including this in your blog.
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