Trees are an invaluable part of a garden, so important that they are sometimes called its bones because they hold the other parts of the garden together. They are slow to grow and consequently are often the first thing planted in a new garden or one undergoing renovation. Trees do more than hold a garden together, though. They are miracle workers,…
I woke yesterday to a fine dusting of snow, and during the day more snow fell. Today it outlines the branches of the big oak tree by our boathouse and the old crabapple trees by the drive, emphasizing the contrast between rough bark and soft fluffy white. The forecast calls for more snow to come, and as confirmation, the sky…
Tree Rings, the sculpture I created to honour a maple tree at my garden Glen Villa, is featured in Garden Design Magazine’s on-line newsletter. I’m really pleased. Why wouldn’t I be? The article is a wow! Tree Rings Stainless Steel Sculpture – Garden Design See how laser-cut stainless steel rings pay tribute to an ancient maple…
January has brought some bright blue-sky days, with strong sunlight casting shadows on the snow. These dark lines are a common winter sight in Quebec, and in my garden Glen Villa, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. Usually, these shadows are simply a visual echo of the real thing, but occasionally they appear more substantial than the object…
Last December, on a grey and gloomy day much like today, I wrote out my goals for the garden for 2015. Re-reading that blog post a year later, I’m amazed to see how much of what I set out to do I actually accomplished. Discovering this was a big surprise, but after only a few minutes of thought…
Tree Rings, my most recent sculpture, was installed at Glen Villa a few weeks ago. Making this sculpture has been more challenging technically and mentally than I anticipated. Certainly it has taken longer than I thought it would. The project began in September 2014 when the top of an old maple tree blew off during a heavy…
Despite the bright sun that was shining half an hour ago, there’s a cloud bursting now, right outside my window. This cloudburst follows another one last night that knocked out our electricity and blew down three birch trees and a maple. Cloudbursts happen. Rain comes. But these storms are faster and fiercer than…