Topiary

I am drawn to topiary gardens, usually the green shapes, mounds and patterns an excitement and build up to a central focal point or encased sculpture, or magnificent stone carving.  I would like to include it in my garden in some way, I love gardens that are all green, where texture, shape of leaf and different shades of green make the beauty, and I think I will need to create some hedge boundaries, walls or screens.

Image gapphotos.com

Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful.  As an art form it is a type of living sculpture.  The word derives frm the Latin word for an ornamental landscape gardener, topiarius, a creator of topia, or 'places'.

I rather like the idea of free clipping and shaping, although it seems that you can buy all manner of wire frame shapes, as guides, which offer lots of ideas and food for thought, such as at Topiary Garden.  If I do use a guide, likely I'll make my own wire shape round which to grow some ivy, which produces good results in only a few months.

Evergreen Topiary - The Enduring Gardener

Commonly used for Topiary are Yew and Box, but for a faster effect Bay, Hornbeam, Beech and Hawthorne are suitable.  Whatever plant is used the rules for making topiary are the same, grow to the height you want, keep feeding and clipping - then the artistry begins.

I have an old pair of hand sheep shears which will be perfect to make a start.

Of course hugely inspiring are the Overhanging Gardens of Marqueysaac in France.

And at Washington Old Hall, Tyne & Wear.

And the ever exuberant Levens Hall in Cumbria.

Things I'd Like in my Garden

Actually I don't really have a garden - apart from my vegetable area - so it is one of my 'to do's' for this year, creating a garden at my workshop.  It will have to be goose friendly and sculpture inclusive - really it will be a very small sculpture garden.  It needs to just blend into the surrounding open countryside too.  I'm enjoying searching for ideas and making plans. 

A carved stone seated female figure - early 20th century, circle of Mary spencer Watson. 

I got a bit distracted recently when I saw that Will Fisher is having a sale at Christie's in preparation for relocation to new premises for his company Jamb.  Items from his collection going under the hammer include sculpture and garden ornaments.  I've selected a few items I would bid for, to bring back for my new garden.

Quern Stone Mortar

Pair of Sandstone Urns

Sandstone Gargoyle Head

Sandstone Lion's Head

 An Assortment of Architectural Mouldings

And I could not resist a few engravings - these can perhaps influence the styling of the garden along with the Mouldings - but they would have to find a home inside.

I'm wondering which is the best way round - do I make the garden and then add the finishing touches of ornaments and decoration or do I lay out all my objects and create the garden around them, for them.

Mustn't forget the objective - to tidy up the surrounds of the workshop and yard making a garden area to show my sculpture and stonework. 

There was just one more item - the geese would love this (so would I - alfresco bathing!).

Large Marble Bath

Wind Worn Stone

It's blowing out there!  Sort of exciting and frightening at the same time - nearly being taken off my feet and in fear of the little tin roofs being torn off the sheds - but oh such a huge and intense reminder of the power of nature.

Working in it has been quite difficult, not just because of the cold, but stone dust is thrown up into the air, and into my face - so its regularly down-tools to stop a dripping nose and streaming eyes.

I've thought as the gales rage around me that at least my stone is not affected, it sits there, unwavering and solid.  And then I think of the stones out on the moors, where the wind blows hardest and meanest, and the stones are wind worn, into the softest, most sensitive shapes.  It makes my chisel marks seem invasive and sharp, unnatural - how I wish I had the power and subtlety of the wind at my fingertips to shape my stones.

Wind alters the surface character of stone, eroding and revealing the rock's make-up, it brings abrasives which etch, scour and polish it into the most natural forms there can be.

The Hare Rock near Tregastel.  Natural erosion of this part of Brittany, has resulted in bold, rounded, strange forms and shapes in the pink granite.

Wind worn stones in the desert.

These wind worn stones are called Inselbergs.

Just look at these beautifully formed wind caves!

And these amazing pillars are from Bryce Canyon - they're called Hoodoo - the spines are gradually worn away by wind and rain - the weakest rock wearing away soonest. 

The colours come from the rich iron and lime sediments deposited by ancient rivers and streams over eons.  The natives explained the numerous and colourful Hoodoos as 'legend people' who were turned to stone by the mythical Coyote.

image via Kite Aerial Photography

So I'm thinking positively about the gales and gusts as they batter and blow, knowing they are also part of the long shaping process their caresses have on stone.

Greek Architecture and Sculpture

One of my first projects this year is to run a stone carving and sculpture course for a group of Lower 6th school pupils.  They are studying Greek architecture and stone sculpture and want to have some 'hands on' experience to better understand how the Greeks worked and created their sculpture.

For me this is a very exciting prospect - as a sculptor in stone, I have been delighted, inspired by and often referred to Greek art, and for me there is no greater expression of it than in its sculpture.  

I know I am going to learn a lot myself during this course. To begin, I'm now re-reading a favourite on my bookshelf, Greek Sculpture by John Boardman, to refresh - and it is of course taking me to lots of other sources for further information.  An article recently scribed by Stephen Fry caught my eye too - A Modest Proposal which reminds us of their extraordinary achievements.

I will be keen to point out to the students that the tooling used by them on the course, will be very similar to the chisels - point, drove, flat chisel and the rasps, used by the Greeks.  Not only did the Greeks make manifold progress in terms of form (patterns and proportions were of prime importance),  they also made strides in progress with tooling.  Their woodworking techniques had given rise to the use of many tools, adapted for use with stone, but they also invented the claw chisel, usually five-toothed and about 1.5 cm wide, and this, in its same form, is still used (my favourite chisel) today.

So I'm busy with the Greeks, with lots of preparation to do, which I am thoroughly enjoying!  I'm going to try and organise a Greek meal for them to have at lunch time too, and wonder if I can learn a little Greek speak before February, at least a few sculpture phrases I think.  They are going to have to work hard these students, but the results will be brilliant - their tutor is coming too, to help me keep them at it - I'm very much looking forward to the results.

Happy New Year

I've just walked out on the brand new year with my little bag full of dreams and ideas - and it feels good!

Warmest wishes for a happy and creative year to all for 2012.