Hudson River Valley .. Eliasson at Bard College Pt 2

The Parliament of Reality - Part II

Photos:  Deborah Esrick

Environmental artwork created by Olafur Eliasson

at Bard College

Hudson River Valley, NY

Summer  2009

Bluestone island, dolomite boulders, circular pond, trees, & latticework tunnel.

A garden landscape for contemplation and dialogue.

Photos: Deborah Esrick

Link to Part I:

Nature .. Man-Made - Olafur Eliasson at Bard

Nature .. Man-Made - Olafur Eliasson at Bard

photo: Bess Reynolds

Parliament of Reality ... an Installation by Olafur Eliasson

Commissioned for the Bard College campus in upstate New York 

by the Center for Curatorial Studies (CCS Bard)  

Photo: yooperann 

Born in Denmark to Icelandic parents, artist Olafur Eliasson created 

The Parliament of Reality as a setting for reflection and dialogue, 

finding inspiration for the work in the Icelandic Parliament - the Althingi.   

photo: Bess Reynolds

The Parliament of Reality encompasses a circular pond surrounded by a ring of 24 planted trees. In the center of the pond, the shape of a circle is repeated in an island paved with distinctive stones: their twelve-point pattern references the meridian lines of nautical charts and the compass. Access to the island is via a bridgeway covered by a steel latticework passage. 

photo: Bess Reynolds

The Parliament of Reality ... in a field near the Frank Gehry–designed 

Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

photo: Bess Reynolds

Eliasson's new work is located on the North end of Bard's campus,

in the Hudson River Valley landscape.

Bard's Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts is my alma mater.

Olafur Eliasson Studio:  http://www.olafureliasson.net/

Bard Center for Curatorial Studies:  http://www.bard.edu/ccs/ccs/

Vertical Gardens - A Living Organism, Patrick Blanc in San Francisco

"A vertical garden becomes a living organism by itself," Patrick Blanc, creator of vertical gardens speaking last night at SPUR (San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association) about his contribution to the ‘New Roots’ project for Drew School. Ph.D botanist and a passionate plantsman, Blanc showed beautiful vertical gardens from Hawaii to Osaka, and from Bangkok to Manhattan.

During his presentation Blanc told of a new Begonia species he discovered in Thailand, an understory plant adapted to low light levels.

Green trousers... green shoes.... and yes, green hair.

Recent project: Caixa Forum museum, Madrid - photo, courtesy Patrick Blanc.

Blanc's living wall for Quai Branly in Paris - photo, courtesy Patrick Blanc.

Blanc holding a sprig of Zauschneria californica.

Invigorating to learn Blanc plans to use California natives for the new project!

Not only does California possess a wealth of natives, but Blanc believes it’s important

for Drew School students to be exposed to native species.

On his first day in San Francisco, Blanc mentioned seeing plants from Mexico, South Africa, Canary Islands, Australia, New Zealand and Chile in city gardens,

but few natives! Blanc reiterated what San Francisco gardeners surely appreciate:

the exceptional climate, mild temperatures & foggy conditions

allow a great diversity of species to thrive.

New Roots Project for DREW School

Architects: ROMA Design Group

Living Wall/Vertical Garden: Patrick Blanc

Living Roof: Rana Creek

Green Building Consultant: Simon and Associates

Blanc expects to use a large cistern to collect water from the roof of the school building, to use for irrigation during the summer dry season. Journeying to the far corners of the globe, Blanc studies plants in their natural environments, motivated by his scientific work, and the botanical artistry of the living walls he creates. Blanc showed images from countless expeditions where he has documented the hanging, bending forms of plants growing vertically - at times in pockets of humus that collects in holes on limestone cliffs. “Vertical gardens are not just fashion,” he said, stressing the ability to combine as many as 100 species in a vertical garden: far more than when grown horizontally in a similar space. A diversity of species with similar growth habits can be brought together in a vertical garden, lessening the chances of disease or parasites.

Mini-Rooftop Terrace Garden on SPUR Urban Center,

LEED Certified green building that opened in May, 2009.

Champagne flowed and hors d’oeuvres were offered creatively on a moss-draped wall

and upright columns by Savoy catering.

Patrick Blanc on Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

Stay tuned for updates on the progress of Blanc's San Francisco project,

with expanded information on the technique used to create living walls.

Gardens of Darioush Winery, Napa Valley

Darioush Winery, Napa Valley, California - Shahpar Khaledi selected antique French Tunisian oil jars over 100 years old to nestle among the plantings. Their assertive forms enhance the garden design at the front of the winery.

Darioush Winery Architects: Nozari & Nojari, Santa Monica

Landscape Design: Sabrina Tanner of Proscape, Napa

Proprietors: Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi

Cast stone seating at the entryway, where visitors can take in the scenery before going forward to the visitor center to taste the Bordeaux-style wines. The estate celebrates the Khaledis' Persian heritage in the ornate symmetry of the building's architecture, referencing Persepolis, and in myraid artistic details.

The organically farmed Darioush gardens use natural fertilizers made from sea kelp. Plants are selected for their ability to withstand the Napa Valley’s extreme temperature variations, with winter lows that reach 20 degrees to summer highs of 110 degrees. Looking across the winery building facade, you ‘ll see plants arranged to complement the building’s honey-colored imported Persian Straw Travertine. Apricot, orange and cinnabar with the a bit of blue here and there are prominent colors in a scheme composed of roses, succulents, lambs ears, Jerusalem sage, and Yucca specimens.

At the lawn's edge roses cosort with daylilies, flowering plums, bearberries, and cannas, native of Persia.

Tall, narrow maples and evergreen Thuja were planted to echo the archictectural columns. Dwarf Magnolia's stand sentry at the front lawn. Looking toward the vineyards, a color palette of purple and burgundy catches the eye.

Inside the visitor center, an eye-catching cascade takes center stage near the wine tasting area. The building's interior features rich detailing, in glazed tiles and polished stone, ceramics and floral color.

Along the driveway wind and heat resistant plants include lavender, roses, manzanita and society garlic. Alongside the winery entrance, pomegranates also native to Persia produce fruit that ripens in October. Tall, narrow maples and evergreen Thuja were chosen to echo the archictectural columns.

Surrounding the Darioush amphitheatre - Washingtonia robusta - Palms play off Pampas Grass.

George Altamura, the winery’s orignal owner planted olive trees on the property. Darioush now produces an Extra Virgin Olive Oil made from a blend of Frantoio, Leccino & Pendolino olives.

Click to see more... Winery Garden Destinations on Alice's Garden Travel Buzz

Fall Planting Party - Drought Tolerant Plants, Annie's Annuals!

Digitalis obscura

Digitalis obscura 

A drought tolerant foxglove from Spain, growing 2 feet by 2 feet.  

I love the rusty orange flowers of this gorgeous specimen for sun or "a bit of shade."

Plant in lean soil: hardy in Zones 4 - 10.

A personal favorite, Philadelphus mexicanus 'Flore Plena'

A charming, fragrant heirloom shrub: Spring bloomer that often flowers again in Fall. 

Plant in sun to part-shade; low to average water.

Fall planting ideas: Drought-Tolerant & Low-Water Shrubs & Tender Perennials.

Inspired by my recent visit to Annie's Annuals. 

Annie Hayes 

at this year's Fall Planting Party in Richmond, California.

The Bay Area wouldn’t be the same without Annie’s Annuals,

supplier of rare & wonderful plants for the past 15 years.

Annie Hayes shares the desire for rarities that drives plant-a-holics.

Plants are no longer for locals only ... Annie's Annuals are now available by mail-order.

Clianthus puniceus ‘Albus’

'White Lobster Claw' - Clianthus aka 'Kaka Beak'  or 'Parrot's Beak'

A fast growing evergreen shrub or small tree for a sunny setting; not fussy about soil type.

Average to low water; USDA zones 8-11 but web site mentions plants surviving 

  13 degrees fahrenheit. 

Nursery, growing grounds & display gardens are a vibrant habitat for bees, butterflies & hummingbirds.

A glimpse of the display gardens at Annie's Annuals.

Zaluzianskya capensis Albus

'Night Phlox' aka 'Midnight Candy' -  Zaluzianskya capensis

A richly scented, uncommon South African species, growing 12” tall & wide with multi-branching stems. A profuse bloomer for the night garden, Z. capensis boasts

white flowers backed by maroon. Easy to grow in sun; average to low water.

USDA Zone 9-11 or as an annual.

Arctotis grandis

"Steel blue eye encircled by a golden ring... pearly white daisy from South Africa.

...behaves as a perennial in USDA zones 9-11 - grown as an annual in colder winter gardens. Flowers ... close up at night. 

Plant in well-drained soil in sun; average water/No summer water."

(Photos of available plants, courtesy Annie's Annuals)

Link to Annie's Annuals

http://anniesannuals.com/