Bomarzo - Sculpture Garden

The Bomarzo Sculpture Garden (a.k.a. Monsters' Grove, The Sacred Wood, Villa of Monsters and The Park of the Monsters), located in Lazio Region of Italy, is a dark journey through the depths of psychosis. A place that once peaked the interest of the surrealist Salvador Dali, the garden is magical, and has the inimitable character that only time can conjure. Carvings were made in the natural stone that existed onsite, and now stand as living hallucinations, seemingly scattered at random throughout the wooded property. Realised under the name "Villa of Monsters" in 1552, this unique garden has all the character, creativity and natural mystery needed to call it a true wonder of the world.











Photos by Draftroots & Video by Other

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomarzo

Patrick Dougherty - Stick Sculptor

Here is an inspiring artist who has taken a whimsical concept and entwined it with nature. This type of sculpture would add immense interest in a fantasy garden, embodying all that is fun and magical in a garden of escape and illusion.



Check out Patrick Dougherty's website for more pictures.

www.stickwork.net

Book Recommendation: The Incomparable Honeybee

Author: Reese Halter

Vegetable Gardens - Series Installment #2

LANDSCAPE TRENDS FOR 2010 - REBIRTH OF VEGETABLES

The Vegetable and/or Herb garden may be an entry point into gardening for many prospective green thumbs. It is a garden that, if successful, can produce a yield. It is not just something designed for show, or a symbol of status, but rather, it provides food. So, is this a trend? or is it a common sense movement? Can we attribute the down-turn in the economy to a developing interest in growing one's own food, or do we credit the overextended agriculture industry with its crop dusters and pesticides for helping to create a grassroots organic counter reaction.

The vegetable garden originated as a product of necessity. It is a solution for a greater design problem. We are all designers of our future - taking control of our own lives. I believe this is all part of a greater movement, where citizens have the power and ability to make change, literally - in their own backyard. Now here is a design opportunity. Let us shift away from the old creosote laden railway ties that border the vegetable gardens of old, and begin to rethink how we can design fantastic new vegetable gardens of the future.




This is an interesting vegetable garden treatment. Designed as a way to keep the family dog from the crops.

http://prospectandrefuge.com/

Rain Capture - Series Installment #1

LANDSCAPE TRENDS 2010 - WATER CAPTURE & THE BURGEONING PRESENCE OF THE RAIN BARREL


Recession or Progression? What landscape movements will continue into 2010? And are they related to the economy or just plain common sense?

Currently, there are many shapes, colours and materials used today for rainbarrels. Beyond the common barrel, there are many ways and means of capturing rainwater. It is up to todays backyard gardener to use those commercial products available, or to venture out in the world of creative design and explore new and functional ways of doing so. And - what better reason than to save on water bills while simultaneously reducing the load on Municipal storm sewers and contributing to the environmental cause.

Many Cities are taking a proactive lead in encouraging water management amongst its citizens. August 2009 - The City of Sudbury Hosted a one day Rain barrel sale to promote wise outdoor water use. Perhaps this sort of promotion should be long standing?

As far as the design end, there is plenty of room for exploration. Designer Bas Vanderveer has begun to explore new posibilities in the physical form of rain capture.

Visit his Website for some fantastic Photos.

http://www.basvanderveer.nl/index.php?id=2

Villa D'Este & The Hundred Fountains

This is one example of the humour and detail that surrounds the entire site.



The spectacular gardens of Villa D'Este located in Tivoli Italy, not far from Rome, are the misty grounds of this truly unique and awe inspiring fountain. The Hundred Fountains is a design gem that should not be overlooked when travelling through the Lazio region of Italy. The Villa itself was conceived and built between 1509-1572, and cannot be rivalled for water magic. The cooling effects of this space would have made it a fantasy summer refuge in it's time. The Villa itself is built on a hillside, and the water is chanelled from a river at the top. All fountains function by gravity and would have required intense engineering and forethought to create the immense and joyous water display. The Hundred Fountains is just one water feature of many at Villa D'Este that will capture your imagination.


Photos & Video by Draftroots

http://www.villadestetivoli.info/storiae.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_d

Biomimicry: Art Imitates Nature

Currently, one major movement in the design world is Biomimicry (meaning: to imitate nature.) This imitation of nature can be applied to anything from simple graphic design, to the major challenges involved in redesigning how we live. What better way to achieve design perfection, and in essence, create a more sustainable lifestyle, than to be inspired by Nature's processes and forms.



And now there is a website that can help to answer some of those basic questions. Asknature.org has a topic specific search engine that can provide nature's answers to many of your design quandaries.

http://asknature.org/

http://biomimicryinstitute.org/

Whimsy in the Forest City of London Ontario

Click on Photos to Enlarge.

The City of London, Ontario has set a great standard for recycling and extending the life of some of their dead trees. Artists Robin Wenzoski and Neil Cox are credited for reviving these forest city specimens. Immaculate chainsaw carvings have been sculpted in numerous locations around the city. Themes of local history and heritage have been explored. This is a great example of the celebration of the arts, community and nature all in one.

http://www.londontourism.ca/treetrunktour/

http://http://www.robbinsamazingart.com/

Bill Dan - The Art of Patience

http://rock-on-rock-on.com/gallery-rock-balancing.html



Sketch By Draftroots
Build your own stacked rock sculpture inspired by Bill Dan. Using a hammer drill, and some rebar one can cheat the gods of patience and create their own unique piece of garden art that won't topple in a storm.

Sketchup: Imaginalization & The New Playdough

Images by Draftroots

This design tool has become indispensable to me and my concept development. It is offered as a free online download by google, and has proven to be worth the professional upgrade.
It is extremely user friendly as far as 3d software is concerned. Sketchup is compatible with most popular design software, including autocad. Models can be uploaded to google earth, and shared online through the Model Warehouse feature, an online model sharing library. When an idea/seed needs to be explored, this software is not only an excellent presentation tool, but more importantly allows the designer to visualize an idea,and see whether it works or not. With Sketchup, the designer is only limited to their imagination, and the design is only limited to the idea. Sketchup is the new playdough.

http://sketchup.google.com/

See more Draftroots Sketchup models at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/draftroots

Twig Wrapped Arch

Design By Draftroots

Conceived as a sketch on paper, this twig wrapped arch is a great visual feature for any landscape in need of vertical interest. It provides an inviting entrance to the backyard not to mention an alluring focal point. I used locally grown Alder branches approximately 12' long. The main posts are 4"x4", and the top arch consists of tiny pieces of birch and dogwood twig wrapped around a bent piece of round bar. This allowed me to build up the diameter to match the posts. I had a welder add some plates before I had begun to allow for the top bar to be attached to the posts. It took several days of cutting and pruning to collect my material, and an additional 2 days of wrapping and weaving. Upon completion I had one neighbor ask which big box store I had purchased it from, and another, upon hearing that I had weaved it myself said that I must be part bird. Design is freedom.

http://draftroots.com/

Bruce Mau: An Incomplete Manifesto

Designer Bruce Mau wrote a one page document exposing his Design philosophy. He called it: "An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth". The short document is well worth a look for any designer looking for inspiration.
You can find it at:

http://umcf.umn.edu/events/past/04nov-manifesto.pdf

Book Feature: Glimmer by Warren Berger

Glimmer's content embodies the new way of design. Featuring the insights of designer Bruce Mau (Born in Sudbury Ontario), this piece of non-fiction is full inspiring stories of individuals who have effectively put their faith and focus in a successful design idea.

When discussing the relationship between the designer and an idea, Berger writes:
"...design is really a way of looking at the world with an eye toward changing it. To do that, a designer must be able to see not just what is, but what might be. And seeing is only the beginning. Designers are also makers. They sketch and build, giving form to ideas. They take that faint glimmer of possibility and make it visible and real to others." Pg.3

This is an excellent read for anyone interested in the world of design, or as Mau might prefer it: "the design of the world".