Sunday, June 21, 2009

Long Gone

It seems like ages ago that a bare brown mountain top was covered with daffodils. It is a new time. Life has moved on.



A temporary floral display occupies the front bed out by the scenic highway. The final design for this bed does include the Eremurus. Much of the rest is filler while I slowly grow and divide a main element, Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'.

One of the other main players, Chicories are huge and just now blooming. They haven't been up to being photographed because they are morning bloomers, closing by mid-day and because the monsoon thunderstorms have been attempting to crush them to the ground. I can grow me some gigantic weeds. They are huge. Today I staked them up before their tremendous size caused the stems to break.

An unknown native sedge and an Iron Weed, Vernonia noveboracensis will add to the final scene, while Ox-Eye Daisies, Leucanthemum vulgare wander this bed with some editing.

At best even my final design destination is temporary, so long as I keep any intruders at bay.



The growing rock walls have begun to take on a life of their own. I have been so busy building them, I am not sure I have been sufficiently in awe of the huge physical impact they have.

Not a one of them is completely finished. I still want to do proper cap stones on the first wall, the one below and in front of the columns. I can also see a huge difference in quality between it and the second unfinished wall behind the columns. Maybe I need to tear down the first one and start over.



But I have moved on to two other walls needed for the sewer line. These are the current priority project.



They are almost half way done.



I look at these walls and cement columns and imagine them when the cozy cabin has decomposed and is long gone. How would they be interpreted by a distant observer? I know this space will be used as an open air patio. Would it be obvious a thousand years from now?



A destination is envisioned for a front flower bed. I gently steer it there.



A monolithic stone formation writhes itself free of the soil's grip. It uses me as the midwife as it is born into life. It's power has already grown stronger than me and now I stand in awe.



The wall is not near done with me. Another wing is waiting to be born along the left side of the path up to the garden access drive. A form of symmetry, a sense of balance is called for in a monumental earth work. I am its servant.



Next year, the Eremurus will be even bigger I hope. The temporary flowers will be gone and a waving bed of variegated Miscanthus grass with sky blue Chicory flowers drifting over head will be the prelude to a roadside vegetable garden surrounded by a magic carpet of wildflowers.



And most likely I will be working on a dry stack stone wall.

8 comments:

Frances said...

It's magic.

Frances

Jim/ArtofGardening said...

It is a pretty spectacular stone wall, added to not only by your creating of it, but by your prose about it. It's looking great.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

TEAR DOWN THE FIRST WALL!!!! Mrs Spot please keep an eye on the Servant, mustn't over exert hisself.

In the far far away future those that find the concrete columns and walls will know that a King sat upon this mountain and ruled his kingdom with the sounds of his many subjects oooing and ahhhing at the spendor that was created.

Gail said...

I agree with Frances...It is magic! Christopher~~as you weave your story I am transported to a wonderful place! It's your mountain! gail

Cindy, MCOK said...

Christopher, I wish I had you here to help me with the much smaller but equally problematic (to me!) retaining wall in my courtyard. I feel certain you'd know just how to achieve the look I want!

lola said...

I agree with Frances, Gail & Lisa. In the future one will know that a person took the care of the land that loved the land & worked with it to enhance it with it's bounty.

Les said...

I really like the color you have chosen for the columns. I would never have considered it, but it really works. Since you first showed them painted, they kept reminding me of some place I could not remember from school, until tonight - the Palace of Knossos.

http://image24.webshots.com/24/4/25/56/40042556KmropR_fs.jpg

Christopher C. NC said...

Frances, I think the wall will have good Mana.

Thanks Jim.

Lisa, tearing down the first wall for a re-do is far down the list. Maybe in a few years. I do so look forward to the day when I can survey the beautiful gardens from the patio.

Gail, evry day it becomes more of a home and garden.

Cindy, you should do a post on it and ask for creative ideas, then nudge me to be sure to see it.

Lola, having evrything belong to the land and be a part of it is very important to me.

Wow Les. That is trippy. Thanks for the picture. I saved it for review because I do want to do some kind of treatment to the main girder. That will be good for ideas. For the two electrical stub outs for patio lights at the bottom of the siding, my idea for them is already very shallow and wide frisbee like dishes on protruding arms.