My Blog List

Thursday 30 June 2011

How to turn 8000 plants into a Van Gogh masterpiece

I’ve just been to London’s Trafalgar Square to check how the ‘living art’ on display outside the National Gallery is doing. Van Gogh’s 1889 painting of ‘A Wheatfield with Cypresses’ has been recreated with more than 25 varieties of plants, and although the colours in this living wall aren’t all perfect matches, as the foliage grows, it’s looking pretty good, and attracting much attention from passers-by.


For those not quite sure how the original looks, there's also a copy with an explanation. I wonder what the artist would have made of it all?
The living painting will be on display until the end of October.

Friday 24 June 2011

Streetscape - the Greening of Blenheim Gardens

From this.................




...........to this............

                                           ..........................................and  this!                                                                                                                     

  







We're lucky to have lots of trees along the streets where I live in north-west London. But too often the area around them gets filled with weeds and litter. Now some keen gardeners are working on a project which is changing this. When they saw the local council (Brent) carrying out footpath improvements outside their homes, they got permission to plant flowers around the tree pits that were being created. A few months on, using lots of low-maintenance hardy perennials and a smattering of bulbs and colourful annuals, they've transformed their street. A walk along Blenheim Gardens has become a journey of discovery – each tree pit is different, with surprises around every corner.
All the work and after-care, such as weeding and watering, is on a voluntary basis, and as more people get involved, surplus plants from their gardens are being added to the planting. It’s a great example of how to improve the environment while increasing community spirit.
The project is being supported by the council and the Mapesbury Residents' Assn (MapRA).