Sunday, June 28, 2015

Labyrinth

Have you ever had an area in your garden that you just don't like and you can never think of what to do with it?  I had one of those spots. It was actually the front garden. You see I don't like to be out in my front garden so I haven't done much to it over the years. We live by a road that has a lot of traffic and it is full sun. I am very sensitive to sun so I can't be out in it much. So this part of the garden has languished these 20 years I have lived here.

Oh yes, the area around the driveway and to the East of the drive I have tried to plant a barrier between the garden and the traffic.

 On the West side of the lot I have done not much of anything.There is this big patch of zoysia grass.  I have nothing against zoysia grass. Actually I like zoysia. I hear you all gasping. First of all it makes a thick carpet wonderful to walk on barefooted. Secondly I sort of like the way it goes to sleep during the cold months and turns that straw color. It is always exciting when the weather begins to warm the zoysia begins to come alive as if by magic it becomes a lovely green carpet for spring to enter. Yet to look at a sea of zoysia is quite a bore, so boring I don't have a photo of the carpet of zoysia before implementing my idea to make it interesting and to create something I have often coveted.

What could that be you ask...a walking labyrinth. I have always admired these low lying sculptures in the garden. Every time I would come upon one I wondered where in my small garden I could put one. The labyrinths you see in public gardens are always so large. I couldn't see it in my garden until last fall.  I saw this photo of a labyrinth. I am sorry I can't give it the proper acknowledgement since I have had this photo since last year sometime and have forgotten where I found it. It is a public garden someplace in the US. EDIT: You can see the story here about my inspiration. Thank you Jean for reminding me where I saw this.
Of course to get to this point  you need a gardening crew. While I can see things in a picture and in my brain it doesn't always come out on paper or on in this case on the lawn like I want it. I had to enlist my Dearly Beloved aka Garden Crew to advance my idea.
After drawing on paper, measuring, mulling it over in my brain and not seeing it on the lawn my Dearly Beloved took all the left over paint on our shelves and drew me a picture on the lawn. 
Then I went to work. I discovered that pushing a mower through the zoysia is a little more difficult than it looked. 
This is how it looked last fall. I actually did it too late in the season to get the grass into shape as it had basically stopped growing. Just the painted lines in the lawn made quite a stir in the neighborhood. Neighbors stopped to ask what in the world was going on. 
This spring we went at it again. We mowed down to a clean slate. I couldn't quite make it turn out like I wanted. I was about to give up when one day I came home from work and the Garden Crew had been at it. What a difference it made. I have to thank my Dearly Beloved. He is always my rock, my help mate, better than any garden crew I could hire.
Here are a  couple of pictures as it is now. 

It has come along quite nice. All I need is a totem or small bench at the center. 
All the comments and questions have been interesting. People we don't know have stopped to ask what... why... do you believe in crop circles...? To me a labyrinth is a tool to get to the center and finding self or questions answered if you take enough time. I guess if and when they see me walking in the gloom of dawn or dusk I will forever be known as the crazy old lady walking in circles and I will be at peace in a sea of zoysia.

23 comments:

  1. I love it! Yes, I think a nice big rock at the center would make an interesting addition. It's always fun to make the neighbors wonder what you're up to:)

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  2. It is fantastic, as is the inspiration and its story which you will find here:

    http://wychwoodtasmania.com/?page_id=11

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  3. I love it, absolutely love it. To me, it is a work of art.
    I would not have the patience to have one.....that mowing looks like hard work.
    Well done DB.........do you landscape gardens in UK I wonder :)

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  4. Amazing! So how often do you have to mow it to maintain its shape? You are so clever to implement this!

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  5. Thank you Jean for reminding me where I saw the origin of my labyrinth inspiration.

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  6. Hi Cheryl, I would love to be able to come to the UK for a garden consultation. What fun would that be. Some day....

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  7. Lost Roses, I mow once per week as I do the rest of the grass in the garden. The only thing I do different is that the tall part is mown ever other week or so just to keep the frilly parts knocked off.

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  8. That is very cool! Kudos to the Garden Crew! I would be nervous about cutting into the design with my mower, though.

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  9. What a beautiful idea! This looks great!

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  10. I do not know what zoysia grass is but it sounds lovely and the name is fantastic.

    Your labyrinth is perfect...I bet you will attract David Bowie...

    <3

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  11. Love your labyrinth ~ I have a stone one in my lower yard ~ It is lovely to walk ~

    Happy Week to you,
    artmusedog and carol

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  12. Way cool! I'm sure you were/are the talk of the neighborhood.

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  13. Oh, how you make me smile. I can now imagine you walking your path in the morning and evening. Neighbors are funny aren't they? So curious and quick to tell us what they think. Lisa, I think it's beautiful.~~Dee

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  14. It looks fabulous! I am amazed at how obvious it is after only a year. I would have guessed it would take much longer. We have not had too many people stop by our project but I think it is because it is a big machine and the guys are doing dangerous work lifting rocks so no one wants to disturb them. Cindy at enclosure blog is doing a labyrinth type of design in her garden based on a quilt square.

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  15. Wow, that is certainly individual and unique! I absolutely love it, how creative and interesting. I would love to have that, mmmmm......now....how to lose the lawn and plant the grass!A marvelous post!xxx

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  16. I just love what you have done ... and look forward to seeing what you do put in the centre.

    All the best Jan

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  17. Lisa girl this is BRILLIANT !
    I actually had to search Google to find out what this grass was .. I had never heard of it before.
    You are a genius for applying this idea and no wonder you have people asking you what it is about .. I love the crop circle remarks ! hahaha
    I too don't like to be out front (I like my back garden that is all enclosed and totally private) .. but I do have to look after the garden I put there.
    If I had a space like yours ... I would steal this idea for sure.
    Love it !
    Take care
    Joy : )

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  18. I am SO impressed. Great idea, and the result is perfect.

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  19. It's really cool! And most unique. I've never seen anyone do this so kudos to you to think outside of the box and to put it in the frontyard! REALLY neat!

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  20. I like this a lot, Lisa! I hope it is continuing to fuel your creativity :-D

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  21. Especially love this one. And I'll be the other "crazy lady" to walk it with you. :D I need to come over and see this! And ... cheers to Dearly Beloved! :)

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  22. Especially love this one. And I'll be the other "crazy lady" to walk it with you. :D I need to come over and see this! And ... cheers to Dearly Beloved! :)

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