Category: sustainable garden art

From Eyesore to Educational Masterpiece

On By durhammastergardenersIn art in the landscape, garden design, gardening education, sustainable garden art, sustainable garden design, sustainable watering, sustanability

By Lisa Nadler, Mary Hanlon, and Martha Keehner Engelke, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

The Durham County Extension Demonstration Garden (DG) is a unique, widely-recognized city garden that welcomes and inspires visitors. It is a place of education and entertainment even during the winter months because of the plant tags used throughout the garden that are linked to the NC State Extension Toolbox. The art installations in the garden make the garden a haven for native plants and pollinators and the garden has received Bird Friendly Habitat Certification from New Hope Bird Alliance.

Recently the DG has undergone a few changes. A chronic eyesore has been converted to a work of educational art and a beloved member of the garden died and had to be removed.

Changing an eyesore to a work of art that is beautiful and educational.

The demonstration garden is located at the Durham County Extension Office (721 Foster St Durham, NC 27701). The majority of the garden is in the front of the building and consists of a variety of plants that are grouped according to their sun requirements. Water to nourish the garden comes from two large cisterns located on the side of the building. The cisterns reduce the need for hand watering which saves time and provides more consistent watering but they were ugly.

The large cisterns were valuable but not very attractive. How could they become a work of art and serve the educational purpose of the Durham Master Gardener Demonstration Garden? (Image credit: Allie Mullin, Lisa Nadler)

The goal was to make the cisterns more visually appealing to people visiting the Extension Office and create an opportunity to educate the public about native wetland and garden plants. Master Gardener Lisa Nadler, in conjunction with local muralist and Master Gardener Dave Milkereit, led a team1 in transforming the cisterns into a welcoming and  educational experience for visitors to the Extension Office.

The first step was to remove the peeling paint manually and through the use of electric sanders. Next the cisterns were covered with several coats of primer and a background color. The idea was to use a fairly neutral dark color of paint so that the images of the plants and pollinators would “pop”.

Preparation for painting included sanding and application of several coats of primer (Image credit: Lisa Nadler and Allie Mullin)

Dave Milkereit painted the plants and pollinators to be featured on the cisterns on canvas and then rolled the canvas to see how it would look on the cisterns. The design included plants, insects and birds from swamp and wetland areas as well as garden and prairie environments.

Dave divided his painting into grids to allow him to transfer his work onto the cistern scaling up the size appropriately. From there, he used chalk to draw the outlines of the plants and pollinators from his drawing. Dave then painted over the chalk outlines with black paint. (Image credit: Dave Milkereit)

After Lisa and Dave mixed paints to match the colors of the plants and pollinators, they taped on numbers corresponding to the colors to be painted, and set the rest of the Master Gardeners to work filling in the image using a “paint by number” system. Several of the paints were translucent and required a white background before the color painting.

The color palette on the left is then being applied by Ashley Troth, Durham Extension Agent and Joan Barber, chair of the demonstration garden committee. (Image credit: Lisa Nadler)

The final step will be to add a UV protection and a graffiti protection system. Lisa Nadler comments on the lessons learned through this project:

“In all, about 400 hours of volunteer time went into this project. We have gotten lots of positive feedback about the results as well.  It would never have been possible without Dave’s creativity and his willingness to let amateur painters work on his creation. In addition, his support and skill were what allowed this project to go smoothly.”

On the left the Extension Master Gardeners are recognized for their efforts. Lisa Nadler and Dave Milkereit were instrumental in providing leadership and creativity (Image credit: Lisa Nadler, Dave Milkereit)

Now that the project is completed visitors are encouraged to visit the Extension Office to admire and learn. As you face the cisterns you’ll see the left cistern features native plants for gardens, while the cistern on the right highlights native plants found in wetlands. The images of plants include both the common and scientific name and when the cistern website is completed they will be linked to the NC Extension Toolbox through a QR code which will be posted on each cistern.

The illustrations on the cisterns include both the common name as well as the scientific name of the plants and pollinators on the cisterns making them both beautiful and educational (Image credit: Lisa Nadler)

The Disappearing Electric Boxes

There was one more painting project that the Durham EMGs decided to tackle. The front façade of the extension building has long been dominated by a large, grey, electrical box. For years, members of the demonstration garden team had discussed adding a design to make it more appealing. Mary Hanlon had an idea to hide the box in plain sight by painting it to match the bricks of the building.

The first step was to find the right colors. Lisa Nadler found a brick that appeared to match the building perfectly.  Mary purchased a paint sample that was color-matched to the brick, experimented by painting a poster board with this color, and confirmed that it blended well with the building.  It was more challenging to color-match the multiple types of grout that had been used on the building.  The starting point was a custom color mixed by Dave Milkereit, but it took several trips to paint stores to collect similar color chips and paint samples, and multiple experiments on the poster board to find a color that blended well with the building grout.

The box was cleaned with a dry cloth followed by a damp cloth, being careful to avoid getting water in the box. The team painted the electrical box with exterior primer and paint that matched the building. The next step was to add the grout lines. Jeff Kanters and Mary Hanlon drew horizontal level chalk lines on the box, and taped mock bricks (cardboard cut to the size of a brick) on the lines, to form the desired pattern. They then outlined the “bricks” with chalk to indicate where the grout lines would be before painting  the lines.   The next step was shading the bricks and grout to give them a little dimension. Again, they practiced on poster boards before moving on to the electrical box.

Before and after pictures of the electric box at the front of the building. Jeff Kanters and Mary Hanlon did the majority of the painting and Mary coordinated the project. (Image credit: Left: Lisa Nadler others by Mary Hanlon)

A tree dies and is removed: What now?

A large crabapple tree (Malus coronaria) died and had to be removed. This tree was a beloved feature of the Shady Bed and a staple of the Demo Garden, so its removal marks a bittersweet moment.

Before its removal the crabapple tree (Malus coronaria) was the anchor of the shady bed which isn’t so shady anymore and the bed is now awaiting new plants and a native tree. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

According to Extension Agent Ashley Troth, ” We will be adding another tree, this time a native, and adding lots of native shrubs and perennials. It will be a sunnier set of plants than were there previously, with an emphasis on drought tolerance, as that bed can get quite dry under the willow oak.“

In the coming year the Demo Garden team will explore innovative ideas and exciting plans for this area. We’re looking forward to creating something special to honor this space!

1. Thanks to all of the EMGs that worked on these projects: Ashley Troth (the Boss); Alice Hall; Allie Mullin; Anna Glasgow; Carol Tierney; Cathy Lambe; Darline Burgess; Dave Milkereit (the artist); Diane Catotti; Jeff Kanters; Joan Barber; Mary Hanlon (artist in charge of the electric boxes); Marya McNeish (website creator and organizer); Lisa Nadler (leader and herder of cats)

Additional Resources

To learn more about art in the garden, take a look at a previous post by Durham Master Gardener Wendy Diaz. https://durhammastergardeners.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=15791&action=edit

A website that includes more details on the cistern project as well as other resources is in development. Once completed, stickers with the QR code linking to the website will be placed on each cistern. Stay tuned!

Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5uY

Purposeful Art in the Demo Garden

On By durhammastergardenersIn art in the landscape, birds, container gardening, Durham NC, garden design, gardening, Gardening information, sustainable garden art, Uncategorized

by Martha Keehner Engelke NC State Extension Master Gardener SM volunteer of Durham County

(Special thanks and recognition to Deborah Pilkington, Joan Barber, and Lisa Nadler, Extension Master GardenersSM in Durham, NC, who contributed to this article.)

When you decide to add art to your garden do you make choices based on what is on sale or readily available at the local nursery ? Or, do you add art based on a goal that you hope to achieve? For example, you might want to add dimension to your garden space or provide a welcoming environment for birds and other critters. The mission of the Durham County Extension Master Gardener SM Demonstration Garden, located at 721 Foster Street, is to teach and demonstrate practical research-based gardening techniques for a variety of urban spaces. Since the garden began, art installations have been thoughtfully chosen to advance this mission. This article highlights the goals that have been advanced through the placement of specific art installations. Some potential projects for the future are also discussed.

Goal 1: Provide a permanent home for seasonal plantings

Whether you garden at home or in a public space, it is nice to have a permanent place where flowers and small shrubs can be displayed and changed based on the season. Many gardeners use pots or make a raised bed from wood or stone. Since the Demo Garden is in a very public and open space, we wanted to develop something more permanent and secure. Enter the idea of a gabion. A gabion (from the Italian gabbione meaning “big cage”) is a metal cage, cylinder, or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil. It is used in civil engineering for building dams, foundations, or roads. In the military, a gabion is used for protection of infantry from enemy fire, and in landscaping a gabion might be used for erosion control.

(Left to right) Gabion walls surround a hanging garden; a gabion is filled with books. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

After extensive research, the gabions were ordered from an online supplier. They were assembled, and inner cages were created. The gabions were placed at an angle to the walkway for visual interest. Large rocks were inserted between the outer and inner cages; then the inner cages were lined with weed barrier fabric to allow for drainage while also separating the potting mix from the rocks. Then the gabions were planted.

Peter Gilmer, Master GardenerSM volunteer, provided the rocks for the gabions and led the effort to construct and line the them. The picture on the left shows the base and framework of the gabion, and the picture on the right demonstrates how the constructed gabion appears before planting. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

As seen in the pictures below, we plant the gabions at least twice a year to demonstrate seasonal approaches to container gardening.

(Left to right) Examples of seasonal plantings in the gabions. (Image credit: L- Deborah Pilkington; R- Allie Mullin)

Goal 2: Demonstrate approaches that provide a welcoming environment for birds to thrive

Part of the mission of the Demo Garden was to obtain Bird Friendly Habitat Certification from New Hope Audubon (now New Hope Bird Alliance). This designation recognizes that a garden includes native plants (at least 70%); is free of invasive species; and provides a haven for birds. There are two bird houses in the garden. One, in particular, is unique, handcrafted, and colorful.

Lisa Nadler built this colorful birdhouse. It includes a “stovepipe” baffle to ward off predators such as snakes, squirrels, and raccoons. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Another art installation that welcomes the birds is a bird bath made by local artist Bob Simchock. He and his wife Jenny started their company doing residential stonework but now limit their work to benches, tables, birdbaths, lights, and garden art.1 The birdbath was installed in July, 2022.

(Left to right) The artistically made bird bath. (Image credit: Lisa Nadler); Recognition plaque of Bird Friendly Habitat Certification (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

There were several problems related to the birdbath that we addressed. First, it sits on a stone pedestal which rocks a bit causing the water to drain out. This has been corrected with shims between the top and the base. Second, the bird bath must be cleaned with a brush on a regular basis since you cannot pick it up to wash it. A brush is now part of our demo garden toolkit. Third, because the birdbath is shallow, it does not hold much water and was drying out on a daily basis. Filling it required dragging the hose between multiple plants, resulting in it being dry more often than it was filled. This has been corrected by having the irrigation system which waters the garden fill the bird bath. This allows water to be in the birdbath most of the time.

Goal 3: Add a vertical dimension to the garden to highlight plants and vines that climb

Having a vertical section of the garden was always a part of the master plan. Deborah Pilkington, the lead of the “vertical” team, had taken a welding class, and as her final project built a tall artistic garden trellis inspired by a picture in Handy magazine.2 The size, dimensions, and the artistry made this a perfect choice for the vertical section of the Demo Garden. With volunteer Jackie MacLeod’s metal expertise and tools3, Jackie, Deborah, and Lisa Nadler cut, bent, welded and painted the pieces to replicate what Deborah had previously made. Peter Gilmer helped with the installation.

As the vertical team fashioned the trellises they developed, a secondary goal evolved: having the trellises pay homage to the building where we’d install them. The original Agriculture Extension Building was erected in 1948 in a Moderne architectural style, and it served as a “curb market” (what we would typically think of as a farmer’s market) until the mid 1960s. In 2004, the building was rehabilitated and the larger windows above the three main block entrances were replaced with black metal frames with a central circular motif. To tie the trellises artistically to the building, a similar circular element was added to the original trellis design recognizing the historical significance of the building.

(Left to right) The circular window of the building was added in 2004, and it is reflected in the structure of the trellis. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

The corners of the trellis have colorful and beautiful fused glass squares created by Ali Rosenberg which are attached by a single wire at the top and bottom allowing them to have some
movement in the wind.

The trellises have fused glass at each corner which adds a pop of color. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

The trellises were installed in April 2024, and additional work is being completed to level and stabilize them. A lively discussion has ensued about whether these are “art” or “trellises.” The outcome of that discussion will determine what if any vine-type plants are added. Possible options are moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba) or an annual such as black-eyed Susan vine, (Thunbergia alata).

The Future: Can a dead tree by turned into art with a purpose?

One of the issues that has recently emerged in the Demo Garden is that a large crabapple tree (Malus coronaria) has died. It will be a challenge to reevaluate the plants in this area given that it was the central feature of the shady bed.

After many years of beauty and shade, our beloved crabapple tree has died. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

The chair of the demo garden team, Joan Barber, has already started to generate ideas for how this tree could be turned into a work of art. Here are a few thoughts that were generated during a recent workday:

  • Directional Signpost: Attach directional signs to the branches to guide visitors through the garden.
  • Carved Sculpture: Transform the dead tree into a beautiful carved sculpture, adding an artistic focal point to the garden.
  • Educational Display: Use the tree as an educational tool by adding plaques or signs with information about the tree’s species, history, and the wildlife it supports.
  • Art Installation: Decorate the tree with various artistic elements, such as hanging ornaments, wind chimes, or mosaic tiles. 
  • Birdhouse: Install birdhouses on the tree to provide shelter for wildlife.
  • Planter: Hollow out sections of the tree to create unique planters for flowers, succulents, or herbs.
  • Insect Habitat: Turn the tree into a habitat for beneficial insects, such as bees or ladybugs, by drilling holes or adding natural materials.

Stay tuned! As the plan for the dead tree materializes we will keep you up to date through this blog. Until then, come to the garden and enjoy the plants, art, and people that you will find there.

The Moon Gate Arbor was chosen by Mary Hanlon and assembled by Peter Gilmer. One of Durham’s senior citizens enjoys a rest on a recent visit to the Demonstration Garden. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Notes

1. Additional information and pictures of Mr. Simchok’s work can be found at https://www.simchockstone.com/.

2. Additional information on the inspiration for the trellises can be found in Handy magazine, Legwold, Gary: Artistic Trellis: Weld Your Way to a Transformed Garden, May – June, 2007, pp. 44-48.

3. To see examples of Jackie MacLeod’s work go to: http://jackiemacleod.com/

Resources and Additional Information

To read more about the history of the Durham County Extension Building which was a curb market at one time go to: https://www.opendurham.org/buildings/durham-county-agricultural-building-curb-market-extension.

From September 15th – December 8, 2024 the 36th annual Sculpture in the Garden exhibit will be open. This event unites the work of local artists with the native plant landscapes of the North Carolina Botanical Garden. More information can be found at: https://ncbg.unc.edu/visit/exhibits/sculpture-in-the-garden/.

The Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has developed a project called Dig Art! Cultivating Creativity in the Garden. The program is for educators interested in strengthening the relationship between gardening and a variety of the arts.  The activities in the guide help to teach ecological literacy and inspire new enthusiasm for garden-based learning.  To learn more about this program visit: https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/lessons/dig-art-cultivating-creativity-in-the-garden/.

If you want more information on how to construct a birdhouse that birds will really enjoy, take a look at this posting from the Cornell lab of Ornithology: https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/features-of-a-good-birdhouse/.

To learn more about how to use art in your own garden, visit one of our previous blogs written by volunteer Wendy Diaz for tips and design principles. See it here at: https://wp.me/2nIr1-46H.


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