Step by step

So I was going to do a blog today and strange and bizarre landscape design and gardens, but when i came across The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, I had to step back and say "Wow, this is a blog all unto itself!"



So here we go. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is located in Scotland on the private estate of architect and architectural critic Charles Jencks and is only open to the public for viewing once a year. Inspired by science, math and modern physics, The Garden of Cosmic Speculation took nearly two decades to complete.



Jenncks and his late wife, Maggie Keswick, an expert on Asian garden design, are the brain children behind this 30 acre spectacle called a garden. From double-helix spiral staircases to sculptures to pyramid-esque landforms that reflect is still ponds offer up an Alice in Wonderland type feel when you view the gardens themselves.





Sculptures abound and you can feel the juxtaposition and contrast of how science meets nature in this garden of wonders. Fractals and swooping curves are everywhere in The Garden of Cosmic Speculation.







The only thing in our opinion missing here is an outdoor burning system to pair with the elegance of the waterscapes. There is something about the blending of fire and water in modern landscape architecture that brings a balance and completeness to outdoor design.

So if you decide to ever visit The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, be sure to get there at the crack of dawn, because from what we hear, the streets come to a stand still this grand single day per year when the general public can view the grounds.

For more information on custom outdoor burning systems, please visit us online, or call us today! 1-877-556-5255

Most people going about their daily lives pay little attention to Landscaping Design. Little do they know how important it is to their overall mental well being. The visual environment plays a subtle part in how we see the world and thus how the world affects each of us.

Such an important and ubiquitous feature of our world is all around us. Yet it is all but "unseen" by most people. Some say that it a measure of its success. Like something subtly beautiful. It uplifts, but doesnt impose.

Landscapes that are not well Designed, or have little or no Design thought invested in them, are subconsciously offensive to our spirit. They tend to offend something deep within all of us. Something perennial.
Design in Landscaping is a very broad term. It can mean the clever structuring of the land around a small private residence. In that regards it means the careful planning of the position of various plant bed. It means deciding which plants should be grown in which bed. It also means the placing of ornamental non plant objects and items.

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Taxes. A swear word in most peoples vocabulary.

Nobody likes paying them, but we all enjoy the benefits of public libraries, smooth roads and waste removal.

I had an epiphany the other day - that having a beautiful garden requires the same investment as paying taxes. You only notice the problem, when its too late, and the infrastructure isnt there.

The insight came to me when I visited a garden recently, where I had been called in to consult (a few years ago), during the preparation stage of this garden.

At the time, my client was more concerned with the final product than with what went into getting it there (and trying to get there as economically as possible).

They rashly ignored my insistence that they pay more attention to the preparation of the soil. I suggested that they should almost spend a larger portion of their budget on remedial work for the soil, than on the plants. It fell on deaf ears - or perhaps I didnt articulate it well enough.

Either way, two years later, the result is a problem that is far more difficult to address. The plants are pale and sparse, and the grass is patchy and full of weeds.

My suggestion if youre still in the early stages - pay your garden taxes now. Youll reap the rewards later (literally). If your soil is in overdraft, its not too late to start making regular payments now.
Start by topdressing your lawn with a thin layer of good, rich compost, add copious amounts of compost to flower beds, and mulch wherever possible. It may take a while, but the fruit will be so much richer.

Its been hard to ignore the fact that theres a World Cup happening in our backyard at the moment. Its been something weve been building (literally and emotionally) towards for the last several years, with equal doses of pessimism and excitement. Im looking forward to seeing the long-term benefits to our economy and nation, as the rest of the world has a chance to see what a truly amazing place South Africa is. The truth is, once youve lived here, its hard to be happy anywhere else.

Flag Wrapped Tree outside the Africa Art Centre on Florida Road

Huge amounts of money have been spent on things like building brand new stadiums, fixing infrastructure that wasnt too bad before, and tidying beaches, parks and other public places. None of which would and should probably be a high priority in a country, where there is such an extreme between rich and poor. Where the AIDS epidemic has effected almost everyone to some degree, and where many essentials are spoken of as priorities, but are in actuality, neglected.

But honestly, Im not sure that Im unhappy that money has been spent on these "superficial" things. You cant deny the effect that this World Cup has had on uniting a nation obsessed with pointing at our differences, rather than celebrating what makes us unique.

Natal Mahogany wrapped with South African Flag for the World Cup

The money that has been spent on revamping our Durban beachfront, or creating parks where there were empty lots before, or planting trees to beautify the neighbourhoods, would never have been spent on these less important things. Sadly, creating beauty is seen as unimportant in our needy world.

But beauty is what inspires us, its what takes our minds off of the mundane. Beauty affects our emotions, and perceptions. It changes the way we feel about ourselves. Im not advocating choosing something pretty over buying food to eat. But if were not looking, we might miss the fact that the beautiful doesnt always have to be sacrificed to the practical.

Wrapped Trees lining the streets of Durban for 2010

Very often, beauty doesnt have to even be costly. Sometimes, it just needs a different perspective, new eyes, or the desire to appreciate.