Stobo sculptures
How can a week have passed since I meant to post more photos from our damp soujourn at Stobo? But pass it has, so I may as well get on and show you what I've been intending to post all week: sculptures by local artists which were dotted around the gardens.
The gorilla in the bamboo might appear incongruous, but for me it immediately recalled a favourite childhood book, 'A Stranger at Green Knowe', where a gorilla escaped from a zoo finds refuge at the old house of Green Knowe. The series of Green Knowe books by Lucy Boston is one of the great classics of English children's literature. The first book especially, 'The Children of Green Knowe', is utterly magical. I hesitate whether to visit the setting of the books one day - the Manor at Hemmingford Grey, lest the magic disappear in contact with reality.
Below are some of my favourite pieces from the garden opening. I could see a place for all of them either in my garden or at the allotment. I wonder what our allotment fox would make of the penguins?
This last piece is especially lovely. I coveted it. One day, perhaps...
Lovely sculptures!
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! Everything is so GREEN!! The Texas heat is in the triple digits and you can SEE the grass turning crisp and brown!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sculptures!
ReplyDeleteI love them all. I went to Green Gables on Prince Edward Island where "Anne of Green Gables" was set and it was fabulous walking around and trying to figure out the different settings.
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the first people I've come across who remembers the magical Green Knowe books! I was introduced to them as a child by a friend whose mother knew the author, I think. I never read the one with the gorilla, though.
ReplyDeleteI love grounds with sculptures scattered about, for visitors to come upon unexpectedly. One day I would love to do something similar here at Castle Beastie, should resources ever permit.
Btw, 'Tree Girl' now has pride of place over at DB! :)
I love "BREATH"! Thank you for sharing these with us. I'd never heard of the Green Knowe books - must check them out.
ReplyDeleteLinda, glad you liked the sculptures. I felt sorry for the artists - the day was so horrible that people didn't linger in front of the sculptures.
ReplyDeleteLinda, triple digit heat is too much even for me. I wish you cooler temperatures soon (never thought I'd hear myself say that).
Randy, thanks. I would love one of them for myself.
RedPat, that was my mother's favourite book when she was growing up.
dancingbeastie, I first encountered Green Knowe through Jackanory on TV. Good old-fashioned story-reading. No animation. It was sheer magic, and the spell of it has remained with me to this day.
Christine, do try 'The Children at Green Knowe', and let me know what you think.
They are all wonderful. I at first thought it was a real gorilla.
ReplyDeleteThere's a part of my mind niggling away, thinking they really meant to put "breathe" on that plaque.
ReplyDeleteLarry, it gave me a start when I first saw it!
ReplyDeleteMarceline, I'm glad you said that. When I saw the plaque in the garden I read it as 'breathe'. Then when I saw the photo I put my mis-reading down to the rain. But every time I catch sight of the photo in my blog I still read 'breathe'.
The leaf was indeed the highlight of the show. The lines of the stone enhance it so beautifully.
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