Here is another angle of the little recessed edifice. We were fortunate to find some Basalt Boulders which supplied the sitting spots around the grotto. They are ‘volcanic crystal’ and I always just loved that term, lol. I use them whenever I can, not only for their “spoken”, verbal value, but also because of their incredibly interesting columnar shapes.

We used them as well at the entry, upright, as pillars straddling the entrance and the steps down. I will post pictures of them as well, in time. By the way, bear in mind these pictures show the project at an early stage concerning plants. They have grown larger since, needless to say. This was the very freshly planted look. The fact is, I have not been back there in a couple of years, as often happens. You get to know people so frightfully well. You see their hopes and go through a myriad of emotions as they see the unholy (appropriate here!) messes we landscapers make, then watch their faces light up as they return home on that magical day when the grass goes down and it starts really looking “done”.

Then you’re off in a cloud of dust to the next project.

Oh, lest I forget, this home is also the home of the “Formal Garden” posts just below these.

I do regret missing a certain much-missed batch of pictures which featured this place much better. Nevertheless, this one is a reasonable reflection of the style and the essence of our “formal garden” effort and I think it is represented effectively. It was precisely what the owners wanted in any event, so my job was a success in that very vital respect. To get even more “Italian”, we went positively “B.C.” in the series I show tomorrow: ‘The Grotto’.

I am sooo not a geek or even close to high tech, lol. But at least I do take credit for having the foresight to take the pictures supplied so far. Frankly, the entire blogging aspect surprises me with all its ramifications. It is actually some kind of wonderful. You readers will have to accept that part of my sense of place and what I often get most from landscaping efforts are views of “in-progress” and some “before” looks. The construction process can be interesting and educational. For me it invokes some pride and a sense of achievement, naturally enough. But it is always the learning that I care for most. I owe so much to so many people who have helped me learn about these landscaping and other matters. As one of my favorite philosophers, Eric Hoffer says:

“The central task of education is to implant a will and a facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together.”

“In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.”

I’ve determined to update pretty much daily. I still have oodles of pictures to use and this blog may even take on a less technical and more personal character as time goes by. Since I began connecting with other bloggers, this entire galaxy of new people and intriguing and exciting ideas have borne an urge to continue that and to try to supply the same level of interest and stimulation for them as well. Other people, like you all, Brian and Billie Jo (gotcha!), down in Owensboro, I always like keeping you happy. I’ll start linking reciprocally soon, and give my friends who don’t blog a chance to see what I am talking about. For now, a good place to begin is in http://www.Blotanical.com.

I am actually not entirely sure what this will look like as I sit here typing. I had hoped to find an old photo showing more detail of the circular pattern we established at the entry to this home. While I suspect one can see if they look hard enough at the pattern towards the top of the picture, it may not give the intimate look I was hoping for. Alas, I’ll go ahead and see what I see here. (Later………if you click the thumbnail photo to enlarge it, for many it will have an additional enlarging capacity……click it again and this will give the best view.)

This project was noteworthy for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the labor we lavished on the pavers. This interesting design of pavers offers a ‘mottled-top’ look in a “tumbled” style, reminiscent, the owners hoped, of Italy. I think that much worked in its own way and they ended up very pleased as well. But what was far more wild was the cutting and fitting my foreman, Kenny, did on establishing this circular aspect as one approached the door.

Making circles in pavers is often a mere matter of ordering a “circle kit”, where they have pre-cut pavers made to precisely and meticulously fit into a radiating pattern, from the center out. However, this paver did not allow that. It had no template. What it implied was that we had to cut small radii, fit them into place and see if they worked. Balance and proportion were always an issue. Also, once fit satisfactorily, we then needed to shave the upper corners where they were cut and rough them up to match the “tumbled” appearance of all the other edges of this purposefully-‘antiqued’ design. Lots and lots of grinder work!

These pavers actually cover a concrete surface. The entire porch was formed and poured in a glaring white cement, especially glaring with Reno’s constant sunshine. We then glued each paver in place to the existing cement, giving the super solid structure of what you see here.

Even in Reno, Nevada, the urge for formality and a Retro sort of Italian style reverberates with some people’s urges. This project was a pretty vast one and detail-rich one and includes the “Infinity Edge” waterfall and pond out in the back yard as well as the “Grotto” pictures also shown earlier. But for sheer symmetry and balance, mixed with the natural ‘informality’ of most plants, Nature and Architecture can make a pretty splendid blend. Combining anarchy, well-represented by Nature and plantings, their diseases, their weird growth and all their wildness and genetic zaniness with pure concrete symmetry and formal lines makes for some interesting projects.

This place had another couple of features, no less, which I plan to show tomorrow, including hand-cut circular paving patterns on their front porch as well as surrounding this very formal fountain.

By the way, leveling and getting these formal fountains in the right spot is a chore that tries a man’s patience. (Just thought I would toss that out there!). Especially the prefab ones, you get a very imperfect product, bottom line, as pretty as they are. What it implies is the need for the patience of Job. Do I have that? Don’t ask.