Or perhaps eerily beautiful.
That is what I find the sculpture like at the Toronto Botanical Gardens. I visited with a friend last week, when I was waiting for Ian to arrive from Barbados.
This ‘temporary’ art installation is made up of natural materials, either found at the TBG or gardens maintained by Landscape Ontario members in Toronto. Designed by award-winning garden designer W. Gary Smith, it took over 300 hours by volunteers and staff at the TBG.
I love it, whimsical, magical, it calls out to the child in me. What about you?
I am a floral designer living in a tiny condo in downtown Toronto, Canada's largest city. But on the weekend, I am a gardener/frustrated architect trying to keep up with a 3/4 acre garden in Owen Sound, Ontario, a warm (to Canadians, Zone 5b, and a cold (to Americans, Zone 4b) garden.
Green Theatre 
paulinemulligan said,
September 26, 2012 @ 3:45 AM
Art in the landscape or gardens that gets people thinking, talking, wondering adds another dimension and I think is therefore to be admired. It isn’t necessary to ‘ understand ‘ it, just enjoy it!
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:19 AM
I did enjoy it, wish I had some art at Kilbourne Grove.
David Leeman said,
September 26, 2012 @ 7:29 AM
It looks like an unfinished theatre set for Hansel and Gretel. …you kept out of you’re shot the fallen forest of tree trunks and roots with the lovely caution tape around it…..was this part of the installation?…..I don’t want to ask how much was paid to have this “temporary installation”
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:20 AM
I do not know if they are going to add to the installation, maybe a nice stumpery, but the yellow caution tape just did not contribute to the picture.
Jess said,
September 26, 2012 @ 10:00 AM
I would be surprised if the inspiration for this wasn’t from my area! Because of the flooding of tidal creeks sometimes large trees get a salt bath and die on the spot, only to look exactly as above in a few years time (general with spanish moss still clinging to them)…also the shorter ones look like those trees (tupulo) which grow in our swampy area and whose roots come up out of the water similarly so they don’t drown.
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:21 AM
It sounds beautiful Jess, is it appreciated as art in your area, or just thought of as a mess?
Sharon said,
September 26, 2012 @ 1:24 PM
Yes..love !!!!!!
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:21 AM
Me too!
debsgarden said,
September 30, 2012 @ 1:08 AM
I love it! I find it both eerie and beautiful. At first I thought the first photo was of a real plant and was wondering what species it was!
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:25 AM
I would love something like this for Kilbourne Grove.
Marguerite said,
September 30, 2012 @ 2:40 PM
I quite like the circle of what appear to be dead trees (although on close inspection it looks like wrapped vines of some sort?) There is something about the architecture of the dead limbs that really captures my attention and this echos the real thing very well.
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:26 AM
I think is is wrapped branches, but there is a circle of dead trees around them, just not showing in the photos.
Wendy said,
September 30, 2012 @ 8:59 PM
ditto – eerie and beautiful. I like that photo that looks like they’re doing some sort of wave. Definitely looks alive in some way
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:26 AM
They are moving this to the childrens garden, hope the kids like it.
Alistair said,
October 2, 2012 @ 10:04 AM
Interesting comes to mind, I suspect your photos do it justice.
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:27 AM
Thanks Alistair, there is some stumps around it as well, maybe a stumpery will be the next stage.
Jennifer Connell said,
October 5, 2012 @ 9:29 AM
I have been dying to get back to the Botanical Gardens one last time this year. I really like these abstract sculptures. They are mysterious and a bit eerie.
kilbournegrove said,
October 16, 2012 @ 9:29 AM
Hope you do, I am curious if they have done anything else with these, lots of stumps around them.