Let's not be fooled by appearances! What at first glance looks like an archaeological site is in fact a perfect imitation of construction art from hundreds or even thousands of years ago.Another trend in garden art. And another one with an island lineage.
In Shakespeare's language, buildings that recreate ancient ruins, obelisks, pyramids, towers or temples are called garden folly or simply folly.Although such arrangements are found in gardens all over the world, they have nowhere gained such popularity as in the British Isles. In fact, they are their distinguishing feature.
A Polish example of a garden that draws on the best English patterns is the Arcadian Garden of Helena Radziwiłł near Łowicz. It was built at the end of the 18th century and still impresses with its panache and originality. In its area you can admire, among others the eclectic Temple of Diana and the Roman Aqueduct.
The first gardens with quasi-ancient structures were established by we althy landowners who were greatly influenced by Mediterranean art and culture. At the very beginning, Od had a decorative function, they were supposed to be eye-catching, hence they were usually erected in prominent positions.
Some people believe that the ruins, even the stylized ones, have a soul. Today it is not difficult to find stone or brick from demolition. Investors want to get rid of it even for free.Such recycled material is even necessary for the construction of the folly, because it bears traces of many years, often several dozen years of use and is covered with a noble patina.Demolition bricks can be used to lay walls, walls and terraces.In turn, an old broken tile is an excellent material for arranging a mosaic.
We already have companies on the market that specialize in designing and building garden ruins. Only seemingly they are simple. Because in this case, basic knowledge of the history of art and architectural design is more important than construction knowledge.If we do the work ourselves, let's try to recreate the original, or in fact a selected fragment, as faithfully as possible.Remember that the border between a stylized building and a pile of rubble is very thin. Let's do our best to be on the right side.
Wall decorations and climbing plants
A substitute for real ruins can be a simple wall decoration made of clinker or plaster prefabricated elements. The choice of this type of decorative element is huge. Decorations are available in most DIY stores or directly from the manufacturer. This is a good way to use up unusable garage walls or decorate an old border wall.
To give the arrangement three-dimensional, you need to think about adding a terrace and placing pots with ornamental plants, preferably all season.It's a good idea to plant vines on the walls, which, when they take on and grow, mask any building imperfections.
A vine worth recommending is wild wine, that is, five-leafed virginia creeper, whose leaves turn a beautiful fiery red color in autumn.Remember to select plants taking into account geographic directions to meet their needs in terms of the amount of light and temperature.
