Recently, while strolling through the botanical garden in the heart of the bustling city of Atlanta, I came across a sight that stopped me in my tracks. What I saw was a 25-foot living sculpture of an Earth Goddess. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday.
I did some research and learned that the Earth Goddess was originally created by Mosaicultures Internationales de Montreal. Atlanta Botanical Garden leased her at first, but then fell in love with her and purchased her for a mere $1.5 million in 2010. The goddess has been a permanent fixture in the garden ever since.
To create this Atlanta icon, artisans welded thin rods with sheet steel to create a framework for the plants. The frame was then covered with a liner and filled with soil. There is an irrigation system beneath the sculpture so the staff can control the amount of water the plants get. Every spring, a team of 15 horticulturists spends six to eight weeks plugging the liner with approximately 17,000 annuals. Gardeners pinch the plants down so they won’t grow too tall and spoil the effect. The Earth Goddess is maintained daily by the horticulture team during her growing season from May through October. Nothing is too good for their favorite gal.
The living sculpture looks different each year based on what plants they decide to use. For her tenth anniversary, her hair was made up of orange and purple SunPatients, pink begonia, red vinca, and chartreuse duranta.
I usually use only my own photographs in my posts, but since I won’t see her when this year’s flowers have matured, I’m including one below that I found on the Atlanta Botanical Garden website.
I did some research and learned that the Earth Goddess was originally created by Mosaicultures Internationales de Montreal. Atlanta Botanical Garden leased her at first, but then fell in love with her and purchased her for a mere $1.5 million in 2010. The goddess has been a permanent fixture in the garden ever since.
To create this Atlanta icon, artisans welded thin rods with sheet steel to create a framework for the plants. The frame was then covered with a liner and filled with soil. There is an irrigation system beneath the sculpture so the staff can control the amount of water the plants get. Every spring, a team of 15 horticulturists spends six to eight weeks plugging the liner with approximately 17,000 annuals. Gardeners pinch the plants down so they won’t grow too tall and spoil the effect. The Earth Goddess is maintained daily by the horticulture team during her growing season from May through October. Nothing is too good for their favorite gal.
The living sculpture looks different each year based on what plants they decide to use. For her tenth anniversary, her hair was made up of orange and purple SunPatients, pink begonia, red vinca, and chartreuse duranta.
I usually use only my own photographs in my posts, but since I won’t see her when this year’s flowers have matured, I’m including one below that I found on the Atlanta Botanical Garden website.
