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Columbus, Ohio
Topiary Gardens: a mini-escape with huge rewards By Paul D. Molyneux |
 Here's a topiary doggie |
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The stifling heat of the mid-afternoon seemed to lessen as my eyes followed the swirls made by schools of fish that had learned to come begging for any random bits of food that visitors might fling onto the water's surface. The many varieties of flowers growing along the edge of the pond, in the water, and off into the farthest recesses of the park brightened my attitude as well as my vision. Even the trees added to the mood for they were planted with an eye towards variety and balance, nearly qualifying the place as an arboretum. As I continued through the park, I watched the four-man rowing crew as it poked its way among the row boats and sail boats dotting the water. I spent a little time with a short pudgy man dressed in his Sunday best as he surveyed the afternoon scene with his matronly wife. We mused over the large fuzzy dog sniffing around the picnic area. A young girl, thrilled with life, spun around, her long tresses trailing straight out behind her. Several adults had congregated nearby basking in the serenity of the place. I had come upon this rare jewel of a place in the heart of Columbus, Ohio (a brilliant multi-hued oasis nestled amidst the concrete and steel of the bustling downtown. Its name? The Topiary Garden located in Deaf School Park. Here is a unique combination of real life and topiaries that staggers the imagination (a true living work of art. A low mounded ridge on the eastern edge provides visitors with a perfect spot to view the entire work as the artist saw it. Bronze plaques located here present some of the details:
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This tiny plot
with its gigantic artistic contribution came about in 1989 as the
brain-child of Columbus sculptor James T. Mason and came into being as a
part of the 1992 Quincentenary Project. This is the only topiary garden in
the world that is an interpretation of a painting.
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Inspired by
Georges Seurat's famous painting "A Sunday Afternoon On The Island of
La Grande Jatte," the work is an amazing recreation of the Seine
River scene in the painting. The original painting is on display at the
Art Institute of Chicago. |
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| The Deaf School Park is a perfect location for this project because it was born in the era that is depicted in Seurat's work¾middle to late nineteenth century. While the Deaf School has moved on to a new location, the park retains its original flavor with period fencing and lampposts. |
 Sunday in the Park -- sort of |
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While new brick
gateways and a gate house (which houses a gift shop called Yewmania On
Town) have been added, great attention to matching the older furnishings.
The last of the old school buildings, erected in 1899, still stands at the
edge of the park and is currently used as an office building.
Despite the great structure in the display, visitors are free to wander 'inside' the scene to inspect the detail of the sculptures, enjoy the multi-colored goldfish in the pond, and go crazy with a camera. The forms are in such detail that vitality and personality leap out to the observer. I thought my camera might wear out during the photo-frenzy that followed. Alas, I had brought only a minimum of film, but that provided me with perfect justification for not delaying a return trip. While the display is ten years past its dedication, it is still in progress. The larger forms (some as high as 12 feet) still require more time for the yews that fill them to complete their growth. While some may see this as a disadvantage, I viewed it as a great opportunity to observe many details of the artist's craft that will be hidden from the observer's eyes in the future. On subsequent visits, I can grow with it. I found it particularly impressive that the artist didn't stop with merely training some shrubbery to grow in a recognizable shape, but went to painstaking detail with the surrounding area to complete the overall effect. Because of this, the regular maintenance required is staggering and the crews, under the supervision of Elaine Mason (the sculptor's wife and art director for the Division of Recreation and Parks) and Ralph Guglielmi (city gardener), keep everything shipshape. Even the most casual observer will be impressed with the immaculate manicured presentation. |
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 Row, row, row your boat |
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The project is funded through The Department of Recreation and Parks, private civic organizations, arts foundations, and several corporate grants. It is open year round, but the best times for viewing are April through November. There is never an admission charge. When you come to Columbus, Ohio, make sure that the Topiary Garden in Deaf School Park is a part of your itinerary¾not only to admire its beauty and the talents that produced it, but to receive a welcome respite from the rigid and hardened pace of our twenty-first century lifestyle. Further information
and exact location is available from: Friends
of the Topiary Park, 480 E. Town St. Or from their brand-new website: www.topiarygarden.org |
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