salvia in pink

The color and texture of this flower jumped out at me. When I asked its name I was told that it is a variety of salvia.

I didn't know there were so many different flowers wearing this name.

delicate

It was a challenge capturing this delicate flower yesterday; the wind insisted on almost constant movement.

autumn crocus

As I walked in Chanticleer Garden this morning I was delighted to see autumn crocus popping up across a large field.

It resembles the crocus we see early in the spring but it has a much larger flower. It is an autumn blooming plant, a member of the Colchicaceae plant family.

cats

This is my first visit since two (new) cats joined the household.

I was delighted to meet Nera and Bianca yesterday. The cats moved in with Mom & Suze back in July; they are already sure that it's their house.

Meet the cats!

Nera


Bianca

sunflower morning

Many of the sunflowers in the garden are well past their prime but this species continues to show happy flowers.

floating

This sculpture, suspended on wires, appears to float above the ground.

I think he's looking at me!

"Alien Sunglasses", created by Chuck Mead :: Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay

bee on aster

Bees were active in the garden this afternoon. There were quite a few flitting about, enjoying the newly opened asters. One stayed still long enough to pose for me.

felted

I'm sure I missed some of the sculptures in the Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay exhibit as I wandered there this week.

I was happy to find this set of felted creatures in a back corner of one of the gardens. This wonderful collection is the work of Susan Gately.

new flowers

There are still many flowers in bloom in the garden but I have to admit that I was surprised to see new varieties opening this late in the season.

Asters are opening, creating a new splash of color.

outdoor sculpture

The 2019 "Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay" show opened on Sunday. Once the sculptures were in place I headed to the park to see this year's creations.

Here is a bit of information on the show:

"This year's show is our twentieth show at Maudslay: the first was 1998, and we have taken two sabbatical years since, so this is our twentieth. The show has always been organized and run by the artists on a volunteer basis.

The show has never been juried - it's open to artists young and old from the Merrimack River area who are interested in creating site-specific sculpture outdoors. Artists range from experienced well-known sculptors, to children, to anyone inspired with an idea to build something. Many wonderful, beautiful, challenging sculptures have been created for the show, and we believe that the high quality of the work comes partly from the exploratory freedom the show offers."

Information on the 20th Sculpture at Maudslay show for Journalists & PR
written by Bert Snow

I suspect that I didn't find all of the sculptures. Some were spread across swaths of lawn; some were a bit more hidden.

It's hard to pick a favorite. For today I'll share some photos of "Recycled Fantasy Garden", created by Myra Suraci & Mia Thurlow. The main sculpture appears to be a dragon or serpent made out of recycled (large) water bottles and sporting a painted cardboard head. Its tongue is made of slices of cans, falling down into a birdbath full of discarded and colorful plastic.

Nearby I found a rabbit and a dog also created from recycled plastics.

If you're interested in seeing more of this year's creations, jump to the gallery outdoor sculpture at Maudslay :: 2019.