Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Archive for the ‘Gardens’ Category

Bottle Houses of Prince Edward Island

People who live in glass houses should never throw stones!  You certainly wouldn’t want any stones in the area where this unusual Canadian attraction has three different structures made of glass bottles.

Edouard Arsenault was a native of the area and lived in Cap-Egmont, Prince Edward Island, Canada all of his life.  His occupations varied from fisherman to carpenter to lighthouse keeper. After receiving a post card from his daughter of a glass castle on Vancouver Island, Edouard decided to recycle glass bottles in a very unusual manner. After collecting bottles from restaurants, dance halls, friends and neighbors, he spent the winter months in his basement cleaning the bottles and removing the labels. There aren’t many pop or beer bottles in his structures as those bottles at that time still had a deposit refund when returned.

When he was 66 years old he began construction of his first bottle house, a six gabled house composed of nearly 12,000 bottles.  This interesting arrangement of glass bottles measures 20′ by 14′  and is in three sections.  Carefully cementing 300-400 bottles per row, Mr Arsenault used bag after bag of cement as he carefully arranged the beautiful patterns. Everywhere you experience the serenity and beauty of the flowers he enjoyed.

The second house, a tavern, was constructed in a hexagon shape. Built in 1982 this is a much smaller house using 8,000 bottles. The pillar of bottles, viewed through this open door, stands near the bottle bar. This bottle cylinder is the only original part actually constructed by Edouard. Originally this building was used to house the souvenirs and special bottles that he did not want to be part of the structures. Today you will find here his personal collection of bottles that he felt had extra special features.

The chapel was the third and last building completed before his death.  It is a real work of art. Approximately 10,000 bottles form the chapel, complete with pews and altar. It was situated so that sunset streams in behind the altar giving a feeling of peace to those who visit.

Due to the terrible winters on Prince Edward Island, it was necessary to reconstruct these buildings in the late 1990s.  The same bottles were used in the original design.  The roof and center of the tavern are the only two that are almost completely the original structure.

A beautiful Acadian garden path meanders through the houses and ends up at the present gift shop.  Here you can find many locally made gifts as well as Prince Edward Island souvenirs.

These beautiful Bottle Houses are a real inspiration of what can be done with recycled products in our environment… and a lot of creativity.  Plus, they reflect beauty from every angle!

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Canada, Gardens, Museums, Uncategorized

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Schnormeier Gardens

Garden Time again!  Have just received word that these tranquil gardens will be open from June 1-5. 2011 from 10-4 daily.  The owner has added two days to the schedule to accommodate the growing number of annual visitors.  Hope you can find the time to enjoy their beauty.

Tranquility and serenity are two words describing the Schnormeier Gardens near the village of  Gambier, Ohio.  Once a year, usually in June, these beautiful gardens are open to the public. They are also open by appointment for groups during the year.  Take a walk with me and experience their beauty.

Each year the gardens have additions that catch the eye and provide a spirit of peace over fifty gently rolling acres in central Ohio.  As you walk down the grassy hillside to the lake, you breathe in the natural beauty of your surroundings.  In the distance you hear the sound of a waterfall dashing over rocks at a thousand gallons per minute.  Getting closer, you find a seat on a nearby rock and soak in the ambiance of your surroundings.

Walk over the red Chinese bridge to Swan Island and isolate yourself from the cares of the world.  Everywhere the plants have been chosen carefully to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Nearby is the Japanese Tea House, one of my favorite places for inspiration. Here you can hear the waterfalls as it bubbles over the rocks and view the lake through the tea house doors.  Outside there is a stone water basin with a long handled dipper.  Traditionally, this was the place to purify yourself by pouring water over your hands before entering the tea house. Wash away the impurities of the temporal world.

Their home inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright is the central point of the property.  While it is not open to the public, the patio area has several chairs and benches where you can rest and let the peace of the gardens surround you.

There are many paths through quiet woodlands with original sculptures surprising you along the way.  This is a place for meditation and peace.

One pond has a zig zag bridge which is a challenge to your balance.  The swans watch as you pass by and the beautiful water lilies are plentiful.

Words alone can not describe the beauty of the gardens.  This is a place you need to experience first hand. If you enjoy the beauties of nature and want a day of tranquility, take a stroll through the Schnormeier Gardens.

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Gardens, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Franklin Park Conservatory Botanical Gardens

Ah!  The beautiful fragrance as you approach the entrance to the Botanical Gardens.  It welcomes you to a day of relaxation and education.

At this time beautiful blown glass pieces by Dale Chihuly are the special exhibit.  So it is no surprise that when you enter the building there is a video of Chihuly showing many of his creations and techniques.  Since there are many gardens to see, after a few minutes we tear ourselves away from this interesting story.  Since my Dad was a glass blower, this was especially interesting to me.

Admission to the gardens is a very reasonable price, especially for seniors at $9 and free parking close to the entrance.  Would be an excellent place to have a membership if you lived in the area as they have interesting events and displays throughout the year.

Exhibits ranged from tropical plants to those of the desert.  For a person who enjoys plants, this is a perfect spot to spend a day or several days.  Waterfalls, rocks, and small pools made you feel that you were actually there. The tropical plants held a special interest to me on this day as they took me away to a different location in our world without leaving Ohio! Strategically placed blown glass bubbles and balls added to the beauty of the exhibits.

Overhead the skylights were filled with glass pieces designed by Chihuly. So you needed to keep on your toes not to miss another beautiful scene either around the bend, at your side, or overhead.

One of the busiest places was the butterfly exhibit in the tropical foliage and flowers of the Blooms & Butterflies Center. After you watched the butterflies emerge from their chrysalises, you could then see them released in the Pacific Island Water Garden.  This was a place of much excitement as the guide took them out one by one at first and let the children hold them.  They all had their fingers stretched out for a butterfly! The child in me got to hold one as well.

Checking out the gift shop finished our day there.  Had to buy a plant to take home as a memory of a day of exploring the Franklin Park Conservatory.  This is a place for a return trip especially during a different season of the year.  Wish I lived closer!

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Gardens, Ohio

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