Two very talented artists and authors, David Lewis and George Little, are my friends and neighbors on Bainbridge Island, WA. Our family was so fortunate to have the use of their home in San Miquel, Mexico this past March. It is fabulously colorful, as are my friends. I urge you to check out their gem of a book that celebrates their work and installations and their insightful thoughts. It is titled: A Garden Gallery and available through Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Gallery-Plants-Hardscape-Little/dp/0881926728
In addition to being accomplished artists with a dedicated following, Martha Stewart visited them on a scouting trip to the northwest and featured them on her show. If you want to learn more about how they create these beautifully crafted and colorful garden pieces, please view the excerpt from one of her shows where they share the secrets of how their work is made. It might just send you on a quest searching for heroic-sized leaves!!
https://www.marthastewart.com/919887/garden-project-george-little-and-david-lewis
As an added treat, on a recent trip to Greece, David sent me an image of a 4000 year old olive tree trunk, with the following commentary:
“Today we moved from the northern coast of Crete to the south-east corner of the island. Remote, gorgeous, ancient, we have settled in the tiny town of Kato Zakros. The town consists of only two restaurants, a Minoan archaeological site, and a beach. And a very lovely B & B that we are staying in. On the way we detoured up a steep mountain road for about 30 minutes to see a 4,000 year old olive tree. Last time we were in Crete 5 years ago the tree eluded us….this time we found it despite parts of the road having been washed out from recent storms. It is said to be the oldest living olive tree in the world. It was a sacred moment for all of us to be in the presence of something so ancient….the sounds of a rushing stream nearby and the goat bells coming up from the valley. We felt close to the Gods.”
If you are an olive fancier, this images of the very tree itself or of the three shades of green olives, in addition to black olives, with a dash of red pimento and a bit of white feta might just inspire a color combination for the tabletop. Or perhaps, even better, a trip to Greece.
I remember this, I always wanted to make a leaf fountain. I have an old GH article on them and how to make it somewhere.
They are so talented and have a wonderful sense of color in their work.