FUTURE FEAST IN THE GARDEN OF
FLOW/ACCUMULATION
Sonoma County 2009

A garden designed addressing the issues of Global warming and sustainability for the Late Show at Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma. FLOW is the way of nature; all systems work in cycles and movement. ACCUMULATION of wealth has become the  way of humans, which gives rise to the  disruption of these cycles and such current problems as deforestation. My belief is that the root cause of global warming and unsustainable practices is accumulation. In my garden I have symbolized some of the results of this: deforestation—charred pieces of wood rising 6-8’ from a lifeless under story of slash; depletion of natural resources—pits of lava rock surrounded by patterns of slate; extinction—fossils, logs turned over with impressions of salamanders no longer there in a sea of sterile dirt and stones. In contrast to the channels of “accumulation” are channels of “flow” symbolized by oak seedlings—hope to restore the depleted forests; plants that attract insects, bees and butterflies—hope to guard against continued extinction.

In the center of the garden is the symbol of hope in the form of the Future Feast table resting on local reclaimed redwood legs and using the technology of green roofs for its’ living surface. The plants selected for the table top that would be equally at home on a roof top are: a selection of sedums, fescues, and salvias. The table has a runnel running down the middle of it which is part of the irrigation system that is powered by a solar pump and circulates water around the garden.