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Their peach and eternal promise of growth and rejuvenation have made garden lifelike point for healing and reflection . For this special garden , healing became the master focal point . It was created for a couple who were mourn the loss of their son , and postulate a topographic point where they could heal and meditate .
The labyrinth was contrive to be a position of personal , psychological , and spiritual healing .
move by their story , designer Claire Jones , proprietor of Claire Jones Landscapes in Sparks , Maryland , decided to center the garden around a healing labyrinth , a single , non - branching route that winds to a exceptional meditative space . “ It is all about the journeying to the center of the maze , and a traveler is to walk it with intent and role . The track direct is for personal , psychological , and spiritual transformation , ” she says .
The site choose for the labyrinth was a small , privy glade at the bottom of a slope in a grassy area . Because Jones was working within a confine outer space , she chose a contemporary medieval plan for the maze , which has five circuits . “ It gives you a greater - duration journey in a small-scale space , ” she read . “ honest-to-god examples of these medieval innovation are found on the floor of cathedrals in Europe . I ordered a templet of the design preprinted on clean landscape painting cloth online , as the design had to be installed precisely in rock . ”
Since the web site was on a slope , Jones build a retaining paries into the hillside using large boulders of Pennsylvania domain stone . She used a dry - laid proficiency to add the big boulders , arranging them in a curvature to embrace the area of the labyrinth and produce a peculiar enclosed space . Large playing area stone steps localize in the hillside confidential information from the upper arena down to the labyrinth .
Once the wall was utter , the flat area for the labyrinth was graded level . “ The most important part of the job was get the base by rights prepared and power tamped so that the stones would not shift , ” says Jones . “ The base was compose of tamped ground , pack gravel , black landscape painting cloth , and top off off with the guide for placement of the stone . ”
Specially cut bluestone and charcoal - gray crushed rock were used to make the maze .
Jones considered many materials for paving the labyrinth , but ultimately settle on using bluestone set up into a gravel theme . A Isidor Feinstein Stone mason made numbered template of all the curves in the labyrinth so that he could cut the Harlan F. Stone precisely with a adamant - tipped power saw blade . Every stone was slue to size of it and placed into position on the template . Because bluestone is a natural material , each piece varied in thickness and had to be individually put and leveled . Dark charcoal - gray gravel was placed in between the stones to contrast with the lighter blue - gray color . A alloy edge staked around the perimeter of the labyrinth keep the stones stable .
A small water feature prepares for the experience of walk the route .
At the entree to the labyrinth is a “ heart space , ” which is the first stop on the healing journey . “ This area puzzle you ready for the Zen experience of walking the itinerary . It may be used for the placement of any symbol that may enhance the spiritual use of the labyrinth . I design it as an entrance hall to the main internal ear , with a small-scale boulder water supply feature of speech . As a pedestrian , you may dip your hand in the water to start the journeying , ” say Jones .
A bowlder sits at the center of the labyrinth as a spot for rest and musing .
To break up the journeying , Jones placed a “ perch boulder ” that one could rest on in the centre . “ I looked for the sodding size of it and human body . I did n’t want the bowlder to be too with child and overpower the outer space , which was 5 feet in diameter . I want something to heighten the journey , ” she says . A wood work bench was also total alongside the path leading to the labyrinth to provide another area for reflection .
Because their Word have it off butterflies and ladybugs , the client wanted to surround the labyrinth with plant that would attract them . Being both a landscape house decorator and apiarist , Jones had a good knowledge of the best pollinator - favorable plants to use for the location , which has area exposed to both sun and shade ( see her plant list ) . “ To lighten up the shady areas , I used gilded and variegate plants wherever possible . During the spring , I fill in with some colorful annuals , like wave petunias , zinnias , and verbena , to give pollinators more sources of ambrosia during the summertime , ” she allege .
The finished labyrinth is 24 foot in diam and provides a total walking distance of 439 feet . “ This is phenomenal considering the total space we had to work with , ” says Jones . Her clients take the air the way often , either alone or with admirer , and have line up great ease in the journey .
To see photo of the labyrinth garden as it was being make and to acquire more about the story of healing labyrinths , visit Jones’garden blog .
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