The design intent of this garden was to combine the client’s unique philosophies with spiritual elements and naturalistic themes. Ultimately the garden would include repeating elements, such as circles and spirals, the fullest articulation of which is the labyrinth. Given the site's limited accessibility, there were significant logistical challenges to contend with along the way.
The client desired to create a personal space for meditation and spiritual growth. To accomplish this, multiple gateways and individual meditative gardens were created within the overall garden and specific artifacts and stone were especially selected for this garden.
The first gateway or garden is the winding “Meditative Pathways”. Found throughout the garden, they adhere to traditional garden designs used through the centuries in various cultures and provide a guide for visual meditation. The riverbeds, reflecting pool and grotto represent the ever-present continuous change in life, and reflection on one’s self.
This large antique cap stone once covered an ancient well, and now functions almost as a promontory stone, allowing visitors to this meditative spot higher ground from which to view the overall design of the garden.
Within the labyrinth portion of this garden, there is an underlining medicine wheel. Reclaimed sandstone pavers were used as the labyrinth walkway, representing the circle of life. The garden also includes a “Walking Wall” and “Meditation Circle” with key spiritual markers corresponding to the cardinals and sub-cardinals (north, south, east and west).
The pathways the wend throughout the garden are made from finely crushed granite chip stone, chosen specifically for the pleasing sound it makes when walked upon. The serpentine paths are accented by the occasional stepping stone of highly polished Nine Dragon stone. From this point of view, one can see the carefully hand-stacked stones that edge the patio, as well as a large piece of petrified wood that adds textural contrast as well as a vertical point of interest.
The varieties of stone used in this meditative garden are seemingly limitless. From rough-hewn native field stone, carefully hand-stacked to form the wall visible in the background to the antique Chinese pavers used to top the wall, to pieces from a Balinese well and petrified wood, each stone element was chosen with a specific purpose in mind.
Imported from India, a large sentinel stone (also known as a "Grandmother" stone) dominates the vertical landscape.
Clear thresholds and points of demarcation were created by sculpting and shaping the earth to form distinct spaces within the garden as a whole. The design concept of having gardens within the garden is subtly reinforced by using artifacts from various cultures, such as the large cap stone at the fore which allows the view to open up to the terraces slightly below, which are marked by the use of large pieces of petrified wood.
The hand-stacked walking walls that envelop the garden are complemented by the steps made from native Michigan fieldstone.
The meditative pathways that wind throughout the garden are based on traditional garden designs. By literally staying on the path, the visitor is
guided through a meditative sensory experience.
A sizable challenge of this project was to build this garden given the site’s very limited accessibility. All materials used needed to be brought in by hand through a small path then down a 25’ high, 30 degree slope utilizing a specially designed ramp, cart and pulley system.
Everything from large monument stones to soil needed to be carted down to the worksite.
A large basalt column is carefully guided down the ramp.
With no machine access, each piece of garden art had to be maneuvered into place with precision and care.
With the installation nearly complete, one can more fully appreciate the size and scale of this monolithic stone.
This view from a higher elevation allows the full design of the meditative spaces to be revealed. Once the stones had all been set, the site was then prepared for plantings.
The intricacy of the patio provides a striking textural contrast to the simplicity of the monolith.
When designing a small space, no detail can be considered insignificant. Take for example the decision to set these thin stones on edge, to better define the boundary of the patio. A simple choice such as this can have great impact, by adding unexpected texture where none previously existed. The precision and care shown in the setting of each stone in this project is exemplary of AguaFina's skill and attention to detail.
No detail is too small and careful attention was paid to each step of the project, down to the delicate handling and planting of native mosses. A slurry of fertilizer and mud was specially concocted to help the moss establish itself.
The view from the walking wall revisited shows established plantings and the full realization of what can happen when the imagination of the client is interpreted through AguaFina's vision and skill.
The hand-stacked stone walls of this garden were dry laid and constructed out of ledge-granite and were designed for multiple purposes. The walls serve the functional aspect of acting as a terraced retention to the existing grade and more uniquely act as a functional pathway leading from the upper garden area to the lower garden area.
The top of the wall is a walkable surface, reminiscent of the walls in ancient Europe. The stone walls are capped with centuries-old antique pavers, reclaimed before being lost to development.
Incorporated within a portion of the wall is a stone grotto that serves a dual purpose. In addition to being a discharge point from the active sump system of the house, it also recharges the reservoir of the grotto system.
Water splashing from this spout adds a layer of sound to the overall texture of the garden.
