Zen Garden: A Balancing Act

After leveling higher ground and adding fill to the eroded bits, boulders were placed.
Carefully.  At the edge.
This was accomplished by choosing the rock to fit the site, strapping it in correct position, lifting with forks, and lowering into position with a backstop to prevent rolling down the hill.

Zen Garden: Stabilize Slope Edge

Slope edge stabilized with soil and boulders.  

Stepping stones delineate the walkway.

 A new feeling of stability and protection.

Zen Garden: Placing 'Smaller' Limestone Slab(s)

Once the edge boulders and stepping stones were finished and the trench covered, installation of the Zen Garden structural elements could  begin.  
The white lines above demarcate the underground infiltration trench.

Once the limestone slab is carefully lowered into place, it is staked for safety - after first making sure that there nothing in the ground would be disturbed by the stake.

Zen Garden: Testing Positions for Big Slabs

Once limestone pieces under 2 tons had been placed, we prepared for larger slabs to come.  Pieces of plywood helped search for optimum sightlines and visualization.

Painted lines demarcated where slabs of Wissahickon Schist would be placed.

Zen Garden: Large Wissahickon Slabs

Two large slabs of Wissahickon Schist came from a local quarry.
Help in the form of a Bobcat E90 Trackhoe was provided by V Tree to move the slabs from the truck into place.
The two large Wissahickon slabs weighed 2 tons and 3 tons.
They were placed horizontally on the ground to act as raised pathways.

Zen Garden: Largest Limestone Slabs

The last large stones were vertical limestone slabs.
They were also brought in carefully by the trackhoe, nudged into place by hand,
and staked in place for safety.

2 tons

2.5 tons

Whew!

Zen Garden: Steps, Fabric and Gravel

The last stages went very fast.
Steps were put at the top of the steep slope.
Stepping 'stools' were dug in to step between the big slabs.
Fine screenings were used to level the ground.
Heavy non woven geotextile fabric was laid around the boulders.
1/4 inch gravel was laid down as the ground cover.

Zen Garden: Final Stage

Peter is very pleased to be reaching the end of a 3 month project.

During this process lots of people stopped by to visit, drawn by the machinery, rocks and big changes.

July 2017 Trip

Visited Bologna, Italy for festival of restored films:  Il Cinema Ritrovato.

Hiked for 6 days on European path E5:  from Bolzano to Timmelsjoch on Austrian border.
Average 13 kilometers per day, 600 meters up and 600 meters down.  We only did 77 km in the Italian regions of South Tirol.  The trail itself extends further north to Lake Constance and beyond and south to Verona.

Delved into Celtic and prehistory by visiting museums in Bolzano, Stuttgart and Zurich.

Experienced the modern architecture of Le Corbusier at Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp France and Stuttgart Germany.

Whew!

There are 34 blog 'chapters' about this trip so be sure to scroll down to the bottom of each grouping of 5-10 chapters and and click on 'Older Posts'  to go further.

There are several chapters on Copper Age Oetzi and Iron Age Celts with information and photos taken directly from museum displays.

These photos of Celtic sculptures will give a taste; for more, go to the older posts by scrolling down and then hit 'Older Posts.'

 

Bologna, July 2017

info on Bologna