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Mosaicultures 2013   flower shows

Once every 3 years an international competition is held of mosaicultures-- similar to topiaries only with plants growing in and not around a frame.  Begun in 2000 in Montreal, this exhibit returned there to the Botanic Gardens this summer, with 48 exhibits from dozens of countries.  With the theme "Land of Hope", some feature special traits of regions, other tell poignant stories or legends, with most focusing on the plight of endangered species and need for conservation.  For more during 2013:  The following include the 3 main exhibits, plus a representative few others, with the sponsoring countries/cities.


watering can at entrance


The man who planted trees (Canada, Montreal)--the first main exhibit


horses at above in field of cosmos, bluets; carex (sedges) for horses' hair


butterfly (France)-- recreation as authentic as possible of first ever mosaiculture by Mr. Comesse, a French gardener, exhibited at the Paris World Fair in 1878


butterfly (Belgium, Hainaut provence)-- tribute to their work to preserve insect pollinators


A True Story (Shanghai, China)-- of a girl who died in a swamp while saving a red-crowned crane


Hamamatsu (Japan)-- tribute from this city on its industry and focus on musical instruments such as the piano, to conservation efforts such as the one to save the endangered loggerhead turtle


Near the City of Gold (Canada, Val d'Or)-- from this city in the largest area of vegetation in Canada, woodland creatures made of boreal lichen (resistant to pollution) and mosses (resistant to drought)


Spirits of the Wood (Canada, Montreal)-- 4 spirits such as Cernunnos, an ancient master of the animal kingdom, created in the unusual (for mosaicultures) shaded woodland


Mother Earth (Canada, Montreal)--the second main exhibit, based on native peoples (of North America) beliefs in interdependence of man and animals and the earth


animals at the above including deer, bison, eagle, horses


bison at the above of red alternanthera and brown carex


Sunbath (Thailand)--water buffalo, endangered in the wild


Planting Plane Trees to attract the Phoenix (China, Beijing)-- focused on human's positive impact on the environment, using Chinese mythology (and many red begonias)


Small Clownfish and Anemone (Japan, Okinawa)-- focused on concern for protecting such tropical fish (using many types of succulents, and asparagus fern)


Practically Family (Republic of Guinea)-- chimpanzees, populations of which are declining rapidly all over Africa (only about 1/4 million left, with over 2 million 100 years ago); the closest relative to main, sharing almost 99% of the same genes (made of black mondo grass)


Gorillas at Risk (Uganda)-- only 800 mountain gorillas remain in these mountains of Uganda, the only place found on earth; gorillas communicate through about 25 sounds (ie words?), along with gestures and mimes (ie body language) 


Hands Up (Bornea, Malaysia)-- many animals and plants live on this island and nowhere else; orangutans habitat is threatened by human activities, with 80% deforested in the last 20 years; some estimate that they will be mostly extinct within 10 years (made using brown sedge/carex)


The Bird Tree (Canada, Montreal)-- the third major exhibit, the tree branches transform into 56 endangered bird species, flying to escape their fate; the showpiece of the MIM, this weighs 100 tons, taking more than 6 years to plan and create, and requiring specialized climbing skills and equipment for maintenance


Upheaval (Canada, Verdun)-- focused on the plight and decline of bees as pollinators, "If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would have only four years left to live."-- Albert Einstein


trimming flowers on the above


Farmers, the People who Feed the World (USA, California)


The Garden of Glass and Metal (Canada, Montreal, Albert Mondor)-- made of recycled metal and glass, along with unusual plants and combinations, the focus is on beauty being found anywhere


water and metal of above



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