A Living Sculpture From Wood and Earth

Intro

It started with a tree being cut down in the neighbourhood. There was an abundance of large wood rounds at the side of the road, accompanied by a “free” sign. From here, an idea started to form—one of varying elevation, seamless environmental integration, and adapting life. In short, I wanted to create a living sculpture. Gathering three of varying sizes and shapes, I chose my spot and started sketching out a very rough layout.

Space Prep

To prep the space, I removed an existing fern and dug down to accommodate the wood rounds. They were to have an embedded look. With some strategic rolling and effort, I positioned the first log into the divot I’d created, packing dirt around it to secure it in place. The half round was placed on its side with the moss facing forward. When creating the composition, it was important to imagine the setup from various angles. It didn’t have to look perfect from all angles, but it did have to have visual interest.

Rammed Earth

The next portion of this sculpture was the rammed earth element. Using the log as one side of the form, I set up a plywood form and clamped it in place. Rammed earth is formed by mixing water and earth and tamping down the earth layer by layer. This is what provided a solid base for the third round to be supported by the block. Once the wooden forms were removed, the third round was placed on top—half on the rammed earth block and half on the largest wooden round.

Planters

Next, it was time to make these wooden rounds into functional planters. Although I would have loved to hollow out the two wood rounds and place dirt inside, that was not an option with the resources and skill level I had. So instead, I built up, drilling holes around the exterior part of the round following the natural curvature. Next, I hammered dowels into the holes to provide a sturdy base that I could weave the chicken wire around. Curving the top and bottom of the chicken wire inwards also provided support to the wiring. For insulation, I chose moss, which would most likely dry out over time; however, it would still serve its purpose of keeping the dirt inside and minimizing the amount of non-natural element I used. The bottom wood round got the same treatment, but with less chicken wire barrier since the top one provided half, creating a crescent shape. Potting soil was added to both planters.

Planting

With a finished structure and soil in the planters, it was time to plant. This little corner of the yard doesn’t get much direct sunlight, but I proceeded anyways. At the base, I added beets. At the very top, arugula. And along the side, green onions.

The First Signs of Life

Two weeks later, I started to notice changes. The fallen petals of the nearby rhododendron gathered on the sculpture, blending right into the scenery. On the rammed earth block, a small mushroom popped up. A slug was slowly making its way across the surface. And moss began to sprout on the side of the block, encouraged by the moisture residing in and lack of sunlight.

Mushroom Plugs

I wasn’t done yet. The next phase involved adding Chicken of the Woods mushroom spores. I used plug spawn, which is less effective than just the spores but easier for beginners. I drilled holes into the logs, tapped the plugs in, and sealed them with melted wax to help retain moisture. A few things to consider: the rounds might have been too big, too dry already, and maybe not the type of wood conducive to mushroom growing.

Six Weeks In

Six weeks after planting, the sculpture is starting to show more signs of growth. Tiny beet greens are pushing up from the soil. The green onions are shooting out from the side. The arugula, up top, is stretching toward whatever light it can find.

15 Weeks

The beets show, the green onion and most of the arugula have become food for the local wildlife. In short, they are no more. Plan B: plant ferns and have their leaves cascading down the sides, maybe find some moss or succulents to take root on the block.