In the Spring of 2024 we were honored to be invited by the Berkshire Botanical Garden to submit a container design for the semi annual installment of Contained Exuberance, “a season-long showcase that unites the creative genius of the region's top designers in crafting unique container gardens”, from the perspective of the Garden’s theme for the year, Lost and Found.

…Ever been walking in the woods and noticed some bit of barbed wire or rusted odd end and then upon further investigation found an entire collection of old automobile parts or discarded tools? Did you feel excited, like you’d found buried treasure, or was it upsetting to find old trash? 

Pulling from the theme of Lost and Found, this display uses a collection of found and recycled materials to evoke what it can feel like to witness the living world reclaim the materials we’ve borrowed.

The three main containers are oil drums, painted black and wrapped in chicken wire, adorned with odd ends and chains. The smaller planter is a tire rim painted and wrapped to match the larger three. The cylinder in the back, hosting the large Banana plant, is also wrapped with similar but slightly larger wire in order to tie the more formal painted containers into the chaotic collection of rusted objects that have more fully succumbed to the wild grape vine as it winds and wraps around the display.

Dappled willow,  red leaved banana and steely blue hosta varieties set the color palette and are accompanied by a diverse cast of plants, both commonly and uncommonly used in container plantings, including native species as well as invasive ones.

This display invites the viewer to explore and discover, maybe even wonder, what makes some garbage beautiful and some garbage ugly? What am I leaving behind and will someone in the future find it heart breaking or beautiful?