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“The real and proper question is – why is it beautiful?” Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.
The beauty of the natural world surrounds us. In autumn it is revealed in the flowers that blanket the gardens and meadows; a riot of gold and purple blazing beneath a clear blue October sky. It rains down from the trees as the leaves change to vibrant golds, reds, purples and deep, rich browns. We celebrate this beauty even as we seek to understand it.
The question we ask now is – why? Why do these things – the flowers, the trees, the deep blue sky – read to the human eye as beautiful? What is it in nature that calls to us and invites us to look closer? In creating art and growing gardens, we seek to answer that question. Does beauty lie in the function of the landscape or the ecological systems that underpin the world around us? Is it in the essential nature of the world, the way it feeds and sustains us? Is it the web of life that it supports and nourishes?
We asked ourselves these questions and discovered the following answers in this latest exploration. We found the beauty of form and function in The Necessary Nut and the beauty of the gardened landscape in The Ferry Garden. We found the balance of ecological function in The Story of the Marsh. And we found that all of these things have spoken to humankind throughout our history, and throughout the history of Tyler.
Discover the Artful Arboretum
Artists at Tyler
In the late 20th century, literature and art historical scholars coined the phrase “ecocriticism” to describe the relationship between art [...]
Reflecting Back – Late Summer Blooms in the Garden
I have found that at 7 a.m. you can almost trick yourself into thinking that the day ahead of you [...]
The Necessary Nut
Our ancestors knew which trees produced food and how to use that food. Over the decades though, the gulf [...]
The Ferry Garden
So often we purchase a property and discover the challenges that the realtor “forgot” to share. Or perhaps we [...]
Beauty in Decay
The Tyler woodland habitat spreads over more than 500 acres and contains many habitats. Forests, meadows, serpentine barrens, streams [...]
The Story of the Marsh
It was an early evening in September. The shadows were long and deep on the blue-black water of the [...]
We built Tyler Connect for people who love to explore nature, garden, or learn about conservation-wise techniques. It is available whenever you are ready.
Visit other Tyler Connect Features:
Artful Arboretum 2021 | Pollinator Paradise 2021 | Cultivating Community | Legacy in Bloom | The Promise of Spring | Thankfulness in Action | The Artful Arboretum | Pollinator Paradise