A little whimsy, a lot of grass

Looks like Mayor Fred Eisenberger's puppy, Dash, will have a new friend to visit when he heads to work with the mayor this summer. Pictured here is Ralph, the creation of the City of Hamilton's horticultural staff. The approximately 15-foot sculpture was developed using Carex buchananii (leatherleaf sedge), a sage grass native to New Zealand and grown in the city greenhouses this spring. The grasses were rooted into a frame created by local metal artist Trevor McInytre with the internal infrastructure designed and implemented by the horticultural staff. This includes soil and a watering system inside the sculpture to keep Ralph's "fur" healthy and growing throughout the hot summer. The whimsical garden's designs were initiated by Marcia Monaghan, superintendent of horticulture for the city. She says her inspiration came from seeing Mosaic Culture, a huge horticultural display in Ottawa last year. Monaghan says that despite all the significant dog references - including the mayor's dog, the OHL-winning Bulldogs and the fact that it is the Year of the Dog in Chinese culture - none of these were actually the inspiration for the sculpture. Monaghan says, "We just thought it would be fun." The gardens, which also include a huge butterfly, will be completed midday Friday.