Contemplative Collaboration

On July 27, 2008 , The San Francisco Bromeliad Society held its annual garden tour and pot luck dinner.
This blog entry will show photos from another spectacular garden that was graciously open to the public on this day, the Ostreicher Garden located in the Oakland hills.

In collaboration with garden designer & builder Sherry Merciari, Dr. Ostricher has sculpted one of the most contemplative and soul touching gardens that I have ever had the pleasure to emerse myself in.

When arriving at the residence the simple 6 foot tall redwood fence and gate gives no hint of the beauty and spirital enclave that lies just beyond the entry gate.
Words ( at least mine ) will not do this garden justice, so I will simply post the photographs in the way in which this garden transforms and transports the viewer.

The entry path -

At the bottom of the path is a pond and bell




One can hear the soft trickling of the water cascading over the fern kissed rocks


The ‘door bell’ , a gong , resonates with a deep warm hum interrupting the calm of the garden.


There were beautiful hand sculpted Balinese stone pots along the path and in the garden.


A variegated Billbergia nutans hanging from a tree limb


Buddha in repose along a smaller secondary path


Looking back over my shoulder , this is the view leaving the front garden. - be still my beating heart.





It’s a tough job being a stone carved planter , but someone has got to do it. ( side garden)


The narrow side garden path opens up to the back yard brick terrace where stone & ceramic pots abound and hand carved benches offer the visitor a tranquil place to sit.


There are many captivating views from this perch.
Above the terrace is a enchanting hillside dotted with hand carved stone pots, exuberant plantings and a Javanese joglo ( pavilion)










the bottom of the post


a detail of the ceiling




I once tried growing this plant and had no luck.


I’ve also managed to kill this plant in my garden too. A crassula


Another beautiful hand carved bench providing a restful place to sit and breath in the beauty.


A stone water basin located next to a bench for mindful contemplation


More heartfelt art placement and horticultural treasures along the path








Thank you for enjoying this soul touching garden with me .