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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Do It Now!

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

In olden times, topiary gardening experts decorated parks and gardens of the nobility with box shrubs by skillfully trimming them into odd ornamental shapes, the ball being the prominent feature. The choice of this element of decoration was not accidental, as its perfect round form resembles the Earth, emanating strength, confidence, peace, and the sublime. The practices of arboriculture have come down to our times practically unchanged. Nowadays, however, a beautifully pruned box shrub can be an asset to anyone's garden.

The ball was an ornamental element widely used by ancient sculptors. Made of gypsum, bronze, or marble, was often covered with cast laurel leaves, using the so-called the Roman technique.

This technique is also used in making beautiful ball-shape ornaments. Cut a round ball out of sponge, a porous cellulose material used for making various ornamental things (on sale at any florist's). Then cover the ball with eucalyptus leaves, fastening them carefully to it with small wire pins. Start with the upper part of the ball and work your way down until you cover it with leaves so that their scales face in the same direction.

A ball decorated with leaves is called pomander. Besides eucalyptus leaves, you can use pumpkin seeds, coffee grains, acorns, chestnuts, even sea shells. Do you want to make a pomander of a used electric lamp? Go ahead, do it. But before you start, think for whom it is meant or what purpose it will serve. For instance, an eucalyptus or laurel pomander is good to ornament a festive table served according to the Empire style, while a pumpkin seed pomander blends into your kitchen's decor. A pomander made of a used electric bulb can be presented to a man with a sense of the human and power to foresight. Remember, each is given his due.

Do you promise not to mix things up?

Photo by the author

 

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