Frederick Law Olmsted was known as the father of American Landscape Architecture. He completed over 500 landscape architecture projects during his lifetime, starting with Central Park in New York City and finishing with the design for Biltmore Estate, here in Asheville, NC.
He is honored in Landscape Architecture circles and his design philosophy — that landscape architecture should include design elements that promote aesthetics, economics, environment and social needs — are at the heart of the North Carolina Arboretum, where Amy & I spent a lovely day.
His influence is so great, that the Arboretum commissioned a statue of him:
Frederick Law Olmsted. 8ft Bronze – Statue by Zenos Frudakis 2016 Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Frederick Law Olmsted. 8ft Bronze – Statue by Zenos Frudakis 2016 – full view Photograph and Copyright by Barbara Mattio
Also at the Arboretum this weekend — and for the rest of September and into October — is an exhibit of flower- and nature-based Lego sculptures, magnificent in both scale and execution. I was so taken by their complexity and beauty, that I felt I had to share them with you, with some photos of some of the flowers they emulate.
I hope you enjoy them.
Sundial in Legos Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Train in the gardens. It is an O gauge. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio,2016
O gauge train. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016
Two O gauge trains. Photography and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016
O gauge train. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016
O gauge train photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016
Lego Woodpecker Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Giant White Lily Lego Sculpture (approx. 6 feet in length) Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Life-Size Lego Rototiller Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Purple Orchid (this one is real!) Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Lego Purple Orchid Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Real Monarch Butterfly on Flower Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Lego Monarch Butterfly on Flower Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Lego Hummingbird Drinking from Flower Photograph and Copyright Barbara Mattio
Lego duck family. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio,2016
idealisticrebel 
It’s amazing what you can do with Legos. Great photos, Barbara! As I recall, I think Olmsted also designed Prospect Park in Brooklyn NY. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I seem to remember reading that. I was brought up and married in Brooklyn, so that little tidbit about that park rings a bell. 🙂