This 80’ long, 7’ wide stone walkway was first inspired by a walkway at The Costal Maine Botanical Garden that leads to their Vayo Meditation Garden. I wanted to create two “currents”, or stone paths of different color, that begin by flowing separately and then cross and converge, flowing together for awhile before they are interrupted by a boulder on the “shore”. At each interruption, they cross over each other. They cross five times before they flow through a gate where they end at a whirlpool (green marble circle).
Flowing under these main currents are smaller, darker currents made from two different colors of bluestone. These represent the shoals of the Riverwalk. They too meet the bank edge then turn back into the river and cross under the main currents.
The banks of the Riverwalk are planted with primarily native grasses (prairie dropseed and northern sea oats) and wildflowers such as Liatris, iris, echinacea and Lobelia. The lobelia or cardinal flower is interplanted with the Karl Foerster grass. I wanted to give you feeling that these were plants that might be found along a sunny riverbank.
This walkway was installed by Terry Lamphere, of Lamphere Stoneworks, and his excellent crew, Curt, Brian, and Caleb. Without their expertise and enthusiasm, the Riverwalk would have been just an dream, and not the beautiful reality that it is. As Curt said several times, “All we’re missing is the sound of running water.”
Rebekah Lamphere
Designer
