Granite Garden

This large structure sits in the Blount Plaza at the entrance to the Birmingham Botanical Gargdens. It was created by Jesús Bautista Moroles in 1987 and took two years to complete. The Granite Garden is comprised of 45 separate sculptural elements made of Texas Premier Rose granite. The columns are formed and grouped to symbolize different levels of human interactions with the natural world. Along the front, there are polished granite bollards with deep incisions at the top, sitting on split granite bases. Just beyond this row, three bollards break the conformity with differing cuts and heights. Then there is a cluster of short columns, polished only on two sides, emerging from a circle of split-faced blocks. This symbolizes the balanace between human interaction and natural context. The third grouping of much taller columns with water flowing down their faces illustrates the natural world stretching and dancing towards the sun.