Hello everyone! I am really excited to be sharing my first experience with you all! I am currently interning at two locations, Mariposa Eco-Village and the Amarillo Botanical Gardens. Currently, at Mariposa the project that I have dedicated my time and effort goes to a xeriscape garden that is located in front of the ICF building which is short for Insulated Concrete Foundation. The idea behind the design is a pattern that Jon Revett includes into his artwork and we have manifested this design into the ground and made it into something tangible. What was initially required in the beginning was for me to dig out a small trench following the lines that he had created. This was no easy task! I have dealt with digging in my own back yard but encountering caliche was definitely a learning experience! I pushed through it and eventually had some help by learning how to drive a small tractor that included a front end scoop that helped me clear some of the remaining dirt and weeds. I then placed the formed aerated concrete forms in the lines that I had dug and just completed all the sharp edges of the design by using a bow saw to cut through the concrete forms, which was surprisingly simple to do! I really look forward in completing this project in the next couple of weeks and will have a sense of pride and satisfaction in a garden that I have worked very hard at this summer.
