The Hobbit Hole Garden
It’s no secret to my family and friends that I’m a Hobbit at heart. With hairy feet and a lover of 1st, 2nd and 3rd breakfasts, it’s no wonder I felt compelled to carve this garden entrance. I have loved Tolkien since the age of 16/ 17 when I first read his books, where I was transported into a realm of infinite possibilities, heroes, with darkness and light all rolled into a fantastic yarn. I have followed the films, seen the plays, listened to the radio shows and the musical scores. I have reread the books many times since, bought the original T-shirt( which no longer fits), and all I need to cap it all would be to travel to New Zealand and pitch up home in Hobbiton where I would be indistinguishable from any other resident.
I’m also a keen gardener and the idea of designing a carving where you actually look through the entrance to a scene behind intrigued me. The picture came with thanks from a Wentworth Jigsaw puzzle my wife bought of the Secret Garden which was a photograph by Garden World Images/R. Isaac. The gardens are at Biddestone Manor in Wiltshire which is known for its stunning beauty. This lovely photograph puzzle and my carving perfectly capture the mystery of a secret garden. My thanks to R. Isaac and Wentworth Jigsaws.
It was carved on 2 pieces of sycamore sandwiched together to give depth and framed in the mahogany frame to add contrast. The majority of the carving was a trial using a Dremel and carving bits to do most of the digging out and shaping. I have mostly done all my carving by hand, but agree that any method has value in removing the wood to get the picture you require. I am starting on bigger projects, so chainsaws are not out of the question. Beware!!!!!
