HUNTINGTON Along the north wall of the C. Fred Edwards Conservatory at the Huntington Museum of Art, visitors will find a newly planted “living wall.” This 12.5 x 1.8 meter living wall system contains 540 felt bags made from recycled plastic to support a diverse planting of begonias, bromeliads, ferns and more.
This project was made possible by funding from the Huntington Foundation and features plants sourced from Hatcher’s Greenhouse, Terra Fate Native Plant Nursery and Tropical Greenhouse, Glasshouse Works, propagations from the Edwards Conservatory’s living collection, and donations from local plant enthusiasts. The installation could not have taken place without the skilled hands of HMA’s Facilities Department.
“I hoped that this permanent installation would further enhance the tropical atmosphere of the space and create a serene backdrop for the wonderful memories made at HMA,” said Josh Hamrick, director of the HMA Conservatory. “While selecting plants for the wall, I was inspired by people who were personally close to me, but also by people who had an important connection with HMA.”
Hamrick explained how he chose the plants for the hundreds of felt bags in the living wall system.
“Scattered throughout the exhibit are impatiens from New Guinea, which remind me of my maternal grandmother, whose love of plants inspired me from an early age,” Hamrick said. “Bromeliads are one of my partner’s favorite plants and a favorite of the late Janet Bromley. Janet, who was principal violinist of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra for many years and a great supporter of art and music, brought our “Look, Listen, and Move Tour” to life in the 1970s. The tour continues to be a highlight for Cabell County’s fourth-grade students.”
Several begonias were chosen in honor of a longtime employee of the Huntington Museum of Art.
“I have selected a beautiful range of begonias based on the tastes of the former HMA curator and collector of begonias and orchids, the late Louise Polan,” said Hamrick. “Louise loved brilliantly colored begonias with unique textures, many of which resemble stained glass when viewed from below, a trait that I think goes well with her love of studio glass.”
A location used in a famous movie inspired some other plants. “Finally, I used a wide variety of ferns that remind me of a birthday trip to Fern Canyon in California’s Redwood National and State Parks where scenes from ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ were filmed,” Hamrick said. “Big thanks to a special friend who made this dream come true. The 50-foot vertical walls of the canyon created a natural, living wall of lush maidenhair ferns that felt simply otherworldly, an atmosphere I wanted to channel into our conservatory.”
For more information, visit hmoa.org or call (304) 529-2701.
