The Shape

By David Marsden @anxiousgardener

On one of the Priory outbuildings is an ivy.

May 2011

I’ve been thinking about shaping it into something.  But I’m not sure what. A hand, a heart, a butterfly?   A leaping, snarling Bengal Tiger?  I’d hoped that as it grew it would become obvious what it ought to be.  For awhile, last year it resembled a robin with its head on the left; it’s tail raised above the door on the right.  (You’ll have to take my word for it).

May 2011

But I began to think that it would make a good ghost with outstretched arms.  Though when I tried to accentuate that it ended up looking more like a chicken (tail still on the right) with an unfortunate growth on it’s back.  Which was disappointing.

August 2011

So I left it to grow …

August 2011

… and then hacked at it again.  Still doesn’t look much like a ghost.  Think I’ll leave it to grow some more.  In time, I want the arms to grow really long.  Might take a while.  Perhaps it’ll become a huge vampire bat!  Or a pterodactyl.  Or a seagull. Or a Pan-Am Clipper Flying Boat. But I suspect, most likely, it’ll remain a shape.  With a hint of chicken.