A Visit To Mosaicanada: A Very Worthwhile Trip

Ankaret Dean | Sep 06, 2017

A couple of weeks ago a group of enthusiastic gardeners took a bus trip from Perth to see the 150 MosaiCanada celebration in Gatineau. We saw huge sculptures made of flowers and plants representing the history and culture of Canada.

Seeing is believing, a historic C.P. train covered with various coloured plants, a huge Chinese dragon two stories high, a giant Inuktitut or a group of life size buffalo. To make these masterpieces, firstly, the artist designs and makes the armature for the sculpture. This is then lined with black landscape cloth, and filled with soil. The next part is to poke a hole in the cloth and insert the roots or plug of the plants, these are carefully chosen to represent colour and/or texture. For instance long grasses for the buffalo hair, red flowers for poppies, little small sedum for the train walls. Some sculptures even include sound.

Landscaping around the whole park is beautifully designed, using flowers and plants to represent paving stones, water and forest etc..
I was told by a volunteer that 2 1/2 million pots of grain were planted to represent the prairie, which is now turning golden.
Over 15 gardeners are employed daily to keep the sculptures and gardens weeded, watered, and to replace plants which have finished flowering. On the high sculptures they use a cherry picker to reach up and care for the plants.
Another interesting aspect of the exhibition is the choice of topics for the sculptures. Naturally the railway crossing the continent was highlighted with a railway station and a train. The massive Chinese exhibit celebrates the use of thousands of Chinese workers employed on building the railway.

The indigenous display is stunning, with the colossal head of Mother Earth, her long hair trailing into the garden, with flowers and wild life. The various provinces sent sculptures representing their way of life. Culture was represented by artists, with as a huge grand piano representing the world famous pianist Glenn Gould. Sports, with Paul Henderson shooting the winning goal in Russia with Team Canada in 1972.
Many of the colourful plants which are used in the sculptures, such as varieties of Alternanther and Iresineare come from hot countries such as South America and Asia. So unfortunately they will not survive the winter in Canada. If any of us want to try to make these sculptures next year, we will have to start the plants indoors in the winter and plant them out in June.

MosaiCanada has over 40 sculptures to see and enjoy, and what is more, it is free to visit! It also lacks all the commercial booths and trivia of many exhibitions, with just a few souvenir stalls.
This event is at the Jacques Cartier park, open until October 15 from 10am to 7pm daily, rain or shine. Check the website for special events and a map: gatineau2017.ca/mosaicanada-150gatineau-2017/