Lazarus Rooftop Garden Book

LAZARUS ROOFTOP GARDEN

Written by Audra Philips. Edited by Kelly McNicholas and Paul Miller, Designed By Kelly McNicholas In collaboration with The Arts Initiative, Urban Arts Space, City Center Gallery, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, The Lazarus Building, Ohio Historical Society, and the Lazarus Family

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LAZARUS ROOFTOP GARDEN

In Collaboration with the Lazarus building, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and The Urban Arts Space, City Center Gallery brings together 25 local and emerging artists to be inspired by a rooftop garden plant, and make it their own.

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HISTORY of the

LAZARUS BUILDING

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1851−TODAY

History of the Lazarus Department Store

In 1851, Simon Lazarus opened a one room store in his name on South High Street in the Center of Columbus. Over the next decade, Lazarus and his sons took that one room store and expanded it into a 6 story, 115,000 square foot modern department store at the dawn of the 20th Century. The Lazarus family pioneered retail basics like the Anniversary sale, and the "bargain basement".

By the 1920s Lazarus department store had expanded to 1500 employees and 417,300 square feet. Over the next three decades Lazarus continued to expand, reaching its peak size and sales in the1970s and then downsizing through the latter half of the century. In 2004 the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation began green renovations on the Lazarus Building. Today the Lazarus building is LEED Gold Certified, home to multiple businesses and organizations, and is an historic landmark in downtown Columbus.

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LAZARUS BUILDING HISTORY 1862 Store expands to include frontage on High Street

1851 One-room store opens for business on South High Street (Simon Lazarus)

+ 1872 Lazarus “Branch” opens at 6 North Street

1904 Start of “Anniversary Sale”− a retail tradition

1926 Town/Front St. Building doubles Lazarus to 417.300 sq. ft.

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1898 Store size increases to 100,000 sq. ft.

1909 New store of 6 stories and 115.000 sq. ft. opens on High Street across from original location 1917 One of first “Bargain Basements” in nation opens

1927–1929 Lazarus expands to 1500 employees and sales reach $12,875,000

1957 “Secret Christmas Gift Shop” for children opens – no adults allowed except for Lazarus staff 1954 Store “updated” by sealing windows and adding marble-tin façade on High St. 1934 One of the first department stores with air conditioned selling floors

1939 State St. Service building adds 385,000 sq. ft. to superblock

1948 Installation of first permanent escalators in Central Ohio

1943 Monday night shopping begins

1998 Lazarus reduces selling area to 290,000 sq. ft.

1960 Store expands to the north on High Street adding 350.000 sq. ft.

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1946 Old Columbus Auditorium converted 1962−1969 to Lazarus Annex Lazarus grows to 1,625,000 sq. ft – its peak downtown size

1941−1945 Lazarus display windows at High and Town becomes “Victory Corner”

2007 Recycled Lazarus building reopens as the largest and highest rated “Green building” in the State of Ohio

2003 Federated agrees to contribute building and land holdings to CDDC 2004 Federated closes downtown Lazarus store

1986 Lazarus moves headquarters to Cincinnati

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The Lazarus building underwent a major overhaul from 2004 to 2007 using existing and recycled materials in its reconstruction to become LEED Gold certified. Its green preservation was important to Columbus residents and the CDDC. Rather than tearing down the community and historic building it was revitalized as an example for all of Columbus and Ohio to understand what it means to develop a landmark building with environmental sustainability as its central focus. The Lazarus Reconstruction was a tipping point and a showcase for Mayor Colman’s “Get Green” Program: He said, “if we can renovate the Lazarus Building to be green, other projects seem possible.” The green building’s larger objective is to have residents of Columbus understand the importance and value in sustainable practices, and to bring these practices into their own homes.

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Green

RENOVATIONS

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Becoming LEED Gold Certified The Lazarus building is not just one building, it is a composite of 7 buildings and additions combined throughout almost two centuries of its existence.

During its LEED renovation, bits and pieces of all 7 buildings were re-used to create the beautiful industrial space that Lazarus is today. To become LEED certified the renovations included: a 7-story light tower for “daylight harvesting,� building with 75 Percent of the construction and demolition debris materials like glass, metal and new recycled and sustainable materials like wheatboard, and bamboo, installing energy efficient windows and low-flow plumbing, and finally installing a 1/3 acre green roof that cools the building and collects and filters rain water.

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HOW THE LAZARUS BUILDING

RECYCLES WATER 1

Rainwater is first collected on the rooftop garden

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The rooftop tank can store up to 50,000 gallons of excess water

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Collected water filters down to the basement storage tank, capable of holding up to 40,000 gallons

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Greywater flows from the tower to irrigate the garden and flush toilets throughout the building

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The greywater is then pumped up to the L-Ball water tower on the roof

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Low-flow sinks and waterless urinals reduce overall water use

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5 ? GREY WATER Grey water is neither fresh nor heavily polluted. It gets its name from its typically cloudy appearance. Usually, grey water is disposed of, but recycling it reduces the load on the city’s storm water runoff system and creates an economic benefit for the building.

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Rooftop GARDEN A View from the Top

The rooftop garden utilizes a variety of materials to achieve the goals of reducing the overall heat absorption of the building, reducing energy consumption, and recycling water. This illustration, and the previous illustrations were designed by Jeremy Tinianow for Urban Arts Space.

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SURTHRIVE in the HEARTLAND

The Lazarus Building’s rooftop garden collects the strongest and most resilient plants from all corners of the Earth and brings them to the heartland, and the center of Columbus. Located in the Historic Lazarus building, City Center Gallery has had its own bout with endurance. Sponsored by The Arts Initiative, City Center drew inspiration from the self-sustaining plants located on the green roof, and called local and emerging artists to interpret, recreate, or be inspired by one of 25 plants, and its ability to “surthrive.”

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Alyssa Johnson Yarrow, Achillea millefolium video (duration 3 min) He had been blessed with a crooked nose. In the company of others many would stare, but, to the man’s advantage of middle age, he had overcome his self-awareness and made peace with the crooked nose. Upon first glance girls would giggle, women would blush and the rest would fall deeply in love. His friends of boisterous nature were amazed. Were their sacks of gold not plentiful? Their sharp ties and quick tongues not enough? The man smiled at their quips, lost in thought. He had learned to wander and appreciate more than what a crooked nose would have him settle for.

One day he spied a dark and mysterious woman fumbling about. How strange, he thought, that she does not notice she stands out amongst her peers? And as he stared and pondered, she looked up and caught his eye.

On the day they declared their love for each other, he held her tight and amorously cited how he loved her for falling in love with him despite his crooked nose. With a quizzical brow she looked him over, “Indeed you have a crooked nose, for I have just now noticed.

But to be honest it was your limp that took my breath away.”

Achillea millefolium | Yarrow Yarrow is rich in legends from multiple cultures. In Chinese culture, yarrow is lucky and gives intelligence. The plant springs around the grave of Confucius, is used for spells in the Yi Jing, Book of Changes, and No tigers, wolves, or poisonous plants go where yarrow grows. In Classical mythology, Achilles used yarrow to heal battle wounds, causing many soldiers to carry it into battle for healing. As a witching herb, yarrow is known as “devil’s plaything” and could supposedly conjure up the devil or make the devil flee. In British tradition, if you put yarrow under your pillow and dream of your lover, then your love is true. If you dream of cabbage (the plant smells like cabbage), then misfortune will befall you.

Andrew Barringer Small Quantities red sensitive silver halide emulsion holographic film I have always been entertained by tinkering and fascinated with technologies. Recently I’ve been interested in the way holographs record space. After learning more about the process, I produced these three holographs of the chocolate vine using a single beam red sensitive set-up. Named for its chocolate scented fruit, the chocolate vine is firm and structural.

Rigidity aids the holography process which can be disturbed by the slightest vibrations. Each holograph reveals clusters of leaves when seen from certain angles. Though stuck behind the frame, the leaves seemingly move with one’s changing view.

Akebia quinata | Chocolate Vine Akebia quinata is native to Japan, China, and Korea, and is often known as chocolate vine because it smells like chocolate. This plant has many edible features: inside the fruit of this plant is a sweet edible pulp, while the rind is often used as a vegetable in cooking. In China, quinata is primarily medicinal. Its high potassium salt content makes it a diuretic, but it can also be used as a painkiller, anti-inflammatory, and lactation aid.

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Allium schoenoprasum | Chives Most grocery shoppers know of Allium schoenoprasum as chives, the smallest edible onions. Chives are commonly found in both grocery stores and home gardens. In gardens, they control pests yet attract bees, making them good for pollination. Chives are one of the most famous of herbs used in culinary dishes.

Traditionally from France and Sweden, the herb makes a tasty addition to most fish, soups, potatoes, and sandwiches.

Samantha Harthoorn Allium Schoenoprasum reclaimed wood, galanized pipe, fabric, watercolor Food was simple before microwaves and refrigerators. It was meant to be consumed fresh, right after a harvest, out of the field and into the kitchen. It didn’t travel hundreds of miles to get to the table. It came from a neighbor’s backyard, all in the same community.

Cities were based around markets, and the food was what brought people together. The importance of how food is received by the consumer is now blurred with grocery stores and frozen food aisles. Choosing a meal is determined by affordability versus nutrition. In cities like Detroit, urban farming has become an widespread, bringing together communities, creating jobs, and attempting to revitalize a city.

Food is crucial not only to the health of us, but also to the health of our communities.

With this project I wanted to make a connection with the kitchen and the part it plays in preparing a meal. Using chives as a common herb in cooking, I took a simple approach at viewing food preparation. Busy lifestyles can make it easy to turn to something premade that is “Ready to go in six seconds or less!” but its easy to get green in any meal.

Andropogon virginicus | Whiskey Grass Because of its use as packaging for American whiskey bottles, Australians call Andropogon virginicus “whiskey grass.” The grass is native to the United States, but has been introduced to Japan, Australia, California and Hawaii. The grass is extremely invasive in the areas where it has been introduced. As it dies, it releases toxic chemicals that suppress the growth of other plant species. After a fire, the grass returns quickly and more abundantly and can grow in areas with poor soil.

Chaz O’Neil Infestare Cyclus animal hide gesso, spray paint, watercolor, graphite, collage I focused on the relationship between the rooftop garden, the Lazarus Building, and the Whiskey Grass. I’m drawn to the image of the L tower and how the rainwater that the garden supplies is used for the Lazarus Building, so in this piece, I wanted to move your eye around the diptych to create that recycling effect. The landscape images are depicted to reiterate that the Whiskey Grass is an invasive plant, and capable of surviving harsh conditions and capable of growing in a concrete urban setting. I incorporated maps to indicate that there was a trans-pacific migration between the US and Australia.

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Lisa McLymont Sea Thrift copper, acrylic, steel, wood This poject inspires the gardener, recorder, and visual artist in me to create art that educates and inspires others to learn as well.

My work translates my fascination with life into visual forms using hammered copper wire, paint and wood. Copper frequently appears in my work for its beautiful sheen, malleability and life force. It ages and changes over time, while offering support to the world around it.

Copper connects human communities as well as gardens in ways both scientific and esoteric. It aids in promoting healthy networks, while channeling energy to withstand the pressures of an environment.

Armeria maritima | Thrift Most of its flowers are pink, but some may be red, white or purple. This plant is a favorite of gardeners and florists around the world. Between 1937 and 1952, the British used Thrift on the reverse side of the threepence coin. Its presence on the coin alluded to Thrift’s ability to grow in soil with an extreme density of copper.

Thrift possibly prohibits the intake of much copper from its stems, and excretes copper from its dying leaves.

Kathleen Pepicello Asclepias tuberosa | Milkweed Many gardeners plant milkweed to lure butterflies. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves, and use the plant as a deterrent for predators. When the monarch caterpillars eat milkweed leaves they taste bad, which predators have learned. Milkweed has many medicinal properties, such as relieving sore throat, diarrhea, and swelling, and aiding in milk production in mothers. However, the plant is poisonous to livestock, particularly cows and sheep, and can be dangerous to humans if not prepared properly.

Not Just What You Want to See oil on canvas Resilient, nurturing and beautiful, the butterfly weed can survive the harshest of conditions.

With little rainfall, impoverished soil and frigid temperatures, Asclepia Tuberosa rallies on, providing beautiful orange flowers and the sole source of nourishment for the monarch caterpillar. What isn’t readily apparent, however, is the fact that its roots run very deep, exceptionally so; it rarely survives transplanting.

Like so many of us, its vulnerability is hidden, not noticed until it is too late . . . beauty gone forever.

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Calamintha nepeta | White Cloud Many delicious Italian dishes contain Calamintha nepeta, more commonly known as Calamint.

Its leaves are chopped and put in many meat, vegetable, and fish dishes to give them a subtle mint plus oregano flavor. Calamint is often called “White Cloud� because of its appearance.

Nick George White Cloud 10/12 found objects, tape, silver gelatin paper negatives Moving from the plant, white cloud, I desired to keep the work connected to the Lazarus building. I used old Lazarus Department Store hat/gift boxes as pinhole cameras. A simple pinprick supplied my aperture while my finger became the shutter. The boxes have once again found themselves inside this hundred-year old building supporting the new images whose creation they enabled.

Ben Quinn Witness to Relative Scale (Harebell Flower) gouache, acrylic, ink Man meets eyes with elegant flower Man is astonished by its stillness and beauty Man becomes aware of scale in relation to the flower, and also to the relative scale of man to the universe.

Man is amazed.

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Campanula rotundifolia | Harebelle The minimalist, flowering plant is a source of inspiration to poets around the world.

William Shakespeare, Christina Rosetti, John Clare, and Emily Dickinson have all mentioned the harebell in poems, alluding to the flower as a source of beauty, hope, and desire. The appearance of the flower is simplistic, with blue-violet, drooping, bell-shaped flowers and thin stems.

Harebell thrives in rocky areas, meadows, and shorelines, providing a striking contrast to the surrounding landscape.

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Leah Frankel Drawing with Thread paper, thread Cross Section with Thread paper, thread Drawing Without Thread paper, sewing machine Drawing Without Thread 2 paper, sewing machine All species adapt to their environments allowing them to live, sometimes at the risk of harming another. Strong thriving species are often overcome by external variables that undermine their strength. Although it is a strong surviving ground cover and weed, Carex laxiculmis, or commonly Bunny Blue, is listed as an endangered species in North America. These drawings use paper and thread to manifest this fundamental struggle for survival between two extremely strong and durable materials.

Carex laxiculmus | Bunny Blue Carex laxiculmus is a sedge frequently found as a border plant in many gardens. The sedge is often called Bunny Blue because its blades are a green-blue color and it provides food and cover for many small creatures, such as bunnies, chipmunks, and frogs.

Bunny Blue is currently threatened by agriculture, rural, and suburban development, and conservation efforts have sprung up to protect the sedge.

Rachel Poe Devil’s Paintbrush acrylic Devil’s Paintbrush (or Hawkweed) is unique, because its bright colors can be seen under a vast spectrum of light sources. Its petals contain UV coloring, which enable pollinators to find it easily, but are invisible to the human eye.

Devil’s Paintbrush offers a multitude of opportunities to explore light and the way light affects the way reality is perceived.

Time and perception are explored through the use of color. This painting is heavily influenced by Proch’s use of color and the graphic representation of Caulfield’s work. The graphic quality and sudden change in color represent light’s ephemeral nature. This drifting between states of being is linked to the projection of light and its temporal qualities.

Pilosella aurantica | Devil’s Paintbrush This flower is called Devil’s Paintbrush because of the blackish, coarse hairs that cover the stems and leaves, and its vibrant flower heads that resemble the tip of a paintbrush dipped in fiery hues. Devil’s Paintbrush is an appropriate name beacuse it is an invasive species.

The plant is aggressive and cannot be controlled by mowing because of its ability to asexually reproduce. This invasiveness has caused the plant to be prohibited and quarantined in several states and countries.

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Michelle Vieira Composed of its Components beer, ink For years, brewers and beer enthusiasts have cherished the hops plant for its bitter taste and its ability to preserve the beverage naturally.

It is a huge ingredient in all types of beer and it also helps determine what kind of beer as well. Composed of its Components is made entirely out of beer, of all kinds, especially stouts.

The gradation is made from multiple layers of straight, unaltered beer. I also included India ink in the hops painting because there is something beautiful about the simplicity of black and tan, much like the colors of most beers- ranging from a pale yellow tan to almost black.

Humulus lupulus | Hops Hops are a resilient species known for its vine-like appearance (although the technical term is bine) and its ability to act as its own support system. New growth on the Hop is supported by shoots that are already in place giving it the ability to climb. The plant is used to make many beers because of its flavor, and often functions as a preservative and natural deoderant.

Kelly Jo LaMarr The Silver Lining acrylic on canvas Lavender can grow in beautiful fields of pale purple. When I was a kid, the fields around the house I grew up in would be filled with wheat. In the summer time the sunsets over the wheat fields were aweinspiring. Thinking back those moments are some of the best and most peaceful memories. I wanted to recreate that sense with a lavender field on a sunset. The canvas is a not stretched and not primed.

This will compromise the integrity of the painting with intent. The paint will die just like a flower. Inspired from Jackson Pollock I created a sunset with the drip technique.

Using wide brush strokes I made a lavender field with white, purple and lavender colors.

This painting is meant to stir feelings of excitement and calm all at once. Those moments of calm and excitement are, I believe, the silver lining to life.

Lavandula augustifolia | Lavender Lavender is a plant best known for its pale violet color and variety of uses. The color of the flowers is so unique that “lavender� is commonly known as a color as well as a flower. Both the color and the scent of the flowers are most often associated with relaxation. Lotions, oils, soaps, and other body and home products come from the lavender plant. Along with its home and body uses, lavender can also be an herbal medicine or tea to act as an antiinflammatory and sleep aid.

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Megan Anderson Edelweiss oil on canvas The tempting beauty and extreme ability to survive on the cliff sides of the Swiss Alps has prompted many stories surrounding the Edelweiss flower. The hunter, wishing to attain it as a symbol of his bravery and daring, climbed the mountain and was found dead at the foot with the flower in hand. I’ve created an image of extremes; thick textures, bright colors, but with an ambiguous setting. From the Swiss Alps to the unprotected exposure of elements on rooftop gardens, the elusive existence of the Edelweiss can only be represented by imagination, as its physical presence is almost never attained.

Edelweiss leontopodium alpinum | Wool flower Leotopodium belongs to the sunflower family, and frequently grows at high altitudes in mountainous regions like the Alps. Some countries, such as Austria and Switzerland have made the flower their national symbol because of its association with rugged, noble beauty. Leotopodium survives despite the tough conditions in high altitudes, and is covered in a furry wool-like coat.

Drew Ribarchak Scabiosa Caucasica acrylic paint with heavy gel I used acrylic paint with molding gel and paste to bring the Scabiosa Caucasica to life. The Scabisosa flower has multiple layers, including smaller white and pink flowers in the center, that I wanted to bring to the forefront. The Scabiosa stands tall among the rest of the garden created by using pointillism.

Scabiosa caucasica | Isaac house Hybrids The plant Scabiosa caucasica has many stories behind its name. During medieval times the plant was used to relieve skin itching caused by the Bubonic Plague. This earned the plant the genus name “Scabiosa” which comes from the Latin word meaning “to scratch.” The species name “caucasia” refers to the Caucasus mountains in Europe where the plant derives from. Today, the plant has become “Isaac House Hybrids.” James House enginerered and marketed the large flower heads in his nursery in England. Typically, the Scabiosa caucasica produces one large flower head with a long stem, perfect for a vase.

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Jill Raymundo They Called Her Angelina reclaimed walnut wood shelvess, terrarium, graphite on paper drawing, vintage flasks, viles with recycled glass, vintage cigar boxes They Call Her Angelina is part sculpture, part installation. It is a visual representation of the history, story, and beauty of the Sedum Rupestre ‘Angelina’. A collection of objects, both found and made, is presented on a handmade wooden shelf made of reclaimed walnut. The framed graphite drawing represents the plant itself while the cigar boxes provide factual information on how the sedum was discovered and patented. The terrarium showcases the actual sedum, and is juxtaposed with vintage science bottles filled with recycled and found organic materials.

My work is an investigation of the actual plant and the context from which it came. In a way, I am creating my own personal story and relationship to ‘Angelina’.

Sedum repestre | Angelina Sedum repestre is a hardy plant that is able to grow in a variety of climates. The plant’s colors change with the seasons. It is green in spring, transitions to gold during the late summer, and finally, shifts to orange during the autumn. Christian Kress, a nursery owner in Austria, discovered this plant while visiting Croatia. He named it “Angelina” after the wife of the Croatian garden owner.

Silene Silene is the feminine form of Silenus, who in Greek mythology was a follower of Dionysus, the woodland god of wine. Silenus was reportedly the oldest, wisest, and often, drunkest, of Dionysus’s followers. When drunk, Silenus had the powers of prophecy and special knowledge. The plant Silene is a wildflower, and like its namesake, was said to have special powers when ingested. The African tribe Xhosa used the plant as an intoxicant that was taken right before sleep. The plant was said to make dreams more vivid and memorable.

Miharu Kato Dream Katamari photoshop I’m a huge fan of flowers, well, more so than a regular tree or a random weed in the sidewalk. I love the process flowers endure. They start tiny as lil budz, then they bloom into this sometimes huge, sometimes small burst of natural color in a strangely sexual way. Then the fact that my plant makes you remember your dreams better when consumed, it seemed like a really perfect plant.

I didn’t get to see the plant on the garden tour, so it remained this mystery to me. I’ve probably seen them all over the place but without seeing it, it became this lofty special idea in my head. I really wanted to capture its mystery and absence.

So I made a collage based around the dreams I’ve been having recently. I didn’t want it to seem like a scene or something pictorial. I wanted to create something that would only exist as an idea or a weird organized collection of thoughts and wishes and dreams.

The way it came together was much like a Katamari. It started small with one image I had cut out, then I kept adding more things until I had created this huge ball of all this stuff that permeates my dreams and life. I also thought of it as a little tribute to Tumblr culture, being barraged by sex and images that you have chosen to ‘follow’.

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Timothy Hill Yellow Composition oil paint My work stems from the idea that painting functions as a kind of veil or a woven set of conditions, which is made tangible to the viewer through revealing itself, moment to moment.

My belief is that the fashion in which it appears is what the painting is, which is to say ephemeral and process-based. In this particular painting of a Solidago Sphacelata or the Golden Fleece plant, I was interested in distinguishing its yellow blooms from its bushy background; the intention being to focus on its form and flower to define its identity. Abstracting the image, yet maintaining its character and natural gestures.

Solidago sphacelata | Golden Fleece Golden Fleece or Goldenrod plants produce honey and are useful in making tea. Many people consider Goldenrod to be lucky, but others think it’s a weed and dislike it because it causes allergic reactions in some people. Goldenrod contains a natural form of rubber, which was utilized by Thomas Edison in his experiments. Edison owned a Model T from Henry Ford that had goldenrod rubber tires.

Joachim Bean Mediums of Survival 35mm slides, slide projectors, found objects With the ever-increasing amount of urbanization going on in Ohio and in the world, I ask myself, how does nature survive, and where is nature’s place in all this? In parallel to this change, I look at photography in the same way. With digital technologies changing photography, I ask myself, where is the place for film in all of this?

Asking these questions, I then ask myself, where is the place for these “rejected” technologies and nature in our modern urban world? Can I recreate it? Make use of it? Or is nature still necessary for these things to function?

Talinum calcynum | Flower-of-an-hour A unique feature of the this flower is its flowering schedule. The plant only flowers for a few hours in the middle of the day from May to September. This small window makes the flowers very exclusive and special to see.

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Wisteria chinensis | Wisteria The Wisteria plant is renowned for producing draping, often purple flowers that smell similar to grapes. The plant is a member of the pea family and is native to China and Japan.

A very hardy plant, Wisteria is considered an invasive species in some areas because it can take over an area from other plant species. Wisteria also forms symbiotic relationships with other plants, meaning that the plant and some other plants are mutually beneficial to one another.

Vanda Sucheston Hughes Wisteria Dreaming watercolor Creating art has been a driving force for me since I can remember. I love to work from nature, use a lot of color and find beauty. Surthrive in the Heartland allowed me to play with the idea of surviving and thriving so I choose to portray my plant the Wisteria in its full grown, thriving state. In the background is a small, ruin of a structure where the vine has taken over. I originally saw this in Ireland and was struck by the vines ability to outlive the building. The Wisteria on the roof is just beginning but some day it will be like the one in my painting.

Ginny Baughman Surthrive plaster, found objects, acrylic I work as an author, poet, or musician to create an interesting narrative. I weave a story that leaves conclusions up to my viewer’s own interpretation. I use a variety of media for my art: including, but not limited to drawing, painting, collage, paper, fiber and mixed media. I let my project dictate my medium. My viewer’s interpretations are what make creating art so intriguing and rewarding for me, because I never know how my work will be comprehended.

Chrysanthemum leucanthemum | Daisy When you think of a daisy, it is most likely this daisy that comes to mind. The common daisy is able to survive in a wide array of conditions and climates. The daisy is popular for many gardens, but in some parts of the world it is considered a weed. The plant can be invasive and often takes over native plants’ space. The daisy is very difficult to eradicate because of its regenerative properties, and acts as a host for some viral diseases that kill crops.

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Shane McGeehan Stonecrop: Roots, Stems, Flowers digital photography and simple manipulation Roots: Dark, quiet, yet very active. The roots are a structured system, like an organic motherboard, laid out to suck up water and nutrients that keep the plant alive. The stacked symmetry represents a solid foundation, supporting everything above.

Stems: Bright, powerful, and complex. The stems act as a transport system and a creator of power, budding leaves that turn the sun’s light into chemical energy. A bright green mandala mimics the stems circular shape and function as a solar power source.

Flowers: Colorful, overwhelming, intricate pattern of self-similar spirals. The plant blooms beautiful flowers that serve only one single function, yet the most important of all: reproduction. The fractal-like spirals represent the plant in time, going on forever, slightly changing and evolving.

Olivia Miller The Lattice raspberry anthotype, lace doily, transparency The cola cola allows other plants to survive and thrive in its area, its roots creating a base in the soil for other plants to take root, thus making the roof more diverse and able to conserve energy. This plant allows the weight of conservation to be distributed over a wider array of plants working like a snowshoe. The lace doily represents the connections between these plants and the latticework required to keep the rooftop garden surthriving.

Sedum cauticola | cola cola Sedum cauticola is a plant native to Japan.

Its flowers are a purplish-pink, and it’s leaves are gray-green with a pink rim. It forms a carpet as it grows, and prefers to grow on cliffs. Other names for this plant include “stonecrop” and “cola cola.”

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