When Justin Kondrat ’14 transferred to Cornell from SUNY Morrisville, it didn’t take long for him to feel rooted. Among the ivy, he found fertile ground to thrive and grow, through an anchoring network of teachers, mentors and friends who cultivated his creativity and passion for plants.
That passion has been transformed into a living tribute to the power of nature to foster well-being and captivate a community: a display of more than 50,000 golden daffodils, white narcissus and purple hyacinth flowers spelling out the word “rooted” in 10-foot letters along the steep side of Libe Slope below the bell tower.
The installation glows red and white at night, thanks to solar-powered lights that have been woven between the flowers.
Although it started as Kondrat’s independent project under the guidance of senior lecturer of horticulture Marcia Eames-Sheavly, more than 100 people ended up taking part, from planting 13,000 bulbs to transporting, arranging and staking 350 pots.
Read the whole article and view more photos. [Cornell Chronicle 2014-04-24]
See also:
- CornellCast video
- Time-lapse video
- CALS Notes
- Rooted on Facebook
- Minor in horticulture with a focus in the botanical arts
Special thanks to Chris Kitchen Photography and Design and East Hill Flying Club.