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Swan
Lake Iris Gardens began in 1927 as a private fishing lake for
wealthy businessman Hamilton Carr Bland, who also began landscaping
his garden with Japanese Iris flowers. It is currently the only public
park in the United States to have all eight species of swans including
Royal White Mutes, Black Necks, Coscorobas, Whoopers, Black Australians,
Whistlers, Bewicks, and Trumpeters. As of May 2019, this is the only
public park in the United States to have all eight species of swans,
including Royal White Mutes, Black Necks, Coscorobas, Whoopers, Black
Australians, Whistlers, Bewicks and Trumpeters. Also seen here are lots
of flowers and the famous Recovery Sculpture by Grainger McKoy. |
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Below: The water fountain and Cypress Knees |
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Below: Karen Duquette thought this would be a peaceful place to sit, relax
and read a book. |
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Below: There were several other critters around besides the swans. |
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Below: Recovery |
Recovery
is a monumental work by renowned sculptor Grainger McKoy, and it has
taken flight at Swan Lake Iris Gardens. The sculpture stands almost
18 feet high from ground level. The actual wing is 14-feet in height
and weighs about 1,500 pounds. The sculpture is visible from nearly
every point of the south side of the gardens. Following an entire year's
work, it was unveiled to the public on May 1, 2010. |
Note: Quotes about the Recovery Sculpture is from the brochure obtained at the gardens. |
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Below;
The stainless steel sculpture represents the wing of a pintail duck
in flight. This is when it is least productive and most vulnerable,
yet has the grace and beauty that exists nowhere else. The wing was
inspired by an earlier sculpture, Pintails, and represents a step beyond
the 6-fft Recovery Stroke that Mr. McKoy created in 2006. The Swan Lake
Sculpture is more than twice the size of the one it was based upon.
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