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 The earliest
formal English gardens, that we know of today, were planted by
the Roman conquerors of Britain in the 1st Century AD at Fishbourne
Palace in Sussex, England. Fishbourne Palace was comprised of
four spectacular wings with colonnaded fronts, forming a square
around a formal garden. Built in 75-80 AD, this private residence
was at one time, about the same size as Buckingham Palace. Visitors
to the Palace would have entered through the gardens, therefore
witnessing the great wealth of its Roman owner, King Cogidubnus.
The neat and
orderly, geometric and symmetrically planned formal gardens boasted
hedges and pathways, surrounding expansive lawns, vegetable and
flower gardens, exotic ornamental and fruit tree displays, ponds,
fountains and statues. Following the style of the times, it was
a common practice to use hedges and gravel or stone-stepped pathways
to punctuate small niches, which would contain statues, urns
or garden seats. This style of garden encouraged residents and
guests to walk the gardens and enjoy the out of doors.
Today, Fishbourne
Palace is continually surprising us with new details of life
at that time. Not only famous for the reconstructed gardens,
the palace had mosaic floors in over 100 rooms, the largest collection
of in-situ mosaic floors in Britain, and about 25% of those survive
in some degree today. Three fragments were discovered outside
the palace boundaries leaving a suggestion that there may have
been part of a pathway outside as well.
View
full necklace & additional color palette...
Note: pendant portion of necklace is 1"
wide by 2" long
Steppin’
Stones necklace is reminiscent of a formal garden by beginning
with the trillion-shaped pendant as the central commanding focal
point, as would a pond, fountain or statue in the garden. The
eye is then lead up the necklace by the gem-embellished links
that act as the stepping-stones, leading the way to the closure.
Three-dimensional Peyote Stitch is used to create a bezel, and
a raised triangular shape, upon which the bezeled stone rests
at center front. Suspended from the focal point, is another set
stone, acting as a visual balance to the pendant. Pathways of
Peyote-stitched, gem-embellished links comprise the rest of the
necklace and lead to two gem-studded toggles that become part
of the closure. The links are embellished with Sterling or Gold-filled
set gemstones and/or CZ’s.
Skill level: Advanced
This is a 2-day
workshop.
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