“All the lines are Richard’s, and he left me the middle texture,” Byers said. “With the mosaic, I wanted to hint at it from the start, and as you navigate the path, it becomes more elaborate and expansive. By the time you reach your destination point, it really opens up. With all the noise, it takes your attention into the piece.”
From the city sidewalk, Byer’s mosaic pathway starts very subtly, with only a few pebbles nestled between larger stones. But further along, the pebble designs become larger and more pronounced, enticing visitors to examine more closely the craftsmanship under their feet.
The pathway winds throughout the meditative area, leading to two Zen gardens, benches and a plethora of new plantings. At the pathway’s end, the mosaic pattern takes center stage, filling out almost the entirety of the stonework.
“The four guys I had helping me, I really encouraged all of them to express their own creativity in the piece,” Byers said. “They used the same consistent colors and textures, but there was a little bit of different personality in different places. A lot of it was just very intuitive, keeping in mind the design, the patterns and picking up a lot of the floral and a lot of the spiral elements.”
Although not technically part of the RMH Meditative Garden, the new playground is very much an integral part of the garden’s spirit. The playground was designed by Carolina Parks and Play, with the needs of the RMH visitors in mind. The nature-themed space is completely accessible and inclusive, including wheelchair accessible equipment. Other features include accessible swings, roller slides and interactive musical instruments.
