First Sight of Giants (Chapter 1.3)

The descent to the glade where the Bowhill Giants have been installed is gentle. Part of the route is even tarmac, and it is the shortest of the routes around the gardens. It follows the curve of the lake, dipping in and out of the forest. I am alone as I walk past a nesting swan and cygnets. I sit by the water and look out over to the far bank. The trees have grown high and tall on the other side, and the summer heat has them full of leaf and life.

The peace and quiet stays with me until I reach the opening. The Giants were originally placed beneath large trees, but necessary cutting of branches has opened up the location, making it a sudden break in the cover of the treetops. The Giants – my first Giants – are in a triangle formation, staring across at each other, high above my head.

Their heads are decorated with foliage. I’d been told that the harsh summer last year(wet and dour) had preventing the plants from blooming  within the frames, and their colours are darker than the surrounding trees. I find a good space to sit, at the foot of one Giant bearing tree, and look out beyond them.

There’s a view across the lake, right back to the House. On the lake, a few feet from my seat, a single boat is moored, and the only sounds I hear at first are the lapping of the waves against the boat and the creak of its old wood at it knocks against the moorings.

Gradually, bird songs flicker through the air. I rotate my head, trying to take in the panorama. For the first time on the trip, I feel my muscles relax. Travelling is exciting. Arriving is a relief.

There’s a row of trees in the distance that nod in the wind. I stare out at them, gradually detecting shapes in the branches. The tallest tree has a regal air, crowned by leaves. I turn back to the Giant Heads.

They become a focus for my observations. I notice how they have been decorated with local branches, pinecones and earth. One head is dense, like a crosshatched illustration. Another is sparser, revealing the lines of the lattice and a wide-open mouth. It appears to be laughing.

The Giant directly above me has a flat nose, like an elderly man, weather beaten but friendly. I am amazed at how quickly each Giant reveals a personality. They remind me of cartoon characters – sketched but not photo-realistic, suggesting personality and allowing my mind to fill in the rest.

The apparent failure of the blooming plants, conversely, allows the Giants to blend into their environment. Looking at them through the screen of my video recorder, they are flattened out and the leaves behind them add shape to their contours.