The Teasel and The Thistle
The twin targets you see in the garden were created in September 2024, by the Uphall-based artist Lesley Logue. Can you feel the rings and the heart of each target with your eyes closed? These sometimes spikey, and other times smooth plants can be found in this very garden. Can you spot them?
The artworks were inspired by conversations between the artist, garden staff, volunteers and veterans with visual impairment that visit the garden. The conversations centred around experiences of plants and gardens, life stories, as well as some of the activities that the group enjoyed taking part in at Linburn.
The target pieces incorporate plants that are difficult to touch in real life, because of how spikey they are, providing a tactile experience that everyone can enjoy safely. The targets also mimic the structure of tree rings, referencing the passage of time, and embedding themselves naturally into the garden landscape.
Near the main entrance you will also find a brick piece, carved with the word serenity, a word that the veterans felt best described their experience of garden spaces. The two targets, as well as the brick piece are crafted from jesmonite marble, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional marble, used extensively in contemporary Scottish architecture.
Did you know?
The thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland for over 500 years. According to legend, a group of Norse invaders attempted to sneak up on a Scottish camp barefoot, but one of them stepped on a thistle, cried out in pain, and alerted the Scots, thus helping them win the battle.
Teasel heads were traditionally used in the textile industry to raise the nap on woollen fabrics (such as military uniforms). The stiff, spiny bracts of the dried teasel were perfect for combing the fabric.
Championing Creativity in West Lothian
This project was funded by the West Lothian ARC project. West Lothian ARC is a project by Firefly Arts and is part of the Culture Collective Programme. We would also like to thank the Cyrenians and Sight Scotland Veterans for the collaboration.