2022-12-20
Japanese maple arrived!
Another sunbather is now flaunting in our patio!
In the early morning hours of the 20th December a giant crane hovered once again above the Reinhard Ernst Museum. This time carrying the latest permanent addition to the patio, our Japanese maple! Together with the three times heavier steel sculpture ”Buscando la luz III” by Spanish-Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002) these two sun bathers will soon welcome guests as they enter the museum.
Why Japanese maple?
Japanese maple also known under its Latin name “Acer palmatum” is famous for its picturesque growth. Do not just take our word for it, see for yourself:
Green, orange, yellow and in fall even vibrant red hues! This color variety is consistent with the colorful abstract exhibits in the museum. Perfectly pairing with Chillidas sculpture “Buscando la luz III”, “the pursuit of light III”, as both Japanese maple and sculpture are striving towards sunlight.
Where does the tree come from?
Sonja and Reinhard Ernst decided on a 60 years old specimen, delivered to Wiesbaden by tree nursery Ebben located in the Dutch town of Cuijk and planted by local company Gramenz. Currently measuring 8 meters in height with a bale diameter of 1.60 meters, our Japanese maple is projected growing up to 10 meters in height!
Fun fact: Despite its name, the Japanese maple is native to central Europe!
Why planting a tree in Winter?
In addition of taking the constructional progress into account, planting trees in the cold season is also beneficial as they sprout new roots in winter. Likewise giving our new permanent resident enough time to settle in so it will be ready to enrich our patio together with Chillidas sculpture “Buscando las luz III”.