If you’ve had the privilege of visiting the Desert Botanical Garden (DBG) of Phoenix, then you know it is absolutely breathtaking. Nestled in the bustling city of Phoenix, the garden effortlessly displays the unique beauty of Arizona’s desert plants. Each section of the garden is designed with nature’s aesthetic in mind. The structures on the premises are treated with the same dignity. So, artist Larry Kornegay, of Kornegay Design®, was proud to be asked to design a custom monument to honor the Garden’s many generous donors.
Showcasing the Donors
Maintaining a garden of this size with so much foot traffic every year (630, 000+) is no easy feat, so the Desert Botanical Garden of Phoenix is so grateful for its donors. Their generosity keeps the garden beautiful for all who visit, whether it be locals, travelers, or school children on field trips. In the past, the garden thanked donors with bronze plaques. With so many lines of names on them, it was difficult to make the donors stand out. It was time for something special and out of the ordinary.
Elaine McGinn, the Director of Planning and Exhibits is a forward thinking woman, and she wanted something different, so she called upon Larry Kornegay. Kornegay had designed projects for the garden in the past and McGinn knew he was the artist capable of creating an impressive site-specific statement that complimented the garden and celebrated its donors.
The Design
Originally the site allocated for the project was a west facing wall of a building located near the entrance. However, due to Arizona’s harsh sunlight, Kornegay knew this orientation would have a negative impact on the wall over time. Instead, he planned a second custom-designed wall which was constructed in front of the west wall. The names were displayed on the new east facing wall, this placement allowed the wall to be exposed to less direct heat and visitors could stand in the shade to read the names and other DBG project information. The wall also provides further utility with an attached bench angling out from the side allowing visitors to take a break.