Nov. 14, 2008 at 2:20pm

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

Mosaics gone mad?

I had so much fun checking out Isaiah Zagar's Magic Gardens that I took Rick with me the next day. I don't even know how to start to describe this place in words, so I'll let a few pictures do the talking. There is a full history and description on their web pages that is worth reading if you want more information. If you are planning a trip to Philly, I highly recommend a visit to South Street to check out the shops, restaurants, and most of all, Magic Gardens.

This is the first wall of mosaic that I encountered as I walked west on South Street. The buildings on both sides of the street (10th?) are completely covered in mosaic.

Around the back of the building, in the alley, the mosaic continues.

In the vacant lot next to this building, Isaiah and friends built the magic gardens. From what I can gather, all of the items used in the mosaic were scavanged from around the city. They also incorporated many non-traditional items into the mosaic, such as discarded toys and bike wheels.

Rick and I took a lot of pictures; it is hard to resist photographing, it is so unique and beautiful. My favorite shot, though, is this one by Rick that captures the mosaic of one wall, leftover Dia de los Muertos party decorations, and the caption on the opposite wall of the garden, "South Street is Beautiful."