As my last wander in Second Life took me to remote Gaeta 1 (see: A LemonCliff café in Second Life), I decided to stay with the Mainland theme for my next bout of meandering, travelling across Second Life’s map from north to south to pay a visit to Jeogeot and a small parcel of land sitting just off Route 9 toward that continent’s southern coastline. It is a place perhaps easy to miss as you travel along the highway, just a pair of iron gates under a stone arch itself set into a high wall spanning the gap between high granite blocks on the south side of the road. However, it hides a little treasure.
Behind the gates, and occupying the greater part of a 6,400 sq metre parcel is Journey Garden, a charming setting created by Kes Evergarden Teech (Kestrel Evergarden), and offered under her Journey Magazine brand. And when I say charming, I mean precisely that.
Beyond the gates, a path gently winds across the roughly rectangular gardens, the granite blocks continuing on around the setting to neatly fence it in without being obviously oppressive or enclosing.
This main path leads the way past some of the setting’s major features as it makes it way to the southern extreme and the offices of Journey Magazine. A second path doubles back on the first just a few short metres from the gates, winding back to where steps cut through the grass to climb up to wide grassy ledge overlooking a sheltered pond. A bench has been added to a fountain and pool occupying the ledge, making it a perfect retreat for those wanting a cuddle or simply watch the play of ripples over the water.
A second shoulder of low rock sits across the pond, the main path curling gently past its rocky foot. Here lies a further little place to sit, this one talking the form of three hanging seats suspended from the beams of a pergola. However, getting up to them might at first seem to be less than obvious, given the sheer faces on the rock on which the pergola sits – but there is a way. A little slope rises on the side of the outcrop nearest the pond, offering a relatively easy climb up to the top, the grassy path passing a small wooden deck built out over the pond as they do so.
Between the pergola-topped rock and the magazine’s office sits a picnic area and live music space, reached via a short path and steps sitting alongside the garden’s café, a place where refreshments might be enjoyed together with a quiet sit-down. I’m not sure how often live events might be held on the little outdoor stage – but they are mentioned as occurring in the garden’s About Land description.
This is a place of serenity and photogenic retreat, the one oddity within it sitting back towards the gates, and clearly visible to anyone entering the garden. Set back from the main path at the end of a short walk along loosely placed paving stones is a bus-cum-trailer home which, like the garden it sits within, appears to have been allowed to grow almost completely organically.
The trailer sits as a place which is strangely bohemian whilst also carrying a hint of dark magic. The latter point is added to by the presence of a deer spirit, standing like some Dark Herne behind it. Inside, however, the trailer house is oddly cosy, even with the further hints of magic. However, its presence is not entirely out of place within the garden, as it speaks to Kes’ sense of humour, something which can also be seen in her profile: professional cannibal & existential dread specialist … and on Wednesdays, we play D&D.
Journey Garden is not the only place to be visited along this stretch of Route 9 – right next door, for example, is the Brumby Park Conservatory, another peaceful retreat, created and run by Envy (Envy Renard). However, it is perhaps, a place to be covered in a future piece in this blog; for now, I’ll leave you visit Journey Garden for yourself, and with the SLurl.
SLurl Details
- Journey Garden (Ungnyo, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 