Mr. Triet and the Dragon

One of the first things you notice about the cathedral grounds is the amazing number of gardens. By gardens I'm not talking about flowers or vegetables, but rather green spaces that give quiet and calm to the  heart and the soul. A major reason for the beauty of the gardens is Mr. Triet.

 While Mr. Triet is the master of bonsai, my favorite work of his is this topiary of the two dragons. They flank the entrance to the bishop's meeting room. He carefully sculpts with pruning shears, a small saw, and wire.

 The small fins on the back of this dragon are easy to see. The skeleton is built with wire and the ficus bushes are trained to grow where Mr. Triet wants them to grow.

 Working in the hot sun all day requires him to wear long sleeves, long pants, and the obligatory conical hat. Oddly enough, all of this clothing not only keeps him from getting sunburned, but also makes him much cooler.

My favorite part of the dragons are the fire coming out of the nostrils. Mr. Triet uses copper electrical wiring to train the shoots. As a side note, his son is a priest and our bishop is his son's godfather. A big thanks to Mr. Triet for the wonderful beauty he brings to Phat Diem.