Bosnian Man, Inspired by Van Gogh, Creates Park in The Starry Night's Image

Thought Question: Imagine you could create a park inspired by something or someone you love. What would your park look like, and what special features would it have to show what inspires you?

Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh used oil paints on canvas to create his world famous painting, The Starry Night, in 1889. To recreate the scene, businessman and art lover Halim Zukic of Bosnia and Herzegovina used a different medium. He created an entire nature park.   

"This is the largest representation of The Starry Night," Zukic told Reuters of the project. He added, it's "the result of 20 years of dreams."  

To a person strolling through the grounds of the preserve, it might look like any other well-kept garden. There are curving paths that skirt broad lakes. There are carefully-cultivated tree stands. And there are densely-planted gardens of lavender and chamomile. From a bird’s eye view, though, the magic of the park becomes clear. The paths look like van Gogh's brushstrokes. And the bushes’ colors reflect his palette.      

The massive tribute to van Gogh covers 10 hectares (100,000 square meters). It has 13 lakes. Its more than 130,000 lavender bushes come in 6 different shades. And the garden has many natural streams. Zukic did all the landscaping and design himself. He planted many of the herb gardens with the help of his daughter, Emma. They include aromatics like sage, wormwood, and echinacea.   

Zukic hopes the park will not only inspire nature lovers, but also historians and art lovers like himself. He aims to schedule art programs and events highlighting Bosnian culture in the park. Many of those will be open to the public.  

Photo of Van Gogh's Starry Night recreated as park in Bosnian hills from Reuters.