BIG MANGO TRADING CO.

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From a generous spirit, a Dallas park is born

September 1, 2010January 12, 2016Dallas Texas, pocket park, urban art, urban landscaping

The overflowing landscape of Dragon Park must certainly cause some rubbernecking by passers-by. Sprouting out of the surrounding pavement, this little parcel of land at the corner of Hood and Cedar Springs has been transformed into a contemplator’s dream. Those who stop and stroll through the public garden are rewarded with whimsical figures and restful nooks, all worked into the landscape magically to create a glimpse of what a fairy tale might look like. In this fairy tale, the generous man behind Select Salon, Mark Maham, and his business partner, graciously lent to the Dallas community a piece of land and all of its treasures, if for no other reason than to share their vision of beauty with us. In this case, a fairy tale has come true…

dragonpark-1sep2010-2 — Hood Street Entrance

dragonpark-1sep2010-3 — Cedar Springs entrance

dragonpark-1sep2010-4 — Petrified Wood Sculpture from Big Mango

dragonpark-1sep2010-5 — Friendly gargoyle from Big Mango

dragonpark-1sep2010-7 — Angel under a pergola

dragonpark-1sep2010-8 — Stone Pond from Big Mango

dragonpark-1sep2010-9 — Petrified Wood Sculpture from Big Mango

So, what’s the deal with the petrified wood?

July 16, 2010January 12, 2016petrified wood

petrified-16jul2010-1 We get so many questions about the petrified wood pieces that we carry, and rightly so. Outside of the Petrified Forest, large chunks of petrified wood are not commonly seen. We happen to have a very nice collection of pieces of all sizes, up to 7′ tall and weighing who knows how many tons.

Where are our pieces from?

Our pieces come from Southeast Asia. And while they’re considered young in petrified wood years, the average age is still a very respectable 63 to 1.8 Million years old.

petrified-16jul2010-2

What kind of trees are (were) they?

During the petrifying process, every atom of the tree is replaced with occurring elements in the ground at that time. So, identifying a tree’s species after it has essentially turned to stone is very difficult.

Why do the colors vary?

The color is determined by the specific minerals and elements that have replaced the tree’s composition during petrification. Common minerals in the region are quartz, chalcedony and jasper. Iron affects petrified wood with brown and amber tones, while manganese infused woods are black and/or grey.

petrified-16jul2010-3

What do you do with petrified wood?

Petrified wood is not only a sought after collector’s item, but it’s functional, too. Of course, the massive pieces are magical as sculpture, and our vendor is very skilled at polishing the pieces to accentuate their beauty. Smaller, more symmetrical pieces lend themselves to be used as end tables, stools, garden tables and nightstands. Any piece can be drilled and set up to be a stunning water feature, which is a sophisticated trend in landscaping now.

Can I get a piece made to order?

Obviously, petrified wood is nature’s craft, but we can arrange to have a piece cut to specific dimensions, and polished to order.

Slag glass for the color obsessed

July 10, 2010January 14, 2016art glass, glass objects, slag glass

We offer you slag glass. Although it is just the byproduct from glass production or recycling, it looks exotic and and brightens any landscape like a vibrant rainbow.