A Memorial You Can See From the Heavens

Credit: The Wall Street Journal

In honor of Mother’s Day we bring to you a heartfelt memorial in loving memory of Graciela, both a wife and a mother. Large in scale, big in heart and enduring in concept, it has continued to grow and flourish over time.

If you’re set to fly over General Levalle, Argentina any time soon, keep an eye out for this spectacular landscape design surrounding this family’s ranch.

The gigantic guitar made of trees was the dream of Graciela Yraizoz, the matron of the ranch. Not long after the inspiration hit, Graciela collapsed, having suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. After her untimely death in 1977 — after less than a decade of marriage — her husband Pedro Ureta planted the trees as a memorial to honor her wishes.

Most of the guitar is formed of cypress trees. Pedro planted six rows of eucalyptus trees for the strings, their bluish tone offering a visible contrast from above.

¨It was the closest thing possible to having my mother alive.”

Lovely wife & mother Graciela Yraizoz, who died in 1977, at 25
(Credit: Ureta family)

According to The Wall Street Journal, ¨It was the closest thing possible to having my mother alive,” says Maria Julia, a 39-year-old daughter and one of four children of the couple, as the trees continue to grow. What a beautiful tribute to the loss of her mother.