The Garden that Resonated with Me Most

Before this class, I never really put much thought into what goes into gardens and the significance they have had throughout history, especially in Europe. As we learned about each type, I always found a feature I enjoyed in each one. Each type of garden was unique and had a different character and feel to it. Even though I liked all the gardens we studied, it was when we came upon the English landscape garden that I found my favorite.

Most of the other gardens were very beautiful and intricate but the English landscape garden took a much different approach. Contrary to the styles that came before it, it was made to look as though man did not play a role in the creation of it. The focus was on the “natural” beauty that could “only come from nature itself”. I really enjoy places that have a view and I thought that it was interesting and beautiful that the landscape designers used the borrowed views to extend the garden far beyond the actual bounds. When I think about what a garden should be and what I enjoy about being in a garden is that you are able to escape into nature. The English landscape garden was the one that I thought was able to communicate that.

I found it so interesting to be able to study all the different types of gardens that Europe has to offer. Each and every one was beautiful and unique. Although I enjoyed all of them, I felt that the English landscape garden really represented what I thought a garden should be about. It was a place to go and enjoy what nature looked like and even though it was still man made, I felt that it accomplished that.

For more information on the English Landscape Garden, check out this link:

http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/english_landscape_garden_designers

Photo Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_landscape_garden

http://traveltrales.wordpress.com/category/natural-britain/

http://www.historyextra.com/feature/english-landscape-garden

The Arts and Crafts Gardens

In 1870, the fashion of gardens began to change once again, as it always does and there began a battle between horticulturist and architect. Out of this battle, two people came together to take the best of both worlds and combine them into one. This was the beginning of the Arts and Crafts gardens and Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens were the ones to behind it.

The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction. It was a reaction against the current state of the arts at that time. It was all about traditional craftsmanship and simple forms. The zeitgeist of this time was all about good times and played a role in the design of gardens. Jekyll and Lutyens came together and created harmony in their designs. Theirs strengths and weaknesses complimented each other’s perfectly. Jekyll knew everything there was to know about the horticulture part of designing gardens and Lutyens strengths were in the design of architecture. They were able to create a flow between the house and the gardens. The architecture would flow into the gardens in the form of paths, terraces, walls, buildings and water features. The design of the planting that Jekyll was responsible for was inspired by her training in impressionist art. She planted flowers in beautiful clumps with soft lines. She was the first to apply the color theory to flower planting. It was a complicated process, much more than one would think. She had to take into consideration the flowering times, the plant form and height, and the greenery that was involved. The basic idea in the partnership between Jekyll and Lutyens was that Lutyens created the buildings and the framework and Jekyll filled all of the beds. This combination created beautiful gardens for example Munstead Wood. The most popular feature of this garden was the iris and lupin border that Jekyll created.

The Arts and Crafts movement and the teamwork between Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens created harmony between structure and plants. These gardens were truly the best of both worlds.

For more information on Munstead Wood, check out this link:

http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/munstead_wood_garden

Photo Links:

http://www.godalmingmuseum.org.uk/index.php?page=gertrude-jekyll

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/property/article3274119.ece

http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/rosa-munstead-wood--ausbernard--pbr/classid.2000018788/