Post #10

Throughout the semester we studied and examined a vast variety of garden styles and structures throughout European history. The range of garden forms I have found quite interesting and intriguing. Watching the transition of styles, plant types, and uses of gardens really goes to show the wide diversity of garden art history. It has been quite fascinating to learn about, and many of these elements of gardens I had not considered in the past. Even though I enjoyed study all the different types of gardens, the arts and crafts gardens were my favorite.

There is something so appealing about the way the formal and informal are meshed together in this style. The way the plants appear to grow freely, but in fact are methodically arranged and planned out. These gardens by Jekyll and Lutyens were so captivating and so realistic for people’s homes. I really appreciated the importance of Kent and Capability Brown’s work, but there is something to be said for creating a beautiful garden a home and not an estate.

In my future home, I hope to have a garden that resembles something along the lines of an arts and crafts garden. The meandering paths and herbaceous boarders can give one the feeling of getting lost in the garden, while still having it controlled and maintained. I love the appeared randomness of the planting Jekyll creates in her gardens when she mixes up the different textures, heights, and colors of plants. This element makes each arts and crafts garden appear more unique, which I really value. I think each garden should have it’s own feeling, it’s own design, and it’s own layout. Gardens should not be cookie-cutter plans as we saw with the gardens during the Italian Renaissance. Arts and crafts gardens need to work with the genius of the location, which I think is a more respectable way of creating gardens.

Sources:

http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/tom_turner_english_garden_design/nineteenth_and_twentith_century

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02248/rodmarton1_2248169b.jpg

Post #9: Arts and Crafts Gardens

Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens finally settled the debate over who was in charge of the garden design that was fought and debated during the Battle of Styles. This Arts and Crafts movement took off and had a real focus on aesthetic beauty. Jekyll’s naturalistic planting coupled with Lutyens’s geometric designs solved the controversy of the Battle of Styles, since their work was both irregular and formal. The beautiful partnership between Jekyll and Lutyens led to the creation of many stunning homes and gardens that allowed both the garden designer and the architect to work together to create this new style. In their early years, the duo worked on Jekyll’s house at Munstead Wood.

Example of a herbaceous border at Munstead Wood

They created a new English Garden and provoked a new generation of gardeners. They were always interested in the genius of a place, more so than the desires of the owners. When designing they worked with the specific location in mind and they often used local materials in local ways. Some of their specific forms and contents include rectangular flower borders with long drifts. Jekyll also used the herbaceous border quite often. She is responsible for its resurge in popularity. Some people think that she invented the herbaceous border, but that is not true. She rediscovered it, but she actually preferred to call it the “flower-border” instead.

Jekyll paid close attention to color theory, and applied painting techniques for the coloration and planning of the gardens. This fully reflects the ideas of the arts and crafts movement being focused on aesthetic beauty.

More Information:

http://www.the-secretgardens.co.uk/lutyens-jekyll/

Photo Sources:

http://www.mygardenersguide.com/images/gallery/DSC_8159.JPG

http://blogmedia.designpublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/gjtwo.jpg                  

http://ced.berkeley.edu/cedarchives/exhibitions/archive/fullsize/gj_1955-1_jekyll_1_bbc773f5b9.jpg