checked out from my local library
So I'm reading this big, new book "Great Gardens of America" by Tim Richardson, and I'm really enjoying it. Large, glorious photos of gardens in bloom are a great antidote to the winter blues. In tracing the history of styles in American gardens, it includes some old favorites, such as Filoli and Dumbarton Oaks, and new treats such as Dan Hinkley's new garden Windcliff. Then I came across the profile for "Hither Lane, East Hampton, New York." The images depict a modernistic house and naturalistic landscaped grounds, but it does not show a single "garden." A swimming pool, no matter how cleverly designed, is not a garden. It can be part of one, but that implies the pool is part of a larger whole of flowers and plants, not a pool surrounded by lawn and a single urn of flowers. When VIS saw the photos of it he said, "that's lawn," and "that looks like more lawn." The girl stated emphatically that it wasn't a garden, but she wanted to swim in the pool. I wouldn't pay to go see it on a garden tour. It's a mystery why it was included in the book, as it doesn't fall within my idea of "great" or "garden." It's not avant garde or outre, unlike a couple of other gardens in the book, temporary installations at Metis Garden Festival, one of which has a triangle of green glass around a few birches in a woodland setting and a second one, "Safe Zone," a "satirical take on health and safety rules, with a rubberized surface and crash pads around trees." I would definitely pay to see them.
My definition of a "garden" is pretty broad, as the above mentioned features show. I can even accept the stark modernism of Cornerstone Place's garden (also featured in the book) with coiled balls of rope, silver birch trunks, gravel and blue and white walls. But it requires more than just a wide sweep of lawn with a swimming pool and a line of metal rods as a fence or a large urn plopped down in the middle of a lawn. Am I being too harsh? Maybe there were more gardenesque scenes that could have been included but weren't, but I doubt it. It could be that this particular property was included because the author wanted to feature an example of mid-20th Century minimalist garden design (and couldn't find one in America). (Either that, or there's a nepotistic connection with the landscape's designers.) The author concludes the discussion of this estate by describing it as "a pocket 'picturesque' landscape park." A landscape park it may be; a garden it ain't (much less a great one).
Or am I wrong? Do you think there is a difference between a garden and a landscape? How do you define a "garden"? And what makes a garden "great"?
(edit. 1/26/10 Thanks to Gail for finding the link.)
24 comments:
Hmm. I don't think I have ever pinned it down in my own mind. I always think of a landscape as the "big picture," which may include a garden or several gardens. But on a small city property, does the garden=the landscape? Or does it have no landscape, or only borrowed landscape?
As to what makes a garden great, I am glad I am not on any committee that has to make such pronouncements, as my only criterion is, "I know it when I see it."
I agree that the line between the two can be fuzzy, but I do think the line is there. Not long ago I was on a garden tour, and one of the lovely homes had mostly a huge lawn. To me, it was landscaping---nicely done, but landscaping, not a garden. Maybe trying to define what makes a garden is like the famous description of pornography: you know it when you see it.
For the record, I believe that landscaping and garden-making are equally valid treatments for one's property. Many of my design clients don't want a garden that they have to fuss over; they want nicely designed, attractive landscaping to enhance their home. But I really love helping someone create a garden that they'll enjoy every day.
Over in the U.K., what we call a backyard is a "back garden," but I agree, at some point it's not a garden, maybe not even a landscape, but an art installation. I like looking at it all, but can't imagine gardening for myself without a variety of flowering plants.
Kathy - I wonder how many of us follow Justice Potter Stewart's criterion? In suburbia, often there is no landscape to borrow beyond the the same cookie-cutter yards to left and right, so maybe the whole block is a landscape?
Pam - I have nothing against landscaping, but that's not what I want to see when I open a book advertising "gardens."
Cyndy - it does seem as if some garden designers at the British shows try to make installations featuring as little plant material as possible, a pushing of the envelope to see how far they can go and still be allowed to present their display as a "garden."
I am with you, MMD. I think there is a big difference between them. Landscapes can certainly be beautiful and admired, but to me, a garden is something created and maintained by the homeowner, or even renter. Sometimes we need help planting the big stuff, and with hardscape by professionals, but it is the involvement of the person who lives there that makes something a garden. Or those public places that are maintained lovingly, like the Lurie or Chicago
Botanical garden. Maybe that's it, someone who loves the garden is caring for it. This may be too narrow a definiation, but it's mine. :-)
I did not invent a new word in definiation, should be definition. And what's with that space?
Okay, here's my redneck take on gardens vs. landscape..I consider landscaping very green with very few or even void of flowering plants. A garden has many flowers and incorporates non flowering plants and maybe some grasses.
I would have been less than thrilled had I began reading a Gardening Book with landscaping photos.
Ditto what Frances said~~except without the spelling error! I image searched the mentioned property (!) and I agree with you MMD~it's a very nice landscape! gail
I don't think of landscape as garden. Garden is so much more personal than Landscape to me. Landscape is the larger picture.
My thought is that if it is tended with love, it is a garden. If it is tended for the sake of maintenance, it is a landscape.
Cindee
I can relate. On occasion, a photo in a garden magazine or book will strike me as, "That's not a garden!" I don't know what the difference is, but I know it when I see it. Much like pornography.
I didn't read the other comments so as not to change my thinking.
Landscape - gives your house curb appeal so it won't look out of place with the status quo in the same neighborhood.
Garden - created by someone with a passion for nature, plants and flowers. Custodial care may later be continued by others (i.e. the great gardens of the world).
I use a landscaper from time-to-time, but not for gardening. For installing trees, fences, and a lot of heavy lifting. He knows the difference too because he says "I don't do perennials, bulb and annuals" yet he dropped in a few weeks ago when my garden looked like crap and thought it looked fabulous!
Cheers,
Cameron
Frances - your definition is thought provoking, and, ultimately true. Even the great estates of the 18th and 19th century fit that definition, because even if the lord of the manor didn't care about the gardens, there was always the staff of gardeners who did lavish loving care on them.
Darla - most of the rest of the gardens in the book are just that, gardens, and fine garden porn at that. But I've seen wonderful gardens that had no flowers, such a Japanese gardens, that rely on foliage plants.
Gail - thanks for mentioning that you found the Hither Lane garden. I had Googled it and couldn't find it. Then I looked on a different search engine & found it.
Lisa - gardens do reflect the personality of the gardener, so yes, there definitely is a personal aspect to it.
Cindee - but what about a large expanse of lawn that is lovingly cared for. When I was growing up, the guy who lived behind us loved his lawn so much, he mowed it every afternoon. But it wasn't a garden.
Jim - so how do these spaces get into garden books and magazines?
Cameron - your definition works for suburbia, but on a large estate, "landscape" takes on a different meaning.
I have to agree with Frances. Maybe every garden is a landscape but not every landscape is a garden.
It's funny - this very thing was brought up in a comment by Kathy (www.avantgardensne.com) over at the Bwold blog (Garden whisperer) and she put it so perfectly that I have to use quotes: "I think of a garden as a somewhat protected place (it's derived from a French or Latin word meaning: to enclose or protect.) A landscape is a much larger open space, with views of what lies beyond. ... Of course a landscape can harbor hidden gardens... and that is always most interesting." MMD, I think you're right - a landscape without a garden is simply a landscape.
I loved reading all the ideas in the comments. I've been thinking about how I want my landscape to feel 'gardeny'. I can't think of how to define the difference between the two terms, but it's there.
Very thought-provoking MMD... keep trying to make a coherent comment and have erased 3 so far. Going for four:
In my mind there is a line between garden & landscape, and if the person in charge refers to some lovely flower as "plant material" that line's been crossed!
Enclosure is part of the classic definition - maybe because Landscape addresses the relationship of the plot to the outside world (and its opinions) while Garden is inner-directed, addressing the passionate relationship between the plot and the gardener.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Well written. I like the inclusion of "Park" and I'm thinking this could be the missing link. We've got the personally-tended herbaceous borders=garden, the untouched=landscape. In the middle is the park, sweeping green areas, featuring trees, shrubs and lawns with occasional embellishments, suited for public relaxation. The garden meanwhile is for interactive participation. These are my two bits but I'm also thinking that it's human nature to want to sort things into definitive categories. But we must not ignore the gray areas.
The book sounds interesting.
Congrats MMD!!! over at GGW...
Ditto Frances. I'll add this: There are landscapes that are gorgeous and gardens that are disasters, but what makes the garden different--the involvement of the gardener--makes even disastrous gardens beautiful.
Your question provokes more thinking than I can do this morning, MMD:) But I agree a swimming pool surrounded by lawn is NOT a garden. I've been checking out several books from the library on landscape design to help me in planning some re-do's around here, and I've noticed the same thing in several books. Those are the ones that get a quick skim before being returned to the library.
I must admit, though, I'd like to see the "Safe Zone" garden--I love a good satire...but not in my garden:)
Hi, I wanted to stop by and say congrats on your win over at GGW.
Great photo shot.
Molly
I'm with Frances and with you and with others who have commented. That's not a garden. It's a yard. With cold, expensive, 'aren't I impressive' landscaping. Has no heart. I have no love for places like this, and there are more than a few around here. I realize they help keep some landscapers in business so they can do projects with more heart, but even so...that's just not my idea of a garden and I wouldn't have it done around my rumpus-flumpus yard and garden for anything.
ROR - I suppose that's true, if you can consider a landscape in miniature for a balcony garden.
Kris - thanks for the idea of enclosure. I have long thought that a garden needs some sort of enclosure. I hate these subdivisions that ban fences and insist on the yards all flowing together. It's difficult to integrated a garden into such a scheme.
VW - I hope the comments help you crystallize your ideas.
Annie - your definition makes a lot of sense, as even in a neglected/abandoned garden, there is still some remnant of the gardener & his or her vision.
Grace - landscape, park, garden - that does help a lot.
Darla - thanks!
Susan Thomlinson - it is hard to hate a garden that is tended with love and passion, even if the colors clash and the ornaments are tacky.
Rose - sometimes landscape design can leave a lot to be desired, and the best inspiration comes from great gardens, whether seen in person, or in photos.
Thanks, Marjorie (Molly)!
Jodi - so a garden and a heart, and I believe a spirit, while a landscape just looks good.
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