tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post5664650749410380152..comments2024-03-24T12:55:07.300-04:00Comments on grounded design by Thomas Rainer: Garden Designers Roundtable: Horticultural IdolsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13805682623764800983noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-72163561136723096932014-05-26T00:49:19.111-04:002014-05-26T00:49:19.111-04:00I visited the Feldman garden in Martha's Viney... I visited the Feldman garden in Martha's Vineyard, a garden whose planting was designed by Wolfgang almost a decade earlier. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17615150477755493832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-8771038234121586972012-10-31T06:15:07.338-04:002012-10-31T06:15:07.338-04:00Amazing post. Lovely! And your designs are lovely ...Amazing post. Lovely! And your designs are lovely too. Hmm, gives me some ideas!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.growlandscapes.net" rel="nofollow">Landscaping Virginia</a><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06642362173232828779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-18172547766103674622012-07-24T12:48:41.768-04:002012-07-24T12:48:41.768-04:00I love all of their work, always had the perfect i...I love all of their work, always had the perfect idea on how to make something beautiful and thrive again. AMAZING!Southwest Greens Nashvillehttp://www.southwestgreensnashville.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-74241949965359447762011-11-29T13:47:17.408-05:002011-11-29T13:47:17.408-05:00Brilliant, Thomas!
Even just scanning the list, yo...Brilliant, Thomas!<br />Even just scanning the list, you captivated me, from the pantheon of the 'greats' to the present day.<br />I was mesmerized by a garden Tom Stuart-Smith designed for Chelsea a few years ago, my introduction to his work. In many ways the design seemed to be so totally on the mark in expressing the tempo of the time.<br />Being drawn to minimal landscapes, I'm a fan of Andie Cochran's work - I find I'm equally beguiled by beautiful plantings like Oudolf's.<br />Stuart-Smith introduced me to a perfect melding where the clarity of form/formal elements was enhanced by the choice, combination and placement of plants. You've made that clear from your writing, but it was quite a revelation for me at the time.<br />Delighted to find your post while attempting to catch up with my google reader...Alice's Garden Travel Buzzhttp://alicesgardentravelbuzz.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-88286788240028994442011-11-29T07:30:01.158-05:002011-11-29T07:30:01.158-05:00This post is absolutely great! As a student, I'...This post is absolutely great! As a student, I've been looking for direction in terms of understanding planting design and reading up on these works is going to be of great help. Thanks a ton for sharing this!Sumedhanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-91806318483863318232011-11-27T20:30:16.263-05:002011-11-27T20:30:16.263-05:00OMG I'm glad you're back. I was worried t...OMG I'm glad you're back. I was worried that you were gone for good. I too love this post. Good to see some of my favorites getting props and thanks for the intro to Judy Kameon. I just got lost on her site.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00727440593554530778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-3457791273487867812011-11-27T13:09:35.583-05:002011-11-27T13:09:35.583-05:00Great list Thomas. I have had the pleasure of meet...Great list Thomas. I have had the pleasure of meeting both Piet Oudolf and Christopher Lloyd and touring their home gardens. Two other Brits are Adrian and Allen Bloom the father/son duowho both have done some interesting designs.<br />HeatherHeather Holmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12614164765858960174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-14837457452459971282011-11-25T17:01:50.825-05:002011-11-25T17:01:50.825-05:00Thank you for your long and thoughtful reply.
As...Thank you for your long and thoughtful reply. <br /><br />As for the others: I have a 1994 facsimile of a deluxe limited edition of The Wild Garden, published in 1895, which, of couse, I have read cover to cover. William Robinson was certainly ahead of his time then and still is. <br /><br />I was stunned at the photo of Vita Sackville-West--I had always pictured her as looking something like Penelope Hobhouse and the reality was shocking to me. I have an anthology of hers, published in 1989, which I enjoyed so much, I began writing about gardens myself, with some success (a few magazine articles and a book Design Your Natural Midwest Garden) I enjoy her style--both writing and gardening--and I have been inspired by both, particularly in my weekly blog Naturalmidwestgarden.com.<br /><br />Oehme and van Sweden’s Bold Romatic Gardens was indeed a bold departure from conventional gardens and I loved it. Midwestern native prairie grasses and forbs had long been popular in Germany and Holland and they now became the centerpiece of “The New American Garden” planted up and down the eastern seaboard. (It took the midwest more time to realize that our very own indigenous plants were special.)<br /><br />And then came Piet. I caught glimpses of his gardens in various gardening magazines, before I actually saw the Lurie Gardens in Millennium Park in Chicago. He also designed a garden at a growers’ nursery within 10 minutes of where I live. He uses even more Midwestern native plants than do Oehme and von Sweden. He uses them in unconventional spectacular ways in large areas that could remind one of ---well, a prairie.Pat Hillhttp://nativemidwestgarden.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-18564538226344795452011-11-25T15:35:27.513-05:002011-11-25T15:35:27.513-05:00Finally getting around to reading everyone's p...Finally getting around to reading everyone's posts, and VERY glad you picked this one to be a part of. What an excellently comprehensive primer on hort idols, AND the thing about it I appreciate most is how clearly you're pointing out why they're still relevant today. It's so hard to choose a favorite... Fantastic job!Andrew Keyshttp://www.gardensmackdown.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-41349564516046542082011-11-25T11:03:27.024-05:002011-11-25T11:03:27.024-05:00Hi Debbie,
Thanks so much for inviting me to join...Hi Debbie,<br /><br />Thanks so much for inviting me to join you this month. I had a great time with the subject. Thomasthomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-80356767063855598682011-11-25T11:02:12.149-05:002011-11-25T11:02:12.149-05:00Hi Pat,
Thanks for the detailed addition with Jen...Hi Pat,<br /><br />Thanks for the detailed addition with Jens Jensen. He is, of course, an idol of mine as well. I've spent time reading Siftings--a poetic tome--and lots of time studying his planting plans. While Jensen's early advocacy and use of natives makes him important, his actual compositions strike me as more imitative of nature, less interpretive. His project seemed to be in using native plants. I don't get a strong sense of HOW he distilled, abstracted, and artfully reinterpreted the native landscape into human landscapes. For me, simply using native plants does not constitute great plantsmanship just as using native materials on a house does not--by itself--constitute great architecture. The artistry in planting is in how well one interprets, abstracts, and evokes the natural landscape into an artificial landscape (parks, gardens, etc.). That's not to say that Jensen did not do these things. I think he did this at a macro-level such as a park scale (much like Olmsted), but not terribly impressive at a more detailed level. <br /><br />Where Jensen really blows me away is overall landscape designs that blends traditional garden forms with more naturalistic ones. All of his plans move from formal design (usually around a piece of architecture) to informal and naturalistic designs remarkably well. <br /><br />I rather enjoyed your spirited defense of Jensen. He may make my top ten landscape architects list, but as a pure plantsman, for me, it's a bit too imitative of nature.Thomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-32485811314557224442011-11-25T10:45:28.476-05:002011-11-25T10:45:28.476-05:00Jean,
It is fascinating reading. Much better tha...Jean,<br /><br />It is fascinating reading. Much better than the coffee table books that dominate the garden press now. Happy holidays to you! ThomasThomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-70398037713697569082011-11-25T10:20:54.165-05:002011-11-25T10:20:54.165-05:00As a Landscape Designer, I’m familiar with all you...As a Landscape Designer, I’m familiar with all your choices, except for the last two women from Los Angeles, the only nominees from the U.S. , albeit with a tropical climate. You have grievously left out the 20th Century’s most influential landscape designer, plantsman, and conservationist, Jens Jensen. Jens Jensen, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright, practiced his art from 1905 through 1951. While Jensen was known as a the designer of the Chicago West Side Parks, he also designed residential landscapes, mostly among the elite of the Chicago suburban North Shore. <br /><br />Unlike the formal designs of the period, Jensen created informal, naturalistic designs, using Midwestern native trees, shrubs, and flowers, augmented with pools, paths, and his signature council rings (now making a comeback as “fire circles”). He literally went into woods, savannas, and prairies to dig material for his designs. A typical backyard design would be a “clearing” surrounded by native trees and shrubs, underplanted with native forbs, grasses and sedges. <br /><br />In his eloquent book, Siftings, he writes, “Art must come from within, and the only source from which the art of landscaping can come from is our native landscape. It cannot be imported from foreign shores and be our own.”<br /><br />Jensen believed that if peple had native plants in their gardens, they would be more respectful of those in the wild. He believed conservation was a sacred responsibility as a human being.<br /><br />Why Jensen matters today: His philosophy today is as relevant as it was when he was practicing. Using native plants in naturalistic designs, enhanced by his other design elements mentioned above, will produce not only gorgeous gardens, but save the planet, as well.<br /><br />Sources: Siftings Jens Jensen<br /> Maker of Natural Parks and Gardens, Jens Jensen Robert E. Grese<br /> The Prairie Spirit of Landscape Gardening Wilhelm MillerPat Hillhttp://www.naturalmidwestgarden.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-59977047524092745732011-11-25T06:46:11.793-05:002011-11-25T06:46:11.793-05:00Thomas, Your post is a wonderful addition to the R...Thomas, Your post is a wonderful addition to the Roundtable this month, thanks so much for joining us. It's interesting to see the influence your Idols had on each other and are continuing to have on future generations of garden designers. As others have mentioned, some of the Idols you've highlightd are new to me so I've added some titles to my winter reading list.Debbie/GardenofPossibilitieshttp://gardenofpossibilities.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-84293787140850461212011-11-24T11:16:47.479-05:002011-11-24T11:16:47.479-05:00Thomas, This is a wonderful post. While I have hea...Thomas, This is a wonderful post. While I have heard of most of these garden designers, my reading in this area has been mostly hit or miss, and I didn't have any clue how their work was related. This post made me feel like I had just attended a fabulous class with a gifted teacher -- and one who provided notes and a bibliography of recommended reading, to boot! Thank you for this contribution to my education; I can't wait to dig into the recommended books and articles. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. -JeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-70377711898587868392011-11-23T15:03:21.131-05:002011-11-23T15:03:21.131-05:00Hi Allan,
Thanks as always for your warm feedback...Hi Allan,<br /><br />Thanks as always for your warm feedback. Of course, this WAS a heavy article. I clearly have a problem writing light pieces. Seems like its just not in my nature. Unfortunate for the rest of you.<br /><br />The book I spent the most time with was Colour Schemes for the Flower Garden. The entire book is actually online for free. Just Google that title and you should find some links to the book. For a great colorist like yourself, I'm sure you would find some good pointers in there.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving to you, friend!thomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-12853645053602625462011-11-23T14:26:12.569-05:002011-11-23T14:26:12.569-05:00Thank you for blogging about some of my favorite g...Thank you for blogging about some of my favorite garden designers. In the hands of a less talented communicator this might have become a heavy piece. You made it relevant and refreshing. I intend to revisit it regularly to drink from the well. <br /><br />Congratulation, also, for attracting such an illustrious group of followers. I have found several blogs [that are new to me] that I added to my Google Reader.<br /><br />Finally, I am curious to know in which of her writings might I find Jekyll's detailed article's on design?allanbecker-gardenguruhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00249183285802762125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-84427108188247224222011-11-23T10:11:52.479-05:002011-11-23T10:11:52.479-05:00Michael,
Yes, I tried to find some English transl...Michael,<br /><br />Yes, I tried to find some English translations of her work, but no luck yet. She published her own quarterly magazine for years that is still active. I understand it was a blend of an arthouse/horticultural type publication. I'm eager to get my hands on it.thomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-59510954166178512632011-11-23T07:35:44.962-05:002011-11-23T07:35:44.962-05:00Another excellent post, Thomas. I was happy to be ...Another excellent post, Thomas. I was happy to be introduced to Judy Kameon and Andrea Cochran. Mien Ruys is the designer who currently intrigues me the most. Her work was ground breaking and still feels very contemporary. I understand she had written a book and many articles. I wish her they were translated into English.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14771120380247636617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-13325014891764220912011-11-22T21:41:44.216-05:002011-11-22T21:41:44.216-05:00Scott Weber--it's wonderful to be inspired rig...Scott Weber--it's wonderful to be inspired right. I do landscape design for a living everyday, and some aspects of it can become rote. What's great about exploring the work of other brilliant designers is to be reminded once again of the potential of landscapes.<br /><br />Scott Hokunson--It was a real pleasure to be invited to be part of your Roundtable. Yes, working for OvS was a great apprenticeship. I can honestly say I would not be who I am without that time both designing and in the field to make it work. IT was transformative. <br /><br />Jenny and Rebecca, thank you! One of the real treats of writing for the Roundtable was getting to know your blogs and others on the Roundtable.thomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-38408793264512714342011-11-22T18:29:49.067-05:002011-11-22T18:29:49.067-05:00Thomas, reading your post was an absolute treat f...Thomas, reading your post was an absolute treat for me and we're all so honored you joined us today at the Roundtable! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your favorite Top 10, and especially why they're pertinent today. Thank you for your insightful contribution!rebecca sweethttp://www.harmonyinthegarden.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-46749390048395303402011-11-22T18:13:57.315-05:002011-11-22T18:13:57.315-05:00Thanks for contributing, Thomas! Wow, what a great...Thanks for contributing, Thomas! Wow, what a great rundown of inspiration here--I'm more familiar with some than others, and I was not aware of Judy Kameon's work at all. Definitely will be looking her up! Thanks again.JennyPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13226921646768702731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-72254629716835232482011-11-22T16:10:38.704-05:002011-11-22T16:10:38.704-05:00Thomas, an excellent contribution to The Roundtabl...Thomas, an excellent contribution to The Roundtable! I was scribbling names and titles as I read each bio. Some reside on my bookshelf currently, and some will find themselves there soon. What a treat it must have been to apprentice with O v S, as you know now, I am a huge fan. I cannot imagine the immeasurable value of a start with such a firm. I've been enjoying your blog for some time now, and am delighted you can find the time to further enlighten us.Scott Hokunsonhttp://bhld.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-1369565967196877112011-11-22T15:45:17.789-05:002011-11-22T15:45:17.789-05:00Wonderful post (and I echo many of the above...goo...Wonderful post (and I echo many of the above...good to hear from you again!) I've become more and more aware of things in my garden and even things I'd consider "my taste" that are strongly influenced by many of those you've listed. In the recent few years, I've become more and more obsessed with Oudolf...something about his style (and philosophy) just rings true to me. I can honestly go through your list, however, and think of at least one thing that each designer has done that I can say has inspired me...or more importantly, opened my eyes to something new or unexpected.scottweberpdxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08740930947767329183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8850578816787718159.post-47471372570895672472011-11-22T14:17:41.761-05:002011-11-22T14:17:41.761-05:00Many thanks, Jocelyn.
Robert, it's great to...Many thanks, Jocelyn. <br /><br />Robert, it's great to e-meet you. I look forward to following your work. As you can see from my list, I'm a bit fan of British garden design (5 out of 10 were Brits). So I look forward to seeing how you progress that great tradition.thomashttp://www.groundeddesign.comnoreply@blogger.com