Lives of the Great Gardeners

Throughout history great gardeners have risen from all walks of life. Some have been aristocratic amateur gardeners, others professional designers with an international practice. Some have come to garden-making from sister arts such as sculpture or painting; some have been hands-on nurserymen or botanists. What they all have in common, no matter where or when they were born, is the ability to take an idea and develop it in a new manner relevant to their times. The book contains four sections. Gardens of Ideas moves from the politically allusive gardens of 18th-century England made by men such as William Kent, to Charles Jenckss Scottish garden inspired by 21st-century cosmography. Gardens of Straight Lines explores the lives of the great formalist gardeners, from Le Nôtre at Versailles to the rational English minimalism of contemporary designer Christopher Bradley-Hole. Gardens of Curves begins with that great exponent of the English landscape garden, Capability Brown, and leads to the extraordinary Brazilian designer Roberto Burle Marx. Finally, Gardens of Plantsmanship moves from the father of naturalistic planting, William Robinson, to the sweeping prairies of New Yorks favourite Dutch designer, Piet Oudolf. With an outstanding text by the award-winning gardens writer Stephen Anderton, this book will appeal to garden lovers everywhere. Throughout History Great Gardeners Have Risen From All Walks Of Life. Some Have Been Aristocratic Amateur Gardeners, Others Professional Designers With An International Practice. Some Have Come To Garden-making From Sister Arts Such As Sculpture Or Painting; Others Have Been Hands-on Nurserymen Or Botanists. What They All Have In Common Is The Ability To Take An Idea And Develop It In A New Manner Relevant To Their Times. The Book Contains Four Sections. ‘gardens Of Ideas’ Moves From The Politically Allusive Gardens Of 18th-century England Made By Men Such As William Kent, To Charles Jencks’s Scottish Garden Inspired By 21st-century Cosmography. ‘gardens Of Straight Lines’ Explores The Lives Of The Great Formalist Gardeners, From Le Nôtre At Versailles To The Rational English Minimalism Of Contemporary Designer Christopher Bradley-hole. ‘gardens Of Curves’ Begins With That Great Exponent Of The English Landscape Garden, ‘capability’ Brown, And Leads To The Extraordinary Brazilian Designer Roberto Burle Marx. Finally, ‘gardens Of Plantsmanship’ Moves From The Father Of Naturalistic Planting, William Robinson, To The Sweeping Prairies Of New York’s Favourite Dutch Designer, Piet Oudolf. With An Outstanding Text By The Award-winning Gardens Writer Stephen Anderton, This Book Will Appeal To Garden Lovers Everywhere.-- Gardens Of Ideas: Wen Zhengming : Nature Gently Re-imagined ; Hachijo Toshihito And Hachijo Toshitada : Precise Control Of Plants And People ; William Kent : Creator Of The Painterly Picturesque ; Henry Hoare : Stourhead And Claudian Idyll ; Friedrich Franz Of Anhalt-dessau : Enlightenment Ruler And Passionate Gardener ; Thomas Jefferson : President And Scientific Plant Pioneer ; Ian Hamilton Finlay : Poet, Artist, And Literary Gardener ; Sir Roy Strong : Allusion And Autobiography At The Laskett ; Charles Jencks : Interpreter In Landforms Of Theories Of The Cosmos ; Alexander Reford : Champion Of The Conceptual -- Gardens Of Straight Lines: André Le Nôtre : Arranger Of Exquisite Geometric Illusions ; William Nesfield : The Military Approach To Vistas And Avenues ; Sir Edwin Lutyens : 'by Measure We Must Live' ; Lawrence Johnston : Designing With Vistas And Enclosed Spaces ; Russell Page : Master Of Scale And Composition ; Nicole De Vésian : Topiary Mediterranean Style ; Penelope Hobhouse : Renaissance Principles In A Modern Idiom ; Christopher Bradley-hole : Harmony Through Order And Pure Proportions ; Fernando Caruncho : Light, Water, And The Language Of Geometry -- Gardens Of Curves: Lancelot 'capability' Brown : Ideal Landscapes On A Grand Scale ; Humphry Repton : Scenic Alterations And Pictorial Inclinations ; Frederick Law Olmsted : Designing For Urban Life And Public Enjoyment ; Edna Walling : An Arts And Crafts Gardener In Australia ; Thomas Church : A Modernist Maker Of Gardens For People ; Alan Bloom : Developer Of Island Beds And Popular Plants ; Roberto Burle Marx : Graphic Forms And Native Flora In Brazil ; John Brookes : The Room Outside ; James Van Sweden : Modern, Naturalistic Gardens -- Gardens Of Plantsmanship: William Robinson : Father Of Naturalistic Flower Gardening ; Claude Monet : Painting With Plants ; Gertrude Jekyll : Arranging Colours In A Harmonious Whole ; Vita Sackville-west : Formality Of Design And Informality Of Planting ; Mien Ruys : Experimenter With New Materials And Plants ; Graham Stuart Thomas : Conserver Of Old Plants And Gardens ; Lelia Caetani : A Profusion Of Plants Among The Ruins ; Rosemary Verey : International Yet Domestic Grandeur ; Christopher Lloyd : Adventurous And Innovative Gardener At Great Dixter ; Beth Chatto : The Right Plant In The Right Place ; Piet Oudolf : Pioneer Of New Perspectives In Planting Design ; Steve Martino : Naturalistic Planting In Desert Gardens. Stephen Anderton. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 294-299) And Index. Entertaining and accessiblethe lives of the men and women, many of them multitalented artists, who created some of the worlds most extraordinary gardens, and whose legacy continues to inspire Throughout history, great gardeners have risen from all walks of life. Some have been aristocratic amateur gardeners, others professional designers with an international practice. Some have come to garden-making from sculpture or painting; some have been hands-on nurserymen or botanists. What they all have in common is the ability to take an idea and develop it to meet the needs and aesthetics of their times. The book is organized into four thematic sections. Gardens of Ideas moves from the politically allusive gardens of eighteenth-century England to Charles Jenckss Scottish garden inspired by twenty-first-century cosmography. Gardens of Straight Lines explores the lives of the great formalist gardeners, from Le Ntre at Versailles to the rational English minimalism of contemporary designer Christopher Bradley-Hole. Gardens of Curves opens with that great exponent of the English landscape garden, Capability Brown, and moves on to the extraordinary Brazilian designer Roberto Burle Marx. Finally, Gardens of Plantsmanship arcs from the father of naturalistic planting, William Robinson, to the sweeping prairie-style of Piet Oudolf. With images of gardens as they were originally seen, together with portraits of their makers and an outstanding text by the award-winning gardens writer for The Times , this book will appeal to garden lovers everywhere. 230 color illustrations Throughout history great gardeners have risen from all walks of life. What they all have in common is the ability to take an idea and develop it in a new manner relevant to their times. The book is divided into several sections. 'Gardens of Ideas' moves from the politically allusive gardens of 18th-century England made by men such as William Kent, to Charles Jencks' Scottish garden inspired by 21st-century cosmography. 'Gardens of Straight Lines' explores the lives of the great formalist gardeners, from Le Notre at Versailles to the rational English minimalism of contemporary designer Christopher Bradley-Hole. 'Gardens of Curves' begins with that great exponent of the English landscape garden, 'Capability' Brown, and leads to the extraordinary Brazilian designer Roberto Burle Marx. Finally, 'Gardens of Plantsmanship' moves from the father of naturalistic planting, William Robinson, to the sweeping prairies of New York's favourite Dutch designer, Piet Oudolf. With an outstanding text by the award-winning gardens writer Stephen Anderton, this book will appeal to garden lovers everywhere. -- Source other than Library of Congress