PUBLICATIONS

Issue 30 - Summer 2004

Making the Earth Move - Review of 2004 Seminar

L-R: Raymond Jungles, Vladimir Sitta, Hugh Ryan, Gordon Taylor

With a capacity audience of over three hundred and the largest ever exhibitors display, the eighth annual GLDA seminar at UCD on 14 February was off to a flying start.


Garden in Florida designed by Raymond Jungles

The first speaker was Raymond Jungles. Based in Florida he acquired many of his earliest influences from his friend and mentor Roberto Burle Marx. This shows through in his use of bold, rich colouring in the hardscape, coupled with strong architectural planting, to produce gardens, which are very much of the place. While working with local materials and indigenous species, he places strong emphasis on the spatial characteristics of his designs, and how they relate to the site, off-site features, the broader landscape, and the interior living spaces.

Next up was Nori Pope, who took us on a virtual walk around the Hadspen Garden in Somerset, while delving into the fascinating world of the science of colour and our perception of it. He further dealt with its differing effects on the male and female eye, the nature of tone and light and how it influences what we see, or perhaps think we see!

Any post-lunch lethargy was quickly dispelled by a screening of Tony Heywood's vibrant, provocative, sometimes witty film of his erotic 'Kinki Kensho' garden at Chaumont sur Loire. This was quickly followed by Vladimir Sitta from the Czech Republic, via Sydney, Australia, who provided yet another wake-up call, if it were still needed! Through his humorous and insightful presentation he displayed a firm understanding of the built form and its use in garden design and the wider environment. His work has an elegant simplicity, which he applies to all his projects, large or small.


Courtyard garden in USA designed by John Brookes

Courtyard garden in USA designed by John BrookesCourtyard garden in USA designed by John Brookes Rounding off the day was John Brookes, who presented a well thought out and perceptive lecture on 'Site Generated Design', and its role as a basic fundamental in good garden design, now or at any time. This from the master who did not feel the need to rely on his own works to take us through his deep understanding of the practical, environmental and aesthetic reasons behind the necessity to contextualise our gardens within the wider landscape.

On balance, this was a thought provoking day with an excellent range of speakers, though I still have questions about the relevance of the wider landscape on the smaller enclosed urban gardens with which we so often have to deal.

Peter O'Brien, MGLDA

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