Deeply rooted in man’s psyche Nature continues to inspire feelings of awe and wonder which artists use to fuel their creativity. The best garden designers are artists, they harness Nature, sculpt land, create balanced and interesting spaces, they play with view points, texture, colour and form. They may have a style but remain adaptable, they respond to the landscape, translating shapes and ideas to suit both the site and the client’s needs.
Chilean designer, Juan Grimm, is always inspired by the wild landscape and sometimes by aerial photography whereas Christopher Bradley-Hole’s gardens tend to be abstractons of more urban landscapes. On paper these designs may be art forms in themselves, Ian Kitson’s garden plans are a good example of this.
When it comes to gardens I like both the traditional as long as it has excellent structure but I also like the modern as long as it is original. When it comes to artwork, I prefer contemporary abstract paintings and sculpture. A painting of a landscape or of a bunch of flowers engages part of the brain that wants to label and interpret where as more abstract works act as a canvas for floating thoughts, a peaceful backdrop to an otherwise cluttered organization of space (e.g .the room, building…). The eye can be drawn in to observe and appreciate the simplicity of each line and brush stroke. This is what I feel about gardens and my own willow work where simplicity of form puts emphasis on the detail.
Paul Feiler; Fiona Millais; Peter Randall Page; Heather Hodgson; Andy Goldsworthy; Angela Morley; Rosemore Gardens; Hanham Court; Ian Kitson