Comments for Garden Design And Landscape Architecture Blog - Gardenvisit.com

Comment on Cothay Manor Garden by Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:12:28 +0000

Perhaps we should follow in Egon Ronay’s footsteps and identify the worst managed National Trust gardens.
I may have gone on a bad day but I visited Sheffield Park last summer with warm memories of having been there 15 years ato and 30 years ago. On my first visit, it was not so far from the quality of a private garden; 15 years ago, on a hot afternoon, it was busy but splendid; last summer, I found the garden centre and restaurant in excellent condition. But the gardens around the house looked tired and over-used. The woodland garden was over-tended and being fitted out with a board walk which might have been made with some planking they could not sell in the garden centre.

Comment on Cothay Manor Garden by Pete

Pete — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:14:53 +0000

I would agree about the franchise operation remark, I wish there was more freedom for local management. I’m reading James Lees-Milne’s diaries and the contrasts are huge - quelle surprise. Actually some of that spirit still survives at places like Boarstall Tower where you are shown around by the resident.

Comment on Cothay Manor Garden by Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:06:42 +0000

I agree that the National Trust has become a very successful marketing organization.It has too many resemblences to a franchise operation. But in this ‘business’ numbers are not everything and the profit and loss account is more significant. For example, I really admire the way Rousham is run. The costs of admitting visitors are very low, because they use an ‘honesty machine’. The atmosphere is very calm and appropriate. Sometimes, the NT also uses this approach.

Comment on Cothay Manor Garden by Pete

Pete — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:32:18 +0000

Tom,

it’s much harder for a private house/garden than it is for the National Trust don’t you think? The average visitor to this type of property will likely already be a National Trust member. Given the price of entry to some of these properties your average punter is going to choose National Trust properties or properties associated to the HHA scheme every time.

Cothay shoots itself in the foot a bit because the house is not really open. Groups visits are fine but hard to organise unless you live locally. Even if the house is open at bank holidays then they would get a lot more visitors and more revenue. I do appreciate it’s there house and they can open it as they see fit.

For a truly private property you need to have a USP or the property will be missed as the tourists head to the local National Trust.

Comment on Comment on the landscape aspects of the Mayor’s London Plan 2009 by DAN

DAN — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:30:35 +0000

I hope indeed that BOris’s opening words are spoken with backbone and with real intent - for they are good words and ring true. However if London seeks this ‘reputation’ then it must invest in it NOW as opposed to just talking it. Architecture / events / green ‘pockets’ take years to produce but the wider urban landscape takes decades to begin and centuries to evolve and grow….

“To make that shared space safer, we need
to make it more beautiful. That is why we
are seeking a world reputation for new and
improved public spaces that Londoners will
cherish for decades to come.” Boris JOhnson

His statement should really look further than decades, however I will take decades for now….

Comment on Comment on the landscape aspects of the Mayor’s London Plan 2009 by Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:28:46 +0000

Who designs the streets in modern cities? Nobody. Engineers do the roads; architects do some of the buildings; landscape architects plant some of the trees. The street just happens. As a planning experiment, we could ask Richard Serra to design an installation to inspire the spatial corridor for a street for an urban regeneration project in London.

Comment on Context: Skyrise, highrise and surprise by Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:20:44 +0000

The Tetris architecture video is pleasure to watch. To make it more real they should have started with a framework of reinforced concrete columns.

Comment on Context: Skyrise, highrise and surprise by Christine

Christine — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:59:35 +0000

The apartment - a universal living unit?[ http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/11/04/building-blocks/ ]

Another interesting aspect of highrise living is demonstrated in Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie in Montreal.Unlike the warm and sunny beachside location of Surfers Paradise residents of Habitat located by the Saint Lawrence river contend with snow.
[ http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/tag/habitat-67/ ]

Comment on Comment on the landscape aspects of the Mayor’s London Plan 2009 by Christine

Christine — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:15:04 +0000

Yes Tom I agree Abercrombie was ahead of his time. The way we move through the landscape is important not just the scenic destinations!

Richard Serra’s art is famous for demonstrating this phenomenon.
[ http://strangersouvenez.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/material-subject-content-celebration/ ]

Comment on The landscape architecture of sacred groves in Ancient Greece and modern London by Christine

Christine — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:49:39 +0000

Both the landscape installation Waterloo Forest and the art installation Ghostforest are great projects.

However I disagree with Tom about the white plinths: as they tend to accentuate the incredible ‘reddishness’ of the trunks, which in turn accentuate the ‘reddishness’ and warm and cool colourtones of the surrounding stone buildings in Trafalgar Square as well as on the buildings on the axial views (Big Ben) and the skyline.

The white plinths give visual depth to the composition.