Comments on: Geography and the origins of landscape architecture in Scotland

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 05:13:24 +0000

When I first saw Loudon’s drawings (probably from the Suburban Gardener) I took a dislike to him. Since then I have read many of his books – and the more I read the better I like him, for all the reasons you give.

By: Thomas Mickey

Thomas Mickey — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:52:01 +0000

I have read Loudon’s magazine, a bit from his books, and then a bio on him. He is a hero to me. perseverance when your body hurts, determination to carry out his goals, love of plants, eager for a good design, seeker of the public good, talent in writing. I can see why he was called ‘the father of the English garden’.

Here in the US Scotsman Robert Buist became one of the most important seedsmen in the nineteenth century. His business offered seeds and plants for generations here in the US. He also wrote garden books.

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:21:41 +0000

Vitruvius’ word was Venustas and the translation ‘Delight’ is unsatisfactory. Venustas was the quality possessed by the goddess Venus and needs to be interpreted in the context of both Greek and Roman religion and philosophy. I am sure this included emotion but not sure that emotion was of its essence. But nor do I know enough about the subjects to write with confidence about them.

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:47:47 +0000

Yes. In the instance of Vitruvius delight is the emotional response (and perhaps the optimal one).

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:21:31 +0000

I always find myself going back to Vitruvius when thinking about the the design process. I don't think he mentions emotion but he is strong on the subject of responding to the nature of place, which is partly the geography of the place.

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:49:17 +0000

Perhaps the following description of expression in art may help?

“There are expressionistic features within many different art styles and movements. Artists make choices about color, line, texture, and composition to evoke or express feelings. Sometimes this leads to abstracting a subject to make it more expressive.”

Some designers do deliberately set out to ‘shock’ their audiences. However, the value of ‘shock’ is short-lived. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_value ] So perhaps if you were to set an exercise that demonstrated the ability of design to evoke an emotional response this would be the emotion most easily exploited.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 06:00:50 +0000

No, it is easy! Tom, you are “out”.(!)

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 04:32:22 +0000

It is great to see a design which delivers an emotional ‘charge’ but it is not so easy to set this as an objective for the design process.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 03:34:03 +0000

I may not know the characteristic his design, but I always have a opinion to judge the quality of design. When the work can speak itself, then it is a good work. I also think the most significant “job” of a art work and a landscape work is ” delivery emotion.

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 11:05:49 +0000

Jencks studied English literature and then architecture. His conversion to landscape architecture came about in Scotland and through the garden (Portrack House) he made with Maggie Keswick, his wife and the author of a book on Chinese gardens. Just perhaps, one could find a Chinese influence on his work: an interest in representing the nature of the heavens in garden and landscape design (though one could also find this interest in the history of European art).