(Image: Before planting - rustic wall using reclaimed tile and stone)
With the ubiquitous nature of social media it's very easy to spot trends developing within landscaping.
Where once one had to rely on trade magazines featuring projects, it is now possible to see projects develop on a minute by minute basis as landscapers and garden designers post images and/or video, to Facebook and Twitter etc.
Art and design has been plagiarised forever and it's not necessarily a negative thing. In today's fast media world I'm certain that visual media is an acceptable form of sharing good ideas and I have seen much evidence of old design features being incorporated in new gardens, with much success.
The worrying part about this instant accessibility to new design ideas is that landscapers and designers are getting lazy and do not appear to be as creative as they could, or should, be.
One could argue that if any design is good then it's acceptable to share. The originator should be proud if others want to emulate their work. But in the case of poor design and uninspiring schemes, it's rather worrying to see trends developing. Are we in danger of just seeing the constant regurgitation of poor design?
Take a look at this picture (below) of the topiary gardens at Marqueyssac. Not a stone in sight but so architecturally strong.
Supermarket car park schemes
Garden architecture is about a harmony of shape and form. This could be a combination of soft planting or hard landscaping materials.
A garden should not always be dominated by plants but for me plants are so often the defining factor. Get hard landscaping and planting right and you have the perfect garden.
However - and I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this - there appear to more and more garden schemes (mainly paved terraces and patios) that resemble supermarket car parks rather than areas for leisure, peace and tranquillity.
What is more these paving schemes do appear to have gone viral in the sense that when a design is shared it then promptly influences another design. All it takes is for a scheme to be adjudged as being good for a new trend in design to be created.
(Rustic wall after planting)
What you miss about creativity is its type.
The creativity is in separating clients from the most amount of money in their wallet.
Do not confuse making money with making a fabulous garden.
Story of the USA landscape. Garden centers are complicit. Sad, they don't realize it creates collateral damage to themselves.
Follow the money.
There, is your answer.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Posted by: tara dillard | Aug 30, 2014 at 01:10 AM