Art That Grows On You
Mary Claire Rowe
While surfing Google for gardening hints, I came across a wonderful book titled "Art Out-of-doors: Hints on Good Taste in Gardening" by Schuyler Van Rensselaer published by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1893.
It is digitized and easy to read and full of wonderful advice pertinent to this time of year, when gardeners are making plans for the upcoming seasons. Although definitely a woman of her time, her ideas carry over to today.
(Photo Courtesy Of Mary Claire Rowe)
PLANT FOR TODAY: Nandina domestica “Heavenly Bamboo” berries are bright red additions to the winter landscape. They bring color and beauty to the garden from late fall until late spring. Birds will eat the berries, but seldom do when there is a bird feeder nearby. The plant is evergreen, turning more colorful in the winter with plum and brown shading.
Her premise is that while the arts of design are usually described as architecture, sculpture, and painting, there should be added a fourth, which "is the art that creates beautiful compositions upon the surface of the ground."
"It is the popular belief that a man who practices one of these (first three) is an artist, while other men, who work with forms and colors, are at the best artisans. Yet, there is a fourth Art of Design which well deserves to rank with them, for it demands quite as much in the way of aesthetic feeling, creative power, and executive skill."
She quotes Ruskin, who "defines a good composition as one in which every detail helps the general beauty of effect; but it may also be defined, conversely, as one which brings out the highest beauty of each of its details."
John Ruskin (1819-1900) was an author, poet, and artist, and his essays on art and architecture were extremely influential in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Rensselaer believes that we begin by having a clear idea of the whole picture and choosing our hardscape and plants to conform to that whole, rather than being tempted by this plant or that decoration. Sticking to the scheme, choosing plants that will conform to the design, and growing conditions; that is what will bring beauty and success.
One really key element is accepting the characteristics of our own country-side; not trying to make plants grow where soil and climate are not fit for its needs. Planting artic flowers in the southern garden or desert flowers in a lush, rain-drenched landscape are not good plans. The results can be poor and fleeting. Accepting Nature's frame and painting the landscape picture accordingly are key elements to success.
Sticking to .."The plan, the scheme, the fundamental idea, is the main thing, and that, this Nature never can supply..." is Rensselaer's admonition; meaning, while nature can be helpful to the scheme, it can also wreck havoc. The artist of the garden needs to decide if the little plant volunteer will help or hinder the plan, and to be ruthless in adhering to it.
We aspire to be more than the gardener that makes things grow. We aspire to be the artist, who combines color, lights and darks, sunlight and shadow, perspective, and composition; blending, adding, subtracting, until the area is a harmonious and delightful work of art.
"The noblest of all beauties is organized beauty - beauty of general effect," states the author. Her lovely book was a serendipitous find for this time of year.
Perhaps we will all go "back to the drawing board," and think like an artist, before we venture out into the garden again. Our little plot of paradise will be all the better for it.
"What's Blooming In Our Garden'' is a regular feature of the Tyler Morning Telegraph Garden Page. It is written by Mary Claire Rowe, a Master Gardener with the Texas Cooperative Extension, and focuses on flowers and plant life around East Texas. To share your comments on gardening, write her in care of the Morning Telegraph.
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