DOI issue:
No. 185 (August 1912)
DOI article:Architectural gardening, [1]: with illustrations, after designs by C. E. Mallows, F. R. I. B. A.
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20778#0207
A rchitectural Gardening
many beautiful works in buildings and in gardens,
founded on a fine tradition in design—the finest
tradition known in the world—was slowly stifled
and killed and a something substituted for it which
was certainly not living architecture and for the
greater part not even good archaeology in building,
and in gardening was in truth as absurd in theory
as it was false in art. Through all the history of this
time, from the days of Repton till past the Gothic
revival, one looks in vain for any complete garden
design to compare with the least of the earlier
productions or for one with any claims to be
considered seriously as in any respect a work of art.
The simple reason for this is that the basic theory
upon which it all stood was opposed to all artistic
and therefore right principles, whatever form of
art expression they may
take.
To-day, thanks to the
doughty warriors in art
of some twenty to thirty
years ago, with Sedding
in the front rank, we
are slowly, but it is to
be hoped surely, taking
up once more the thread
of the classic tradition,
and with it, naturally, the
old tradition in garden
design. The work the
modern architect has to
do, now that the ground
has been broken for him,
is simple in comparison
with that which faced
Sedding and the few who
believed in his teaching
those years ago. The
fight in those days was no
easy one, for not only was
the public itself uncon-
verted, but the great ma-
jority of architects were
as well; and as for the
professed “ landscape gar-
dener,” he was probably
the greatest hindrance of
all. To-day—in England
and in America at least
—the principles that Sed-
ding fought for are being
slowly established, and in
both countries the “land-
scape” man has been
reduced to such small proportions that he is scarcely
visible.
During practically the whole of the nineteenth
century, therefore, the designs of the house and
garden, when the latter was considered at all,
were considered independently; the relation of the
one to the other (except in some isolated cases,
the work of one or two brilliant pioneers) was not
understood and not recognised. The garden was
left to take care of itself, or was subject to the
irresponsible caprice of the owner. Far brighter
as is the outlook to-day in that respect compared
with twenty years ago, it is yet dull enough, and
there is any amount of work remaining to be done
before the fog is finally dispelled, and the ground
cleared for the replanting of the principles of
HOUSE AND GARDEN WALK, DESIGNED BY C. E MALLOWS, F.R.I.B.A.
FROM A PEN DRAWING BY F. L. B. GRIGGS
184
many beautiful works in buildings and in gardens,
founded on a fine tradition in design—the finest
tradition known in the world—was slowly stifled
and killed and a something substituted for it which
was certainly not living architecture and for the
greater part not even good archaeology in building,
and in gardening was in truth as absurd in theory
as it was false in art. Through all the history of this
time, from the days of Repton till past the Gothic
revival, one looks in vain for any complete garden
design to compare with the least of the earlier
productions or for one with any claims to be
considered seriously as in any respect a work of art.
The simple reason for this is that the basic theory
upon which it all stood was opposed to all artistic
and therefore right principles, whatever form of
art expression they may
take.
To-day, thanks to the
doughty warriors in art
of some twenty to thirty
years ago, with Sedding
in the front rank, we
are slowly, but it is to
be hoped surely, taking
up once more the thread
of the classic tradition,
and with it, naturally, the
old tradition in garden
design. The work the
modern architect has to
do, now that the ground
has been broken for him,
is simple in comparison
with that which faced
Sedding and the few who
believed in his teaching
those years ago. The
fight in those days was no
easy one, for not only was
the public itself uncon-
verted, but the great ma-
jority of architects were
as well; and as for the
professed “ landscape gar-
dener,” he was probably
the greatest hindrance of
all. To-day—in England
and in America at least
—the principles that Sed-
ding fought for are being
slowly established, and in
both countries the “land-
scape” man has been
reduced to such small proportions that he is scarcely
visible.
During practically the whole of the nineteenth
century, therefore, the designs of the house and
garden, when the latter was considered at all,
were considered independently; the relation of the
one to the other (except in some isolated cases,
the work of one or two brilliant pioneers) was not
understood and not recognised. The garden was
left to take care of itself, or was subject to the
irresponsible caprice of the owner. Far brighter
as is the outlook to-day in that respect compared
with twenty years ago, it is yet dull enough, and
there is any amount of work remaining to be done
before the fog is finally dispelled, and the ground
cleared for the replanting of the principles of
HOUSE AND GARDEN WALK, DESIGNED BY C. E MALLOWS, F.R.I.B.A.
FROM A PEN DRAWING BY F. L. B. GRIGGS
184