DOI Heft:
No. 257 (September 1914)
DOI Artikel:Mawson, Thomas Hayton: What is a garden?
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21210#0288
What is a Garden ?
which he gives the opinions
of various classes of persons
on this very subject, but
while the learned Dean
displays a wonderful know-
ledge of human nature, and
has shown how a garden
can be viewed by different
people from very diverse
standpoints, he has not
attempted in any way to
give that of the man whose
whole life is devoted to the
planning of parks, gardens
and open spaces.
It is from this standpoint
that I wish to look at it in
this article, not so much
with a view to justifying my
own existence as a planner
of gardens, but rather in
order to win the intelli-
gent sympathy of others
for the aims and ideals
of the modern garden-
maker.
One of the most promi-
nent ways in which a
garden may be viewed is
......„„„ ,.. .. .. , . as a setting for the house
jeanne { See preceding article) by frederick c. ikies eke °
which it surrounds and
which it is to beautify.
WHAT IS A GARDEN ? BY Art and nature rudely thrust into juxtaposition
THOMAS H MAWSON w'th neitnerapology to Nature for the intrusion on
ur /"i xt a t-> t t> a her domain nor, on the other hand, any softening
rl(JJN. A.K.I.13.A. , , ,
off of Nature s rugged picturesqueness to bring
Whatever be our work in life, in whatever it into keeping with the nolished products of art,
sphere our vocation lies, we shall never achieve sensitive as it must be to the smallest incon-
success if for a moment we lose sight of first gruities, can never be aesthetically right and can
principles. This is more especially so if we are never satisfy the artistic mind. If we may so express
engaged on work which ministers directly to the it, we use the garden to " vignette" the house on
pleasure and even the luxury of others, for then to the landscape, beginning near the former with
there is the added danger of extravagance result- parterres as formal and architectural as it is itself
ing from our very desire to please and gratify and gradually proceeding by easy stages to
the senses. The only corrective or preventive pleasaunces which are nearly as rugged as untamed
of such a state of things is constantly to get Nature and which owe all their beauty to the fact
back to fundamentals and never for a moment that here her handiwork is encouraged. The
to lose sight of the root principles which should accompanying illustrations will show what I mean
guide all our efforts. more clearly than any amount of description. One
It is for this reason that I have chosen for the is a view from the garden entrance to the house at
title of this article the question, "What is a Kearsney Court near Dover, and it is particularly
Garden?" Of course, there immediately comes up interesting as it shows a garden the architectural
to the mind that brilliant passage with which Dean adjuncts of which are in that most intractable of all
Hole opens his remarkable book on gardens in materials brick, thus giving added weight to what I
268
which he gives the opinions
of various classes of persons
on this very subject, but
while the learned Dean
displays a wonderful know-
ledge of human nature, and
has shown how a garden
can be viewed by different
people from very diverse
standpoints, he has not
attempted in any way to
give that of the man whose
whole life is devoted to the
planning of parks, gardens
and open spaces.
It is from this standpoint
that I wish to look at it in
this article, not so much
with a view to justifying my
own existence as a planner
of gardens, but rather in
order to win the intelli-
gent sympathy of others
for the aims and ideals
of the modern garden-
maker.
One of the most promi-
nent ways in which a
garden may be viewed is
......„„„ ,.. .. .. , . as a setting for the house
jeanne { See preceding article) by frederick c. ikies eke °
which it surrounds and
which it is to beautify.
WHAT IS A GARDEN ? BY Art and nature rudely thrust into juxtaposition
THOMAS H MAWSON w'th neitnerapology to Nature for the intrusion on
ur /"i xt a t-> t t> a her domain nor, on the other hand, any softening
rl(JJN. A.K.I.13.A. , , ,
off of Nature s rugged picturesqueness to bring
Whatever be our work in life, in whatever it into keeping with the nolished products of art,
sphere our vocation lies, we shall never achieve sensitive as it must be to the smallest incon-
success if for a moment we lose sight of first gruities, can never be aesthetically right and can
principles. This is more especially so if we are never satisfy the artistic mind. If we may so express
engaged on work which ministers directly to the it, we use the garden to " vignette" the house on
pleasure and even the luxury of others, for then to the landscape, beginning near the former with
there is the added danger of extravagance result- parterres as formal and architectural as it is itself
ing from our very desire to please and gratify and gradually proceeding by easy stages to
the senses. The only corrective or preventive pleasaunces which are nearly as rugged as untamed
of such a state of things is constantly to get Nature and which owe all their beauty to the fact
back to fundamentals and never for a moment that here her handiwork is encouraged. The
to lose sight of the root principles which should accompanying illustrations will show what I mean
guide all our efforts. more clearly than any amount of description. One
It is for this reason that I have chosen for the is a view from the garden entrance to the house at
title of this article the question, "What is a Kearsney Court near Dover, and it is particularly
Garden?" Of course, there immediately comes up interesting as it shows a garden the architectural
to the mind that brilliant passage with which Dean adjuncts of which are in that most intractable of all
Hole opens his remarkable book on gardens in materials brick, thus giving added weight to what I
268