Serenity in the Garden

Kim Wilkie - Boughton House Kim Wilkie is one of my favorite landscape artists. Hailing from England,  he studied at Oxford University where he discovered that there was such a thing as ‘landscape architecture’ in his last year of pursuing a history degree . Kim Wilkie Wilkie says discovering this profession “came as a thunderbolt…” and his captivating book, Led by the Land (Frances Lincoln Limited, © 2012) , reminds us that landscape design delves as deeply into our psyche as any other of the arts. Led by the Land   I saw Wilkie speak at New York Botanical Garden a few years ago.   I learned then that he is a man of deep thoughts with a solid terrestrial connection.  From the elliptical pool that he designed for the Victoria & Albert museum to his grass amphitheater divided by a zig zag path at The Holt , Wilkie exhibits a contemporary sensibility using earthwork, shape and line as his palette. His symbolic landsca...

Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single friend…. I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours. Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, until the foxes run by unconcerned.  woodland walk - photo by Laura McKillop   I can hear the almost unhearable sound of the roses singing. If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love you very much. Mary Oliver

photo by J. Johnsen    Green in a garden speaks to us on a visceral level.  The message it sends is one of ultimate calm.  Associated with harmony and renewal, green is the 'master color' of Nature, exhibiting more shades in a garden than any other color. This is why a green-only garden can appear to have so many hues... cacophany of greens The Hindus say the light energy of green governs the heart chakra of our body.  They believe that imagining green or surrounding ourselves with green will allow more love, emotional balance and empathy to enter our life.  Owl Rock, Innisfree, Millbrook NY  - photo J. Johnsen  Gardeners, no doubt, benefit from this association -  as Russell Page, the English landscape designer, sagely noted, “Green fingers are the extension of a verdant heart.” Grass Garden by Jan Johnsen  Physiologically, green calms the nervous system and slows the produc...

"What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity..." -   To the end of his days, the French artist, Henri Matisse created visual art in any way he could.... His works continue to attract the admiration of many around the world.  Purity and serenity win out every time.

Pantone says that an eclectic mix of understated brights, pale pastels and nature-like neutral colors will take center stage in 2015. click here for photo source They say designers of all kinds will draw from daydreams of simpler times and  will look to folkloric and floral art to restore a sense of well-being: “... There is a growing movement to step out and create ‘quiet zones’ to disconnect from technology and unwind, giving ourselves time to stop and be still...Soft, cool hues blend with subtle warm tones to create a soothing escape from the everyday hustle and bustle. ” Leatrice Eiseman,   Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute ® I concur! That is why I wrote a book about  Creating Serene Outdoor Spaces for Inspiration and Reflection this year. and one more thing: white works with everything: click here for photo source

 "There is a growing movement to step out and create ‘quiet zones’ to disconnect from technology and unwind, giving ourselves time to stop and be still. "  - Pantone 2015 Color Forecast acer griseum - Paperbark Maple

"The fact that time is moving faster means that it is getting more and more difficult for people to take cont rol of time, or even just to take time off and relax.  And it is precisely this dilemma which led to the demand for gardens today to be sanctuaries of contemplation, where one feels embraced by nature. In essence, gardens which provide people with peace of mind, a sense of stability and a feeling of contentment. It’s no longer enough to merely provide a green zone here, or an occasional floral embellishment to a skyscraper there.  What we need today are gardens that can reach deep into people’s hearts.”  - Shunmyo Masuno  source:   http://zengardendreaming.com/?tag=shunmyo-masuno