Saturday 28 March 2015

Overdue

I always overestimate the number of books I will read during the winter. Two in my stash were ones I had promised to review. Finally having finished reading the second and feeling slightly guilty at the time it's taken, I'm throwing in a couple of posts to honour my commitments.

The Gardens of Frank Lloyd Wright by Derek Fell




Derek Fell is a garden designer, photographer, and writer. His own garden in Pennsylvania has won several design awards.

The content of the book is expansive combining a thoughtful biography, an examination of Frank Lloyd Wright's development as an architect, identifying and explaining the influences on his style while focusing on his philosophy as a landscaper. It concentrates on Wright's four most famous residential landscapes: his first home in Oak Park, Illinois; Taliesin in Wisconsin; Taliesin West in Arizona; and Fallingwater, Pennsylvania.

There are garden plans, plant identification and a section on Wright's garden sculpture. An extensive index, guidelines for visiting the gardens and a bibliography complete the book.

The photography, also by Fell, is beautifully executed and supports the text.

"it is quite impossible to consider the building as one thing,
its furnishings as another and its setting another" Frank Lloyd Wright

My thoughts

The chapter on desert gardening was comprehensive and I appreciated the opportunity to learn about landscaping in an unfamiliar environment. Wright saw the use of desert natives as vital in making his winter home part of the desert. A chapter on prairie gardening was equally thorough. I was introduced to and intrigued by  'meeting stones"  a feature of the work of Jens Jensen, who, in my opinion, Wright borrowed from shamelessly.

photo credit: Derek Fell
This is a well researched book and on the whole offers an honest portrait of Wright. If you are not aware of the seamier side of the man you may be surprised. If you read it let me know what you think of the bold claims, as to Wright's landscaping skills, offered by a completely besotted ex student.

I found the gardening perspective a fresh and entertaining way to learn about architecture and it's relationship to the environment.  A relationship that sadly appears to be neglected by most mass market builders.

Based on my enjoyment of this book I plan to read other books in the series including the gardens of Monet, Renoir and the Impressionists.

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like an awesome read Susan! And yes that is so true that the landscape is not at all thought about by most builders. There was a home recently built in my town...the builder used soil to make a large mountain of dirt so that the large house sits almost up above everything altering the whole landscape for those around it. Thoughtful design is smart design in my eyes. Going to pick this one up! I hope you are having a nice weekend! Nicole xoxo

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    1. When I lived in the city the by laws were changed to allow houses to be closer together. Older city lots were cleared of their single homes and wider upscale duplexes squeezed in. Eventually most of the owners of the remaining single homes have given up and sold to developers. the whole character of the neighbourhood has changed.

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  2. Nice review on a book which I've read and is on my bookshelf. As I love the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, it was a must have. The way how he designs his buildings and gardens in relation to the natural environment is magnificant.
    I love the words of his mother Anna : "The Valley will bloom in your hands".

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    1. I'm interested in architecture, especially from the late 19th and early 20th century. Do you have time to recommend some buildings in your part of the world. I love reading about them even if I'm too far away to visit.

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  3. I lived in AZ where Wright had a school and many students....I learned a bit about him while living there...his architecture in the desert is quite impressive but sadly it did not transfer to those living in AZ...

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    1. I'd like to be able to visit some of his buildings. Arizona has such a rich history of building styles, such a shame it is not reflected in new homes.

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  4. as I also enjoy both gardening and architecture I have no doubt that I would enjoy this book. Thank you for sharing your insightful review!

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    1. I don't know about you but when visiting some of the grander homes in the U.K. I always want to go through the door marked private.

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  5. Hello Susan ... what a nice review to entice us to read more about the connection of architecture and garden design. I am in love with that first picture of the house and water feature .. it is gorgeous!
    I am always curious about desert garden design ... some thing about the south west always grabs my attention when it comes to seeing gardens and plants of that area.
    Joy : )

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    1. I'm so used to the abundant and colourful planting of cottage gardens it took me a while to appreciate the desert landscape which seem stark in comparison. I'm starting to understand it and even become fascinated by it. There is more than first meets the eye.

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  6. I'm ashamed to say I didn't realise Wright was interested in landscaping as well as architecture. Maybe I should read the book and fill in those woeful gaps!

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    1. He was interested in landscape as it pertained to his own designs but not beyond. Don't worry about your woeful gaps.

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  7. I am several years behind on all the books I want to read. Fallingwater is in a nearby state so I really need to get my butt up there. Thanks for the reminder!

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    1. A big complaint from members of our library board is we no longer have time to read!

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  8. I don't know much about Frank Lloyd Wright beyond having seem pictures of some of his famous architecture. The house on the book cover is certainly familiar. I'd be curious to see his landscape design. Is it austere and somewhat geometric like his architecture I wonder?

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    1. Actually not, Jennifer. Although he loved to control every aspect of the houses he designed, including the furniture, he seems to have understood Nature has its own rules. His landscaping style appears to be loose and inclusive of the existing features and conditions. He used plantings particularly at entrances and around work spaces.

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