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Above is a view of one of the more classical courtyards and below some more modern garden elements (look closely at the cool ramp facade).
Ironically, nice humanly-proportioned at the Getty Villa in Malibu November 2008.
Staghorn Fern in little out-building covered by Wisteria.
Mammillaria (pincushion) & Echinocactus (barrel) cactus.
I still don't understand whether I should be using the singular or plural here: Ann? Linda? Where are my grammar queens?
Bonsai
Bamboo Forest
I know this top image is high-maintenance (not sustainable), but I love the aesthetics. Anyway, isn't care, meditation and distortion what Japanese gardens embody? Along with time passing.
And who can resist the sound & light conditions of massed bamboo, especially after Crouching Tigers etc.
Newly installed so they need time to settle in and acquire a patina. Meanwhile, look at the striking hardscape and culturally different rock formations. With my time restrictions, I couldn't delve into the symbolic meanings as much as I would have liked. The docent we ran into was not only helpful & educated about the garden, but very sophisticated.
Continuing on the theme of last post: Here is a photo of Mark and Linda of Madison (who writes the terrific blog "Each Little World" with photos by Mark) last spring up in Milwaukee. We met halfway at the Milwaukee art museum, with its fabulous new wing by Calatrava, [I have nothing good to say about the Dan Kiley garden though I love his earlier work in Columbus, Indiana] to see one of the best photography shows ever: foto: Modernity in Central Europe1918-1945. As a bonus, it included works by my dad's mentor: Moholy-Nagy. (Not being able to photograph the exhibit was a minus...) Another bonus is that one of the organizers is now the new curator of the photography department of the Art Institute of Chicago. A place I know well since being dragged there repeatedly as a child...I digress.
So the other day I wrote about Swedish fences for Mark. Then I read Philip Bewley's Garden Blog about Japanese gardens. Then I happened to read Linda's blog from January 21st "My garden odyssey: What's the Big Idea?" which mentions how Japanese gardens & culture affected their wonderful, wonderful garden...a Midwest Japanese garden that works masterfully! I don't have good images of Mark & Linda's garden, there are many on their website, but I do have a picture (below) of one of the pieces of art in their home. Maybe it will give you a clue about their sensibility. You can't go wrong following these people's blogs and their generous musings.
So today I indulged in an afternoon cup of tea and reflected on some of the Japanese influences on my life. In high school, it was lots of novels by Kawabata & Mishima and hot, crispy tempura consumed with my best friend when we played hooky. In college, I managed to substitute a year of Japanese Lit. in lieu of Western Civ. and loved the flickerings in the dark that were mesmerizing films by Kurosawa & Ozu at Doc films where I was lucky enough to learn at the knee (he's at least a foot taller than I) of the mighty film critic Dave Kehr. [Since I'm name dropping people I was proud to know at U of C, I'll mention another brilliant, original & principled fellow: David Axelrod...no need to give a link for him. Maybe David will help balance Milton Friedman.] As a supposed adult, I have learned much about culture & seeing from my artist brother Adam's year in a half in Japan and from the Garden books & lectures of the superb landscape architect, Julie Moir Messervy.
Enough links for you? Enjoy.
