The Story of Gardening

The Story of Gardening by Penelope Hobhouse is one of my new resources for learning about garden history. It is published by Dorling Kindersley, Limited. (DK), London (2002). Hobhouse approaches the subject of gardens as a gardener, plants man, and story teller. She is a garden designer, lecturer, and writer from Britain.

The book provides an excellent introduction to the topic, and includes a wonderful time-line showing world events and gardening events for the Americas, Europe, the Far East, and the Near East and India, from 3000 BC to 2000 AD. Chapters cover all the major gardening periods, from origins, to classical gardens, to Asian, Persian, and European gardens; as well as modern movements of the last two hundred years. The book is lavish with beautiful photography, charts, graphics, and side bars with interesting details. Several of Hobhouse’s own garden designs are included (she has a special interest in Persian-inspired gardens). The bibliography is rich with references that would provide a reading list for a lifetime.

I was especially pleased to see the chapter on “plants on the move” (a personal interest of mine), and a chapter on gardens of the Americas. The chapter on gardens of tomorrow, with its emphasis on ecology, is also very relevant and timely. I first learned about Penelope Hobhouse when I attended her presentation at the San Francisco Garden Show a few of years back. She gave an excellent slide show on plants in the landscape, including the red hot poker, which had recently turned her head. I thoroughly recommend The Story of Gardening (and feel it makes a great companion to my old favorite, The History of Gardens, by Christopher Thacker).

Renaissance Gardens in England

In England, the reaction to the Renaissance style of landscaping was a little different. There was great interest in the new style and its concepts, but there wasn’t the rush to replace existing gardens as elsewhere in Europe. Perhaps, as Penelope Hobhouse  (The Story of Gardens) points out, the practical English mind resisted all that pruning and maintenance!

Elements of Renaissance gardens were adopted, such as terraces, statuary, fountains, grottoes, and waterways. But these elements were used to summon the Italian idea, not replace the existing Tudor and Jacobean gardens. Italian ideas were integrated with the traditional medieval style, which continued on in England, with its heraldic symbols, viewing mounts, fountains, beds of scented flowers, and knot gardens. A few Renaissance and Baroque gardens were developed, adapted to the English climate and terrain, such as the renovation of Wilton House in 1631. Many of these gardens were destroyed during the English Civil War (1642 – 1651).

The formal French garden was introduced into Britain with the renovation of Hampton Court in 1689. The Renaissance influence is evident, but without the grand scale or sense of conquering nature. 



Hampton Court Palace - sunken garden with medieval and Renaissance influences.
Photo by Michal "Cronwood" Babilas.
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 Christopher Thacker (The History of Gardens) observes that in Britain during this time, a few independent minded gardeners on small estates were developing ideas that would change things in gardening. In future posts, we’ll learn more about the important Landscape Movement.

Renaissance Gardens in France

In France, the countryside was flatter and more densely wooded than in Italy. Extensive hardwood forests were interrupted periodically with small villages and farms. Both Christopher Thacker (The History of Gardens) and Penelope Hobhouse (The Story of Gardens) observe that France had a hostile relationship with nature. Nature was feared, rather than enjoyed. (In retrospect, there are quite a few Fairy Tales with a foreboding forest involved; I wonder how many of them are of French origin!)



Chateau de Villandry - the parterres form intricate patterns, best viewed from above.
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(author, Jean-Christophe BENOIST)

France embraced the Renaissance style of landscaping, and developed its own distinctive style as early as 1600. The French style sought to overcome and subdue nature, rather than exist in harmony with it. Landscaping was done on a huge scale. Often whole landscapes were brought in subjection – forests were cleared, or wide swaths were cut through the trees to form an axis from the garden to the horizon line. Trees and bushes were clipped and pruned into fantastical and architectural shapes of all sizes.

Palace of Versailles - the orangery and a series of parterres, best viewed from above.
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(author, Mbcmf217)
 

A main focus of the formal French garden was the parterre – typically a series of low hedges and flowers formed into complex symmetrical patterns and designs. These patterns were called parterre de broderi, and resembled the rich embroidery used in French brocades. Parterres were designed to be viewed from above, typically from a particular place in the main house to the dictates of the owner. The garden was not just for beauty and pleasure, but to demonstrate the power of man over nature. Only those with great wealth, such as kings and nobleman, could maintain this style of gardening.

Garden History – Renaissance Europe

The Renaissance garden continued to evolve, and began to spread across Europe. Books about Italian gardens were published, prompting Northern Europeans to visit Italian gardens and bring home new ideas. Monarchs and the wealthy embraced the new style of gardening, and often employed Italian gardeners. Through this exchange, the Italian Renaissance garden spread from Italy into the rest of Europe, especially France, England, and the Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg).

The Renaissance garden continued to evolve under the influence of the Baroque period (from about 1600 until 1750). For gardens, Baroque characteristics included:

• Manipulation of space using curved forms, forced perspective, and optical illusions
• Monumental scale in landscaping, and grand treatment of elevation using fountains and stairways
• Axial organization, such as axes that radiated outward from a central focal point or a long axis that ran from the formal garden to a distant focal point through wild, forested regions
• Spatial elements, such as straight avenues of trees (allees)

Palace Het Loo, in Apeldoorn, Holland – photo by JE at UWO (2002).

 

The Renaissance garden also evolved culturally. Christopher Thacker (The History of Gardens) observes that medieval gardens continued as they were in Europe (foursquare enclosures, regularly divided with raised beds, and tunnels and arbors made of trellis work), but were combined with the exuberance, enjoyment, and extravagant display of the Renaissance garden. Penelope Hobhouse notes in The Story of Gardening that the Italian principles had to be adapted to the local topography, climate, and architecture. The resulting European Renaissance gardens were a hybrid of Italian style and ideas, and local conditions and practicality.

Hearst Castle's Use of Hardscape

Hearst Castle is filled with hardscape delights – paths, stairways, statues (both ancient and modern), fountains, planters, trellises, and sarcophaguses (yes, Hearst collected them). Here are some of my favorites, but you can find many more. I’m sure I could visit the garden multiple times, in multiple seasons, and continue to be surprised and delighted.

Paths and Stairways

I found a variety of paths in different forms; all of which invite the viewer to enter into the garden, and explore new areas. Often paths are shaded, at least for part of the day. A stairway can be an extension of a path, providing access from one level in the landscape to another level.

Lighted terms flank a shady path	Split staircase leading to a path
 Curved staircase with Moorish tile facing	Terrace pathway and staircase leading to Casa del Sol

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Water Treatments

Fountains, fonts, and pools provide water in the garden. Running water provides a soothing sound, standing water is reflective.

 Glimpse of a shady fountain through the trees

 Font casts a long shadow in the afternoon sun

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Sculpture

The landscape at Hearst Castle integrates an extensive collection of sculptures. They provide visual interest and capture light in different ways all through the day.

 Ancient Egyptian statue stands watch	Sarcophagus turned garden ornament
Marble columns and statues in the pool area	Large term provides a focal point on one of the terraces

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Accessories

Distinctive lighting is used throughout the landscape, and trellises provide structure for climbing plants.

Lamps are used throughout the garden

Trellises support roses and Bougainvillea

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The hardscape elements at Hearst Castle are in character with the Renaissance garden, and the Renaissance Revival style.
 

Hearst Castle Gardens

The Renaissance Revival style often includes lush gardens, and Hearst Castle is no exception. As we know from our exploration of garden history, structures and garden form a unified whole in the Renaissance style.

Structures and gardens complement each other in a unified design

Julia Morgan and William Randolph Hearst designed the gardens to be in bloom year round, using native and Mediterranean climate plants. Roses, Rhododendron, and Hydrangeas thrive on the sunny hilltop, as does the Bougainvillea that grows on the guest houses. You can find the fragrant “Peace climber” rose growing on several structures and trees.

Roses and hydrangeas flourish in full sun

Playful marble statue - maiden feeding an ear of corn to a lamb

Morgan and Hearst incorporated native Coastal Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) into the garden design – sometimes changing plans to work around an existing tree, other times moving an entire tree and its root structure to a new location.

Stately Coastal Live Oak that provides shade and habitat

Other trees found in the garden include Cryptomeria (a deciduous Redwood), Yews, Cypress, Stone Pine, Deodar Cedar, various palms, and fruit trees.

A variety of trees, flowers, and hedges

Japanese boxwood is used as a low hedge, and as a parterre to boarder planting areas.



Boxwood parterres

Terraces provide places to gather, and to enjoy the spectacular “borrowed” view of the hills, coast, and Pacific Ocean.

Formal terrace with a fabulous view

Wide rustic terrace surrounded with pines and palms

 The Esplanade is a wide walking path around the hilltop. It is lushly planted with flowers, and provides afternoon shade.

Orange trees line the Esplanade

 

Hearst Castle

After a hearty breakfast at the Madonna Inn, we drove north to San Simeon and Hearst Castle, enjoying the leisurely drive up the coast. At the Visitor’s Center,  we watched the informative film “Hearst Castle – Building the Dream,” and learned all about William Randolph Hearst and his life.

Side view of one of the distinctive Hearst Castle towers

I was especially interested to learn about Hearst’s formative years: summers spent camping on the sprawling cattle ranch that would become the site for Hearst Castle, and the year and a half spent travelling through Europe and the Mediterranean with his mother on a “grand adventure.” These early experiences exposed Hearst to art, culture, and architecture; forged a love for the land near San Simeon; and inspired a lifelong passion for collecting art.

Inside view of the iron grating used in the entrance to Hearst Castle

After a successful business and publishing career, Hearst hired Julia Morgan, from the San Francisco Bay Area, to design and develop the hilltop estate, called “La Cuesta Encantada” (The Enchanted Hill). One of his objectives was to house and display his art collection. They collaborated on the project in a 28-year partnership from 1919 – 1947. Interesting to me, was that he was more interested in the creative process than actually finishing the project.

Art and architecture integrated into the Hearst Castle design

Morgan designed the estate in the Mediterranean Revival architectural style that was popular at the turn of the 19^th century. The style incorporates elements from Spanish and Italian Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Venetian Gothic, and Beaux-Arts architecture.

An alter in the Casa Grande

We took the Grand Rooms tour, which enables you to see the major rooms of the Casa Grande (the big house). It was fascinating to see how his collections—including the contents of a European castle, religious art and objects from European cathedrals, and medieval tapestries—were integrated into the architectural design.

Medieval tapestry from the 1200s, in the "mille fleur" style 

After the tour, we had the opportunity to stroll around the grounds and guest cottages, lounge by the famous Neptune pool, explore the gardens, and enjoy the panoramic view from the hill top.

 

The famous Neptune pool

Strolling the grounds by one of the guest houses

 

We ended the day with dinner at Linn’s Restaurant, in nearby downtown Cambria, California, where they feature California cuisine using local ingredients, and Hearst Ranch beef!

 

Madonna Inn's Use of Hardscape

The Madonna Inn makes good use of hardscaping—those elements like paths, walls, structures, arbors, and fountains—in the garden design. We came upon many interesting garden niches and settings as we ambled between our room and the restaurants, or wandered the grounds for exercise.

Paths

Paths always beckon me, drawing me in and inviting me to follow. Perhaps they tap into some childhood excitement about exploring.

A curving flagstone path through California Native plants

A stone path leading through the greenbelt to the Madonna Inn

Water Treatments

The Spa at the Madonna Inn provides a great opportunity for water treatments. The pool offers cool relief from the midday heat, and the Jacuzzi warm therapy. The waterfall and its pool provide visual interest, the sound of falling water, and the glimmer of reflected light.

The Spa with its inviting pool and candy-colored iron patio furniture

The waterfall tumbles into a pool of water

Metalwork

The Madonna Inn employed many craftsmen during its construction to create copper decorations, wood carvings, lead glass window treatments, and metal hardscaping elements, such as hand rails, guard rails, and arches. These works of art provide a theme and continuity throughout the garden.

An arch set among the agapantha	Metal guard rail
 Benches provide a resting spot	Detail from the metal bench

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Fences

Fences and guard rails provide boundaries and ensure safety on the property. The white fences of the arena, property, and outlying ranches are attractive and functional. The metal guard rails are also attractive, and provide interesting shadow play during the day.



White fence provides a boundary and a trellis

Metal guard rail casts interesting shadows

Rock Elements

The Inn makes good use of the many rocks found on the property. They are used inside in fireplaces, fountains, waterfalls, and walls. Outside they are incorporated as paths, planters, rock gardens, and water treatments.

Rocks used as a planter	Flowers cascade over stone
A rock garden	 A "rock" speaker

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