If someone asked you what you do for a living, would you describe yourself as an artist? While they might not lump themselves in with Picasso or Monet, landscape designers should be thought of as artists. Just ask Elizabeth Barlow Rogers, director of Garden History and Landscape studies at Bard Graduate Center for Studies in Decorative Arts, Design and Culture, New York City, and author of Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History.
In the introduction of her book, Rogers writes that landscape design is "an art that modifies and shapes nature." Through her research, Rogers has found that societies often express themselves by developing landscapes. Take Central Park in New York City, a man-made park in the middle of one of a major U.S. city. "It's amazing to see how much nature there is in New York City," Rogers enthused. "With all the human intervention there are still nature areas."
When you compare Central Park to a design like Versailles, a historic garden near Paris, France, you can see how these areas are representing what their respective countries were experiencing at the time. Since Versailles was built when the country was under authoritarian rule, Rogers relates that when you look at the garden, this is expressed through its strict lines and axes that extend far into the distance.
On the other hand, she explained that Central Park is an expression of American Democracy. "This is the first people's park," she touted. "Central Park represents democracy in action."
It's also an expression of the Industrial Revolution, Rogers added. "As cities were expanding, Americans still had Jeffersonian ideals, which included the importance of bringing the beauty of the countryside to the middle of the city.
"Big metropolitan areas needed the peaceful, tranquil meadows and woodlands because we couldn't do without nature," she continued. "Nature and the American consciousness were written right into the landscape of Central Park."
Currently, the United States is very much a commercialist society and the country's landscape design reflects this trait. According to Rogers, creating landscapes with themes and replicating the scenery of other places has become a popular design trend. "A lot of Americans love theme parks and that has become a cultural value," she stressed. "'Theming' of the past and other places is a part of our society."
Another popular design trend in the country involves commemorative landscapes. Just as the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma has been replaced with a reflecting pool and other commemorative features, "there are a lot of great minds in New York City engaged in trying to understand the World Trade Center site for the opportunity for a commemorative landscape," Rogers said.
Knowing what's on the horizon for landscape design is difficult, but Rogers does believe that a need to feel 'rooted' will factor in heavily when designs are being created. "There's an idea that we need to make gardens a place of our own," she stressed, "that we still need green lawns and landscapes."
Rogers' book contains 630 illustrations within 544 pages and can be purchased in bookstores (ISBN 0-8109-4253-4) for $75 U.S. and $115.00 Canadian. The author is trained in art history and city planning and is recognized for her work and leadership in revitalizing public parks and gardens.