Garden Designers Roundtable – Enclosure vs. Exposure

I’ve lived in 2 countries, visited many more, and I’ve been in all but a hand full of US states – by 18. Many more now, with my observations heightened over my aging memory. All that in more different ecoregions than I can recall off hand. Each has their own quality, right down to personality.

I could never put my finger on why some places that people built all over, either lured me into them to linger, or had me say “next” and run fast from them.

It was how the successful spaces worked – knowing when to let a view hang out, or hold that view back. It’s skill and scale, dont’cha know?

(my apologies for this late posting for the GDRT…it’s a long story) :-)

1) Our Land

In the “gentler” Mediterranean climates of the world, the dry golden hills let all hang out, even Mt Diablo (such a gentle name…Mount Devil!), but gentle folds where water concentrates in the winter wet season, helping nourish live oaks. I.E. “the Golden State”…chipping at those SF Bloggers Fling pics, 1 by 1!

And the rugged good looks of my new home facing the hot sun…almost 22 years living in the desert

2) Our Cities and Towns

A heavily built-up city – San Francisco skyline from my small but well-appointed hotel room…so many differences in all those buildings. Are softening or need for open views in order here?

My new town of El Paso is more low-slung and spread out (a popular coffee chain concealed by my iced coffee, from a local place with equally great coffee) Is some enclosure and scale perhaps in need here, yet preserving those stunning desert mountains?

3) Enclosure – Solitude, Privacy

Filoli – enclosing where you are, but teasing you with what’s beyond…this would be a far weaker experience in how many plan their sites, architecture and plantings around here, leaving it all open (a dreaded convergence of cheapness, lack of vision or design, and little land ethos)

A reason for enclosure on that gorgeously toasty summer’s day, the canopy provides ambiance but allows that view (now, imagine that without the trees overhead and other shrubs…)

4) Exposure – Fiesta!

Beyond the enclosing plantings, the woodlands and even redwood forest loom beyond (this is now more special, than if all was revealed from further back)

I don’t think much could be changed to make it any better (note – no flowers, or *that other place’s* author and their tapestries of eco-___) :-)

What say you?

You can read other takes on Enclosure and Exposure – here! Or here –

Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK

Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO

Douglas Owens-Pike : Energyscapes : Minneapolis, MN