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| Oehme van Sweden design |
Eric Groft, principal at the
renowned landscape architectural firm, Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, was
the featured speaker at the Metrohort’s inaugural meeting earlier this month.
Earlier that same day I attended
the NY Design Center’s annual party/event for all things interior design where
I met Jack Staub for his gorgeous Private
Edens book signing at the Pennoyer Newman showroom (see earlier post)
Proving it’s a small world after all, especially when it comes to good design,
when I told Jack where I was heading, he said to say hello to Eric. They are professional friends; Jack said Eric
brought him in on some projects. I was
happy to deliver his salutation.
the NY Design Center’s annual party/event for all things interior design where
I met Jack Staub for his gorgeous Private
Edens book signing at the Pennoyer Newman showroom (see earlier post)
Proving it’s a small world after all, especially when it comes to good design,
when I told Jack where I was heading, he said to say hello to Eric. They are professional friends; Jack said Eric
brought him in on some projects. I was
happy to deliver his salutation.
Groft’s artful approach to
designing the landscape that in turn, he learned from his former boss, James
van Sweden, reflects much the way I approach garden design; inspired by the other
fine arts and a Genius Loci (spirit of the place) so I was keen to hear him and
see his portfolio of work.
designing the landscape that in turn, he learned from his former boss, James
van Sweden, reflects much the way I approach garden design; inspired by the other
fine arts and a Genius Loci (spirit of the place) so I was keen to hear him and
see his portfolio of work.
Groft is billed as “encouraging
everyone to find inspiration in the arts: painting, sculpture, even dance and
ballet.
everyone to find inspiration in the arts: painting, sculpture, even dance and
ballet.
Whether it’s a ten-foot-square
city terrace or a ten-acre expanse, the same principles apply: the intelligent
use of positive and negative space, of form and scale, of light and shadow, of
rough and smooth textures. Eric illustrates the connection between the path in
a garden and the horizon of an iconic painting, the syncopation of jazz and the
free form of nature, and the intrigue of a good novel and the mystery of a
thoughtfully sculpted landscape. “
city terrace or a ten-acre expanse, the same principles apply: the intelligent
use of positive and negative space, of form and scale, of light and shadow, of
rough and smooth textures. Eric illustrates the connection between the path in
a garden and the horizon of an iconic painting, the syncopation of jazz and the
free form of nature, and the intrigue of a good novel and the mystery of a
thoughtfully sculpted landscape. “
Eric shared garden projects from
the sandy beaches of Sagaponick to the rolling hills of northern West Chester
County.
the sandy beaches of Sagaponick to the rolling hills of northern West Chester
County.
The presentation was arranged by
chapters, following the format of The
Artful Garden: Creative Inspiration for Landscape Design written van
Sweden, and my horticulture friend, Tom Christopher.
chapters, following the format of The
Artful Garden: Creative Inspiration for Landscape Design written van
Sweden, and my horticulture friend, Tom Christopher.
Each chapter begins with a quote
from a noted artist that sets the tone for the gardens presented. For example, the Space and Form chapter
introduces us to all the dimensions of a garden. Lao Tzu wrote: “We turn clay to make a
vessel; but it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of
the vessel depends.” Or Duke Ellington’s musical art introduction to chapter
four with the saying, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”
from a noted artist that sets the tone for the gardens presented. For example, the Space and Form chapter
introduces us to all the dimensions of a garden. Lao Tzu wrote: “We turn clay to make a
vessel; but it is on the space where there is nothing that the usefulness of
the vessel depends.” Or Duke Ellington’s musical art introduction to chapter
four with the saying, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”
I have an autographed copy of this
delightful book. I love the way it laid out and its way of bringing us into
artful orbit – connecting garden art to the other fine arts. It’s an elegant book and a must-have inspirational
addition to a garden library. Van Sweden
helped popularize the notion that garden design is a fine art influenced by
another art form – referring to it as “The Hybrid Art.” The Artful Garden is
filled with images from Monet to a scene from a Kabuki play to illustrate the
glamorous inspirations and nexus of where garden art meets the other fine arts.
delightful book. I love the way it laid out and its way of bringing us into
artful orbit – connecting garden art to the other fine arts. It’s an elegant book and a must-have inspirational
addition to a garden library. Van Sweden
helped popularize the notion that garden design is a fine art influenced by
another art form – referring to it as “The Hybrid Art.” The Artful Garden is
filled with images from Monet to a scene from a Kabuki play to illustrate the
glamorous inspirations and nexus of where garden art meets the other fine arts.
The breakthrough work with the Chicago
Botanic Garden’s Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Center is a
classic already – the beautiful and practical rooftop eco-garden there is one
that is widely studied and imitated.
Botanic Garden’s Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Center is a
classic already – the beautiful and practical rooftop eco-garden there is one
that is widely studied and imitated.
Eric said Chicago’s Green Roof design has made
them “A leading authority on green roof research.” The firm designed the infrastructure for the
plants – much attention devoted to water issues from waterproofing to nurturing
the “living laboratory” of the planting beds.
them “A leading authority on green roof research.” The firm designed the infrastructure for the
plants – much attention devoted to water issues from waterproofing to nurturing
the “living laboratory” of the planting beds.
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| Chicago Botanic Garden Green Roof |
The science demonstrates how the
40,000 plants thrive in an extreme environment by using low maintenance – most
are grasses. He showed a field of
verbena that is breathtaking.
40,000 plants thrive in an extreme environment by using low maintenance – most
are grasses. He showed a field of
verbena that is breathtaking.
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| Chicago Botanic Garden Great Basin: Image courtesy of Wolfgang Oehme |
Eric’s firm worked with the Botanic
Garden to design and create more than 30 water gardens.
Garden to design and create more than 30 water gardens.
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| Chicago Botanic Garden Great Basin “before” |
Eric showed how they employed the use of
vined trellis bridge as a continuous thread of green in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s
Great Basin and Water Gardens where – unlike the masses of single plants,
the palette here features great plant diversity. Interesting that funds for transforming the
Great Basin came from the creator of the American Girl doll, Pleasant Rowland.
(As if having a name like Pleasant, wasn’t happy enough!)
vined trellis bridge as a continuous thread of green in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s
Great Basin and Water Gardens where – unlike the masses of single plants,
the palette here features great plant diversity. Interesting that funds for transforming the
Great Basin came from the creator of the American Girl doll, Pleasant Rowland.
(As if having a name like Pleasant, wasn’t happy enough!)
There was a 25-acre Greenwich home
with no lawn – but lots and lots of daffodils. There was a landscape that
merged house and garden in a grassy landscape that took its inspiration from
Monticello. No detail is too insignificant. The firm designed a cobra handrail for
a water garden pool,
with no lawn – but lots and lots of daffodils. There was a landscape that
merged house and garden in a grassy landscape that took its inspiration from
Monticello. No detail is too insignificant. The firm designed a cobra handrail for
a water garden pool,
and built-in benches. Eric showed a stunning 5-acre house,
swimming pool pond with wet and dry coping that is used to best reflect the
plants in the water. Double the pleasure.
swimming pool pond with wet and dry coping that is used to best reflect the
plants in the water. Double the pleasure.
Liquid, mirrored beauty.
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| Photo courtesy of Oehme van Sweden; photograph byClaire Takacs features a Grace Knowlton Sphere sculpture. |
Oehm
van Sweden Landscape Architects is renowned for its diversity in
residential, commercial and institutional work from Manhattan rooftop terraces
to a 3,500-acre nature preserve/hunting lodge in Maryland.
van Sweden Landscape Architects is renowned for its diversity in
residential, commercial and institutional work from Manhattan rooftop terraces
to a 3,500-acre nature preserve/hunting lodge in Maryland.
I had intended to post this on the
26th – the one-year anniversary of the death of James van Sweden,
the influential landscape architect who helped found the firm in 1977 with
Wolfgang Oehme and were very much known for their exuberant use of ornamental
grasses and wildflowers – and land conservation. I salute Mr. van Sweden and his passing. The design world mourns its loss…
26th – the one-year anniversary of the death of James van Sweden,
the influential landscape architect who helped found the firm in 1977 with
Wolfgang Oehme and were very much known for their exuberant use of ornamental
grasses and wildflowers – and land conservation. I salute Mr. van Sweden and his passing. The design world mourns its loss…
In his work, Eric writes that he
takes pride in his sense of regionalism and attention to the vernacular. He has
a passion for horticulture. This is no
small thing. It’s far too frequent that
landscape architects know next to nil about the horticulture and plants.
Usually they bring in garden designers or horticulturists and they keep to the
hardscaping and land reform.
takes pride in his sense of regionalism and attention to the vernacular. He has
a passion for horticulture. This is no
small thing. It’s far too frequent that
landscape architects know next to nil about the horticulture and plants.
Usually they bring in garden designers or horticulturists and they keep to the
hardscaping and land reform.
 |
| Eric Groft talking to Metrohort members |
Eric is widely recognized as an
industry leader in environmental/wetland restoration, and shoreline stabilization/revetment.
Via a follow up email, Eric explained about the firm’s shoreline work, including some terrific plant suggestions: “The loss of the towering oaks, allowed for better light to hit the lawn
and planting beds below and it cleared up an area where we installed some broad lawn steps that led
the eye up the hill and connected the “rockery” to the rest of the garden.
industry leader in environmental/wetland restoration, and shoreline stabilization/revetment.
Via a follow up email, Eric explained about the firm’s shoreline work, including some terrific plant suggestions: “The loss of the towering oaks, allowed for better light to hit the lawn
and planting beds below and it cleared up an area where we installed some broad lawn steps that led
the eye up the hill and connected the “rockery” to the rest of the garden.
The shoreline revetment in Sagaponick was an opportunity for us to do
some revegetation
some revegetation
using Amophila/Cord Grass, Limonium/ Sea Lavender, Solidago gramifolium and Eryingium/Sea Holly.
This was done in combination with the NY State beach revetment providing a seamless
transition from
transition from
our seaside garden to the ocean and extending the beach significantly
Select plants that can take the transition from dry to wet: Panicum, Carex,
Solidago, Rudbeckia.”
Solidago, Rudbeckia.”
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