Liz Noble to Jenny Woods
Have read your letter of 13 December & felt I must respond. Firstly to say
how much I appreciated your lovely description of the garden as it now is.
I have only visited the garden a few times, but feel strongly about it, and
was rather dreading seeing it in its new state. It sounds to feel, more than
ever, like a sanctuary. The eye of the storm, perhaps?
Also, to second your vote. I’ve tried hard to see the positive potential
in the FAO suggestion. There seem so many persuasive reasons why the layout
should be “good” - in a functional way, and also by a certain abstract
beauty.
But every time I transport myself into the garden and try to superimpose
those paths, it seems emotionally to me also so wrong, so inappropriate to
the site. And like you, I have reservations about the emphasis on keeping
the people moving. Especially when the topography provides plenty of
movement to start with! And whilst the zigzags appear radical in a way after the
cruciform bones of the old garden, I’m not so sure… they are still primarily a way
of getting around - a type of grid (albeit a squished one) - an arbitrary,
mathematical solution to a logic problem. I wonder whether Niall, with his
distrust of people of draw too soon, is nervous of a purely “freehand”
response to the site?
And what about the wall itself - I cannot help but think of it as a great
sculpture in the landscape. Its uses as a planting environment drive a deal
of the FAO’s logic, but for me I think it has something of a life of its
own. I am fascinated by your comments about the effect on your perception
of the space, moving in and out of the emptied area. Before, difficulties
in gauging the boundaries and lie of the land made up part of the mystery
of the place. So I am really looking forward to seeing this empty vessel
in the landscape, and how its emptiness affects the visual pressures.
I’m also very bothered about the FAO’s treatment of water and the south-east
corner - the conduits and suggested pond “traversable by shallow course”.
Whilst I know that corner is important for frost drainage, am having great
difficulty imagining the end result, and would be most interested to know
what you think on this?
Why should the planting itself not be key to spatial design? Yes, I know,
when it is gloriously transient and all would simply revert to entropy in
the absence of some permanent hard-landscaped structure! - but is it
possible to create such a structure, which has integrity and character and is more
than a bland framework, and which will be more an inspiration than
constraint for the gardener. I don’t think it’s there yet.