Plant Driven Design
Creating gardens that honor plants, place and spirit
Scott and Lauren Springer Ogden
Perhaps it seems obvious that garden design is done around, or driven by plants. But many landscape architects advocate starting with hardscape--patios, paths, walls, decks, and planting around those elements. I myself in an article on hardscape earlier this year called it the 'armature' of the garden. Scott and Lauren Springer Ogden maintain that only by putting the plants first, selecting plants that will survive on the site, and according them maximum respect will a garden truly reach its full potential.
The titles of the preface--Gardens are for Plants -- and first chapter--Putting Plants First--set the stage. The preface states a basic premis: "gardens exist because of gardeners, not designers", and while admitting to being a design book, continues "this book differs from other design books in that it begins with the assumption that plants come first, not style or architecture." They argue simply (and quite sensibly) that plants' needs for location, direction, exposure, slope, drainage and all that must be known before a garden can be well laid out, and if their needs must be known first, then the identity of the plants themselves must be known first.
They also argue strongly--as do we Sonoma County Master Gardeners--that appropriate plants for the climate, site and soil must be chosen, and that plants, however well loved, whose needs and characteristics don't match the site, must be avoided.
So how can this book be put to practical use by the Sonoma County gardener?
Chapter Two goes into choosing and creating spaces for a plants needs and character--in other words, right plant, right place. Chapter Three dives into challenges and opportunities--overcoming difficulties. There are extensive lists of plants suited to climate and site to assist the garden designer: plants for limy and acid soils; plants for dry shade; low water plants; plants for woodland gardens--and many more.
For me, design books are as much about photos as anything, maybe more. Photos are the source of great ideas. There are scores of beautiful garden photos in this book, some all plants, some with hardscape, and it's impossible to tell which came first, but that doesn't change the value of a photo as inspiration.
Winter is coming, with increased time for sitting, reflection, and reading by the fire. Don't try to devour this all at once--this is a book to dip into time and again, absorbing bits here and there, and I intend to do that many evenings over the coming months.
--Steven Hightower