For me, no trip to New York would be complete without a visit to the New York Botanical Garden. It is so easy to get to by subway or car, that there is no excuse not to visit this beautiful refuge in the Bronx.
Right now, my idea of Paradise would be to live in this garden, the Seasonal Walk, created by two of the most talented garden designers now in practice, Piet Oudolf and Jacqueline van der Kloet. These Dutch designers are first and foremost plant-centric. They both build on a solid foundation of design, but their priority is the plants. Piet is a well-known proponent of perennials in the Dutch "new wave" movement; Jacqueline is the bulb specialist. Their program was to create a four-season border alongside the NYBG's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Imagine having two huge borders - one 186 feet and the other 86 feet long - to plan, plant, and nurture!
Right now, my idea of Paradise would be to live in this garden, the Seasonal Walk, created by two of the most talented garden designers now in practice, Piet Oudolf and Jacqueline van der Kloet. These Dutch designers are first and foremost plant-centric. They both build on a solid foundation of design, but their priority is the plants. Piet is a well-known proponent of perennials in the Dutch "new wave" movement; Jacqueline is the bulb specialist. Their program was to create a four-season border alongside the NYBG's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Imagine having two huge borders - one 186 feet and the other 86 feet long - to plan, plant, and nurture!
The project has been so successful that the NYBG has extended the show for an additional year, through 2010. Even if you won't be able to enjoy the garden in person, the Seasonal Walk Chronicles are well worth repeated visits online. Garden writer Tovah Martin and photographer Rob Cardillo have created a terrific diary of the garden's development. It's a must-read for any of us interested in learning the secrets of the Dutch dynamic duo who have previously collaborated on two projects, both in the US: Battery Park in New York and the Millennium Park in Chicago.
I can't wait to visit this special place again; perhaps this fall. Stay tuned! I hope to bring you some of my own photos of the Seasonal Walk myself.
In the meantime, here is a sample of beautiful photos taken by my very talented son Peter during our trip to the NYBG two summers ago.
All photos copyright 2009 by Peter M. Mueller.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comments.