Some Contrasting Perspectives On Landscaping

Landscaping is a gerund, or 'verbal noun'. The name part refers to the visual element of a particular area but the action part refers to the modification of the area in a way which pleases an onlooker. The dual meaning of the compound word is significant because it pertains to a debate that is central to the philosophy of life that Hamlet referred to in the words, 'To be or not to be, that is the question.'

The question is whether we should alter things or leave them as they are. On the one hand a mountain or lake landscape may uplift the emotions of a viewer because of its untouched grandeur. On the other hand human ingenuity and taste can transform a ruined or polluted area into a space that is beautiful. That is the art of landscaping.

The practice of landscaping involves many dichotomies. An important decision that must be made at the outset of any project is the marriage of what is there with changes that are to be made. An area may be a small plot adjacent to a busy railway or a large slope between a mansion and a river. The scope of the project will determine actions that must be taken. The small plot can be as challenging as the large one.

The relationship between an owner and a landscaper may be a delicate one. Two individual tastes must negotiate, with money being the intermediary. The final outcome may reflect the ascendancy of one will over another but will stand or fall on its own merits.

The differences between absolutes and relatives pertain. The question of whether a place is beautiful in its own right or whether beauty is in the eye of the beholder may be the basis of understand or misunderstanding between client and professional. In the case of the large space between the mansion and the river an owner might prefer structures that satisfy his ego but seem to the landscaper to abrogate aesthetic principles.

At an early stage of any project a decision must be taken whether to choose a formal or informal design. Formality may involve straight lines and clipped bushes and gravel mulches. An informal design will have untrained shrubs and blurred edges. The long term consequences of this decision may be significant. For example, a formal space that is poorly maintained may be create an unfortunate impression of dereliction as time goes by.

It may seem strange to consider this topic in binary terms when any view is composed of many different features. However, the aim is always the harmony of unity in diversity. This is beautifully expressed in the words of G. M. Hopkins in his poem about the landscapes of England. He describes how, for him, Creation is one whole composed of innumerable opposites.

Landscaping is one of the ancient and venerable professions that is well represented in the World Wide Web. Not only is it possible to see picture's of the most dramatic natural and made landscapes. It is also possible to access expertise, equipment and plans for performing this art that is integral to civilization.

By: Elaine Daniel

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