Garden Design
- To: MeditPlants
- Subject: Garden Design
- From: J* S*
- Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 20:43:21 +0000
I am curious. In researching for a talk on Renaissance Gardens, I
discovered the importance these people placed, on what they felt were
sacred proportions. Not only were the perfect square and circle
considered a sign of "heaven brought to earth", but also a certain
proportion which was called "The Golden Rectangle".
The Golden Rectangle was achieved by using the relationship of the
Golden Mean; 1 to 1.6180....., an irrational number represented by the
Greek letter, phi. My son (the mathematician) tried to explain all this
to me, but I am not interested, except in how it was used in garden
design.
This is the rectangular proportion you see superimposed on a
spread-eagle human body on tee-shirts and posters. Apparently it has
been used in art and architecture since the Parthenon. Called the
"Principle of Dynamic Symmetry", this relationship has been used and
revered by man throughout the history of western culture, in cathedral
architecture,in art, from da Vinci to George Seurat.
I have read that many of the great Renaissance gardens were designed
using this proportion, noteably the great Villa Lante at Bagnia,
Italy.(Help me Alessandra!) So, my question to you landscape architects
and garden designers: Do you think man still derives serenity and
contentment from this proportion?, Is it taught today? Do you use it in
your work? Do you care?
Jan
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Jan Smithen,
Upland, California
jansmithen@earthlink.net
Sunset zone : 19
USDA zone : 10
http://home.earthlink.net/~jansmithen/
Visit the Los Angeles County Arboretum
Victorian Rose Garden website at:
http://victorian-rose.org/
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