Re: Getty landscape

In general, I was far more aware of the architecture and hardscape at the
Getty than the plants. I LOVED, absolutely LOVED the buildings, the
fountains, the zigzag path down to the bowl garden. But I found I completely
ignored the plants. I get the feeling that the landscape design was done by
someone who doesn't know plants well enough to predict how they'd react to
the environment in which he put them.
Interestingly, I was doing work for Getty before the gardens were planted and before the site was open to the public. The overwhelming impact of the buildings at that time was BRIGHT WHITE. It was so bright that the people who worked there had to wear sunglasses INSIDE their offices (one wall of the office building is a huge glass window). Outside was blindingly bright. In fact, I never even noticed the texture of the stone as it was just too hard to try to look at anything outside.

Seeing it planted now, it is much softer (thank goodness) and much easier on the eye. Perhaps the stone color as becoming deeper as it ages as well

There was one set of plants I liked (we didn't get close enough to the
cactus garden to really admire it). One of the courtyards had a collection
of containers with Pelargonium sidoides, two cultivars of Helichrysum
petiolare, and several other plants that combined very well. But nearly
everything at that site would have had close to the same impact *without*
the plants.
Cheryl, I wonder whether this was the patio with very large glazed containers in a shade of deep gray. The pots were planted with succulents and some perennials that beautifully complemented both the pots and each other. I had forgotten about that planting until now.

Nan
--
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

Nan Sterman Plant Soup (TM)

205 Cole Ranch Road
Encinitas, CA 92024 760.634.2902 (voice)
NSterman@PlantSoup.Com 760.634.2957 (fax)

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index