Saturday, December 4, 2010

Sex, Insult & Designers

Tim Richardson wrote in the Telegraph recently about Landscape Design doyenne Rosemary Verey. Full, stuffed, rich with pugnacious tidbits. He managed a pugilistic slap at the United States, "...enjoy a career "selling" her Englishness to the United States..." Gotta love it!
No less than Sir Roy Strong enters the drama, Rosemary, "...enjoyed japes." and was, "...highly sexed."
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As proof, Richardson mentions, "Details of the affair are recorded in a shoebox of love letters that document their trysts..." Even David Hicks receives a mention.
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Christopher Lloyd is named favorably, & other newer, apparently much better than Rosemary, landscape designers. Looking forward to Googling them this weekend & seeing pics of their work.
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Rosemary Verey, in my (not) humble opinion, wrote the best Landscape Design book, The Garden In Winter. Sir Roy Strong is my favorite (living) Landscape Designer; yes, you want his garden books too.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Pic of my dreadful-but-fabulous Table Chandelier. A tacky-drama lamp but I adore it. FYI, Sir Roy Strong's garden is called, The Laskett. Can you guess what I named my cat? Yes, Laskett ! Well, Poppets, this post is strongest proof yet of my total Landscape Design NERDINESS.

7 comments:

Charlotte said...

I have poured over your blog the past few days enough so other things were shoved aside. Thank you for explaining and showing us what makes a garden sparkle. Fabulous ideas. I have ordered your books, I can't get enough...thank you again.

As a northern California rose grower I plan to fine tune my garden to take it to the next level.

Unknown said...

Oh Dear! .....smiles.

Nita Stacy said...

I love that crazy lamp! Love the color of your windows. I went round and round last summer trying to find the perfect shade of greenish-aquaish to paint my own windows. I wish I'd known of your blog then...I would have written to find out what color this is.

I ended up going with Sherwin Williams Underseas after testing like 10 paint samples. What color is this...by the way if you remember?

I do think that line is funny "Selling her Englishness to the United States". Why is it we are never happy with our own history and culture? We always want to create the style of another country.

That said....my own house is sort of european in style. But I always thought I'd live in a big white American colonial..but I'm single and what I could afford was a small european style cottage. Although since it was built in 1931...I try to celebrate that it was what an American builder thought was european when he built it. So it really isn't at all.

Love your blog. How is that conservatory coming? I cannot wait to see it.

judith said...

Have heard both Strong and Verey speak. So your post, very interesting.

Sir Roy Strong, my favorite also. He truly was the one who inspired me to venture into my designing garden rooms, albeit on a smaller scale. I so thank him for that...

I have his gardening books also. The best.. Written with his own style of personal and creative wit.

Gardening in winter, I agree.a classic.

Laguna Dirt said...

pretty racy stuff! you have to find inspiration somewhere! (wish i could see your chandelier better!)

Maura @ Kisiwa Creek Photography said...

Nerdiness or not I love your blog! Nothing wrong with Nerds...especially landscape design ones ;) I hope your weekend is going well Tara. I'm so far behind in reading my favorite blogs with all the Christmas decorating and baking...it's after midnight and I'm still trying to catch up! I hope you have a wonderful Sunday...
Maura :)

joanie said...

"The Garden in Winter" by Rosemary Verey is my absolute all-time favorite garden book. Each time I look at it I see something new. Glad to find another fan.