Choosing a design hero is not something that comes easy to me , primarily because I can find something I love in most gardens and if someone has even a little bit of skill I can usually learn something from them (making them at least a little bit of a hero in my eyes). Nonetheless, there are a few that I turn to more often for inspiration – even though I am fickle about professing my undying love. Key for me is that they are all still alive. I appreciate following a career as it unfolds and seeing how designs evolve in the context of modern day. That’s not to say I don’t love some historical figures, but I have to keep my heroes in the realm of ‘might actually have a conversation with this person’ someday. Here’s my top 5 (living) design heroes — for today — because as I say, tomorrow I might change it.

Diarmuid Gavin is arguably one of the main reasons I changed careers to become a design professional. When he and Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen did Homefront (a UK Show), I never missed an episode. The confections of over the top design that always teetered on the edge of disaster never failed to excite. The above is not a good example — it is just a really nice garden. Diarmuid is one of the most imaginative, exciting designers around and I wish I saw the world through his eyes.

Jinny Blom – Jinny’s gardens make me happy because they are types of places I want to spend time in, take a nap in, and take care of. Mostly on the take care of — because they always have this sense of being not too stressful (though they actually might be) and their natural beauty always shines through.  I admire her ability to craft a meadow and make it seem natural.

Tom Stuart-Smith has a way with plants that really excites me.  The mix, that is so unlike the typical built and layered English borders, really appeals to me.  The first Tom Stuart Smith garden that I saw was at Chelsea and I marvelled at how interesting the planting was even though it all was at relatively the same height.   Mix that with solid hard-scape design that is warm and interesting but has a clean modern edge and you have a winning combination.

Fernando Caruncho on the other hand rarely inspires me with planting but rather space and mood creation.   I long to live in his landscapes because there is an ephemeral quality that few designers can consistently create.

And finally (but not last) - Cleve West.  The garden in the picture above literally stopped me in my tracks when I saw it at chelsea.  The three containers and the gravel garden with the simple spigot fountains — set amongst the unique planting was just perfect.  And so many other Cleve gardens are also perfect (chelsea 2011- for example).  I want to get my hands on all his planting lists because they are always unique and exciting but practical and down to earth.

Would you like to see more gardens by these creators? And also one more of my design heroes? I have created a pin board on pinterest that you can check out for more images and see my final favorite.

Also make sure you check out my cohorts in the Round table who are also posting about their design heroes today.

Thomas Rainer : Grounded Design : Arlington, Virginia

Susan Cohan : Miss Rumphius’ Rules : Chatham, NJ

Scott Hokunson : Blue Heron Landscapes : Granby, CT

Jenny Petersen : J Petersen Garden Design : Austin, TX

Debbie Roberts : A Garden of Possibilities : Stamford, CT

Andrew Keys : Garden Smackdown : Boston, MA

I happened to notice today that Piet Oudolf’s website seems to have some new images since the last time I visited (for a good old fashioned drool-fest).

His gardens have been photographed by some of the best garden photographers in the industry and I thoroughly enjoyed the inspiring visit….. take a look, these are my favorites, but I am curious what are yours?

images by Nicola Brown, Walter Herfst, Neil Holmes, Marianne Majerus, Jürgen Becker, Jo & Rob Whitworth, Andrew Lawson

I am preparing an article about Zaha Hadid and her influence on landscape design for the trade publication Landscape (based in the Middle East) (if you don’t know of her, she is a celebrated modern deconstructionist architect that was born in Baghdad).

In reading about her over the weekend, I learned that she claims her greatest inspiration for her work is a visit that she made to the see the marsh Arabs as a young teen.  Marsh Arabs have lived in the marsh area where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers merge for over 5000 years.   Their way of life, coping with their natural environment and fantastic architecture inspire Ms. Hadid and they are inspiring me as well.   I have already ordered the book Marsh Arabs by Explorer Wilfred Thesiger (with whom the young Ms. Hadid made her visit) and can’t wait to dive in.

All the lands were sea…
Gilimma bound reeds upon the face of the waters,
He formed soil and poured it out beside the reeds.
He filled in a dike by the side of the sea,
He made a swamp, he formed a marsh
and he brought it into existence,
Reeds he formed, trees he created.

Sumerian creation myth

Sadly, I understand that this civilization, who for centuries stayed outside the politics of the region and were left to live their lives as they have for thousands of years, were wiped out by Saddam Hussein.  But these images remain….and their way of life is still inspiring modern thinkers.

Have you been inspired by Zaha Hadid or have an interesting point to make about her influence on landscape design?  I would love to hear it….I think I would find it tremendously helpful.

images from Laputan Logic.

I am a huge Martha Schwartz fan.  I will never forget the first (only) time that I met her/heard her speak.  It was at a Society of Garden Designers event where she was invited to speak.  She gave a fantastic presentation, but I suspect (besides her) I was probably one of the only other American in the room and she left me sinking in my seat — just a little.

When I lived abroad I frequently had this issue with being hyper aware of the behavior of people that I encountered from my own country.  I think it had something to do with feeling like an outsider and trying to fit in, (and also, to some extent, becoming assimilated enough that I saw things through different eyes) and when I was around other Americans I always felt their behavior reflected on me way more than was rational.  Anyway — Martha swore alot in the presentation.   I am not a prude when it comes to four letter words, but that day I cringed like crazy.  The whole thing makes me laugh now, but that day,  I thought surely the Brits in our company, with their better English, would be mortified. Perhaps they would run us both out of town.  But really no one minded — and they sure as hell didn’t give two thoughts about me. (ha!)  The thought of the whole scene and reliving my feelings makes me smile in amusement at myself and the admirable guts and unapologetic nature of Martha.

This garden has everthing I love about Martha’s work.  Bold strokes, interesting materials, and elements used in unexpected ways.

In order to see the whole slideshow of the entire garden, with the audio of Martha talking about the design, hop over to the Fine Gardening website.

Art and design are funny things to observe.

Are there ever really any completely new and original ideas?  I think probably not, but I’m really not sure.  I remember in design school an instructor saying that (as a designer) “you are only as good as your inspiration folder”, and that “to be a good designer you had to be a copy cat” (or something that closely resembles that sentiment).  Shocking sounding, but the point was that you must learn from others; there is no denying that we are all influenced by what we see, and what we see constantly inspires new ideas and thoughts. We might as well be aware of it and work to be good at it.

Sometimes, I get all conflicted about taking ideas though.  I personally hate to be copied, but I love to feed people inspiration and see them make it blossom — it’s can be a very fine line.  A good idea is a good idea.  I think take it and run with it, make it your own. Evolve.

But I also have this thought that wherever possible, I like to trace things back and give credit.  Certainly Morten Flyverbom was influenced by something, but I think we can give him a nod for kicking off the current trend of environmental and ecological  art.

Morten has been many things besides an artist:

Lorry Driver
Yoga Teacher
Aerial Photographer
Thatcher
Film maker
Scenographer
Tight Rope walker
High School Teacher
Cultural Mediator

It’s a list I find fascinating when I look at his art and compare.  Where might his inspiration have come from, and from where might mine (and yours) next arrive?

images from Morten Flyverbom

There isn’t an Andy Goldsworthy work (or even an Andy Goldsworthy copy-cat work) in existence that I don’t adore.  There is something about bringing rustic and natural elements into these highly organized forms that endlessly appeals to me.  This sculpture is in a garden created by Randy Theume in Idaho.  The challenge was to blend the garden with the wild surroundings.   I think what was done here is absolute perfection.  The simple lines of the stacked stones (I wonder if they were all found on-site?) and the fence carve out a perfect scene.   I am trying to sort out the building of that fence.  I wonder if each level is attached to just the layers above and below or if there is an internal pole that goes through all the layers to hold it sturdy.  Either way, it is a work of art.