Slow Growth: On the Art of Landscape Architecture

The art of landscape architecture is in need of description and illustration in the broad comprehensive terms adopted by this book. Ideas and techniques of naturalistic landscape design are explored in eleven chapters, mainly illustrated by the author’s own projects from before the era of digital presentation. Description of design processes is sometimes broadened into anecdotes arising from a working life. A modernised form of the naturalistic landscape design approach invented in England in the eighteenth century is shown still to be relevant for contemporary life. The first four chapters discuss human response to landscape and to being outdoors in the British Isles, concluding with examples of design organised by understanding how people move on foot. The eighteenth century naturalistic English landscape style is then explored through a series of historic restoration projects, followed by twentieth century projects for rural parks and lakes, a direct evolution from this tradition. Included is a discussion on the idea of man-made projects moving from rural settings to cities as urban landscape. One chapter analyses urban views and skylines and how these can be safeguarded. The sweeping scope of the book displays the breadth of landscape architecture.