I am just back from the post office more extortion as they extracted the cost of getting a competition entry submitted in time. OK so it's my own fault for leaving it until the last minute but really, £5.05? for delivering an A4 envelope, a light A4 envelope, to an address a mere two counties away?!
That said I am thrilled at the achievement of getting not one but two essays/articles written in the last few weeks. I'm not that hopeful about winning anything or even being placed but on a personal level I am proud of myself for knuckling down and writing first a Historical Review of a local National Trust garden, Wimpole Hall and secondly, perhaps even more surprisingly, for sitting down this morning at 7am and writing solidly for 5 hours to produce a creditable 2000 words on a garden visit I made in late summer, The Dorothy Clive Garden in Shropshire.
Am now wondering how it took me 4 weeks to write the first one which was only 1300 words longer! I am going to blame the research angle entirely, and yes the research took weeks :)
After the remains of today off, next week I am thinking about getting started on an entry for the Chris Beardshaw mentoring program.
Oh and once the results are out I'll publish both here, if of course they don't win awards and thereby publishing restrictions ;)
Showing posts with label SGD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SGD. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Noel Kingsbury
Should really have posted the day I got back so inspired was I, but life got the better of me and here I am 6 days later putting finger to keyboard ( pen to paper sounds so much nicer!).
Organised by an SGD member in Bishops Stortford some 50+ designers arrived at Writtle enthused about the lecture from Dr Noel Kingsbury.
Not quite sure what to expect I was surprised by how youthful he seemed - I am becoming increasingly ageist it would seem! His credentials seem to stretch forever and his comment that he began a nursery at the same time as Carol Klein started her Devon nursery, made me do a double take.
A fascinating and thought provoking lecture ensued as he covered succession, right plant right place and how to actually do that well. Asking us to consider the effects on maintenance (reduction!) and longevity (much longer) of our designed gardens should we take this approach.
As I am sure you know by now I am more plants than design (sorry Duncan!) and as the day went on I began to realise that a passion for plants can really enable a vision for design or maybe that should be a creative expression. Really understanding my media (the plants) and what makes them work well is going to unlock a whole world of possibilities. Because lets face it whilst many new varieties pop up at our yearly RHS shows, in the main, new genus and species do not get discovered every day and even if they did, the time to the typical gardening market is S L O W W W W.
We spent the morning in a darkened lecture theatre where I learnt that Dr K could do with some help on his powerpoint presentations though obviously not the content therein. In the afternoon we wandered through the rather fabulous gardens of the college, putting what we had learned in the morning into practice and trying, in our smaller groups, to identify the various types of plant matter and it's growing patterns.
Obviously the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like to someone as knowledgeable as Dr K was brilliant and I felt that spark of excitement when you know you've met a kindred spirit, an inspiring and gifted teacher and consequently someone you can learn a LOT from.
I now have all his books (slowing working my way through them!) and will be keeping an eagle eye out for further opportunities to take courses with him.
Organised by an SGD member in Bishops Stortford some 50+ designers arrived at Writtle enthused about the lecture from Dr Noel Kingsbury.
Not quite sure what to expect I was surprised by how youthful he seemed - I am becoming increasingly ageist it would seem! His credentials seem to stretch forever and his comment that he began a nursery at the same time as Carol Klein started her Devon nursery, made me do a double take.
A fascinating and thought provoking lecture ensued as he covered succession, right plant right place and how to actually do that well. Asking us to consider the effects on maintenance (reduction!) and longevity (much longer) of our designed gardens should we take this approach.
As I am sure you know by now I am more plants than design (sorry Duncan!) and as the day went on I began to realise that a passion for plants can really enable a vision for design or maybe that should be a creative expression. Really understanding my media (the plants) and what makes them work well is going to unlock a whole world of possibilities. Because lets face it whilst many new varieties pop up at our yearly RHS shows, in the main, new genus and species do not get discovered every day and even if they did, the time to the typical gardening market is S L O W W W W.
We spent the morning in a darkened lecture theatre where I learnt that Dr K could do with some help on his powerpoint presentations though obviously not the content therein. In the afternoon we wandered through the rather fabulous gardens of the college, putting what we had learned in the morning into practice and trying, in our smaller groups, to identify the various types of plant matter and it's growing patterns.
Obviously the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like to someone as knowledgeable as Dr K was brilliant and I felt that spark of excitement when you know you've met a kindred spirit, an inspiring and gifted teacher and consequently someone you can learn a LOT from.
I now have all his books (slowing working my way through them!) and will be keeping an eagle eye out for further opportunities to take courses with him.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Are we done with the moral high ground in this country?
Flipping through the Society of Garden Designers magazine, Garden Design Journal August 2010, last night I began to read Tim Richardson's piece at the front. He always amuses me and it felt like the right tone to set before drifting off to sleep. NOT SO this time.
I was shocked and admit still am to discover the depths to which the RHS and associated bodies have dropped. I am talking about show garden judging. Yes the old chestnut that raised it's head publicly at last years Hampton Court flower show.
- Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2009 - sparks fly in The Daily Telegraph Gardening Theatre
- Chief Assessor for Show Gardens for the RHS, responds to Tim Richardson's criticisms of the RHS judging process.
Not only has nothing been done to raise the morale and ethical tone of the situation, indeed it appears to have worsened!
The chief assessor and show garden judge, yes he can sit in both camps!, who also happens to be head of a new garden design school - no potential conflict of interest there then - is, and I quote "putting himself forward as a designer for next year's Chelsea". One assumes he will relinquish head assessors role then but there is nothing confirmed in the article to say this.
ARE YOU KIDDING??????
I hear you ask. Well apparently NOT.
I am obviously not the only person who can see the blatant conflict of interest not to mention appropriateness in this example but it is only one example of a repeated pattern. Be a show judge and then drop out for a year and design a garden for the show. A model apparently followed by a number of award winning designers it would seem.
If we Brits used to pride ourselves on our ethics and the moral high ground we followed and demonstrated to the the world, then what in heavens name has happened here in one of our most trusted and loved national bodies? Have they lost sight of basic common sense. Do they not see how difficult it is for the judges to remain impartial and even if they do manage this task, how it will be perceived by a wider, public audience. Have they not noticed the recent political scandals around expenses and conflict of interest?
Of course the wider public is probably blissfully unaware of this conflict of interest. The BBC production on the big RHS shows does not even touch this aspect of the show scene, no real mention is made of either the process of assessing and then judging or of the individuals who judge/assess yet it lauds the winners again and again. Which given the current situation is probably understandable because frankly, it seems pretty hard to defend.
Sadly for me all winners could be tainted with this brush until there is a clear stated and observed line between entrants and assessors/judges, the judges are from a wider variety of associated industries and have a more international flavor. Oh and conflict of interest is both CLEARLY stated and dealt with.
I find later in the magazine that the French are doing it FAR BETTER than us, non c'est vrai, in the form of Chaumont. Exhibitors cannot return for 3 years, to allow new talent to have a chance and assessors are taken from a wide range of expertise including the arts, horticulture and medicine. This year 4 landscape architects, a neuroscientist, an author and a psychiatrist. Now that's what I call diverse!
A career limiting blog post? will I be blackballed by the RHS? perhaps. But one has to ask why this is allowed to continue almost unchallenged.
Do you dear reader find it acceptable?
Do you like me want to have full disclosure and visibility?
I was shocked and admit still am to discover the depths to which the RHS and associated bodies have dropped. I am talking about show garden judging. Yes the old chestnut that raised it's head publicly at last years Hampton Court flower show.
- Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2009 - sparks fly in The Daily Telegraph Gardening Theatre
- Chief Assessor for Show Gardens for the RHS, responds to Tim Richardson's criticisms of the RHS judging process.
Not only has nothing been done to raise the morale and ethical tone of the situation, indeed it appears to have worsened!
The chief assessor and show garden judge, yes he can sit in both camps!, who also happens to be head of a new garden design school - no potential conflict of interest there then - is, and I quote "putting himself forward as a designer for next year's Chelsea". One assumes he will relinquish head assessors role then but there is nothing confirmed in the article to say this.
ARE YOU KIDDING??????
I hear you ask. Well apparently NOT.
I am obviously not the only person who can see the blatant conflict of interest not to mention appropriateness in this example but it is only one example of a repeated pattern. Be a show judge and then drop out for a year and design a garden for the show. A model apparently followed by a number of award winning designers it would seem.
If we Brits used to pride ourselves on our ethics and the moral high ground we followed and demonstrated to the the world, then what in heavens name has happened here in one of our most trusted and loved national bodies? Have they lost sight of basic common sense. Do they not see how difficult it is for the judges to remain impartial and even if they do manage this task, how it will be perceived by a wider, public audience. Have they not noticed the recent political scandals around expenses and conflict of interest?
Of course the wider public is probably blissfully unaware of this conflict of interest. The BBC production on the big RHS shows does not even touch this aspect of the show scene, no real mention is made of either the process of assessing and then judging or of the individuals who judge/assess yet it lauds the winners again and again. Which given the current situation is probably understandable because frankly, it seems pretty hard to defend.
Sadly for me all winners could be tainted with this brush until there is a clear stated and observed line between entrants and assessors/judges, the judges are from a wider variety of associated industries and have a more international flavor. Oh and conflict of interest is both CLEARLY stated and dealt with.
I find later in the magazine that the French are doing it FAR BETTER than us, non c'est vrai, in the form of Chaumont. Exhibitors cannot return for 3 years, to allow new talent to have a chance and assessors are taken from a wide range of expertise including the arts, horticulture and medicine. This year 4 landscape architects, a neuroscientist, an author and a psychiatrist. Now that's what I call diverse!
A career limiting blog post? will I be blackballed by the RHS? perhaps. But one has to ask why this is allowed to continue almost unchallenged.
Do you dear reader find it acceptable?
Do you like me want to have full disclosure and visibility?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
SGD Photo competition
Each year the Society of Garden Designers hosts a series of competitions for students to show off their work. This seems to be aimed at final year students in degree courses given time scales but some of the OCGD year of 2010 will be entering examples of their work this year.
The Photographic section is due today, 30th June, and I sent of the required CD (well DVD in fact) yesterday with almost all the competition information filled out!
The night before we had an exceptional downpour of rain followed by weak early morning sun. Perfect for flower shots. So in my PJ's I pottered in the garden at home currently burgeoning with floral offerings and shot a fabulous Philadelphus which has lurched to my side of the fence from next door. They have hacked it into submission on their side, on mine it flops and flows with abundant white blooms.
I often shoot in the garden in the early morning, camera and sometimes tripod in hand. I sit on a chair waiting for the sun to pas the big Bay Tree and filter over the roof tops for just the right amount of light on a subject. A south east facing garden turns out to be delightful it terms of good morning light!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Splash! SGD Conference
A rather mixed day, somewhat disheartening but nevertheless some interesting speakers.
I primarily attended to get a feel for the industry body to which I am likely to be affiliated. How professional would they be and what would the benefits of joining be.
An overwhelming number of middle aged women filled the room, never a good sign in my book there were a smattering of chaps but they were in the minority. This only says that more women attended the conference and not that this is the norm in the garden design world, though I suspect it is.
Apart from the technology calamities (and there were many) and the disruption of speakers and running order due to an erupting Icelandic volcano the thing that disturbed me most was hearing the Chairwoman of the SGD ask each speaker if they had openings for 'slaves'. Most looked slightly abashed as they said sure they had room for wannabes.
In an industry that is little valued by the general public, except for the notable celebrity few, it is sad to hear the person chairing the organisation diminish the standing of those entering the profession.
The membership team have high aspirations for new members and those of us mere mortals who deign to demand entry with only a PGDip behind us can look forward to at least 4 years of subs, scrutiny and hoop jumping before being considered worthy of applying for Membership.
Interesting talks especially William Pye's beautiful water sculptures. An interesting day but I suspect attending once will be enough!
I primarily attended to get a feel for the industry body to which I am likely to be affiliated. How professional would they be and what would the benefits of joining be.
An overwhelming number of middle aged women filled the room, never a good sign in my book there were a smattering of chaps but they were in the minority. This only says that more women attended the conference and not that this is the norm in the garden design world, though I suspect it is.
Apart from the technology calamities (and there were many) and the disruption of speakers and running order due to an erupting Icelandic volcano the thing that disturbed me most was hearing the Chairwoman of the SGD ask each speaker if they had openings for 'slaves'. Most looked slightly abashed as they said sure they had room for wannabes.
In an industry that is little valued by the general public, except for the notable celebrity few, it is sad to hear the person chairing the organisation diminish the standing of those entering the profession.
The membership team have high aspirations for new members and those of us mere mortals who deign to demand entry with only a PGDip behind us can look forward to at least 4 years of subs, scrutiny and hoop jumping before being considered worthy of applying for Membership.
Interesting talks especially William Pye's beautiful water sculptures. An interesting day but I suspect attending once will be enough!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
