You tube gets the masterclass

Extracts of the Brookes masterclass are now available on You Tube. Oxford College of Garden Designers now leading, not just keeping up with, the 21st Century!

Meet the Designer masterclass with John Brookes

Oxford College of Garden Design is hosting a series of meet the designer talks on Thursday evenings at St Hughs, Oxford. This week the Garden design legend John Brookes was the speaker. The mentor of our Principal, it was clear why such strong friendship and professional admiration has developed between them. John Brookes is undoubtedly one of the most influential garden designers of the late 20th century, renown for his design work, his teaching and his numerous books and writings. Brookes in person is a delightful and knowledgeable speaker, with a charming, understated humor flowing easily as he recounts stories of projects, clients and beloved gardens.

As he talked about his work over the last half century it struck me that what makes him a legend is probably his ability to work with people and transform their dreams into something universally elegant and appropriate to the building in which they have made their home or their professional workspace. Once can imagine that he is a consummate diplomat in the face of awkward clients and suppliers.

An uplifting and inspiring evening that has inspired me not only to examine his work and philosophy in more depth but also to get out there and design, write and photograph as much as possible, to be seen!

unsurprisingly....

Hedge laying got booted as an idea for these folks..ho hum.

We had some lively debate about the location of the veg plot including one wild suggestion that it could be located at a local allotment instead of in the garden. The design purists amongst the group nodded sagely, the rest of us smiled in hesitant disbelief. Design snobbery gone a little mad methinks!?!

I am also a little unsure that a statement, that fruit bushes will in fact grow in full shade, takes into account that they may well grow but imhe the don't give much sweet juicy fruit to speak of, without the old sunlight factor. I am sure someone will point out a cultivar or two that will perform in full shade.

After scouring a couple of John Brookes garden design books I am moving onto a 45 degree angle grid option to see if I can make something more interesting leap off the page. So far not so bad.

Am also planning on a spot of importing on the reference book front having been scared at the cost of the Vectorworks 2010 training manual. I have located it in the USA - NNA Training Guides for £20 less than a discounted UK price...good old exchange rate is back at 1.6 :)

Unhappily the exhaust sheered of the car on the way home so I am car-less for a wee while, not so good!