The Lyrical Landscape, Book review

Author: Marta Iris Montero, Published 2001,Thames & Hudson.

Everything I hoped it would be and more, this book on the theories and work of Roberto Burle Marx has been on my shelf for a while now after I initially devoured some time ago it like I do with all new design books.

A re-read was in order and I’m glad i did, I’d forgotten how good it was. It’s very well balanced with chapters on his early life and the development of his ideas through to gardens, landscapes, public parks and even the landscaping of the then newly created city of Brasilia.

The case files are numerous and varied and show small urban parks to sprawling country estates. There is a short article on each case file and most of the entries have either an original scale plan or a drawing based on the original plan so there is lots of detail to pick over.

From a western standpoint most people aren’t going to be familiar with the plant material used or written about in the book as the selected gardens/spaces are in South America. I managed to spot a few, but as a common factor in Marx’s work was the use of native plant material (and why not) that’s no surprise.

Some of the spaces are very ‘of the time’ and I suspect haven’t aged well. I know a couple have been completely demolished in the name of progress which is a shame but probably inevitable as the population of any given city grows changes will eventually have to be made to its public spaces however unique and brilliant they initially were.

It’s a great book and I recommend it to anyone interested in Burle Marx and the recent history of garden design in South America which he was so much a part of.

©Peter Ward Garden Design 2010