As the battle of the styles came to a
head, two crucial characters, Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens, formed an alliance
that would come to define the arts and crafts movement. The arts and crafts
movement began out of a desire to move away from traditional Victorian style
bedding, as well as the harsh concrete and noisy environment that arose from industrialization, and take on a more naturalistic approach, while still maintaining a
high level of craftsmanship. Gertrude Jekyll, being a horticulturalist, brought
in a knowledge and understanding of plants, that when tied with Lutyens’
architectural craftsmanship, created a truly unique garden.
Gertrude Jekyll grew up in London with a
home garden that inspired her to become the influential garden
designer that she eventually became. Trained as a painter, Jekyll had a deep
understanding of color that allowed to her excel in studying and planting
flowers. She also disliked noise, and preferred that her gardens be surrounded
by more natural, woodland areas.
Edwin Lutyens grew up sketching and
drawing, and spent a lot of time wandering his childhood home and sketching the
landscape. Later on in life, Lutyens became known as the greatest British
architect, and specialized in interiors, exteriors, and gardens.
One of the famous collaborations between
Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens was the Hestercombe house in Somerset,
England. Hestercombe house is known for the bold, concise pattern of the
layout, as provided by Lutyens, as well as the minute attention to detail that
Jekyll brought to the partnership. The garden is also known for using
contrasting materials, a sunken parterre, a water garden, and a large pergola.
The perfect mixture between wild and structured, manicured and natural, this
garden truly defines the arts and crafts movement.
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