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MISS GERTRUDE JEKYLL GARDENER 1843 - 1932

TIMELINE Adopted from Jekyll, 1981

Portrait of Gertrude Jekyll by William Nicholson, painted October 1920

Gardener, garden and planting designer (1880 - 1932)

With a education in art; her long experience with crafting; travel trips around Europe and Mediterranean where her interest in wild and flower gardens was amplified; as well as the need to provide a suplementary source of income for her father’s legacy, she entered the second part of her life by the business of practical gardening, the designing of scheme s and gardens for clients and the supply of plants (Jekyll, 1981). Her garden and planting designs are to be devided into two distinct parts – her work with Lutyens and without him.

She died on 8th December 1932. She has been a legend of gardening and her influences are pervasive to this day.

IMPRESSIONISM INFLUENCES During her early period of being a painter, Gertrude Jekyll was strongly influenced by Impressionism in Art Movement, which she joyfully explored in her mentor, Hercules Brabazon, a watercolorist. She also admired J.M.W Turner, who is known as one of the greatest English Impressionist in 19th centurry. This early exposion to Impressionism and its strong use of color and contrast profoundly influenced Gertrude’s approach to garden in her later career. Tankard (1996) claims ‘Jekyll took the Impressionist painting technique, which used thousands of tiny strokes of color to form a picture, and translated this into flower borders, where the petals or the flowers themselves were the equivalent of the Impressionists’ brushstrokes.’

Journalist (1891 - 1929)

With the close relationship with the founder of The Garden – William Robinson and vthe proprietor of Country Life – Edward Hudson, she had both the encouragement and the market for her writing (Jekyll, 1981). She produced a series of books as well as articles that speak her art, philosophy as well as open a new perspective for her keen reader.

Photographer (1885 - 1914)

Her photography was a mixture of social documentary and ‘naturalistic’ subjects (Jekyll, 1981). The most focus subject of her photography was the growth of her own garden at Munstead Wood where she observed and studied the trees and shrubs in the woodland; the flower borders at every season, the gardeners, her visitors, the cats, ...

(Jekyll, 1981). Also, She outstanded at still life, whose themes were the arrangement of flowers she brought indoor.

This showed her appreciation of line and texture, light and shade, and a natural talent for flower arrangement.

Craftswoman (1869 - 1903)

As she had access to a well-equipped workshop of his father, crafting soon became her interest (Jekyll, 1981).

The culmination of her ideals of craftsmanship was to be her house, Munstead Wood, where there was no substitute for honest handwork and proved her extreme attention to small details.

Embroider (1863 - 1891)

Gertrude Jekyll’s career in embroidery began about 1865. Her integrity is proved through the fact that she only embroider those patterns she herself had designed (Jekyll, 1981). She received some small commission throughout her practices, and had her work exhibited in the first catalogue of Art and Craft Exhibition Society in 1888. However, she was forced to end her practices due to the acute eyes strain.

Painter (1861 - 1880)

At eighteen, she dreamt to become a painter (Jekyll, 1981). She attended Kensington School. Here she absorbed the theories of harmony and contrast in colors. Also, by this time, thanks to the family connections, she had many opportunities to have discussions with many contemporary painters. Thus, it is no suprise that her ambition was soon achieved. followed by her painting’s first exhibition in 1865. Later, she learned and absorbed the essence of Impressionism, which was then reflected in her painting as well as landscape design

Childhood (1843 - 1861)

Gertrude Jekyll was born in London on 29th Nov 1843, and then raised in Bramley, Surrey. Her family is relatively privileged. which is considered ‘comfortably rich, artistic, educated, musical, travelled and impeccably respectable’ (Jekyll, 1981).The landscape in Surrey where she was raised, as well as the people and the childhood she experienced was to become the anchor point of the rest of her life and a source of inspiration for much of her art.

BOOKS BY GERTRUDE JEKYLL During her life, Gertrude published a wide range of books and articles. These become invaluable legacy of Gertrude.

Some of them are: Wood and Garden (1899) and Home and Garden (1990) are expression of her philosophy, whereas Colour Scheme for the flower Garden expressed her art (Jekyll, 1981).

John Mallord William Turner, Last Light (Erin Hanson) ‘nuances of colour and light, A French Impressionist, one of lasting first impressions­’ the pioneer of of Impression(McDowall, 2013) ism Movement in Art. (Henderson, 2014)

ART AND CRAFT MOVEMENT Gertrude Jekyll is well-known for her style of Art and Craft movement in Garden with the collaboration with Lutyen. Early in 1888, she also early made it to the Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1888 with her embroidery, which implies a long-existing influences of her early career on the later part of her life.

Art and Craft garden was on the contrary with corporations and mass production. The movement implies the importance of artisan’s skills and artistic taste, which could not be replicated by any machine (Tankard, n.d).

Some characterisitics of this movement in Gardens are: - The layout of flowers in a painterly fashion - Design has to be responsive to the site, the users as well as the nature of the plants, represent the ildividualization.

- The lack of symmetry, mostly based on geometric nature.

Hestercombe Garden at Somerset, England (Hestercombe, 2015)

(Tankard, n.d)

On the right are two photos of Hestercombe Garden’s Formal Garden. This design was when Gertrude’s collaboration with Sir Edwin Lutyens on a large scale reach a peak. The whole concept of the Garden is ‘entirely mature’ with the handling of varying levels to produce a ‘lucid and an intricate horticultural drama.’ (Gertrude Jekyll Garden, 2015)

Hestercombe Garden at Somerset, England (Hestercombe, 2015)

MISS GERTRUDE JEKYLL’S GARDENS

PHILOSOPHY

One of the most significant and life-time project was Jekyll’s own house and garden at Munstead Wood, Surrey. This garden is also a typical ‘The shaping of every group of plant, to have the best effect, should Art and Craft Garden that Gertrude is famous for. It was here that she garden for fifty years and initiates many plantings and ideas that were not only be definitely intended but should be done with an absolute then applied to other designs for clients. Also, the Garden was a main theme for numerous photographs that documented these ideas (Tankard conviction by the hand that feels the drawing that the group must have et al., 1989). in relation to what is near, or to the whole form of the clump or border She observed that it is impossible to keep any garden at ultimate performance all year round, hence, created a series of special gardens that or whatever the nature of the place may be.’ (Jekyll, 1995) offers maximum interest for a certain period of time (Tankard et al., 1989).

The Hut and Tank Garden typical Engish cottage, served as a workshop and a quiet retreat where Gertrude Jekyll could entertain Woodland, consists of LIST OF IMPORTANT COMMISSIONS her friends without disturbing her mother at Munmajor walks: Green She designed and consulted more than 400 gardens across Britstead house ( Tankard et al, 1989).

Wood Walk, Third ain, Europe and America. Following are her important designs Walk, Second Avethat have been widely recognized (Gertrude Jekyll Garden, 2015). nue. All are leading In England The Nursery and Kitchen Garto spectacular view of Munstead Wood (Godalming, Surrey, Gertrude Jekyll’s home) den. This is the area Jekyll rarethe woodland as well Hestercombe (Taunton, Somerset) ly wrote about. The place was as planting carefully King Edward Vll Sanatorium (Midhurst, Sussex) devoted to servicing the main selected by Gertrude.

Upton Grey (Basingstoke, Hampshire) pleasure gardens and supplying Barrington Court (Ilminster, Somerset) the house with plants ( Tankard et Outside England al, 1989).

Parc Floral des Moutiers, France (Parc Floral des Moutiers, Dieppe, Seine-Maritime, France) Glebe House, Connecticut, USA (Glebe House, Woodbury, ConMUSTEAD WOOD PLAN Munstead House Pleasure Garden necticut, USA) The Heath Garden: ‘The house in the distance framed by masses of tall rhododendrons and delicate silver bitch by the lawns. So that they would blend with the surrounding woodland..’ (Tankard & Wood, 1996) . Reminiscent of Picturesque gardens

Tankard & Wood (1996)

Main entrance

SPRING GARDEN

PLEASURE GARDEN DETAIL PLAN

(Marr, 2014)

MAIN FLOWER BORDER

‘It is the soft and insensible transition from one mass of color to another which is so effective. Looked at from a distance, nothing in particular catches the eye in this border, everything is in harmony’ (Gording, as cited in Tankard &Wood, 1996). Typical garden scheme

Jekyll (1995) described this main part of Pleasure Garden: ‘Designed bloom time was from end of March to mid-May. The principle mass of color was displayed in the main border that ran alongside the high wall. The main border consisted of carefully graded color mass, ranging from large drifts of pale colors at the foreground to deeper colors in the background.’

This color principles are critically analyzed in her book Colour scheme for the Flower Garden which I found really intriguing. The book itself shows how tactiful she is as a designer, as well as how much efforts she had put into tranforming these skills and principles into beautiful prose that I can understand and really feel the landscape as if I were there. Thus, not only her art and landscape design are of my interest, but also my extreme admiration for Jekyll for her personality, especially her integrity in every piece of her works.

Referefere

of Jekyll.

PERGOLA

Jekyll saw the pergola as an interesting garden element and had incorporated one into her own garden. It become a standard feature in garden of her collaboration with Lutyen with variations of refined forms, plants and siting. Hestercombe Garden also has its distintive and beautiful Pergola.

Gertrude Jekyll & Sir Edwin Lutyen. Accessed 03/09/2015. Retrieved from http://www.hestercombe.com/history/ history-jekyll Gertrude Jekyll Garden (2015). Retrieved from http://gertrudejekyll.co.uk/visiting_jekyll_gardens/ Henderson, J. L. (2014). French Impressionists in the American Southwest. Retrieved from http://www.studio360.org/story/french-impressionists-american-southwest-erin-hanson/ Hestercombe (2015). Retrieved from http://www.hestercombe.com/ Jekyll, G. (1981). Miss Gertrude Jekyll 1843-1932 : gardener. London : Architectural Association, 1981.

Jekyll, G., & Thomas, G. S. (1995). Colour in the flower garden. London : Mitchell Beazley, c1995.

Marr, T. (2014). Garden Art in European Culture. Retrived from http://disgardenart.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/ the-arts-and-crafts-garden-gertrude.html McDowall, C. (2013). Monet, Pisarro, Sisley & Renoir – Creating First Impressions. Retrieved from http://www. thecultureconcept.com/circle/monet-pisarro-sisley-renoir-creating-first-impressions Tankard, J. B. (n.d). Garden of Earthly Delights: The Arts & Craft Garden. Retrieved from http://www.oldhousejournal.com/magazine/1523 Tankard, J. B., & Wood, M. A. (1996). Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood : writing, horticulture, photography, homebuilding. Gloucestershire [England] : Sutton Pub. ; Sagaponack, N.Y. : Sagapress, 1996.

Tankard, J. B., Jekyll, G., & Van Valkenburgh, M. (1989). Gertrude Jekyll : a vision of garden and wood. New York : H.N. Abrams/Sagapress, c1989.