Living in Harmony
How The Getty Center’s Central Garden is Balancing Artistic Integrity with Water Conservation
The Getty Center’s Central Garden designed by Robert Irwin
California’s drought has inspired a new season of landscape
dahlias, which has certainly helped them retain water. The
Water usage fluctuates seasonally and from year to year.
design. Water-thirsty flowers and thick grassy lawns are
dahlias are the highlighted flowering plant for the summer
There are months when there is no additional irrigation. The
being replaced by colorful succulents and ornamental mulch
season and 350 plants are used.
Central Garden is staffed with five full-time gardeners with
in homes, community parks, libraries, hotels and museums across the Golden State. For instance, Gorilla Hair (a mulch that preserves moisture in soil and a terrific grass replacement) was not part of artist Robert Irwin’s original plan when he designed The Getty Center’s Central Garden in the early 1990s. Now in 2016, the mulch has replaced water thirsty grass and is currently spread throughout several parts of The Getty gardens, in an attempt to conserve water.
When Irwin designed the Central Garden, he established distinct aesthetics for all the difference seasons. What
Has anyone ever fallen into the Azalea maze?
is your favorite season at the Central Garden and why?
No. Thankfully, this has never happened!
Spring! That was easy. The diversity of plant material and the riot of color make it the most interesting to me. The garden is truly ever changing here and never twice the same. When you visit, you will see: Shirley poppies, California poppies, Iceland poppies, Breadseed poppies, alliums, tulips iris, azaleas in
Irwin’s Central Garden is considered a vast outdoor sculpture, and is even part of the museum’s permanent collection. Irwin was fascinated by the unique challenges that come with designing and working with plants and nature. While he was planning the Central Garden, he reflected: “Gardening requires the ultimate hands-on, everyday ‘attending’… a
additional help from tree crew and irrigation specialists.
the maze and various California wildflowers. The Central Garden always looks so spectacular. Does The Getty make their own special blend of museum compost that you can share with us home gardeners? Yes. We use equal parts of kelp meal, alfalfa meal, bone meal
Are there any plans to add sculptures, like say a Charles Ray peeking out of the Garden Bowl? There are no plans to add sculpture in the Central Garden, which, as you point out, is itself a work of art. Sculptures from the Stark Collection are on view adjacent to the Central Garden. What flower or plant do you feel is most associated with the image of California other than the palm tree? The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica).
and cottonseed meal. This is used as a pre-plant fertilizer
What is the main message or feeling you hope visitors
where one would add some to the hole when dug, mix it
take with them after experiencing the Central Garden?
around and then plant on top. Worm castings have been
Southern California has a very diverse and colorful plant
added annually as a top dressing for two reasons: first, the
palette drawing from all corners of the globe. Visitors can
dark rich, organic color is a treatment that Robert Irwin likes,
experience these plants in their own garden or by returning
and secondly, over many years, the soil humus level is very
to The Getty during the various seasons. Hopefully, a visitor
much improved. Good soil is always key for plant growth.
will feel horticulturally empowered.
associate curator of the Central Garden at The Getty Center,
What impact (if any) do you feel climate change is
There is a stone in the Central Garden’s path that Robert
who has been tasked with balancing the integrity of Irwin’s
having on California landscape design and overall
Irwin inscribed and it says: “Always Changing / Never
original vision with the water conservation needs of today.
home gardens?
Twice the Same.” If you had a stone inscribed for the
I recently had a chance to speak with Duggan about the
Turf is becoming less desirable. In place of turf, gardeners are
garden, what would yours say?
legendary garden.
exploring other options such as: non-mow grass, California
“Enjoy Empower Engage.”
process, where we optimistically set in motion our desires for how we want things to be, and in turn discover how things actually are and then we learn to work at keeping them in play.” Perhaps this is what Irwin meant when he choose the phrase “Always changing / Never twice the same” to be inscribed on a stone along the Central Garden’s path. These words have never been more true for Jim Duggan,
As supervisor, what changes have you made to the Central Garden to conserve water due to the drought?
native plants and designs that include walkways and shrubs instead of expanses of green.
What’s your favorite flower planted in the Central Garden? In the Central Garden, the azaleas are amazing when they
We have cut back on some of the annuals in the summer
How many gallons of water and gardeners does it take
bloom. You see them from a quarter of a mile away and
time. We’ve also added a polymer to the soil mix used for the
to maintain the Central Garden?
they are solid!
written by
Maggy Siegel
is a Los Angeles based lifestyle designer, Vintage Finds buyer for One Kings Lane and a veteran apparel industry leader who pioneered several popular
children’s brands. She is a Mother, art & nature lover, and collector of all things chic for the home. Contact information: maggysiegelcastyle@gmail.com.
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