British Private Gardens a Delight; Their Public Ones A Disgrace

At least that is what Martha Schwartz, a landscape architect and Harvard professor, seems to think. Saying that the British put way to much attention to their private home patches while "public parks are litter-strewn wastelands, about as horticulturally interesting as boxes of paperclips."

Gardening defines many a British household and is indeed a culturally iconic activity and Sarah Gaventa, Director of Cabe Space has lashed back, saying that, "Schwartz’s views are out of touch intellectually." Gaventa has sited the Sheffield Gold Route, which runs across shared space from the Sheffield railway station to the center of the city and helps to orient passengers just coming off the train. Gaventa went on to say, "You come out of the station and know exactly where to go without the need for signs; it guides you into town, past some great public art, and leads you to the Peace Gardens. It was a £20 million investment from a committed local authority. How can she say the British don’t care?"

In a way I understand Martha Schwartz's view point on this matter but I think its irresponsible to call out all of England on the issue of their public gardens when I'm not so sure we are doing any better ourselves in the United States. There aren't many spaces in this country that are easily identifiable as public and not privately owned and fewer still have been landscaped. At least I don't consider concrete and a miserable looking fountain as attractive landscape elements. We could all do better when it comes to greening our parks and creating spaces within the community that foster social interaction and a place for children to play, regardless of the country.



Image obtained from: www.telegraph.co.uk
For more information, check: www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/4389731/Britains-gardens-A-private-passion-and-a-public-disgrace.html