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Letters to garden makers

Formerly Letters to Monty (the ramblings of a deluded man)

Letter to Monty 44

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- July 23, 2012

Dear Monty,

Not much to say other than enjoying the sunshine and drawing the garden. I don't have many flowers but it is surprising how much colour there is.

Paul

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Monty, where does the road take us ?

- February 03, 2013

Monty, I see you have returned to France. Your film reminded me of my visits to Paris as an art student between 1981-83. It is a city that cannot fail to make an impression with its wide open streets, avenues of trees, the river and public gardens. I particularly remember Versailles with its long canal. At that time I was not aware of having a particular interest in gardens, but the gardens at Versailles were astonishing. I saw them in early morning light, when there were not that many people there. I also remember being intrigued by the garden at the Musee Rodin. Strangely for an art student, it was not the sculpture that caught my attention but the garden with pyramid shaped topiary. Perhaps what I was responding to was the sense of order, balance and harmony. It almost feels as though I was meant to visit, and that the encounters I had which were sensually intense, were pre-ordained. There is one incident, which has great significance only to me perhaps, but which was of ...

Letter to Monty Don 48

- August 25, 2012

Dear Monty, I know that despite these rambles being addressed to you, they never reach your eyes or heart, but this question is most certainly directed to you : Can nature be ugly ? I am pondering this question sitting in my cupboard of a 'studio' where I am putting the finishing touches to paintings of British native orchids, pollinators and butterflies for an exhibition next weekend. Now I believe that you understand perfectly well the response you may get when you make statements on GW - including the one about spent buddleja flowers being 'ugly'. I too have always deadheaded my buddleja for the same reason, and as you said to promote new flower spikes. But this ugliness is an intrinsic part of nature - it sets seed to create the next generation, the flowers last but for a few days. Is this ugliness a kind of acknowledgement of the frailty of 'beauty' .... and the cutting off and tidying away a kind of denial ? ( Perhaps I think too much.) I ...

Diminishing returns with supper

- September 22, 2014

Dear Monty, I have heard you quote 'the law of diminishing returns' as a way of justifying the cutting back of flowering plants. I have been thinking about this and see that diminishing also applies to me as a human being and also to the change of the season from summer to autumn and on into winter. I diminish I grow older The sun sinks lower Autumn comes ------------------ Supper Around a table we discuss beauty We see each other as we are We decide we do not know how to define it But there are common threads To do with balance - harmony - form - structure Connectedness Indian summer Winter longs to break in Bone showing through the thinning skin of the year I hope not to appear foolish Beauty - lust - hedges - towers Life in all its tumult Art is a reflection of living It tries to make sense of the senseless That is what makes it beautiful Paul With thanks to Anne Wareham and Charles Hawes vedd...