GroundDivision
2010
Derek Park’s three year old garden is referred to as his sketchbook garden. His family's 19th century property in Giles County was a mix of formal and country vernacular traditions but his new property, on tour, is where Derek, a conceptual artist, can experiment and play much like an artist does on canvas; links between his and his family's creative works are clear.
For a three year old garden it seems quite mature. The garden rooms are layed out mostly in perfect rectangles with walkways and focal points that lead you from one room to the next. It is important to Derek that the garden contains natural materials. He uses cut sapling trees from the Giles property to create trellis’. The entire back wall of the house is outlined with a large trellis made from the trees providing a sense of enclosure and continuity between house and garden. He uses standing stones, cut by his great-grandfather, from the family property as sculptural elements in his garden beds. Walls are constructed with wood stacks to lend texture and define space.
The house, a stone cape cod, is cloaked in Boston ivy throughout the summer allowing the house to blend in with the garden. A truly impressive effect. The detached garage, with it's second floor apartment, contains a potting room and obscures a formal potager lined with cloud-pruned Buxus. Many of the plants in his garden are propagated on site. The garden is constantly changing. Plants and sculpture are frequently moved and he is always testing new ideas, hence the sketchbook. Those touring the garden will be very impressed with his use of natural materials to create texture, height, and aesthetic pleasure giving the visitors ideas to use in their own gardens.
-Bonnie Link
Garden Tours Committee Liason
Derek Park’s three year old garden is referred to as his sketchbook garden. His family's 19th century property in Giles County was a mix of formal and country vernacular traditions but his new property, on tour, is where Derek, a conceptual artist, can experiment and play much like an artist does on canvas; links between his and his family's creative works are clear.
For a three year old garden it seems quite mature. The garden rooms are layed out mostly in perfect rectangles with walkways and focal points that lead you from one room to the next. It is important to Derek that the garden contains natural materials. He uses cut sapling trees from the Giles property to create trellis’. The entire back wall of the house is outlined with a large trellis made from the trees providing a sense of enclosure and continuity between house and garden. He uses standing stones, cut by his great-grandfather, from the family property as sculptural elements in his garden beds. Walls are constructed with wood stacks to lend texture and define space.
The house, a stone cape cod, is cloaked in Boston ivy throughout the summer allowing the house to blend in with the garden. A truly impressive effect. The detached garage, with it's second floor apartment, contains a potting room and obscures a formal potager lined with cloud-pruned Buxus. Many of the plants in his garden are propagated on site. The garden is constantly changing. Plants and sculpture are frequently moved and he is always testing new ideas, hence the sketchbook. Those touring the garden will be very impressed with his use of natural materials to create texture, height, and aesthetic pleasure giving the visitors ideas to use in their own gardens.
-Bonnie Link
Garden Tours Committee Liason
