Mother Earth that is!
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| The Rose Trellis Painting by Gail Allen |
Through the years, my gardening philosophy has developed based on my knowledge of the Taoist garden principle of creating a reflection of heaven on earth; a quiet, intimate haven for nature lovers, of naturalness and simplicity.
It is the development of a magical place, exhibiting life’s breath, that is ever changing along with the light
and shade, and rhythms brought about by the contrasts in weather as the seasons evolve.
The
emphasis being that in a well-designed garden, it becomes difficult to
differentiate the work of man and nature. One of the nicest compliments I was
ever given was by a friend who frequently visited. One day, after years of
visiting, as she walked up the stone pathway to the front door she said:
“You
know, this looks so natural, like the flowers just were all seeded here, but
there is clearly a pattern, rhythm and layout, isn’t there?”
Even upon seeing
it many, many times, and noticing repetitions of elements as it aged, she was
still not quite sure, there was that sense of mystery. That is what I strive
for in my designs.
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| Spirit Rising Painting by Gail Allen |
While painting my landscapes tends to characterize the
vastness and grandeur of Mother Nature, our garden at home reveals her more intimate
characteristics. The core of the design of our garden is based on on a Feng
Shui Bagua, emanating out by removing the site of any definite boundary, thus
depicting expansion and rhythm, a perception of unlimited time and space. This
incorporates use of hills, levels, water and rocks to achieve the ultimate goal
of the garden, never to be viewed all at once, (as is the case on a flat
expanse).
The winding paths lure the visitors beyond the immediate scene
where even the smallest of spaces may be converted to give the effect of
mysterious distance through the use of groves, bushes and placement of
rockeries.
My use of these principles of gardening entices the imagination
rather than appealing to the reasoning faculty of the beholder, through the
creation of unexpected features and the use of irregularity of line, which suggests
movement and life.
This Taoist garden design style was thought of as a symbolic
Paradise, where all life was protected and sheltered, in a quiet intimate
garden setting. Its creation was during the time of the SixDynasties and the
T’ang. Like all of life, although to the untrained eye it looks simple, there
is an incredible amount of knowledge behind the development of all the elements
into a unified whole, right down to the positioning of the rocks.
As I gather with my family today, in our peaceful garden - built together over our lifetime together, I am filled with gratefulness, for a life well celebrated. Here, the life breath of each of us is an incorporated element. May you find a place for special retreat today, in your garden or elsewhere, where you feel
connected, protected and sheltered along with your family, as you celebrate your
Happy Mother’s Day!
