Boston Flora

Tag: Russell Page

  • Thursday, February 8, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Art and Nature: New Lessons from Russell Page, Online

    Russell Page (1906-1985) was one of the most talented and celebrated landscape architects of the twentieth century, and his memoir, The Education of a Gardener, has become a classic. While Page is remembered for old-fashioned, formal designs, a closer look at his career reveals a more complicated, forward-looking artist who explored preservation, native plant groupings, and the beauty of wildness. With Page as a guide, Professor Caleb Smith asks: What is the role of the designer in shaping a living, natural landscapes? How can gardens become both wild spaces and works of art? The Garden Conservancy will sponsor this online talk on February 8 from 2 pm – 3 pm, live on Zoom. $5 for Garden Conservancy members, $15 general admission. A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar. Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/education/education-events/virtual-talk-art-and-nature-new-lessons-from-russell-page

    Caleb Smith is a professor of English and American Studies at Yale University. A scholar of cultural history, focusing on literature, religion, and the built environment, Smith’s books include The Prison and the American Imagination (2009) and Thoreau’s Axe: Distraction and Discipline in American Culture (2023). He has written about culture and the arts for Harper’s, n+1, and Los Angeles Review of Books, and his feature essay on the landscape designer Russell Page appeared in Aeon Magazine in fall 2023.

    For those wishing to learn more about Russell Page, we encourage you to explore his online archive hosted by the Garden Museum in London.

  • Tuesday, March 15, 6:00 am Eastern – Gardens of Delight: Aladdin-like Gorgeousness, Online (Recording available for 7 days)

    After the Muslims conquered Persia and established their centre at Damascus, domestic infighting led Abd al Rachmann, the only survivor of the original Umayyad dynasty, to flee to North Africa, raise an army, conquer Southern Spain and establish himself in Cordoba. As the benign Mediterranean climate allowed the cultivation of exotic imports, to enhance the wide variety of indigenous plants, he followed the Persian custom and created magnificent royal gardens bursting with rare flowers and luscious fruit. He also encouraged investment in agriculture, promoted the study of botany and medicine, and created a civilization of unparalleled elegance in the arts, architecture and horticulture. The ensuing tradition of verdant courtyards, fertile orchards and splendid gardens continued down the centuries, culminating in the Alhambra. Ironically, this was the last outpost of the Moors on European soil. An enduring source of intrigue, romance and delight, the Hispano-Moorish gardens have fascinated writers and artists inspiring such twentieth century designers as Thomas Church, Luis Barragan, Russel Page and Fernando Caruncho. This Gardens Trust ticket for the March 15 lecture is available HERE through Eventbrite.

    Fernando Caruncho’s house, Madrid, Spain

  • Wednesday, October 7 – Thursday, October 15 – Gardens In and Around Rome

    See Rome from a new perspective – spectacular gardens from the Renaissance to modern times.

    The American Horticultural Society itinerary for its October 7 – 15 trip includes gardens of immense importance, such as the grounds of the Villa Farnese, perhaps the greatest masterpiece of Italian landscape design. There are also some notable names in garden history featured in our itinerary, such as Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, one of the leading Renaissance garden designers (see his work below, photo from www.myartprints.co.uk,) and Russell Page, a renowned 20th century landscape architect.

    Many of the gardens are privately owned and only open by special invitation. Enjoy this intimate experience with a small group of like-minded travelers, and the ease and convenience of a single hotel, the five-star Grand Hotel de la Minerve, in the center of historical Rome. AHS host will be Landon Reeve, AHS Board Member and owner of one of the country’s largest full-service landscape firms for over 40 years. Nicola Howard of London-based Specialtours will be the tour leader. For more information email development@ahs.org or call 703-768-5700, ext. 127. For full brochure visit http://www.ahs.org/uploads/pdfs/Rome_2015_8x10-NEW.pdf.