Lectures about Gardens

Su has lectured on gardens and gardening for many years, at community centres, colleges, clubs and homes. She is available to deliver talks on gardens in Europe and Japan on request. The following lectures are currently available. Each lecture takes 45 – 50 minutes. Handouts with further information about the gardens are also available on request.

Japanese Gardens: The Borrowed Landscapes

The Japanese have a talent for borrowing ideas and making them their own – especially in their gardens.  Japanese Gardens: The Borrowed Landscapes is an introduction to the three best-known styles of gardens in Japan. The lecture looks at the sources of inspiration, some of the design principles for each style of garden and how the styles borrowed from each other

Some Spectacular European Gardens: An Armchair Tour

Of all the wonderful gardens in Europe, there are some that really stand out. They are the innovative ones which have become trailblazers, with widespread and long-lasting influence on other gardeners and garden design. In this lecture, the design of three such gardens is examined: Hidcote Manor Garden in England and the two French gardens – Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac and La Louve.

A Renaissance in Gardening: Italian Gardens of the Renaissance

The Renaissance was a time of intellectual and cultural rebirth and development. A Renaissance in Gardening looks at the changes from Mediaeval gardens to the Renaissance garden with which we are familiar today. Famous gardens such as Villa Lante and Villa D’Este are discussed, together with some lesser-known, but equally spectacular gardens.

Grandi Giardini in Italy

The Italians call their spectacular gardens “grandi giardini”. These beautiful gardens dating from the Renaissance to the present day are to be found right across Italy. These include La Landriana designed by the English designer Russell Page, the Garden of Ninfa and Villa Cicogna.

The Gardens of the Italian Lakes

The mild climate around Lake Como and Lake Maggiore in the north of Italy has always been a magnet for the extremely wealthy and gardeners alike. Much money and time has been lavished on many gardens, planted with a breathtaking array of botanical wonders and offering picturesque views of the lakes. Most gardens, such as Villa del Balbianello and Isola Bella, are best visited by boat, while others, such as the botanical gardens at Villa Taranto, offer a magnificent display of unusual plants. It is hard to believe it was the work of just one man.

Gardens in France

The French call their best gardens “jardins remarquables”, many of which are still in private hands, but open to the public. In six separate lectures the jardins remarquables of six regions are visited. Each lecture examines four to five of the best gardens in a given region.  The regions covered are Burgundy, The Dordogne, Normandy, Provence, the Côte d’Azur, and the Île-de-France

Hidden in Plain View – The ‘Secret’ Gardens of Paris

It’s quite a surprise to discover in that most elegant of urban settings, right in the centre of Paris, that there are indeed many botanical treasures tucked away, all easily accessible to the informed visitor, and offering a tranquil place away from the madding crowds where one can catch one’s breath .

A Garden Tour de France

Just as the Tour de France takes cycling enthusiasts to different regions across France, so too A Garden Tour de France takes us to outstanding gardens in five different regions. In addition to a detailed tour of each garden and a discussion of the design principles underpinning its creation, the gardens have been organised chronologically in order to trace some of the developments in French garden history.

The Art of the Potager

The French have an amazing ability to transform the most mundane thing into something rather elegant – in this case the humble vegetable garden becomes a practical place of great beauty. The Art of the Potager traces the history of the development of the peculiarly French form of the decorative vegetable garden known as a potager. It also illustrates the key design principles that make the potager such works of art with photos from some of the best potagers in France, including Villandry and Domaine Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard.

The Genius of Le Nôtre

Most garden lovers are familiar with the impressive gardens at Versailles just outside Paris, but the name of the designer, Le Nôtre, is much less well-known. Le Nôtre’s other work is also not well-known in Australia, but some of his other creations are jaw-droppingly brilliant. The Genius of Le Nôtre explores the designs of several of his best gardens, including Versailles and Vaux-le-Vicomte.

 

Where	In your home or venue of your choice
When	As negotiated
Phone	0418 141526