Plants as a Medium for Design Expression and the Imperatives of the Avant-Garde

This paper discusses the design implications of plants' ability to create perceptual links to time and the need to control plants throughout the lifespan of designs. The mature appearance of planting designs cannot be absolutely predetermined, but derives from the way humans control the medium and its innate growth patterns. A landscape design approach to using plants in which designers work in partnership with the medium is proposed. This approach is contrasted with avant-garde artists' need for total control over the medium and the final product and for immediate results. Although these artists may mutilate or kill plants, they typically do so to reaffirm the value of life. An artist's need for immediate results precludes adopting an approach that considers plants as a plastic design medium to be worked with over time. The landscape profession can derive some inspiration from this avant-garde approach, but the profession must develop its own techniques to use plants effectively in designs.