Frank Harmon and Capability Brown

With a British husband, much of my travel for the last 20+ years has involved time in England. During those trips, we have visited National Trust and English Heritage sites, including a half dozen properties designed by Lancelot “Capability” Brown. When I read Tzonis and Lefaivre’s description of the Picturesque Garden movement, I was reminded of Brown and a visit to Croome Court in Worcestershire.
 

Croome Court stands out. Not only did Brown design the estate’s gardens, but he also had a hand in remodeling the house. From outside, the idyllic setting seems natural; but once inside the house, it is clear that Brown was highly intentional about his placement of trees, lakes, and other objects.

I see some similarities between Brown’s 18^th century garden designs and the contemporary examples of Critical Regionalism that we saw in class. For example, in designing the Prairie Ridge Eco-Station, Frank Harmon’s drawings indicate that he has been as intentional as Brown was to marry structure with the natural environment. Nevertheless, in their conclusion, Tzonis and Lefaivre asserted that Critical Regionalism “is not an expression of identity.” Once again, theory makes a difference. While the gardens of 18^th century England were celebrations of English nationalism and a departure from absolute monarchies, Harmon’s work comes across as an attempt to create beauty and function through authenticity of place and the responsible use of resources.