Gustav Klimt, Beth Chatto & Geometry

The Austrian artist Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) is perhaps most well known for his stylised portraits of females, including sometimes using gold leaf in their composition. He also painted many landscapes in the second half of his career and I am quite drawn to these.

I was recently looking (online) at Bauerngarten or Farm Garden  which he painted in 1907. It captures the natural, colourful beauty of a meadow which modern farming practices have more of less extinguished. Like his portraits Klimt's use of strong colours and patterns is evident. 

Bauerngarten Gustav Klimt

One aspect of this patterning which is discernable is the central triangle formation. When I saw this I was reminded of one of the planting principles of the late Beth Chatto. Anyone who has a keen interest in gardens and garden writing will be familiar with Beth Chatto and her famous garden in Elmstead Market near Colchester which is still going strong under her posthumous guidance. She was particularly noted for her 'ecological' approach to plants and planting so that the plant's natural habitat is the primary determinant of where it should be planted in order to thrive: 'right plant, right place'. 

Another of Beth Chatto's planting principles was the asymmetrical triangle with taller plants at the rear and a medium sized and still smaller plant on either side in front. This pattern is repeated in a bed using staggered planting triangles of different dimensions and plants of different textures and forms. I should think this approach is now common currency for flower arrangers and garden designers.

One of Beth Chatto's flower beds displaying variations in form and texture. This photograph
looks to have been taken in late Summer.
Photo source: Archive of Garden Design at The Garden Museum https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/

It is no coincidence that earlier in her gardening career Beth Chatto was an innovative flower arranger, and in much demand for giving demonstrations to flower clubs and other organisations. She was also  influenced by the Japanese ikebana approach to flower arranging so knew a thing or two about effective plant combination. She was skilled in translating the geometric principle to the garden which was in fact noted for its naturalistic style. Just like the Klimt painting.