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Some 20 years ago I had the chance of a lifetime to meet Roberto Burle Marx in Louisville , Kentucky . Late in his six - decennary life history ( he die in 1994 ) , he was there to hash out project a botanic garden that never would come to fruition . I was a educatee of gardening and had no real mind who he was or the magnitude of his importance to landscape computer architecture . He was courteous and solicitous of my studies and interest - and even invite me to visit him in Brazil . Too bad I never take advantage of that invitation . But 20 year later I joined my adept protagonist Jerry Harpur , noted British garden photographer , in Rio de Janeiro to see Burle Marx ’s public and individual commissions firsthand .
The garden pool at Sitio made with salve architectural rock . Photo by : Richard Hartlage .
While I was meditate garden intent , Burle Marx became a fighter to me , a landscape painting architect to determine from and emulate . My trip to Rio was to see , study and better understand his work . So did the gardens I saw there live up to the legend ? Sad to say , much of his public employment is not well - maintained . exclusion are the walks along the Copacabana and Flamengo beach , I surmise because they are spectacular tourist destination . But we also visited private gardens in fine contour and thrilling to experience .
At Sitio , a concrete arbor defines an entertaining field . Photo by : Richard Hartlage .
What becomes immediately unmistakable is that Burle Marx was a painter working in landscape painting . The patterns he created with paving and seam shapes and his architectural forms dominate his workplace . They are bold and joyous , and they celebrate the modern metropolis that Rio was developing into during the early part of Burle Marx ’s career .
Here a long porch shelters guests and container flora . photograph by : Richard Hartlage .
His gardens at the Ministry of Education and the Modern Art Museum in Rio have not fared well . They are neglected , but I was still impressed with the layouts and the grand scale of the pools , terrace and various landscape elements . Burle Marx ’s program line of twist materials and their innovational function was as dynamic as his utilisation of plant , for which he is internationally renowned .
Burle Marx ’s collection of succulents at Sitio . Photo by : Richard Hartlage .
We had an opportunity to visit three private gardens - truly instigate in their layouts , utilisation of architecture and architectural elements . Burle Marx ’s planting design was far more complex in these because residential clients generally have a secure commitment to excellence in maintenance .
The garden at Montero display Burle Marx signature — wiggly landscape painting , dynamic water — though designers from his office created this section after his death . “At Montero Burle Marx choreographed the bailiwick of landscape computer architecture , vegetation and horticulture to create a garden that unfurl before me in a tour de force that I will commend for the relief of my life sentence , " says Hartlage . photograph by : Richard Hartlage .
The Strunk garden was my favorite . Built as a weekend home , in nearby Petrópolis in 1954 , the theater was designed by Burle Marx ’s womb-to-tomb ally , architect Oscar Niemeyer . The bluff use of a checkerboard - model lawn and tender bedding works created hit painterly upshot . No landscape painting architect today can match the diversity of the planting palette . Burle Marx was take note for exploring and using plants of his aboriginal Brazil and instrumental in advocating the preservation and cognisance of aboriginal vegetation . At the same time , he voraciously sought and experimented with adaptable and active plants from all over the world .
Two form of St. Augustine grass make a grid in Burle Marx ’s Strunk garden . Photo by : Richard Hartlage .
Burle Marx ’s love of plants was most apparent at his home , Sitio Santo Antonio da Bica , now possess by the State Department and superbly get by . It was his own private botanical garden , laboratory , and nursery to issue his commissions . I was totally surprised at the extensive use of goods and services of liriope and ophiopogon , both Asian plants that are very common groundcover in the milder areas of the United States . Burle Marx was not a plant snoot . He kept in mind his end goal to make artful , dynamic landscape and was unforced to use whatever plants he had at his disposal , be they common or extraordinarily uncommon , as long as they were easy to grow and manage .
Also at Strunk , Burle Marx designed a free - form pattern with rosy alternanthera . Photo by : Richard Hartlage .
Reflecting on our pilgrimage , I am strike by how relevant Burle Marx ’s gardens are today . His bold approach offers us an option to the complicated English bungalow mode of planting . It does not sacrifice variety but rather espouse industrial plant diversity . I could not help but see his influence in the work of some of the most accomplished landscape architect practicing today , such as Raymond Jungles and the solid Oehme , van Sweden . I am more convinced than ever , we have not taken Burle Marx ’s bequest far enough . There is still much to learn from his synthesis of nontextual matter , architecture , and love of works to create garden that inspire and celebrate contemporary culture .
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