Plant material for urban landscapes in the era of globalization: roots, challenges and innovative solutions
Maria Ignatieva, Professor in Landscape Architecture
Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
The globalisation process has not only influenced politics and economies but social and cultural life of modern society. Globalisation in landscape architecture poses a threat of homogenisation, the creation of ‘placeless’ design, and the loss of the uniqueness of the place. Usually globalisation is associated with westernisation and an acceptance of the western vision of life and cultural preferences. Today the world has accepted the Euro-American consumer’s vision with its ’routine modernism‘ of skyscraper architecture in the Central Business Districts, suburbanisation, particular landscape architecture styles, and standardised plant and construction materials. In this presentation I will concentrate on a discussion of global plant material in urban landscapes.
Each style in the history of planting design offered a special palette of plants that contributed to the Western generic ‘pool’ of fashion plants. English Picturesque, Victorian and Edwardian gardens gifted Western civilisation with several clichés such as pastoral landscapes of lawn with scattered groves and specimen trees, rock gardens, flower and carpet bedding, “wild garden” and perennial borders with an associated wide range of plant material. This plant “pool” reflected garden traditions and discoveries of new colonies and an interest in the plant world. Victorian Botanical gardens were responsible for creating the list of purposely “chosen” plants from of different historical and geographical origins. Edwardian gardens used a blend of different styles for consumption in a growing and demanding horticultural market. By the end of the Edwardian era the “core” of plants which are grown today in commercial nurseries all around the globe was almost completed. Some authors believe that UK pushed gardens to be “the main contact zones for cultural exchange between Britain and the world”. Plant material plays an extremely important role in modern globalised consumer culture. New countries which have recently entered the market system such as Russia, China and the United Arab Emirates use global plant material as an important symbol of Western landscapes and for creating ‘familiar’ comfortable landscapes which can attract global investments in their economies. Globalised plant material leads to homogenisation of our cities and towns.
Western countries (Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand) are the main contributors to the global plant material and general vision of consumerism and global culture. Nevertheless these countries have experienced ecological and social crisis and have to search for new alternatives to existing unsustainable landscape practice based on global cultural preferences. Today these countries are suggesting new planting design directions based on the knowledge of plant communities, hence respecting local nature and culture. At the beginning of the 21st century Western countries should understand the importance of their mission in offering a new planting design “democratic” vision that demonstrates ecological responsibility and integrity.
