Landscape Writing

Memories of Summer

Landscape is soft edged in September, the memory of summer still with us. The sky is bright blue, streaked with grey and white clouds. A slight chill in the air suggests that Autumn is ever closer. For now the bones of the landscape are obscured, vegetation billowing and fulsome. Richmond Park is my barometer of [...]

Island in the Sun

A causeway on stilts floats above a marsh threaded through with muddy creeks. Canvey Island lies beyond, below sea level, vulnerable. In 1953, the sea prevailed, broke through the sea wall and reclaimed the island as its own. Fifty nine people lost their lives. Today only an elaborate drainage system and a higher sea wall [...]

Trees as Green Architecture

Plane trees, tall, magnificent specimens, immense trunks, bark dappled grey, cream and light green, giant canopies reaching skywards. The feeling of walking up to Clapham Common was almost ecclesiastical. They were green architecture, tree cathedral, space makers and place makers. This was The Chase, Clapham and today only about five remain, isolated lonely giants. Systematic, [...]