Landscaping at its best

One of the first images that come to mind when I think of Germany, are the forests and mountains. Especially the green vast territory has its pride of the Germans and caring every inch as his private garden.

And on a smaller scale, we find beautiful parks as the Englischer Garten, which as its name says is inspired by eighteenth-century landscape of Britain. On behalf of the Archduke Karl Theodor, the ancient hunting grounds of the Wittelsbach family were placed in the hands of Sir Benjamin Thompson (1753-1814) to create a large park that later become part of the heart of the city. Thompson developed the idea based on the prevailing fashion in London gardening, landscaping ideas were later completed by Reinhard von Werneck (1757-1842) and Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell (1750-1823).

Englischer Garten in summer. Photography © Melissa Schumacher.

This green lung in Munich, embrace the big city around the river Isar with an area of 3.73 km2. A curtain of trees is the first thing the visitor appreciate, then with many sidewalks, a variety of rivers and a vast green plains in summer are overflowing with tourists and people from the city.

In particular I think this type of park is during the months of sun, represent the best of European summer. A wave of people lies in the sun while many currents get cool on the rivers and enjoy the beer culture in the nearest Beergarten they find. Water, another landscape element of the first that shows us the path, started their meeting point in the Eisbach, where water pressure produces a series of permanent waves. This site is world famous for surfing beginners and professionals for their constant movement, ideal for practice or for those who enjoy seeing in action the best athletes on the water.

Surfers in the Eisbach. Photography © Melissa Schumacher.

Between rivers and waterfalls, the hiker is found with small lakes, with a small Japanese house or Monopteros that dominate the landscape visuals. And perhaps most popular is the Chinesischer Turm or something like a Chinese pagoda. This tower, built in the late eighteenth century by Joseph Frey, emulates an existing in the Botanical Garden in London. Its 25 meters high are imposed as a landmark along the Biergarten, where during the weekend; a Bavarian orchestra entertains diners serving gallons of good beer and food from the south.

The Biergarten and the China Tower. Photography © Melissa Schumacher.

I remember a class of landscape in Barcelona, where the teacher talked about the importance of landscape in relation to the context. He said that a good landscape is one that leaves a new project (trees, rivers, meadows, etc.). As if it had always been there or was the product of time. Englischer Garten represents the highest expression of landscape and respect for nature.

Japanese teahouse. Photography © Melissa Schumacher.

Although the summer is more evident when the park is full of people, the tones and textures that offer fall and winter, make me remember the changes. The spring change is evident and shows up in the joy of the people and how they go out to make their parks and public spaces, like their own places (especially everything related to the Biergärten). And this makes me reflect a little on the crisis of green space we have in countries like Mexico. Even today, having a garden at home is an extra responsibility that many families are not willing to comply. On the other side, countries that had extreme weather, their people take until the last minute of a good afternoon sun. Sometimes I think that in Mexico the garden has become a purely decorative element and parks have become triangles or ridges of grass with a couple of flowers and palm trees. Mainly in new housing developments where the square meters of green areas are considerably reduced. The few parks that have some Mexican cities, have ceased to attend issues of insecurity ant the rest of social life takes place inside a mall.

IN TREATMENT - METALOCUS.

DIRECTOR: JOSÉ JUAN BARBA. COORDINATION: INÉS LALUETA. ORGANIZATION: INÉS LALUETA, PEDRO NAVARRO. GUESTS SECOND SEASON: JOSÉ JUAN BARBA, JAVIER SANCHO, FRANCISCO PELAEZ, MICHAEL MORADIELLOS, MELISSA SCHUMACHER, VERÓNICA ROSERO, AINHOA MARTÍN.