DYKEBAR HOSPITAL ~ JOURNEYS AND PATHWAYS

The Island
Artist: Jane Kelly



Background
Artists have always looked out onto the world and made representations of their experiences of being in it. Sometimes these representations involve the construction of actual environments , including gardens, which are designed to evoke a particular effect of the part of the occupant of the space. There now exists internationally a large body of artists’ work in the forms of gardens, often their own, as well as imagery inspired by them. From Getrude Jekyll’s Munstead Wood in England to Monet’s Giverny in France, from Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul in Mexico City to Jennifer Bartlett’s New York Garden, the separation between the subject and object often blurs as the garden as art, and the art of and about the garden, fuel each other and become one and the same thing.



I also have always made real gardens as well as representations of gardens. I have a strong interest in the concept of the designed landscape and a particular fascination for ideas around how contained and walled gardens can become signifiers of paradise and perfection. At a more functional level, as a grower of fruit, vegetables and herbs on the west coast of Scotland, I can also appreciate the huge functional benefit of creating a controlled and protected environment in the form of a walled garden and their success is demonstrated in the numbers built here during the nineteenth century. Largely they are no longer used but recently have become the focus for a number of restoration and therapeutic projects. Within a mile of my studio, there are four abandoned walled gardens.

In the video interview I talked about being inspired by Kenneth Clark’s description in ‘Landscape into Art’ of representations of gardens become symbols of perfection in the development of landscape painting … " the enchanted garden – is one of humanity’s most constant, widespread and consoling myths". Representations of such spaces have appeared across all cultures throughout the history of art. Like Veneziano’s ‘The Annunciation’ and the Persian minature ‘The Garden of Fidelity’, they all encompass what Kenneth Clark calls a place "cut off from the world of fierce accidents, where love, human and devine’ could find fulfilment". ‘Paradise’ is Persian for ‘walled garden’.



Consultation
It was from this hinterland of conceptual and practical experience that I approached the project again at Dykebar. When the original courtyard proposal became no longer viable, the Head of Occupational Therapy Jeannette Allan requested that the grounds behind their department at the New Acute Unit be considered for a smaller intervention. This department offered patients individual and group work in many areas of activity including relaxation, drama, art, kitchen sessions and exercise and was now keen to develop horticultural therapy. In addition they wanted an outdoor space where they could extend their already successful Tai Chi and Yoga activities.

So in a sense we started the previously extensive consultation and collaboration process again. The brief, concept and design for ‘the island’ grew out of a number of meetings, telephone calls and email communications between us. During a key meeting at the Acute Unit reviewing the proposed site and its relationship to their indoor accommodation, Jeanette Allan and the staff described their aspirations for a new garden. Not all the staff were able to attend this briefing meeting so there was a further period of email exchange over a couple of weeks when important issues around function and aesthetics were discussed among us and eventually agreed.



Concept and Design
My overall aspiration was to design a small site specific garden which Richard Anderson describes in ‘The Power of Place’ as the kind of space which would "create and enhance a community’s sense of place, wholeness and well being". In this context I produced draft designs using drawing, text and images of proposed shape, form, layout, materials and planting for comment. After several further revisions and meetings we agreed to go ahead.

For Tai Chi, Yoga and Meditation, I took the shape of one small element of the courtyard proposal - the ovals of covered seating – and redesign it as a single area for special activities. It was important that the design created what would be perceived as a separate space, not one attached to the existing concrete slabbed terrace, but a place that was ‘out there’ in the landscape and one that you had to make a small effort to get there. For horticultural activities of growing fruit vegetables and herbs, I proposed removing a curved area of turf beyond the central oval which would also function once mature as a shelter and privacy belt of planting.

So although I always imaged ‘the island’ as a modest intervention which could now be achieved within the budget and timescale, I also wanted to make a small special place to occupy the space that lies between the Acute Unit and the surrounding landscape. It was not to be a physical extension of the architecture but it had to be accessible from it . Although its not far from the building, nevertheless you have to make a small deliberate journey along the path or across the grass to reach it – you don’t just wander about outside and find yourself there by accident.

I also wanted the sense of specialness to arise from what could happen physically and mentally through activity when you got there – Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation or just looking out – as well as the sense of solidity that comes from the flat plane of real stone laid in an oval shape …. " The underlying pattern here is of boundaries to enclose and contain, gateways to provide a transition into an area and give us a sense of arriving somewhere, and a center within which to come to rest and to focus our attention, and from which to view the place and orient ourselves within the place" (Richard Anderson ‘The Power of Place’).



Installation
Most artworks develop through the concept, design and fabrication process. It is usual for me to make constant adjustments to landscape works once I have set the levels and marked out the layout on site. The real relationship between the scale of the intervention and the scale of the context becomes clearer and its often necessary to respond to that by making proportional, material and structural changes.

At Dykebar I slightly changed the shape of the island oval so that it would sit better visually and functionally within the right angled space created by the building walls. The main structural change was to solve the challenge of falling levels by constructing a low retaining wall on the fields side of the oval, rather than use a huge part of the limited budget on infill and have little left for good quality construction materials. This has benefited the space with what can be used as a curved integrated seating area from which to view the landscape. In addition when the sandstone arrived on site in large units, I decided to use it at that impressive size for the central area rather than cut it into smaller units as envisaged in the drawings. In response to that change, I altered the bond of the path to random as a contrast.

The concept and design have been achieved via a colour and materials palette that both differs from and relates to the architecture and landscape of its context. The warm blonde and rust sandstone colours lie tonally lighter and darker than the pink of the building and at this time of year correspond to the field, hedge and tree colours beyond. In other seasons, the stone colour will will richly complement the other largely warm colours of the planting in whites, pinks, reds, plums and greens.

The resulting sandstone island will accommodate Tai Chi, Yoga and Walking Meditation. The island planting, mulched in gravel, provides year round colour and aroma from Acer Japonica, Prunus Kazan, Abies Koreanna, Magnolia Soulangeana, Skimmia Rubella, Rosmarinus Officinal, Lavandula and narcissi, tulips and crocus. The horticultural area so far includes Apples James Grieve and Bramley, Damson, Black and Red Currant, Eucalyptus, Sambus Black Beauty, green and bronze fennels, chives, oregano, thymes, purple kale with further herbs and salads to be planted by the spring.



Completion
The completed work was handed over at the end of October where it was very well received by the Occupational Therapy Department, Managers and the Estates Department of Dykebar Hospital. An opening ceremony followed a few days later was attended by more than thirty patients and staff including Managers from other parts of the site.

The opening was introduced by Jeanette Allan and began with an energetic drumming performance, with staff and patients led by a musician based at Paisley Arts Centre who OT are already working with. I was invited to do short explanation of the history and ideas behind the new garden and cut the ribbon. A buffet lunch prepared and served by the OT Department in the adjacent dining room with the doors open onto the garden followed by a Tai Chi session led by Dave Plunkett.



Everyone expressed great enthusiasm for their new facility and already have had lots of ideas on how to use it in addition to what it has been designed for. The OT department had already been inspired to purchase twenty large plants to restore their failing pots and 500 bulbs to plant in the grass. The Estates Department had cut the grass three times with a hand mower that morning and have now offered to do that in future in support of the new facility. Other support in the form of a greenhouse and garden shed are currently being investigated. In addition to further planting, I will support the OT Department with bi monthly visits over the next year.

Jane Kelly November 2007.