Drawing to Teach

Gilles Clément has always emphasized the importance he places on teaching, both in the school context and at the conferences he attends. His interest in sharing his knowledge is not limited to the dissemination of his most notable concepts.

Throughout his long teaching career, from his beginnings at the Matagalpa Agricultural High School to the Versailles School of Landscape, he developed a set of educational materials aimed at facilitating the understanding of the ideas he wished to convey to his students.

Some of these materials include illustrations that allow for a better interpretation of the content expressed in the texts. This graphic work addresses two types of content. On one hand, he creates a series of sheets for the study of different plant types. On the other hand, he develops composition diagrams as tools for garden design.

The documents related to the identification of ornamental species focus on two main categories. One collection is dedicated to plants belonging to the botanical family Ericaceae, which includes species such as azaleas, rhododendrons, and heathers. The other is devoted to trees and shrubs of particular interest for the autumn season. These are plates that provide a wealth of information, both from a botanical perspective and in terms of their use in gardens.

As for the materials concerning the use of plants from the standpoint of garden structure and design, Gilles Clément produced a total of eleven plates. They present, step by step, basic spatial and formal concepts as well as examples of plant compositions that achieve different visual effects.

Plant sheets and composition criteria with vegetation. Ink and colored paints on paper. 1980s.