Letter: Grand spectacle of a flower show

Sir: What a pity that James Fenton tires of design so quickly, ('A cottage garden with buffalo and old tyres', 23 May) and how sad and typical this is of the British mentality which his article represents.

Design in general can be stimulating, refreshing and, in many cases, essential. Garden design, in particular, is considered by many to be a high art form. Would Mr Fenton have openly criticised the efforts of the late Derek Jarman in his garden near Dungeness; has Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe laboured all these years in vain; and does the contribution of garden design to Britain's heritage mean nothing?

I can think of few areas of work that can be as fulfilling both to the designer and to the client as successful garden design.

As for the 'fair wad' which Mr Fenton assumes we receive for each commission, I would suggest he consults his plumber for a call-out charge and perhaps then compares notes.

Yours faithfully,

ANDREW WILSON

Chairman,

Society of Garden Designers,

Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey