Burle-Marx’s home was decorated with his paintings and sculptures.

Roberto Burle-Marx, “the real creator of the modern garden,” transformed an old banana plantation where he lived from 1973 until his death in 1994.  We drove to Guaratiba, located about 90 minutes west of Rio, to visit Burle-Marx’s 100-acre garden.  Rafaela, our guide, led us first to the nurseries, where some of the 3,500 plant species got their start.  We saw leaves as large as road maps and pistils as long as rulers.

Burle-Marx was an artist, but his studio was not yet finished when he died.

Burle-Marx was the principal landscape architect of Brasilia, where in the Congresso one of his tapestries is proudly displayed.  He was also a painter and a sculptor.  But the garden was his proper field, and he introduced tropical landscaping to Brazil.  We took a lovely walk through his property, walking on massive stepping-stones through what appeared to be a lush forest (but was actually a well-planned garden).

Burle-Marx’s garden was an inspiration to those who landscape with native plants.

Burle-Marx realized the possibilities of gardening, not with hothouse plants that have to be artificially cultivated, but with native plants that can be arranged beautifully.  He inspired us to think about the garden of our own home.  On our drive back from Guaratiba, we visited the favela of Vidigal, with Marcos Antonio climbing the steep streets in his taxi.  The next day he drove us to Corcovado to see the Cristo Redentor and the panorama of Rio.