BENEATH A MEXICAN SKY

A show garden designed for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017 sponsored by Inland Homes Plc. This garden was inspired by the work of Mexican architect Luis Barragan. Although Barragan worked through the 1960’s , 1970’s and 1980’s his work is immensely influential in the world of architecture even in the present times. It is bold and contemporary.

The show garden was imagined as part of a larger space. The imaginary clients wanted a small private secluded space that had a modern look. The rendered walls painted in kimono orange and pink martini provide a bold modern look. These are balanced with a wall painted in frothy cappuccino. The garden represent Barragan’s life. His passion for horses is shown in the garden by the aged copper wire sculpture of a horses head created Rupert Till. The pool of water represents the equine pool at his own equestrian stables where the horses cooled off.

Large micro-cement slabs laid with precision, cantilever over the pool of water, creating a sense of journey and destination in the garden. A blade of water flows into the pool from beneath the seating area. A negative infinity is designed so the water flows into the outer trough whilst the inner trough is planted with steely blue Agave americana that are juxtaposed against the orange wall, casting dramatic shadows on the wall when the lights go on at night.

The clients live in a Mediterranean climate. The weather is warm and dry, the soil is free draining although organic matter has been added to help. The plants have been chosen to cope with the soil conditions and climate of the region. They are drought tolerant and some will also self-seed. The plants are survivors and represents Barragan’s struggle to become a recognised architect. It was only towards the end of his career that he got the recognition he so thoroughly deserved. The garden incorporates two multi-stem Arbutus unedo trees, a variety of agave, succulents and cacti. The scheme is softens with salvias, thulbagia, erigeron, baptisia, cosmos, dianthus and Californian poppies. The planting undulates throughout the whole scheme.

The garden is enjoyed from the love seat where the planting surrounds the clients, the walls provide seclusion and the moving water cools and freshens the air.