Exhibitors
SHOW GARDENS
| COURTYARD
GARDENS | CHIC
GARDENS | CITY
GARDENS
PLANTS | FLORAL
ART | LIFELONG
LEARNING | MARKET
PLACE
Show gardens
Savills
The Savills Garden
Designers:
Marcus Barnett and Philip Nixon
Sponsor: Savills
Contractor: Landform Consultants Ltd
Click here to view a panorama of this garden.
Click here to view a video clip of the garden.
Click on the image to view a hi-res version
The inspiration for this garden is taken from the Modernist Architecture of Mies van der Rohe and in particular the Farnsworth House, which was completed in 1951 in Plano Illinois, USA. Barnett and Nixon studied the works that had inspired van der Rohe, such as the paintings of Theo van Duesberg, and were impressed by the essence of what van der Rohe was trying to achieve in this seminal and iconic house.
Barnett and Nixon looked at the integrity, identity and simplicity of the individual horizontal and vertical planes that make up the structure and were inspired by the way the house sits within and relates to its surroundings. The building seems to fit perfectly in its setting specifically because of, and not despite, its stark contrast with the natural 'geometry' of the landscape. The challenge for the designers is to create a garden that pays homage to the clean lines of Modernism but also will encourage show visitors to stop and view Modernist inspired design through fresh eyes, as well as admire the beautiful planting that complements the modernist loggia. With the Savills Garden the designers want to explore specifically Modernist themes but also the idea of contrast as something that creates harmony.
The Savills Chelsea Flower Show garden is private and enclosed. The entrance is framed by trees (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii) that lead onto a polished concrete pathway. The geometry of the path then meanders through trees and perennial planting, consisting of grasses such as Luzula nivea and Stipa tenuissima and foliage plants such as Rodgersia pinnata. Vertical accents are provided by Digitalis purpurea. Drifts of Iris sanguinea ‘Snow Queen’ are another key feature of the planting. Elements of the planting are more structural, specifically the Buxus sempervirens cubes which run in a line from the loggia out into the garden, echo the horizontals of the loggia and provide a visual and metaphorical link between soft and hard landscaping. Finally the path leads across water creating a sense of journey, arriving at the ‘Modernist’ building at the rear of the garden. The building is designed as a place of refuge or for entertaining.