At a glance: A multi-layered garden inspired by the works of Eduardo Chillida
“First and foremost, this garden has to be beautiful,” says designer Darren Hawkes. “It has to stop people in their tracks, catch their attention and hopefully stir a curiosity.” Unlike his Maggie’s garden at Chelsea in 2017, which had people living with cancer in mind, this aims to promote awareness and conversation around the five main gynaecological cancers.
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The layout is inspired by an etching by the late Basque artist Eduardo Chillida. A winding Cornish-slate path winds its way through the planting, which leads to an enclosed space, within which rest five sculptures that represent the five gynaecological cancers. Water flows from a central pool gently through deep rills to the edge of the garden.
Darren does not generally approach garden design with a strong idea about colour. “But I’d like the front third of the garden to be pale pinks and soft blues, intensifying towards the back with vibrant pinks, purples, dark blues and magentas.” The garden will feature lots of silver-foliaged plants including tree germander (Teucrium fruticans), a compact hebe (Veronica pinguifolia), the African Buddleja salviifolia and a huge cardoon from his 2015 Brewin Dolphin garden. “It won’t be sparsely planted, but space between the plants is important,” says Darren.
Apart from the colour of the terracotta clay structures – “I’m colour blind,” admits Darren, “and I do see that colour, but it’s probably not the same as what my colleagues see” – what has been keeping Darren up at night over the past few months is the build planning. “I thought I’d designed a garden that was easy to build, but it’s probably the most complicated show garden I’ve designed.” The garden will be relocated to community sites in Jersey and Cornwall.
Designer Darren Hawkes Sponsors Lady Garden Foundation Contractor Landscape Associates Suppliers Kelways Plants, Deepdale Trees, New Wood Trees Relocating to Community outdoor spaces in Jersey and Cornwall
