My Garden

This week I paid a visit to Crocus, with Catherine MacDonald - my project manager for the Chelsea garden, to inpsect the Carpinus Boxhead trees and hedging plants, and to take a look at the growth of the perennials plants I’ve selected. The trees were set out in a lines reminiscent of their arrangement in my design and I was very excited to stand alongside them – it gave me a sense of how the garden will feel. The hedging plants had only just been delivered and so were standing in a bay waiting to be spaced out but they look very healthy and will look even better once they have their new spring growth. The perennials were in the polytunnels and I was amazed at how much they had grown. The grasses in particular looked really green and lush already and the fennel looked really fluffy. Crocus will soon be moving some of the plants into the shade tunnels to slow their growth and ensure the plants are perfect for Chelsea Show time. As we left the polytunnels Mark Straver, of Crocus, was quick to shut the door behind us to ensure no rabbits had the opportunity to have any midnight snacks!

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I think we are pretty much in control of everything and I am travelling to Verona in Italy next week to check on the production of the stone. I’m using an unfilled Travertine which is a calcareous stone, and for those who are not familiar with this type of stone, it’s a stone with a beautiful character especially when used in it’s natural unfilled form. So I’m pretty excited to see what the people in Verona have prepared for me to see. Also, the Carpinus Boxhead trees have been delivered to Crocus in Surrey from Germany, and the hedging plants are due to arrive within the next two weeks, so there are more things to go and see and check on, which brings me back to the fact that this garden is happening for real!

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I was born and grew up in Siena where my family still live. I came to England 15 years ago to study garden design and I have been designing gardens for the last 12 years. Last year I was offered the opportunity by Champagne Laurent-Perrier to design their garden for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2009. It seems rather strange to be only writing about the garden now, as I designed it and presented it to Laurent-Perrier on 4th July 2008! From that day onwards, I’ve been focusing on preparing and researching all the elements, such as the trees and plants, the stone materials, the water feature, the sculpture, and all the other component parts that compose the garden. My design for the garden was inspired by the champagne’s own elegant, handcrafted style. I have tried to explore in the garden how linear design, using simple and symmetrical lines, creates order within nature, which in turn gives clarity of mind and a state of calm. I’ve been working on this garden in very much the same way that we run projects for our clients, but obviously it will have a completely different level of exposure. I’m starting to get glimpses of this already as we get close to the show with the events being organised by Laurent-Perrier, the RHS and the BBC. I am very excited obviously, but most importantly I am aware of the amazing opportunity given to me to show everyone how one of my gardens comes together.

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