Controversial… crowd-pleaser: Irish Sky Garden designed by Diarmuid Gavin
On Press Day Monday, the so-called flying machine… a hanging eden, aka the ‘Wonkavator’ dangled high above, a massive crane off to the side. The garden, which won ‘Gold ,’ revealed an expansive, lush landscaped realm of reflecting pools playing off the dense greenery of plantings: An evocative layout that brought to mind the emerald countryside of Ireland. Not to be mistaken, the site proclaimed itself in no uncertain terms as the largest gardenscape ever to emerge at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Chelsea Irish Sky Garden Photo © Alice Joyce
Clipped boxwood, yew, and stately conical Carpinus contributed structure, allied with masses of exuberant grasses. Once the ‘pod’ touched down, in a bright punctuation of the space, the form appeared comfortably ensconced on the earthly plane.
Irish Sky: Diarmuid Gavin, designer Photo © Alice Joyce
Note: Gavin drew inspiration for the project’s floating structure from Dublin animator Richie Baneham’s visual effects work in the film, Avatar.
Having wished to dazzle, designer Diarmuid Gavin achieved his goal. Captivated crowds were drawn to his ambitious, rather breathtakingly costly endeavor.
Irish Sky clipped yew and box Photo © Alice Joyce
If a garden show is meant to set one’s imagination afire, not necessarily with ideas to try out at home, then the over-the-top energy, the fantastical world of the Irish Sky Garden hit its mark.
Opening Day: Chelsea Flower Show 2011 – Irish Sky Garden
I’m such a sucker for unusual gardens. The name “wonkavator” just helped to tie that sense of whimsey right into the garden. I wish there was something like that in one of the nearby gardens so that I could go enjoy it myself.
It’s Diarmuid’s constant ‘thinking outside the box’ that makes him one of my favorite designers. Apparently this is going to become a permanent feature in my home city of Cork next year, so will hopefully get to see it for myself!
Sunny
Lucky you! I couldn’t imagine it would not be ‘repurposed’ after such a creative effort. I’ll look forward to seeing your photos of lovely Cork. Ta!
Diarmuid Gavin has this great sense of FUN!!! He seems to want to make us smile, without compromising on the aesthetics of his gardens. And this one looks stunning; less quirky in appearance than his enamel balls of 2004 fame, but with the same sense of childlike playfulness. I think I’m a little bit in love with Diarmuid…
Looks likd a winking eve coming down.