Tom Stuart Smith’s garden for Laurent Perrier

Let’s start with our favorite garden from 2010: The Laurent Perrier Garden at the RHS Chelsea flower show designed by Tom Stuart-Smith.

A modern garden of subtle and varying textures: the centrepiece is an elegant, bronze Pavilion designed by award winning architect Jamie Fobert. 

The Pavilion is a sophisticated sculpture constructed from folded sheets of patinated copper.  Overlooking an elongated pool of water and Spring woodland planting, the sculpture contrasts with the purity and naturalism around it.

A rectilinear pattern of paths guides the viewer through the curve of the trees, providing a private route through the garden. The stones are laid precisely giving a very crisp finish, creating order within nature.

A natural stone provides a rich textured wall around the garden and smaller, curvier paths through the planting, contrasting with the smooth bronze and paving and breaking up the formality of the garden.

The planting itself consists of three separate elements: a grove of Betula, River Birch – an attractive copper bark which peels off in sheets and reflects the colour of the Pavilion and walls, two hedges of cloud pruned Box which encloses the garden further, and woodland planting.  The planting is based on a woodland flora, dominated by fresh white flowers, woodland grasses, Euphorbias and Blue Iris Siberica, which contrast to the strength and darkness of the bronze.
 
Italian designer Luciano Giubbilei, known for his sharp, minmalist style, will be at Chelsea this year, designing a garden for Laurent-Perrier. As soon as we have some artist’s impressions, we will load them on to the blog. But you can guarantee that Luciano’s garden will be stylish, contemporary and beautiful.