Jardins de Métis 2014 Garden Design Proposal

This design is inspired by the elegant

layouts of circuit boards, and

imagines the garden as a digital

machine connected to the natural

forest landscape beyond. The garden

is arranged on a formal grid of metal

studs and loops, defining the location

of new trees and creating an

interesting contrast with the natural

landscape. This grid could be

imagined as a series of different

environmental sensors monitoring

water levels, soil and air quality. The

grid is overlaid with a network of

metal strips radiating from a water

storage component. These lines lead

visitors through the garden and

visualise an irrigation system, which

could be real or imagined depending

on budget. Hopefully the garden

would be a fun place for children to

run around following the lines. The

Layout Plan

Dicentra Formosa ‘Aurora’,

Hakonechloa macra, Luzula nivea,

Polystichum setiferum, Tiarella

cordifolia, and Woodland edge

wildflower meadow mix.

strips also fold upwards to form a seat

in the shade. The garden encourages

visitors to think of trees and plants as

critical components in an

environmental machine; fixing carbon,

generating oxygen, cleaning the air,

and improving the microclimate. It also

explores ideas of gardens in the future

connected to the internet to monitor

performance and to balance out the

environmental impact of buildings.

seat

Water storage

Metal strips

Grid of trees

Gravel surface

0 1 2 3m

scale

Main path

Bamboo grove

Grass path

The grid of trees would be River Birch

or similar (Betula nigra). A shade

tolerant bamboo groove forms a

formal edge to one side of the garden

(Pseudosasa japonica). The

groundcover planting would adapt to a

particular site by using typical species

in the surroundings to integrate the

design. Additional typical species

might include the following: Alchemilla

mollis, Asplenium scolopendrium,

Concept Typical Plant List

Surrounding forest

Surrounding forest

Surrounding forest

Jardins de Métis 2014 Garden Design Proposal

Typical views of the garden design

proposal:

View 1 (left): Birdseye View

View 2 (bottom left): View from the

front of the garden looking inwards.

View 3 (bottom right): View from the

back of the garden looking towards

the front.