Press Release
New wild showcase garden for Kew by Mary Reynolds
Gold Medal winner, Chelsea 2002
Part of Go Wild at Kew Gardens, 24 May - 28 September 2003
Sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline
For release: 14 April 2003
Mary Reynolds took the 2002 Chelsea Flower Show by storm with her stunning
Celtic garden which won a coveted gold medal. One of the youngest designers
there, she captivated visitors with her atmospheric design and use of
water, stone and natural planting.
Now, she has been commissioned by Kew, in association with Defra, the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to create a new showcase
garden for Go Wild, Kew's summer festival of UK biodiversity.
'Come away! O human child, to the waters and the wild'
Mary Reynolds's garden for Kew has been inspired by 'The Stolen Child',
a poem by W.B. Yeats. The poem summons up a magical landscape of woods,
springs, trees and islands, shared with watervoles, herons, trout and
mice. The garden takes the form of an island in a lake, framed by trees
and planted with native aquatics and marginal plants. The garden is approached
by a winding path, marked by sentinel stones. The path leads to a protected
central space, evoking a strong sense of reconnection with the natural
world and an awareness of its fragility.
Mary Reynolds' biodiversity garden for Kew has been funded by Defra, Kew's
sponsoring government department, which funds a wide range of initiatives
to support biodiversity in the UK including the flagship agri-environmental
schemes, Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas.
Through Environmental Action (EAF) fund grants, Defra also supports 23
groups carrying out projects promoting biodiversity across England.
Mary Reynolds completed a four-year degree in landscape horticulture at
University College in Dublin. She set up her own practice and has been
designing gardens professionally for four years. She lives in the Wicklow
mountains near Dublin and the beauty of this natural landscape has had
a major impact on her designs. Inspired by the quiet drama of native plants,
she creates sympathetic gardens which allow these unsung heroes to shine
through. She takes patterns and shapes which resonate with traditional
ideas and forms and uses roughly hewn stones, water, mosses and wild plantings
to create inspiring and spiritual spaces in her gardens.
Go Wild, Kew's summer festival for 2003, turns the spotlight on the splendour
of Britain's wild species. The festival demonstrates the interdependence
of plants, animals and humans upon one another, and shows the irreplaceable
beauty of Britain's biodiversity. Through special features, exhibitions
and art installations, Go Wild shows the conservation message at the heart
of Kew's work. Go Wild is sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline as part of the
company's community investment programme.
For further information, interviews and photographs, contact Claire Hyde
and Hannah Rogers on 020 8 332 5607/5619. Images are also available to
download from www.papicselect.com
Note to editors: Defra's website: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/eaf/index.htm
gives details of Defra's biodiversity work. This includes support for
Species and Local Biodiversity Action plans, information about projects
promoting understanding and awareness of sustainable development, and
awards to sustainable living projects, some of which include strong biodiversity
elements.
For further Press information please contact:
|
Kew: Public Relations Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5607/5619 |
Wakehurst Place: Public Relations Tel: +44 (0)1444 894018 |
