kwai’s space: an artist’s chinese stroll garden
Kwai, a fine art painter, needed an artist’s garden: a quiet contemplative space in which she could draw and also entertain.
The garden was dedicated to the client’s late mother who originated from Hong Kong and the planting was to reflect this. Carol chose the traditional theme of the Chinese Stroll Garden loosely based on the ancient Chinese concept that a garden is a place to ‘travel’ through and with areas for quiet contemplation or alternatively a space of intense creative activity and discussion.
The main focus is a timber architectural ‘drawing platform with integral pond’ made of railway sleepers, providing a tranquil area where the client likes makes art. Nearby is planted a small Cercis siliquastrum, or Judas Tree, a perfect inspirational choice for an artist’s garden with purple spring blossom on naked stems. Behind the pond platform and tree is a bed of black bamboo their dark stems contrast against a deep-yellow painted rendered wall, bringing visual character and light to the space. Dense jungle foliage plants create the lush organic feeling Kwai remembers from family holidays in Hong Kong.
Carol and her carpenter also made a bespoke, recycled timber bicycle shed on the deck, complete with Sedum roof for that added planting dimension and wildlife interest to this artists garden.