sicily
‘Layers’ is a reflection on the dependence of man upon the natural world to provide food, water and shelter; the fundamental necessities of life. Inspired by the anatomy of plants the curvaceous walls are reminiscent of scattered flowered petals or the fleshy storage scales of an onion bulb. When conditions are right a dormant bulb takes its chance and erupts into life. The thin papery tunic falls away and the flower and leaf buds emerge from the protection of the fleshy food storing scales. As the energy is used up, those scales wither and become depleted yet leave behind new life and promise expressed by this heavily planted landscape.
By guiding visitors through the garden, forcing them close up to the sculptural walls and offering them controlled views of productive planting it emphasises man’s irrevocably entwined reliance on plants. Water is essential and sits at the heart of the garden where shade and shelter are provided by trees and the surrounding walls.
