Archive

Monaco awarded Gold at Chelsea Flower Show debut

2011-05-24 20:51

What: Monaco Garden
When: 23-28 May 2011
Where: Chelsea Flower Show

Stop Press

On its Chelsea debut, the garden representing the Principality of Monaco has been awarded a Gold Medal. Read more about it below:



In 2011, Monaco participated for the first time at the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show, represented by a specially-commissioned rooftop garden reflecting not only the flora of the region but also its way of life. 

The Monaco Garden

The garden illustrates the interaction between architecture and landscape that characterizes Monaco's spectacular scenery. It shows how landscape and architecture can interact to provide sustainable solutions for Monaco's high density living, including the use of vertical green walls and planted roofs.

The rear portion of the garden contains a structure of varying heights representing a section of a high-rise building. This area leads in turn to a courtyard with access to a small balcony above a cantilevered planted roof, providing an area that is protected from direct sunlight.



Designed to reflect the scenery and geography of Monaco, Eberle's garden is planted with a wide variety of exotic plants from the locality - including the Hottentot Fig and other succulents - and the centrepiece is the Silk-floss tree, which Eberle first spotted in Monaco's Jardin Exotique. Naturally there are rose-motifs in honour of Prncess Grace, and the designer has taken a leaf from Prince Albert's book in terms of ecological sustainability, with features such as a system to collect rainwater and a naturally-filtered pool.

Sarah Eberle is understandably delighted to have been selected to work on this commission to bring an exciting conceptual garden to Chelsea that reflects the character, personality and vibrancy of Monaco.

About the designer

The Monaco garden was designed by English landscape architect Sarah Eberle, who, with 28 years' experience, is considered one of the best in her field. After her training in London, Sarah became Design Director for the group Hillier Landscapes in the 1990s and now manages her own business in her native Devon, devoting herself entirely to her passion for creating artistic natural environments, and drawing her inspiration from masters of the craft such as Antonio Gaudi and César Manrique.

At the Chelsea Flower Show itself she has established a considerable reputation: as the holder of eight gold medals and twice the winner of the George Cooke Medal for Design Innovation she also received the Best in Show award at Chelsea 2007 for her design for a garden on Mars, as well as an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, The University of Greenwich.

The Chelsea Flower Show

As the world's premier floral exhibition, the Chelsea Flower Show, organized by the Royal Horticultural Society, is attended by more than 160,000 visitors each year. This year's show is already sold out, but if you're lucky enough to have a ticket, don't forget the Monaco Garden!