The Boodles Garden is a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery. Taking inspiration from paintings at the gallery, it evokes the spirit of many significant artworks. The creative vision for the design takes from artistic elements, including colours, textures and ‘hidden details’ in paintings viewed during visits to the gallery.
With a theme of ‘art in nature’ the planting scheme, topiary, sculptural metal arches and water features are inspired or represent aspects of specific paintings and art movements, including Pointillism and Impressionism. Subtle links to prominent paintings at the gallery will pervade the garden’s design and planting, providing visitors a visual treat where nature represents art, and vice versa.
The visitor is led through the garden via a green toned walkway beneath a series of sculptural arches that appreciate Canaletto and Claude’s elements of repetition and perspective, as well as honour Klimt and Menzel’s proclivity concerning fabric and intricate detail.
A succession of bespoke textured metal water features define the space, providing surfaces to play with light and reflection reminiscent of Renoir, Monet and Seurat.
The planting palette is predominantly green and act as a superb foil for the warm bold shades that weave and punctuate the garden representing the artist’s brushstrokes and texture within pointillist and impressionist paintings.
