Catch up with Kew.

This is long overdue, but quite apt since 2011 is set to be the third year that the Seed Walk is to be exhibited at the the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
It was way back in summer 2008 that Kew contacted me to discuss the project, the brief was to design and build 10 seed sculptures of Gigantic proportion to celebrate their 250th anniversary and to mark the millennium seed-banks collection of 10% of the worlds rarest seeds now safely stored at Wakehurst place.
Kew brought a shopping list of potentials and I added mine, the final 10 were selected on their ability to translate and be recognised by the viewer and here they are ..








The first five were installed during march 2009 and then I delivered 1 a month to Kew where I ran workshops to help involve the visitors. This was great for me working within Kew meeting some of the UK's most respected horticulturalists and such an international draw of visitors made for a very exciting residency.
It's such a charming space and a privilege to be on-site at those quite times before the gates open, sun rising, parakeets stretching their wings, squirrels scampering in the bins and staff on bicycles... I spent a lot of summer 2009 in Kew staying local and feel a real connection with the place and people... there are far too many people to mention who made this special and contributed to the Seed Walk, there is no denying that this was an Epic project, weaving with frozen sticks, digging narrow 1.5 meter deep holes, sleeping in the back of the van.
The seeds now firmly planted near the main gate are well established and really have nestled themselves into the landscape .
If you haven't had chance to see them yet, 2011 may be the last year, so, treat yourself to a day at the Gardens!

Wakehurst sheep

Blimey what a year! Wakehurst Place, Kews Gardens country gaff commissioned a flock of sheep to replace the original ones that I'd made as part of the Big Draw '07 with visitors from the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew .

After a couple of late nights weaving in the shed, here they are arriving on site 7am may 1st.

jostling for position to get onto the juicy grass..

they were very keen to get out of the van and make their way to the new meadow exhibition opposite the Millennium Seed Bank.

The timber frame buildings on the left here were built on site by Wakehurst staff and all the hurdles were built with the gardens own hazel top marks Ian! very inspiring.

At last, the tasty green stuff!

Thanks to Spencer Jenkins for back up with the weaving and a big thanks going out to Annette and Glyn for putting me up for the night!