| Inspired
by the traditional “kampung” (malay village) way of life,
the design takes elements of an idyllic, rural lifestyle and
interprets them through a chic, ultra modern lense, to create
a landscape steeped in ancient heritage, while simultaneously
being at the very cutting edge of international design. |
| The
garden is envisioned as the courtyard of an urban residence in
the heart of downtown Kuala Lumpur, and will contrast terraces
of minimalist, angular hard landscaping with lush swathes of
wild, naturalistic tropical planting. |
| Here,
instead of taking its creative inspiration from the ubiquitous
Balinese or Thai garden styles, which have been reproduced
indiscriminately throughout the tropics, the design will
instead be unashamedly and uniquely Malaysian. |
| The
scheme’s planting, for example, will use a palette of
species iconic of Kampung gardens, most of which are usually
considered purely edible crops, yet have an immense ornamental
potential that is often over looked. |
| These
include the stunning paddles of fruiting banana trees and the
swaying trunks of mature coconut palms, all under planted with
yams, gingers & lemongrass. |
| As
in a real-life kampung, the planting palette of crops are
enriched with species from the surrounding rainforest, which
are blessed with some of the most astonishing biodiversity on
earth, including the rare and unusual pitcher plants,
endangered bat lilies and bizarre orchids found no-where else
on earth. |
| In
this scheme imported ornamentals, such as the frangipani and
the traveller’s palm, are replaced in favour of rare native
species unknown to even most Malaysians, such as the
iridescent leaves of the endangered Peacock begonia (only
found in the mountains of Pahang) & the delicate arching
fronds of the elegant Matonia fern, endemic to the peninsula’s
highlands. |
|
