British Council Garden - India: A Billion Dreams

Did you know...

• Indian Vanda orchids were displayed in trees, as these epiphytic plants grow naturally in the wild
• The front walls of the garden were inset with semi-precious stones in intricate patterns. Known as pietra dura marble, this is a technique that has been used in India for centuries. Each piece of stone is cut by hand in Jaipur and set into a hollow specially cut for it to fit flush with the surface
• Check out the 'cricket ball' hidden under the stumps by the red pinks

About the garden

Sarah Eberle’s design was sparked by the hopes and dreams of young people in India, and also drew on the UK and India’s shared love of cricket. It was a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the British Council in India.

The planting within the garden included Meconopsis (Himalayan blue poppies), found in 1922 by a British expedition led by legendary mountaineer George Leigh Mallroy; Vanda coerulea (blue orchids), which were first collected in the Khasi Hills of India in the modern state of Meghalaya by Thomas Lobb between 1848 and 1853; and roses. Rose motifs often feature in Mughal architecture across northern India, including at the Taj Mahal. The garden also featured pietra dura marble designed by traditional craft-workers in Jaipur.

The garden was commissioned by the British Council in partnership with the Piramal Group and was supported by the JSW Group, TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), Dr Pheroza J Godrej, Stanrose Mafatlal Group, Dr Gita Piramal and Leena Gandhi Tewari.