VTB Capital Garden – Spirit of Cornwall

Did you know...

• The only plant in flower in the garden is a purple-blue Iris sibirica, uniting the garden with dashes of colour
• A range of diverse foliage plants creates a great sense of interest, including palms, Dicksonia tree ferns, laurel-family Cinnamomum shrubs and ground-dwelling aspidistras
• The garden room's metalwork reflects the sound wave pattern of music commissioned by the Hepworth Estate

About the garden 

This unique creative collaboration brings together garden designers, architects, musicians, a composer and a sculptor, all commissioned by VTB Capital, a leading international bank. The garden is a multi-sensory experience inspired by renowned British sculptor Barbara Hepworth, and by music composed by Leo Geyer, specially commissioned by the Hepworth Estate and Tate St Ives to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Hepworth’s own garden in St Ives.

Contemporary in style, the garden features a palette of subtropical and temperate plants, illustrating the unique microclimates found throughout Cornwall. The metalwork reflects the sound wave pattern of the music, with its peak at the garden pavilion, a space for composing and performing designed by architects Studio Evans Lane. Water features echo the sea views from Hepworth’s garden, and the continuous circulation of water reinforces the musical motif. The garden features two beautiful sculptures by Sheila Vollmer.