The Hospitalfield Arts Garden

The Hospitalfield Arts Garden takes its inspiration from the location of Hospitalfield Arts on the east coast of Scotland, with its continuous soft, fragile and precious sand dune landscape.

The Garden has a strong sense of place: a sculptural and abstract representation of this natural habitat, with a focus on dramatic dune topography and evocative, resilient coastal planting. Not only the setting for art practice, it is also a place in which artists can garden. A place for both quiet contemplation and for group activities, performance, teaching and events.

The ‘artist bothy’ studio and workspace sit at the heart of the design, nestled into the surrounding sand banks. A dune pool collects rainwater from the building and surrounding garden.

The planting has a strongly coastal and mediterranean theme, and uses resilient plants with a focus on form and foliage textures and colours – mainly deep green, blue-green, grey-green and grey. Key plants include; Lagerstroemia indica ‘Natchez’, Tamarix ramossisima, Euphorbia mellifera, Armeria martima and Geranium palmatum.
 

At a glance:

Who would use this garden?
The garden is for artists as a place to work, be inspired, to teach, to exhibit, to demonstrate and to garden.
Where is the garden set?
Part of a wider garden or campus, the garden takes its cue from the setting of the garden’s charity partner, Hospitalfield Arts, on the distinctive east coast of Scotland. It’s in a sheltered location, relatively mild, relatively dry.
Who or what is the design inspiration for the garden?
The inspiration for the garden comes from the local beautiful sand dune landscape that is very local to Hospitalfield Arts, and the exciting contemporary art practice that is supported by Hospitalfield Arts.

Garden legacy:

After the Show the Garden will be relocated to Ladyloan Primary School, Arbroath Angus.