‘TinyTaxonomy’ was selected for the 11thedition of the International Garden Festival held at Les Jardins Metis, in Quebec, Canada.A jury selected the project as one of 3 from among the 276 proposals received for the 2010 competition from designers in 34 countries. Over its first ten editions the Festival has constructed and exhibited more than 100 temporary gardens by over 300 designers from around the world.
Due to its success in 2010, ‘TinyTaxonomy’ will be shown again at this year’s 12thedition of the Festival. Other participants include M. Von Valkenburg, K. Smith, C. Cormier andAtelier le balto.These are among the gardens that can be viewed throughout the duration of the festival, which runs until October 2011. Festivals offer a rare chance to test concepts quickly and to work along a short and productive timeline.
‘Tiny Taxonomy’ is an installation that attempts to highlight the beauty and frailty of nature’s most inconspicuous players: the plants of the forest ecosystem. It offers a rare occasion to isolate certain specimens in their natural habitat by elevating these species from their traditional position underfoot, on the forest floor. The species are arranged into a taxonomy of 42 individuals, in order to better appreciate the natural variations of leaf, shape, texture and quality that are represented in the Boreal forest ecosystem.
The forest forms the connection between the vegetation and the soil. It is usually covered with a litter of rapidly decomposing vegetation and organic matter, which are being broken down into usable nutrients. The species that thrive in this shady paradise are robust and delicate- pushing their way through the earth to reach a fragment of sunlight. Despite their critical role in succession, they tend to be overlooked as they grow underfoot and rarely have a chance to be appreciated at eye level. The aim of ‘TinyTaxonomy’ in particular is to unpack and re-present the garden, inviting visitors to consider the beauty of individual species.
‘Tiny Taxonomy’
Designer: r.s.e|Rosetta Sarah Elkin, Landscape Architect
Client: International Garden Festival,Les Jardins Metis
Location: Metis, Québec, Canada
Year Competition: selection 2009, Installation 2010- 2011
