European women to build gardens for World Peace

Four European women will be travelling half way across the world to build gardens for world peace and compete for medals for their individual countries at Japan’s Gardening World Cup this October.

The four garden designers include Britain’s Sarah Eberle, Jo Thompson, (pictured) who is based in England but has an Italian background and will represent Italy, Anouk Vogel who is based in Amsterdam, who will represent the country of her birth, Switzerland and Maro Avrabou who lives near Paris, representing France.

The women have been invited to compete in this year's event which takes place in the 17th century Dutch replica theme park, Huis Ten Bosch, which is a theme park the size of Monaco near Nagasaki. Because of its proximity to Nagasaki the event is based on a peace theme which this year will be, 'gardens for world peace and a prayer for Japanese recovery.'  The event, which opens on Saturday 8th October, is being held in aid of the victims of the Japanese Tsunami.

A total of 16 garden designers, four female and 12 male, have been picked to represent 12 countries and five continents. Unlike other garden design competitions, the playing field is made equal with fixed budgets and pitch sizes and will enable visitors to see 'peace' gardens by the best designers from Australia, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

In the Show Garden category, Sarah Eberle's 'Finding Unity' will illustrate how gardening crosses cultures, politics and religion and engages with nature in a healing experience. Her design offers a contemporary European interpretation of 'motifs' for peace – the Japanese Hill and Pond, the Greek Elysium Fields and the English Picturesque.

Jo Thompson's 'The Reconnection Garden' is a place of retreat to be with others to discuss and connect – a place to be alone. She will create a peaceful grove with three large olive trees and a rippling pool to add to the feeling of calm.

Anouk Vogel and Maro Avrabou are both exhibiting in the Courtyard Category. Anouk's design 'Folding for Peace' features white origami style paper plants to link to an ancient Japanese legend. Maro Avrabou (with Dimitri Xenakis) has chosen 'Flower Power' as her theme with a design that is a humorous reference to the slogan used in the late 60’s symbolising peace and non-violence.

Designers have two weeks to build their gardens for a show that last year saw 100,000 people visit in the first week. It was so popular that it was extended by a further three months!

You can find out more information about the Gardening World Cup by logging on to:
www.gardeningworld.cup.com

Picture Credit: ©Garden Designer Jo Thompson