15/03/2021
When you think "formal garden"—or even "landscape design"—the first thing to come to mind likely isn't "kid-friendly." But a recent garden by Alexandra Bolinder-Gibsand for Christine London, Ltd. might make you rethink that notion. The design—which includes a fruit orchard, playhouse, and a built-in trampoline—is the new recipient of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art's first-ever Bunny Mellon Landscape Design Prize, named for the socialite, philanthropist, and passionate horticulturalist behind the White House Rose Garden. And, suffice it to say, it's every kid's (and nature-loving adult's!) dream.
Bolinder-Gibsand's own love of the outdoors began early in life: "My grandparents had a house in Sweden with lots of trees and they allowed me to run free in the garden—I think that's how I started appreciating the natural world," she recalls. This same idea of harmony between young people and nature was a foundational part of her award-winning project.
"We approached this project as an opportunity for both children and adults," Bolinder-Gibsand tells House Beautiful. "We tried to imagine the kids being able to run around and utilize the spaces as opposed to having the rigidity of a formal garden."
