JARDIN DE METIS, Grand-Métis, Quebec

This competition entry was a collaboration between MLA (Michel Labrie Architect) and Blue+Green Design Studio and. It was submitted to  Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens as part of their annual garden design competition. http://www.jardinsdemetis.com/english/festival/call-for-entries.php

The 2011 theme was the ‘secret garden’. This design juxtaposes an enclosed traditional ‘secret’ garden with an open-source productive garden. It’s Not A Secret! is an experience whose meaning and educational value are discovered through time and movement. The journey’s halfway mark is announced by a neutral space for critical contemplation, education and for transitioning from
one garden to the next. In contrast to the traditional garden, the productive garden is self-sufficient and socially active. It captures rainwater, produces food and actively engages visitors to water the plants, plant their own food, compost and also weed where necessary.

A “You-Grow” zone is available for children to plant their own seeds. Dotting the garden are distinctive red pails intended for seating and watering. Visitors can experience the dramatic differences between the two approaches to nature and their respective social and environmental implications. The need for productive gardens in today’s urban and suburban landscapes is pressing; this must no longer be a secret! The secret gardens of old give way to open, productive gardens for tomorrow’s supportive, emotional and inspiring landscapes.