Page 25 - Landscape-Issue150

The South African display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 2025. It was made up of 25 000 stems of fynbos.

The display was inspired by the Indian and Atlantic oceans which have given rise to a Designer Leon Kluge and his gold medal
multitude of habitats, from the fynbos of the Cape to the sub-tropical greenery of KZN.

A canyon dominated the design, which cut through a mountain of Proteas to reveal The hand-woven basket was assembled on site and cradles the entire floral
waterfalls and cliffs planted up with cliff-dwelling plants of the eastern escarpment. installation. It symbolises South Africa as the ‘fynbos basket of the world’ and
Rooibos tea bags were soaked in the water to portray the amber coloured water of Kluge describes it as a visual metaphor for the country’s role in global biodiversity
Cape mountain streams. conservation.
out of the mossy walls of the giant ravine. with its dramatic, living cliffs. To portray the the world”. Kluge described it as a visual
Other plants from the summer rainfall amber-coloured water of Cape mountain metaphor for the country’s role in global
areas included the striking Sandersonia streams, hundreds of Rooibos tea bags were biodiversity conservation.
aurantiaca or Christmas Bells, as well as soaked in the water to give it a typically The display was sponsored by the Grootbos
Flame Lilies. South African flavour. Foundation and Hazendal Wine Estate.
The Storms River mouth, located on the A hand-woven basket assembled on site
border of the Western and Eastern Cape, held the floral installation and symbolised Information supplied by Leon Kluge.
inspired the construction of the ravine South Africa as the “fynbos basket of Photos by Sven Musica. n

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