Hortus Conclusus

In 2003, the small garden, the “hortus conclusus” – designed by landscape architect Christopher Bradley-Hole from London – which won an award at the Chelsea Flowers Show, came to the garden as a gift from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, former president of the United Arab Emirates.
This modern garden won the gold medal at the world-famous garden show and was rebuilt in Munich on the edge of the public gardens. Christopher Bradley-Hole is an exponent of minimalist garden art, which he exemplifies in his “hortus conclusus.” He establishes the connection of a Marian garden (hortus conclusus) with an Arabic water garden – a beautiful sign of the coexistence of different cultures. In summer, thanks to running water, it is a shady idyll. The garden is therefore also reminiscent of the Moorish gardens of oriental origin in Andalusia, for which the inclusion of running and standing water is stylistic. Also characteristic are clean lines, architectural elements and the certainty of being able to realize such a garden model even in the smallest space.

The Chelsea Flower Show takes place over five days, all objects are actually intended only for this short period. This means that the plant composition will be slightly adjusted little by little. As a formal garden of the most modern kind, it fits perfectly into the eastern garden wing.