After a two-year break Diarmuid Gavin is chasing awards again at the Chelsea Flower Show, this time with an ‘Avatar’ inspired sky garden.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Gavin spoke about his new creation falling out of the sky: “If it falls with no people on it, there’s an exclusion zone at the bottom.
“If it falls while people are on it, well, I’ve got insurance.”
The “it” in question is a 52ft “flying” installation inspired by the Oscar winning film Avatar, the centrepiece of his show garden for Chelsea this year and one of the most audacious projects attempted in the show’s 149 year history.
Shaped like a giant wing, the 'Irish Sky Garden’ will be suspended 82ft above the Royal Hospital gardens from an enormous crane, giving up to eight visitors at a time spectacular views across London.
At ground level, viewers will be able to look up at the flying garden and also see it reflected in 25 perfectly round pools, set amid unusual shrubs, plants and trees from all over the world.
For 47-year-old Gavin, who has not exhibited at Chelsea since 2008, it is an important moment.
He said: “There’s a lot on the line here.
“I’m back at Chelsea and it is also the first time I’m representing Ireland [the project’s principal sponsors are Irish tourist board Failte Ireland, and Cork City Council]. I don’t want to let anyone down.”
Speaking about the garden he said: “It’s all very Tim Burton-esque: slightly wonky, slightly surreal and slightly wrong.
“I wanted to excite people about the idea of a garden that’s influenced by contemporary popular culture.”
This year's show runs from May 24 to 28.
