by Isabel Duprat

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The plot of land already had all the beauty in the world. How to make this garden an integrated place with so much natural beauty? There are situations in which I think that the project must disappear and that, however difficult the process may develop, it must be so mimicked with the surroundings that, for this reason, it becomes imperceptible. This is not the case with this garden. For some reason I wanted to make the drawing and the thinking appear noticeably clear, even if very delicate, and thus in harmony with the landscape. The reasons for these choices in each project are subjective and I wonder how these decisions happen. As I do not know how to explain them, I think that it does not matter. 

The certainty was that it would be a garden on the sand, a lot of sand opening between large low beds forming blocks of color, like a large mosaic. Masses of light and shadow intertwining like waves that glimpse the sea  etween small openings. 

The house designed by Marcio Kogan was essentially concrete boxes juxtaposed under a large spreading pergola. It coexisted with the beautiful existing amescas (Protium spruceanum), exhaling perfume from its sap and which were carefully preserved with the positioning of the house that we decided on together. All spaces face the northeast, looking at one of the most beautiful of our beaches, a stunning piece of sandbank dotted with native trees to which I incorporated others more in points where the shade would be welcome. Before the start of the construction we opened way for machinery and planted 90 trees, some of them of good size, as semaneia (Samanea saman), rosewood (Dalbergia nigra), Paubrasilia echinata, Pithecellobium, Chrysophyllum cainito, monguba (Pachira aquatica), Eugenia leitonni, mango trees, beach cotton (Hibiscus tiliaceus), bread fruit (Artocarpus altilis), Clusias grandiflora, Jambo (Syzygium jambos), to carpet the ground pink, and so many other trees, many coconut trees next to the future pool, which stood on the edge of a lazy cashew tree. These trees and palm trees were adapted to the terrain and carefully protected and cared for while the house was being erected. While the trees acquired intimacy with their new home, I was shaping my first inspiration. Over the sand I began to unceremoniously spread large Sansevieria beds of different species, with their light crowns, varying heights, shapes, and hues, painting the ground with patches of green and yellow shades, citrus colored bromeliads, pineapples, neomaricas and cacti with the necessary resilience to live by the sea and under the sun.

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I exaggeratedly experienced the strong, graphic and luminous cadence of these plants that joined the native restinga vegetation with countless small uricuri (Syagurus coronata) and caxandó (Allagoptera aronaria) palms.

Next to the borderlines, alpinias, heliconias, Etlingera elatior, Megaskepasmas,  offer their exaggeratedly tropical flowers, along with groups of pitangas (Eugenia uniflora), pomegranates (Punica granatum), Plinia glomerata, Eugenia brasiliensis and Coccoloba uvifera.​ In front of the dirt road, concealing the fence, I continued the forest on the opposite bank, with pitombas (Talisia esculenta), Cassias, Calophyllum Brasiliense and  abirobas (Campomanesia xanthocarpa).

Arrival at the house is through the front garden, between the fence that separates the road and the house. The width at this segment is much smaller than that of the garden facing the sea, offering shade that was already there and, because it is an area more protected from the sea wind, it acquired quite different characteristics. I abused in the use of palm trees with bright trunks, ferns, Calatheas, Philodendrons, receiving those at the entry of the house with lush vegetation along with Musas, Strelitzia augusta, palm trees, closing the front fence.

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For the paths, I chose the white sandstone to mimic the color and texture of the sand and also to make the access steps to the house and the pool envelop.​ As you pass through the pergola, leaving behind this more closed garden, with intricacies to be deciphered, you are surprised to arrive at a garden completely open, which is perceived in its entirety, as if preparing to reveal the open sea. Gradually, its nuances are recognized without haste.  All this done, I remember the first meeting with the client who became a lovely working partner, when he showed me a video of a garden he had made in his home in Provence that he had just sold. The garden was beautiful, immaculate.

It was clear that the expectation with this project on the beach would be fullfilled.

The process was intense and rewarding. A lot of trips to the property, yes, a lot of physical effort too, bringing to an increasingly refined understanding of the place, many exchanges of ideas with the client who almost lived there and as I designed the plant beds. With his involvement and with what he was experiencing the sand gained more space meeting that of the beach amidst the luminous blue of the sea visible even more. 

 

A cheerful job!