Sarah Eberle has taken inspiration from the work of highly-acclaimed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi and the modern arts movement in Barcelona, with a strong use of colour and a Mediterranean style to indicate the character of the vibrant city. This garden is sponsored by Viking Cruises with the plants supplied by Piante Faro in Sicily and Kelways Nurseries.

Q&A with the garden designer, Sarah Eberle:

When did you first start working on the original design and how long did it take to perfect?

When Viking Cruises asked me to put forward a proposal based on a European destination the idea was immediate and the initial sketch stage produced quickly. Immediate responses are usually genuine however the proposal is constantly developed and subject to minor changes as we go.

What are the stand out features of this particular garden?

The garden is presented as a small courtyard sized garden and takes Gaudi’s organic use of natural materials and his use of mosaic as its main influence. The garden is richly textural and colourful and consists of three curved walls using a single type of stone in three different ways. A perimetre rill plays on the use of the irrigation rill in Mediterranean gardens and links the elements together.

Did the sponsor provide a detailed brief? If so, how did you interpret this within your design?

Yes, the client produced a brief that illustrates their requirements and my job is to interpret that in a 3 dimensional way. In essence, Gaudi is a major part of Barcelona’s art scene and his work is organic, textural and occasionally colourful. These are the main features within the garden at Chelsea.

What is so special about having a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show?

It is the horticultural equivalent of London Fashion Week – exciting, challenging, stressful, career forming and fun.

How do you hope the public/visitors will perceive this garden? 

I hope they are excited by it and inspired and enthused enough to try and use their own garden to reflect on their own travels.

Q&A with the contractor, Belderbos Landscapes:

What are you most looking forward to about the build?

Working alongside Sarah Eberle again, she is a decisive designer with a clear vision who doesn’t flap under pressure. Although hugely experienced Sarah is always willing to listen to other ideas and ask for suggestions.

What’s going to be the biggest challenge on the build?

For a relatively small garden there is a great deal of different materials and methods of construction. Coordinating several different trades with set targets working in a compact space is bound to create a healthy amount of pressure.

Are specialist contractors required for any elements?

Most of the elements including the water feature rills, the rubble walls and the Gaudi tiles are being constructed by specialists.

If you could take one thing away with you from this garden, what would it be?

The wavy concrete bench is quite cool, I would take the ceramic tiled wall but think that has Sarah’s name on already.

Do you think the judges have enough knowledge of the complexity of construction when deciding on the medals?

I only know one judge and she’s designing the garden – unfortunately I doubt she’ll be judging this year. With a record number of gold medals at Chelsea Sarah probably knows more than most about the mechanics of building a garden.

Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking Cruises UK, said: “The Viking Cruises Garden of Inspiration will bring all the vibrancy and excitement of Barcelona to life. This city is always a popular destination with our guests, and we are delighted Sarah is drawing inspiration from its distinctive art and culture.”