The African Vision: Malawi Garden

Project year: 2015
Posted: 26 Nov, 2015

Awarded

Gold Medal

Sponsor

African Vision Malawi

Other Materials

Highland Red Rockery

Details

Designed by Gabrielle Evans and built by Marmalade Jam Landscapes, the African Vision: Malawi Garden was inspired by the issues Africa faces with famine.

A powerful message was presented as African Vision Malawi strived to promote the practice of sustainable planting to build resilient communities and combat famine. An infinity mirror at the garden’s centre creates the appearance of fields of maize stretching into the distance; the nature of the illusion forces the observer to question whether food security can be achieved by relying on a single crop. Alternatives to this are shown in the key planting areas surrounding the illusion.

The Three Sisters Bed contains three crops that benefit each other: maize provides a structure for beans to climb, the beans fix nitrogen into the soil, and the squash spreads along the ground, helping prevent weeds and creating a microclimate that helps retain moisture in the soil. The Keyhole Gardens are particularly efficient in hot climates as they hold moisture and nutrients due to an active compost pile placed in the centre of a round bed. The raised beds are built from sustainable earth building methods. The Wild Garden displays traditional medicinal plants and beneficial flowers, showing Malawi’s great diversity

Products used:
Red Felsite Aggregate
Black Basalt Aggregate