GOLD MEDAL AWARDED DURING
PHS PHILADELPHIA 2020
Silver medal awarded during Chelsea Flower Show 2019
« A landscape is a body that speaks out »
A day doesn’t go by without me observing the landscape in action from my Mediterranean eagle’s nest.
The landscape is a body that speaks out, that never stops moving and changing. Every season has its own revolution. The freedom of daylight that dies in the infinite delicacy of the night.
The beauty of the ethereal shades of the mist which stretch out over the hills in the morning, the lightness of the clouds floating on a sublime blue, or the pouring water that loosens from prodigious storms which springs from the ground, soft or furious flowing between rocks. Then finally we have these sovereign bodies, dressed in the essential and fine clothing that vegetation represents and which for ever change the universe before my eyes. They are the source that inspires my life. They are the orchestra that makes the Earth dance.
Laurélie de la Salle
The birth of a garden is based on several combinations between a plot of land, his owner and my knowledge.
The identity of the site by its location, its exposure and the nature of its soil will dictate the initial frame.
Then the customer’s personality, his desires, his imagination of the garden will infuse a rhythm. Is this a showcase place? A space to walk, dream and rest? A laboratory for enlightened amateur, or the reflection of collector soul?
The understanding of these different components, enriched by my sensitive approach of the site, will allow to assemble the living and the inert in a common becoming. A garden is based on the delicate balance between full and empty, the play of water and stone, shade and light, cameo of green punctuated with colors.
Thus is how each and every one of my gardens develops its own personality, in a uniqueness which paints the picture of its owner.
With a scientific background from the Riviera horticultural high school and the university of Science in Marseille, I enriched my education by studying drawing and then entering the Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage de Versailles. After graduating with the jury’s congratulation in 1996, under the guidance of landscape architect Alain Richert, then I worked for a short year for the Jacqueline Osty studio in Paris.
In 1997, I set up my own landscape company in the sunshine of my native Provence.
Since then, I’ve designed more than 100 parks and gardens . Over the years, my love and observation of nature, combined with an awareness of current environmental issues, have led me to put my experience to work in responsible gardens.
Drought-resistant plants, natural pools, organic soil improvers, organic treatments and alternatives to lawns are now the mainstays of my projects. Today, sustainable development is no longer an option but a priority.
Born into a farming family, I’ve been surrounded by plants ever since I was a child. I first wanted to develop my passion for drawing and design by studying applied arts and then architecture. I have a BTS in Space Design and a Master’s degree from the Strasbourg School of Architecture.
After several professional experiences, it became clear that I wanted to reconnect with the world of plants, particularly in the Mediterranean region, as I’m a child of Provence. I passed a specialization certificate and joined Laurélie de la Salle’s studio I help her with her projects and continue to train as a landscape gardener.
At the same time, my passion for travelling and discovering exceptional natural environments led me to become a member of an association developing permaculture in Burkina Faso.
Originally from the Lot, I spent my childhood in the countryside, where chestnut and oak trees punctuated the landscape.
From secondary school onwards, my educational path took a direct turn towards landscape design, leading me to enrol at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture et du Paysage in Bordeaux. During these years, I discovered the wonders of botany and honed my drawing techniques.
Between the end of my studies and the start of my work as a landscape designer, a professional diversion led me to work for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mexico City, Paris, Bangalore – these capitals gave me the opportunity to discover fascinating cultures that helped me grow. Whether we’re talking about Mexico or South India, I’ve been nourished by the beauty of the varied and contrasting landscapes and the exuberance of the vegetation.
In 2021 I moved to Antibes to open another chapter in my professional life, working with Laurélie de la Salle’s studio.
With its springs, its aridity, its seasons, its unique biodiversity and the softness of the Mediterranean Sea, the French Riviera offers plants a magnificent territory on which I can express myself and experiment with extraordinary gardens
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+33 (0)6 64 79 17 55
laurelie@ldls-paysages.com