2024 edition - The life-source garden

Soli vivi

Sols vivants

Festival International des Jardins

Soils form a biological matrix that is essential to the existence of living beings. Perhaps because we do not always see them, they remain little-known and are even ignored. Eroded, compacted, poisoned... Some 10 million hectares of soil are damaged every year. Here, the attention is drawn to this living substrate by bringing it up to eye level. Visitors are guided gradually underground into the first centimetres of soil, which are the most fertile, and then into a ball of earth. Unique lifeforms can be observed all around. The soil is teeming with plant and animal species: bacteria, fungi, algae, springtails, dipterous insects, beetles, etc. Each organism has a specific role to play within the ecosystem.

This biodiversity is stimulated by the choice of plant species which reflect crop-growing techniques that encourage a living soil. Some melliferous plants also improve the fertility and structure of the soil. Tall grasses provide a protective vegetation cover. The trees create a fresh atmosphere and humus when the leaves fall. These are all habitats for small, local animal species that also find sanctuary in nests dotted throughout the garden. In this magnified environment, it becomes obvious that the quality of the soil is a precious source of life. Humans depend on this just as much as other living beings on the planet.

DESIGNERS

Virginie ALEXE, landscaper and gardener, Livia KOLB, landscaper and illustrator

FRANCE

Virginie Alexe is originally from the Alpes-Maritimes. These were the first Mediterranean landscapes that inspired her. She graduated from the Institut d’Urbanisme of Aix-en-Provence in partnership with the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage de Versailles-Marseille, and she is now a landscaper working in the French department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. She has a natural talent for playing with different scales and combining disciplines, taking inspiration from contemporary urban alternatives and from the creative opportunities that arise there. She has also participated in innovative projects related to the development of urban agriculture and the reuse of materials in Paris and Marseille. The expansion of collaborative urban development has most definitely driven her towards a more practical approach, affirming her appreciation for manual work. Bringing together scientific knowledge, technical skills and artistic flair, she breathes life into ideas on site, working together with other people wherever possible. The social dimension has therefore become a key part of her work. In 2022, she moved near the town of Digne-les-Bains. The specific characteristics of this region, marked by its remarkable geological heritage and the considerable local expertise, broadened her work even further. She designs gardens using edible plant species there and often works in partnership with Livia Kolb on projects combining art and landscape.

Livia Kolb is a landscaper who graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure de Paysage. She chose to study landscaping after her studies in art and geography. She was fascinated by both the light revealed in certain paintings (Bonnard, Cezanne, Van Gogh, etc.) and by the geology that determines the plant species that grow in a given habitat. She therefore decided to devote her time to the similarities and specific characteristics of Mediterranean landscapes, being a native of this region herself. Since then, she has been looking into establishing connections between different countries bordering the Mediterranean such as France, Italy, Lebanon and Morocco, while making the most of local resources as the source of creativity. Inspired by these combinations, she now works in Morocco and France on various landscaping projects along with Virginie Alexe. Together, they created the Élever la Terre garden for the Arts et Jardins Hauts-de-France association, and the Folie Folia garden for the Festival des Jardins de la Côté d'Azur, which was awarded the jury prize.