This garden draws on the sounds, scents and materials of Vietnam, while simultaneously evoking the landscape environment of the St. Lawrence river, site of Metis Garden Festival.
Paths of stark white seashells wind through a carpet of locally collected green algae, vetiver grasses dotted with wild irises and Himalayan blue poppies. In the centre of the garden, a saffron-colored lantern looms oversized and weightless in a reflecting pond, where an orange grove mysteriously rises. The lantern, fabricated according to traditional Vietnamese construction techniques, is made from lining fabric, hand dyed with Iranian Sargol Saffron.
Upon entering the lantern, visitors discover a unique fragrance inspired by scents of the sea, zest of seaweed crushed underfoot, and incense in a temple.
