Last Friday the conference, organized by [APEVC](http://apevc.com), of English garden designer Richard Miers took place at the Barcelona Botanical Institute, in which he showed part of his gardens and explained some of his composition strategies, before a large audience.
During his long career, of almost 18 years, Miers has designed around 60 high-end private gardens, mostly in England, of which at least 30 have been executed. He has also made several internationally recognized ephemeral gardens, due to their relevance in contemporary landscaping, at events such as the 2007 House and Garden Fair in the United Kingdom or the [Gardening World Cup](http://www.gardeningworldcup.com) in 2012 in Japan.
Richard Miers self-defines his style as closer to that of a painter than a poet. His designs seek harmony with the architecture of his clients' classic mansions, working from sensations, colors and symmetries.
At the base of the composition of his designs there are classic elements such as boxwood hedges, topiary-trained trees and geometric flowerbeds where muted colors dominate. However, the symbolism of the lines does not try to create new allegories; simply, as he explains, they are within his mind and take shape differently in each new space.
Alignments and perspectives are fundamental in his designs, because his gardens are born with two functions: to be admired from inside the home and to generate relevant viewpoints when walked through. In addition, another important aspect is the privacy that his gardens ensure, thanks to the use of hedges that create small outdoor rooms and elevated groves that act as a backdrop. Fountains, ponds and sculptures are recurring but not predominant elements.
Throughout the conception process he uses computer three-dimensional tools to conceive the garden and this facilitates remote work with the client and contractors, in many phases of the project. Almost all elements are designed by him, from pots and steps, to fountains and fences. For his clients it is very important that everything is unique and in harmony with the rest of the garden.
The planting plan is the only document he still draws by hand. He chooses species from a palette of about 200 plants, among which there are many violet-colored ones. He discards bright colors like yellow or red, as he considers they do not harmonize with the spirit of his designs.
The selection and marking of species and verification of their phytosanitary conditions are fundamental for him, as he states that the first thing to achieve a good result is to obtain healthy and quality plants.
For maintenance, if the client does not have staff gardeners for garden conservation, he usually advises them on one of his trusted teams and delivers a document with guidelines to follow for proper conservation of his designs. Throughout the year he tries to revisit most of his gardens to see plant development and maintain a direct relationship with the evolution of his creations.
Images: **richardmiers.com**