Sun Harness Garden – Small Show Garden
Hendrik Lepel
Garden Sponsor
About the Garden - Small Garden
The Sun Harness Garden is an educational space, demonstrating how you can create a microclimate within any Irish garden by harnessing the sun’s energy.
The garden’s design incorporates multiple sun traps through the horseshoe-shaped planting scheme. Taller layers of trees provide shelter on the north side, opening to the south and sloping toward the east and west orientations. A sun-rotating glass pavilion seamlessly integrates into the design, bridging the gap between indoor comfort and the serenity of the outdoors, while the dry stone wall acts as a heat store and a habitat for sun-loving plants and animals.
The planting includes a number of edibles, with Malus hupehensis (crab apple) and Corylus avellana (hazel) in the canopy and Vaccinium myrtillus (blueberry) in the understory layer. These form a lush and inviting environment surrounding a tranquil spot where the user can rest and relax on a stone bench nestled under the trees.
About the Designer
Designer Information
Hendrik Lepel developed a passion for gardening during his permaculture studies in Kinsale. A stone mason with a background in construction engineering, he is renowned for crafting award-winning ovens which have featured in numerous Bord Bia Bloom show gardens.
After collaborating with Bloom designers for many years, Hendrik is excited to bring his own show garden to the festival for the first time and sees it as an opportunity to showcase his creativity and crafting skills. With a mission to redefine outdoor living, he is dedicated to crafting unique outdoor sanctuaries that transcend functionality and enrich the senses.
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