Heritage Garden
Horticulturist: Tom Soulsby

What’s behind the design:
Threads come off the Spool and Thread sculpture at the garden’s center, leading into the planting bed—which is subdivided into eight smaller beds, like spokes on a wheel—and coordinating with the color of flower in that bed. When looking for flowers, we wanted plants that would accentuate but not detract from Spool and Thread; that are reliable and can tolerate full sun; that have consistent growth habits; and that are available in a wide range of colors. Flowers in nearby containers also complement the blooms in the planting bed.

About Spool and Thread:
The Spool and Thread was conceived as a visual connective thread for the Patterned by Nature annual theme, in consideration for the textile-based artist installations throughout the Garden along with the patterned garden beds designed by the Horticulture team. The threads coming off the Spool and Thread into the individual raised flower beds act as another visual cue for visitors to observe the intersection of textile motifs integrated with garden spaces.

Plants used:
In each section of the planting bed, we are using a different color of SunPatiens® impatiens, a bold, colorful, and reliable plant that’s the perfect complement to the Spool and Thread. Each flower color will match a string of thread coming from the spool.

Bio:
Tom Soulsby is a senior horticulturist at the Garden. His gardens are a blank canvas on which plants that he selects paint visually stunning seasonal displays. In addition to his design work, he manages a collection of 5,000 roses in the Krasberg Rose Garden.