LUST: RACHEL PARKER SODEN [INTERVIEW]
Green fingers and red lights arenât two things that necessarily go hand-in-hand but thanks to designer Rachel Parker Soden, thatâs exactly what unsuspecting visitors to this yearâs Hampton Court Flower Show will be getting.
Rachelâs âLustâ conceptual garden is designed to replicate a brothel in response to the flower showâs wonderfully unorthodox theme of seven deadly sins; the idea being that visitors to show are voyeurs to the sex lives of plants.
 Taking inspiration straight from the 1980s black comedy Withnail & Iâs quote âflowers are essentially tarts â prostitutes to beesâ, the garden will boast a Amsterdam-style canal, phallic cacti and a beautifully crafted glass house illuminated by strip club signage.
Now thatâs unorthodox for you.
www.rachelparkersoden.co.uk
www.rhs.org.uk/rhs-hampton-court-palace-flower-show
HOW DID YOU COME TO BE A LANDSCAPE DESIGNER? WAS IT SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO?
Iâve always had a love of nature and wild places, but it was only about seven years ago that I first had a garden. I remember that feeling on the first morning in our new home, putting the kettle on and stepping out of the back door into what was now our little plot of the world and having an immediate connection with the outside world. It took a few years before it became clear that garden design was what I had been waiting for, encapsulating my passion for materials, texture, form, structure, nature, architecture, design and my new found love of gardening.
YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN FINE ART AND SCULPTURE - HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE THAT INTO YOUR LANDSCAPE DESIGN?
It has made me aware of how much bad commercial garden art is out there, which is a shame as there are so many talent artists out there making unique, beautiful, innovative and challenging art work that is ideal for gardens. I love working with clients to find the perfect piece for their outdoor space.
But how do I incorporate my fine art and sculpture background in my design work? Well, I donât think it is something I necessarily consciously do, but I am sure it manifests itself in someway in most of the things that I do. I feel privileged that I was able to explore my love of materials, structure and form through art, and to work creatively without a brief, I think this definitely has an impact on how I see and react to spaces, and on how I work. There are of course projects, like Lust, where I really get to work creatively and conceptually.
Without a doubt, I think my art training helps my work as a designer, however I work in quite an emotive way and it can sometimes be difficult to take a step back and remember that it is design and not art, and that I am running a business. I know I spend way more time than I should on projects but I know Iâm not alone with this issue!
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR LUST?
As the theme was the seven deadly sins, I thought this was a great opportunity to create something unexpected, go a little dark and to play with peopleâs reactions.
Lust is really just an amplification of the relationship between the flower show visitor lusting over blooms and the flowers principle purpose as the reproductive centre of the plant. Lust re-contextualises the show garden as a brothel or live sex show, in its own red light district where the show visitor is a voyeur on the sex lives of plants.
THE CONCEPT OF LUST IS A BROTHEL, IS THIS SIMPLY BOLD LANDSCAPE DESIGN OR A METAPHOR FOR WIDER SOCIAL ISSUES?
For me, personally, there is underlying theme within the garden with wider social issues, which pushed me to want to provoke people to acknowledge sex, where there is sex. Our prudishness and moral stance on prostitution in the UK, an industry that will exist and thrive, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, and the subsequent law, that fails to offer those that choose to become sex workers any real safety without breaking the law. Stands in strong contrast to the safety at work laws that every other industry is afforded. Is that really morality?
As part of my research for the garden I went to Amsterdamâs Red Light District, as memories of a previous visit had definitely influenced the development of the design. A walking tour of the area is run by Mariska at the Prostitute Information Centre, it is such an interesting insight into how a tolerant and regulated system works, and I would recommend everyone to go on the tour.
HOW HAVE PEOPLE REACTED TO LUST?
âReally?!â, is a common response, but I donât think Iâve had a negative reaction⌠yet! Iâm expecting a mixed reaction at the show, but I want that, Iâve sold it to my team that there are going to be some great people watching opportunities.
WITH HAMPTON COURT'S SEVEN DEADLY SINS THEME, DO YOU THINK GARDENING AND FLOWER SHOWS ARE SHAKING OFF THEIR REPUTATION FOR ATTRACTING AN OLDER, MORE TRADITIONAL AUDIENCE?
The horticulture industry has been working hard to appeal to younger people, and there seems to be quite a lot of initiative being taken by young horticulturists to promote the trade, and to engage others. It was very apparent at this yearâs Chelsea Flower Show that they were really trying to push the âthereâs lotâs of young designers hereâ message. However, through all the beauty, and it was beautiful, I found Chelsea very safe, they call it the catwalk of the horticulture industry, but I struggled to find the avant garde, with the clear exception of Sophie Walkerâs Cave Pavilion. Sponsors stump up colossal budgets, and they want a return on that investment, and everyone is after those gold medals.
Maybe the budgets have got so big at Chelsea that risks are harder to take, but the RHS shows at Hampton Court and Tatton Park, have had some exciting conceptual and themed gardens for some time now. These garden categories are part funded by the RHS, which I feel, helps with creative freedom for the designers as there is less need to have an overall sponsor. I am really hoping that the seven deadly sins theme will promote the conceptual gardens at Hampton Court to a wider audience, there is certainly scope to. I would love to see the inspire zone of the show become a feature that gets young people excited about horticulture and garden design, for the RHS to go all out and do something unexpected. I think they are trying to, I have worked with the shows team, and they are young, enthusiastic and energetic, but their core members and visitors, that âolder, more traditional audienceâ ultimately fund their work, and they are a gardening charity, with a focus on plants.
YOU FOUNDED RACHEL PARKER SODEN DESIGN STRAIGHT AFTER GRADUATING, WHAT IS IT ABOUT BEING YOUR OWN BOSS THAT WAS SO APPEALING?
Creative control. I have the freedom to make the decisions that not only effect the future of my business, but also how it will affect my family and my career in the long run. I really enjoy working with other people though and collaborate on a projects frequently. Having someone to bounce ideas off can quickly progress a project, and sharing knowledge is invaluable.
LUST IS MADE UP OF SO MANY DIFFERENT UNIQUE COMPONENTS - CACTI, SIGNAGE - BUT WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
I do love the neon lighting, I have been waiting for a project to use neon, Iâm always trying to sneak some in.I am a big fan of Chris Bracey, and would love to use his work in future projects. I actually have an interesting concept for a Chelsea garden with his work⌠I first need to find a sponsor who is up for something a bit âun-Chelseaâ though!
LASTLY WHERE CAN YOU BE FOUND WHEN YOUR NOT WORKING?
If I am not walking my demanding Springer Spaniel, or knee deep in mud on the allotment, then I do like to scrub up, get into town and meander round and see some art.