After the botanical expeditions of the 18th Century, new plant species from other continents were introduced into the Caribbean. Between 2014 and 2017 we created a 500m2 botanical garden, subdivided into six continents, in which we placed over 1,000 plants from 130 different species found in Haiti, arranged according to their geographic area of origin. Within a corporate rectangular structure, inspired by a medieval Roman cloister, we redesigned a classical space by adding curves and rounded forms, that are more akin to the Caribbean spirit. The medieval fountain, draped with papyrus plants and water hyacinths, attracted hummingbirds, butterflies, dragonflies…
We built a variety of raised plant beds to separate the plants from the layer of debris covering the part of the sea that is now occupied by our client’s offices, thus avoiding reverse osmosis: Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe, America and Antarctica, symbolised by a fountain, became the homes of autochthonous plants, with unexpected results. Although the climate remained unchanged, we varied the soil composition and the frequency of watering, and we turned the light into our ally to create a balanced and fertile ensemble, at a distance of less than 1000m from the sea, in a climate that was both semi-desert and saline.
