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Giant Globe Artichokes for Raymond Blanc
Launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2005.
Giant globe artichokes have been specially produced for Raymond Blanc’s hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison. They will be on view at this year’s show before they are permanently installed as a three metre high entrance feature to the beautiful house and gardens.
They have been created by sculptor, Lloyd Le Blanc and cast into bronze in his foundry and studios in Leicestershire. The sculptor and chef have a long standing friendship having worked together since the early days of Le Manoir. | |
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Guests of Le Manoir gardens will be very aware of Raymond Blanc’s love of sculpture. He has commissioned many pieces over the years, by both Lloyd Le Blanc and Lloyd’s partner, Judith Holmes Drewry to grace his beloved gardens.
Raymond Blanc’s passionate drive for perfection means change and development are an ongoing process in all aspects of life at Le Manoir. Changes are as much afoot now as they were twenty years ago. The garden is certainly a major attention area for the mercurial Blanc. The garden evolves into an ever more beautiful and productive place. Even the car park catches his discriminating eye as he repeatedly gesticulated in his dramatic French manner, “I can’t have my guests first greeting to be a row of cars”.
Debate ensued between him, Anne Marie, the head gardener and the sculptors over how to make the first impression of Le Manoir something both intriguing and relevant. Beautiful goes without saying, as all things at Le Manoir must be.
As Le Blanc describes Blanc, “Raymond is well known for his dramatic outbursts of wild and wonderful inspiration. Catching the one that can evolve into reality is what becomes my creation for him.”
Globe artichokes were the chef’s inspiration that caught the sculptors’ imagination. The creation commenced with numerous meetings, playing with wooden cut outs and making clay studies. The complicated process of casting the real thing then began. Meanwhile at Le Manoir, Anne Marie and her team of gardeners are planning the excavation and planting of the site in preparation for the arrival of the sculpture. |
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