Christian Preaud studied architecture in Paris and then went on to work in the film industry, working on set decoration and undertaking jobs from Production Assistant to Assistant Director and Producer. Christian found this very interesting until there was little left to learn.
During this time, Christian kept very close to his passion for gardens and nature. So when the question arose to continue in a job that he did not want to progress with anymore or to follow a new path, the opportunity came for Christian to study at the famous Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage de Versailles. Christian did not hesitate at this opportunity and went back to school at the ‘grand’ age of 42 years old to study landscape design.
What inspired you to become a landscape designer?
My inspiration came from my childhood memories; the rays of sunlight through the bamboo grove, the broken up shadows on the sand, the majestic giant cypress sitting in the middle of the lawn – its branches offering me shelter for long birdwatching – and the smell of the wet moss under my feet, mixed with the smell of the cut leaves when trimming the box tree.
Who has been your greatest influence?
My grandmother. It was in her garden in Dinard where I developed my love of gardens and plants. There was a tiny little wood greenhouse going back to my great-grandmother – I spent hours in there. A vine grew within it, giving shade to the seedlings and grapes. I experimented with all kinds of seeds, cuttings and grafting. I sheltered little bonsais picked up from the cliffs by the sea, growing in cracks filled with barely a handful of dirt.
Which commercial project are you most proud of and why?
A very recent highlight; I have just started a project in Italy for which Atelier Jardins is in charge of designing the whole house as well as the garden. It is a major accomplishment for me that my beliefs have been heard; a house and garden are both the same living space that need to be worked on as one entity.
What type of plants do you commonly use in your designs?
For each design, I am very cautious about soil, climate and natural local flora. One must learn from what nature tells you, it makes it possible to grow a garden successfully without wasting water and using a lot of fertilizer and chemicals. If you go against nature your garden will run into all kinds of problems and unavoidable diseases. The plants I use vary with the locations of the projects, but my preferred palette is Mediterranean.
How do you ensure that your designs benefit all year round?
Firstly, you have to plan the evergreen plants within the space. Free or shaped into topiaries and hedges, these plants structure the space giving it a constant design throughout the seasons. They are similar to walls and partitions in a house, they structure views, can open and close spaces and give meaning to areas. On the other hand, you have deciduous plants, flowering shrubs, perennials and annuals that decorate the space that has been created by those evergreen plants. Due to the four seasons, this is a constant shifting palette.
Can you please talk us through your Marrakech project?
Dar Assoura, found in the Derb Lalla Azzouna quarter of the Medina in Marrakech, is a beautiful riad with a simple and pure style of architecture. It is a wonderful restoration by Architect, Christophe Simeon, who has been based in Marrakech for many years now. To enhance this restoration, the owner asked if we could create the garden. We had to discover practical, playful and symbolic places for plants and water, while simultaneously respecting ancestral tradition with contemporary interpretations.
Water flows from the wall into the basin along an irrigation channel called a Tadlakt, literally translated as a ‘refreshing passage’. The pool is decorated with two submerged banks. As the Tadlakt is stone beige it gives the water an almond green colour, this then reflects the leaves of lemon trees, roses and palm trees.
The intimacy, calmness and serenity of this atmosphere is enlivened by birds singing, giving the feeling like you are a world away from the colourful bustle of the nearby Essebtiyine Street.
Can you please talk us through your Vesenaz project?
This land expanse was dotted with a few ornamental trees and apple trees and wasn’t very inviting. The garden was confined to the surroundings of the house. The entire plot had to be reorganised to integrate it into the overall living space of the property.
Between the house and the pool, I designed four patches, each with a different role but part of the same symbolic structure; a vegetable garden, a bed of flowers, a rose garden and a bed of ivy – from which the structure of a beautiful hundred-year-old apple tree emerges.