'The KING's GARDEN'
Diarmuid Gavin & Steve Simpson
This was a HUGE project, KING SIZE in fact!
Firstly, I'm not an architect or an engineer, I have never done anything like this before (apart from the Royal gates I designed for the Queen's jubilee last year)
Back in November 2022 garden designer, Diarmuid Gavin, asked to me to create a poster that would help illustrate his idea for a new garden to the Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council in Northern Ireland. Just 6 crazy months later the King and Queen came and officially opened the garden. This is my involvement in the project ☞
The King's Garden Poster
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/1bb294fb-9636-44b0-bf3c-19c42200e1bf_rw_1920.jpg?h=89a9ad5ff05bfa50fda3a58e7cae48a9)
Initial garden concept poster
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/d877bd3e-79a9-47cd-8025-65556073ccbf_rw_1920.jpg?h=181f230202afd42765d000a5cc18d2dd)
inspiration
Designing the Pavilion and Gates
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/634f54d4-2af5-463e-bd69-e1c08c6b3e8f_rw_1920.jpg?h=31e2001adbad296171149bec9859c9ae)
The old bowling green was the site of the new garden to celebrate the King's Coronation
Here Diarmuid has indicated the approximate position/size of the pavilion
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/99acef63-751b-40aa-8cd3-3756f0560970_rw_1200.jpg?h=db69e82c5ec112fc5caaf2b1433117cc)
Some very quick initial sketches for the pavilion
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/aef08beb-0a84-4616-8e48-8a8f3c651565_rw_1920.jpg?h=3a95b67103993637499335f218e85512)
Diarmuid's architectural design
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/0da48fde-62a0-46cf-803d-0e1cc38b5afc_rw_1200.jpg?h=73c280886aa0cf492c0f51c5ede43a90)
my sketches for the details - arches and balustrade
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/36d6c521-a80c-4508-88f7-930297933c54_rw_1200.jpg?h=ce6466d527b31d385c1b3b5b2727dbfd)
I wanted to include some of the elements from the first poster as well as the national flowers of the 4 countries of the UK
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/51cbb878-72dd-4ded-b5eb-a91a116ad925_rw_1920.jpg?h=94f8e95ce72c4fa97ac1483e7b4410f2)
This huge planter concept never happened but I still like the idea :))
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/55d8f940-c2ba-4bae-8a89-be5d3a3bd4bc_rw_1200.jpg?h=2707027b463d7345cbed95b2d7651818)
Lots of birds are featured on the Pavilion, the gates and in the garden
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/04d9f26c-11fe-4d5d-829d-90bc3b77153a_rw_1200.jpg?h=5a174e17c6decbce95a5aa0544a70905)
All my designs assembled over the structural design. I was using the King as a size guid -
had no idea he would actually come and open it (I got his jacket colour right too :))))))
The Build
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/fa6b0555-335b-44a7-af11-93fa229595a2_rw_1920.jpg?h=f19e48c207af0098e9064f3aaa48d5b3)
The bare bone in place
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/d9de0499-f892-4d62-806a-66aa7875be3c_rw_1920.jpg?h=c50c7ddd5b32f8ebe9d496881ed55d9c)
When I saw this photo I started to realise just how big this thing was going to be!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/99df6105-0dad-47fe-b747-38ec0ac2ae34_rw_1920.jpg?h=7b4d09795681d932207ce5244ecd922f)
The insanely talented Barry McCann at work
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/f9cae276-7f52-4ddf-84b6-fd235fdc7d2d_rw_1920.jpg?h=795e37c6d0c3f772cf720ce08e0d5eb1)
Here with the talented Diarmuid on site
A Royal Opening
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/bcaedd42-3f90-4dd6-928b-204ced5baf7a_rw_1200.jpg?h=937fc76d02c2d5bb20367328dc39a955)
Love these details
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/3bb49af7-07ba-4f35-87df-03012795ed6b_rw_1200.jpg?h=01901a0b4edd7cd83d720537797ec100)
Lots of pomp and ceremony involved in the King and Queen's visit. We were all sworn to secrecy about the visit
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/5c9bebbf-8e34-4140-aea2-bfa093b36cd6_rw_1200.jpg?h=4e47f6dcf29ed38d7855a5b0cfa801d9)
sadly this piece of metal work never got made
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/25085a06-2631-4060-a759-1b8865751970_rw_1200.jpg?h=3e7da8b4af037bfa7076c29f06b03049)
The gates!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/58d212e1-baaa-4357-8023-ac2641d12a5e_rw_1200.jpg?h=6dd0bbebb7b0fa6fee2e4793e5cb2698)
This was the money shot - so good :))))
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/08f14096-b47c-40ed-b391-38cda1b97ac7_rw_1200.jpg?h=8df1e29bc7ab953d26d164260a1b75a9)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/1ada08eb-7157-4be4-a67f-54dff908a230_rw_1920.jpg?h=104c7e78cb599c2ef68877c6ddff089d)
My mum was so proud I'd got to meet the King 👑 :)))
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/4bebcee3-667b-4bef-96b0-92973e71f39d_rw_1920.jpg?h=934ed8a14acdbcb2e29d31ee398d1a7b)
From the Council's website .... Officially opened on Wednesday 24 May by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the Coronation Garden is an ornate three floor pavilion topped by a crown. Diarmuid Gavin's magnificent Coronation Garden treats visitors to a musical performance of dancing topiary and spinning conical trees every fifteen minutes. more info and photos
The Coronation Garden Commemorative Poster
The poster was commissioned as a gift to the King and Queen on their visit to the Coronation Garden, 24th May 2023.
Available to purchase 320 x 320 mm - 12.6 x 12.6"
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/655861a1-8cc5-4eed-b8d0-0b0176b22b8a_rw_1920.jpg?h=87f50e3f6eb8dbe81489a77c81e9605e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/f854c8b0-df15-45da-a966-f6fef0ace6a2_rw_1920.jpg?h=b2aa76a10fbc9ddcfa14c353fb6eeb20)
buy poster here
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/9768fce2e7e9f3f0a30c7d2a0425eee3/92770767-151b-494f-993f-ac8a1ec5df09_rw_1200.jpg?h=4f01d9102d20c003d57a1b000a655fee)
Thanks for checking out this project - If you are visiting Northern Ireland the garden is close to Belfast - well work a visit.
All appreciations and comments are very much appreciated:))
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