The gardens at Waddesdon offer a rose garden, woodland walks, formal plantings, wild meadow, an aviary, quite delightful extraordinary 3D carpet bedding, the famed parterre and a collection of contemporary sculpture including work by Sarah Lucas, Stephen Cox, Richard Long and Angus Fairhurst.

The Rothschilds were champions of carpet bedding a flamboyant, high Victorian style of gardening, seen most famously at Waddesdon on the Parterre.

Following the restoration of this part of the garden in 1994, the colour and design of the two large beds on either side of the fountain have different themes every year, which link the Garden with exhibitions in the Collection. I was invited to design a planting that will be laid out in May 2013. The design developed from a piece of C17th chinoiserie brussels lace featuring bridges, carp and firebirds. Although these elements do not actually feature it is the fluid pictorial qualities of the lace I have chosen to emulate – my intention to bring a piece of fabric to life through the planting of 28,000 bedding plants as a living drawing.