Field and Forest

A view of the Trie Cloister Garden. Photo by the author

«Each of the gardens at The Met Cloisters has its own unique character. This year, we replanted the Trie Cloister Garden, our smallest, most intimate cloistered garden. After more than four years of conservation and restoration work, we reintroduced the garden to this jewel of a cloister.»

The Trie Garden historically was designed to mimic the verdant setting of the Museum's cherished Unicorn Tapestries, and was modeled specifically after the millefleur, or thousand flower, composition so beloved by those in the Middle Ages. The iconic Unicorn in Captivity is a perfect example of the millefleur style. In this tapestry, after a dramatic hunt, the docile unicorn is tethered to a pomegranate tree amidst a field of flowers. Studded with violets, lilies, irises, daisies, pinks, and other spring ephemerals, the tapestries adorned the halls of stately homes, providing the residents a glimpse of spring during the harsh northern-European winters.

A video of Met staff installing the soil and fountain basin in the Trie Garden on day one of replanting. Time Lapse by Andrew Winslow and photos by Michael Ostergren

In past plantings, just as in the millefleur tapestries, the Trie Garden was planted as a single field of predominately spring-blooming plants species. By midsummer, the flowers would subside. In our new design, we wanted to extend the bloom time and add four-season interest. To do this required that we incorporate a broader plant palette and create a unifying design.

One of the unique aspects of The Met Cloisters experience is that gardens and galleries are interpreted side by side. In accordance with this tradition, we kept the tapestries as the garden's primary inspiration. In the seven tapestries, there are several distinct ecological environments. The first and last tapestries in the series depict the aforementioned millefleur style. The other five tapestries are set in open woodlands, along streambanks, and at the forest edge where field meets forest. These transition zones are areas of incredible biodiversity. To recreate this richness of flora, the weavers incorporated an astounding variety of species.

While some of the plants, such as citrus and date palm, were insufficiently hardy to have survived outdoors, most of the flora depicted in the tapestries is indigenous to Europe. We chose certain species in the tapestries as anchor plants and framed them with a variety of European native flora, which were selected for foliage and sequence of bloom. One common motif that unites all of the tapestries is the presence of grasses. Whether in forest or field, grasses blanket the tapestries. Likewise, in the Trie Garden we fully utilize grasses to underpin the entire composition. Arching, dark green sedges, fine fescues, and tufts of rushes provide a lush, verdant landscape.

A video of day two of replanting the garden. Time Lapse by Andrew Winslow and photos by Michael Ostergren

We also divided the garden into quadrants to add a sense of order to an otherwise wild garden planting. Travertine pavers radiate out from the central fountain in four directions. This quartering is typical of medieval garden design and is repeated in our other gardens. With the Trie Garden divided into quadrants, the plantings give a semblance of repetition. Along the four paths, we chose lower-growing species, such as angel hair fescue, creeping thymes, sea thrift, and Scottish harebell. The pathways represent the open meadows. Then, we tiered larger perennials and shrubs up to the center of each quadrant. The centers of the quadrants represent the flora of open woodlands. Around the fountain, we planted species associated with water. The final composition will combine elements from field and forest. Thus, the Trie Garden can more fully reflect the entire ecology of the tapestries.

The inclusion of our wild garden in the midst of a cloister adds a particular joy for gardeners. The enameled mead, or flowering meadow, which is thought to be a modern trend in gardens, was clearly beloved by those in the Middle Ages. In yet another way, gardens and plants bring us closer to our predecessors.