Kincardine Castle, one of Scotland’s impressive Victorian houses has a large walled garden, surprisingly like a type of 17th century Safavid or Mughal garden known as a chahar bagh which means four gardens. Those gardens reflected an idea of Paradise to be found in Koranic and Old Testament scripture. They inspired many a poem and mystical canton. The word Paradise comes from Old French paradis, via Greek paraedeisos meaning ‘enclosed park or garden’. The imagery of these gardens was transposed to carpets such as the world famous Wagner Garden Carpet in The Burrell Collection and the Jaipur Garden Carpet in India.
In 2016 the owners of Kincardine Castle, Andrew and Nicky Bradford, commissioned The Nomads Tent to weave a carpet that would reflect their own paradise garden. This massive (830 x 415cm) carpet was designed by acclaimed landscape architect, Laura Mackenzie. The carpet was woven with natural dyes in India by Vijay Thakur of Cottage Crafts of India and will be exhibited at The Nomads Tent from 8th April until 1st May 2022 after which it will go to the grand dining room at Kincardine Castle.
The exhibition will include The Kincardine Kilim Collection, also designed by Laura Mackenzie.
By John Drake with photographs by Berrin Torolsan
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
