The beginning of an extraordinary project
Edward James came to Xilitla in 1945 and started a project that today is recognized for its natural beauty and cultural relevance.
The initial project
It all began at La Conchita Ranch, which Edward James acquired with the help of his friend Plutarco Gastélum, where the initial project was focused on the cultivation of orchids, bromeliads, as well as other exotic and native plants.
From an incredibly early age, Edward had established an intimate relationship with nature and the open field. From his mother and stepfather, he had understood gardening as a therapeutic or meditative act, premise that he then applied at his garden in Xilitla.
A shelter to wild animals
James envisioned his garden also as a refuge for native and exotic animals. In Xilitla, the Englishman wanted to bring together multiple species so they could live happily in a paradisiacal place.
An unusual snowfall
Keeping the garden alive was no easy task, the extreme climate of the region made it a challenge. In 1962, an unusual frost fell in Xilitla, causing many of the planted orchids to die.
Flower fountain (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
A new beginning
It was the death of the orchids in 1962 that allowed La Conchita Ranch the opportunity to reborn and become something different than what it used to be. When the flowers died, the English poet began the construction of a series of structures made of concrete.
Flower sculpture (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
The concrete garden
Faced with such devastation and death, James came up with the idea of building a concrete garden with structures that would look like trees, plants, and flowers and that would never die under extreme weather.
The crown (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
A sanctuary
These structures were intended, in part, to be buildings that could turn into a sanctuary for the animals he loved so much, as well as to embody the flowers and vegetation of the place. The buildings were since the beginning, conceived as part of the natural environment.
Moss rug (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
A fiction of ruin
Edward created in his garden a fictitious time, where past and present coexisted, and his constructions would remain through the pass of time like ruins.
Carpentry studio (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
Drawings, postcards, and photographs
The workers that participated under the Garden´s construction interpreted James' wishes from drawings, postcards and photographs of places and objects that were totally unknown to them.
The House of the parrots (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
Builders of dreams
The Sculpture Garden is not only a network of stylistic references that comprise James's imaginary, but also involves, at the same time, both Plutarco Gastélum's and that of the large team of workers who, for years, made James’s Garden a dream come true.
Seagulls and light flashes (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
The constant dialogue
Thus, the garden materializes the knowledge of its creator, together with the constant dialogue that he managed to establish with a group of workers, especially with those in charge of translating his desires into material.
Mushroom dragons (1947/1984) by Edward JamesJardín Escultórico Edward James, Las Pozas
From paper to concrete
From verbal descriptions, postcards, photographs and drawings, the two-dimensional concepts and images were brought to a three-dimensional plane.
Text from: Pedro and Elena Hernández Foundation CSO, 2019, unpublished work.
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