ENTANGLING GARDEN
“Puhpowee... (means) the force which causes mushrooms to push up from the earth overnight.”
Robin Wall Kimmer
The proposal draws inspiration from the profound ecological and metaphorical significance of fungi. It celebrates the mystery and fecundity of the fungi as the architect of decay and creation.
Competition Entry - 2nd Round | Giarre CT, Italy | 2025
Client: Radicepura Garden
The “Entangling Garden” consists of three primary elements: a carpet of Mediterranean flowering perennials and shrubs, a grid of mycelium poles of varying heights, and a meandering path that snakes through the garden, connecting various zones of pause.
The mycelium poles, serving as the organizing elements within the free-flowing planting carpet, are made from ground-up agricultural waste and is inoculated with fungal spores. In about 2-3 weeks after inoculation, mycelium will develop creating a textured mottled white skin around the poles, hinting at the labyrinth of fungi and plant roots intertwined beneath the soil. Once installed, these poles are kept moist by a mister system to encourage the growth of mushrooms, transforming the garden into a magical landscape in the fall with the appearance of colorful & other wordly fruiting bodies (mushroom) vibing next to the red Valarian, the cool purple Lavender, and orange Bulbine.
As visitors wander along the winding path, they are reminded of the hidden world underneath their feet, though chaotic, is immensely productive and ever-changing. We are immersed in the interconnectedness of all life and are invited to contemplate the sublime, fungal nature of the universe—creative, encompassing, and eternally in flux. Here, in the “Entangling Garden,” we celebrate the hidden chaotic processes beneath the surface that enable the thriving, colorful world above. It is a testament to the hidden forces that make life possible.
