VIP GARDENS: LIFE IN GREEN

Green plots and gardens are the crucial detail in public spaces and homes that brings a gulp of freshness in our lives and makes them more pleasant and tranquil. VIP GARDENS is a company dedicated to the mission to help more people enjoy beautiful, well designed gardens and parks. VIP GARDENS offer landscape design, planting and maintenance, and irrigation systems – everything that a garden and a park need. The company founder, landscape architect Petar Petrov, tells more.

Which are the main trends in landscape architecture in 2024?

Landscape architecture is a field that specialises in innovation, in the future. We, landscape architects, set the trends of the future public and green spaces. With our work today and in the recent past we define the trends in the years and seasons to come.

Petar Petrov

In Bulgaria there is a tangible need for the creation of spacious, comfortable and functional public green spaces in the cities that would attract visitors with their options for recreation, sport, culture and entertainment. Urban planning should focus in this direction with a more large-scale approach and clear strategy and vision for development and creation of public parks. I believe that the trends are moving in this direction.

In private plots and homes, the trends are well ahead of public ones. This is due not only to the work of us, professionals in the field, but also to the investors who have realised the advantages of landscape architecture. Investors seek more practical solutions, this is why we strive to offer the most independent systems possible – automatic irrigation, robot mowing and limited need of human intervention.

Trends in design of private places are towards clean and simple shapes, and more free spaces full with "air" and light.

As winters are getting warmer and shorter, we started to offer our clients more evergreen tree and shrub species, because deciduous species appear "naked" in cold months. Of course, aesthetics is in harmony between shapes, colours and aromas, so a balanced approach in plant selection is recommended. In grass areas the trends are towards using grass sods – the effect is immediate and the maintenance is easier.

For years, we have worked with leading manufacturers of grass sod from the region. We also select and deliver decorative plants from the most respected manufacturers in Europe.

Which is the most challenging project designed by VIP GARDENS?

For over 15 years, we have offered to our clients full engineering in landscape architecture and green construction. We always start with design, continue with construction and end with maintenance.

The most challenging designs are always projects outside Bulgaria. We have won several awards from competitions in Europe, the US, the UK, Australia, Kenia, Russia and even Rwanda, but the most challenging project in our history is one we have been working on for over a year now.

Bulgarian investors trusted us with the initial project for the general layout of a 5-star compound in North Greece, on more than 22 ha. The challenge is to consider and combine all the elements of the environment, the investors' interests and desires, new trends in tourism and Greek laws and regulations. We are confident that we will create the optimal combination of natural environment, modern architecture and luxury.

And what is the most interesting project that you have realised?

The project and landscaping of the yard of a house in Bulgaria with a Lebanese owner. We worked together with Lebanese architects, engineers and managers. We specially selected and delivered rare and large plants from the heart of Europe. The yard's greenery was the final stroke to the complete architectural concept that aimed to recreate a fairy-tale atmosphere from the Middle East.

What is the most important thing that you consider when designing an irrigation system?

Without irrigation there is no greenery! Irrigation should be very adequate and should happen along with the planting.

A fundamental approach in designing an irrigation system is to set into separate areas zones with trees and shrubs from ones covered in grass. We irrigate trees and shrubs with drip irrigation tubes on the ground. Grass areas are irrigated with sprayers or underground drip irrigation systems and tubes.

Another crucial moment in irrigation planning is to foresee which parts of the garden will be in shade or under intensive sunlight. Shady "spots" need less humidity and sometimes require additional drainage systems. Irrigation is an almost constant process that, in combination with the fact that green areas are being used, requires us to water them when we would not disturb anyone: late in the evening or in the early morning, never during the day, especially in extremely hot weather.

What does the ideal garden look like, according to VIP GARDENS?

The ideal garden does not need to be ideal. Gardens are ideal when they are in use, when their owners enjoy them and visitors return repeatedly and with pleasure, when kids play there, when they are a good ground for family parties, when they are fresh and green and please the eye with their beautiful colours, when they are sunny, ordered and well maintained. This is why our motto is: "VIP GARDENS... makes your life greener!".

Plovdiv, Komatevo neighbourhood

0887 747 899

office@vipgardens.bg

www.vipgardens.bg