The Whitburgh Garden Carpet is a striking fusion of Scottish and Persian garden design and textile traditions. Inspired by the owner’s contemporary West Lothian walled garden, it was created in the historic tradition of the ‘garden carpet,’ which originated in 16th-century Iran. In Persian, the word pardis means both paradise and garden - a concept that resonates with passionate gardeners today.
The rug depicts the walled garden on a winter afternoon, when much of the flora is covered with a blanket of frost. Master Weaver Louise Trotter and Apprentice Weaver Sophie McCaffrey interpreted the garden using a birds-eye view photograph as a reference. Reflecting the seasonal transitions of the garden, the hues of the carpet move from warm, autumnal tones to the blue hues of winter.
The Whitburgh Garden Carpet is on display at the V&A Dundee as part of Garden Futures: Designing with Nature, from 17th May 2025 until February 2026.
