Sculptor David Harber Recently Unveiled New Installations—and Now We Want Them for Our Gardens
The right time. In the case of David Harber, England’s archdruid of garden statuary, those words should be engraved on one of his armillary spheres. There’s no doubt the time is right now for Harber, whose sculptures—from classical sundials to modernist geometries—are future heirlooms and adorn esteemed addresses like Eton College School, Windsor Castle, and 12 Oxford and Cambridge colleges.
Queen Elizabeth II on two occasions unveiled Harber’s works, along with one debuted by then-Prince Charles, and at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Harber’s exhibit exerts dynastic command over awards. This past February his allium-inspired Messier sculpture, a collaboration with American landscape architect Fernando Wong, debuted in the United States at The Palm Beach Show.
The defining moment happened in the early 1990s. Having left school at 15, Harber had ping-ponged among creative jobs until he spied his first armillary sphere and became “instantly obsessed.” Broke but captivated by the sundial’s elegance and functionality, Harber had to make his own; he spent his last pennies on buying the material to create one. Serendipitously, actor Jeremy Irons spotted the sphere and asked to buy it. Talk about timing.
Harber launched into a life’s work of creating objects that pay homage to the landscape while honoring the richness of the artist-patron relationship. “What holds sway for me is the natural environment,” he says, “and the character and whims of the client.” Thirty years later, Harber collaborates with 30 metalsmiths and other artisans in his Oxfordshire workshop to bring commissions to life, one at a time.
“I have an incredible team of designers, engineers, metalworkers, and finishers to bring these commissions to life,” he says. No matter the scale or sheen of the sculpture, Harber says, he insists each occupy its place in the sun with humility. “I don’t want the piece to have an ego,” he says. “I want it to blend into its environment and draw your eye to it.” Because of course, he says, wryly, “the environment wins every time.”
Harber's works were recently displayed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where they blended beautifully with the natural landscapes. See all of his beautiful and biophilic installations, below.
David Harber at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The David Harber stand at the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a celebration of the brand's 30th anniversary. Designed by Jamie Langlands, head designer at Oxford Garden Design, the garden features a timeline embedded in the ground honoring key milestones in the brand's history. Older trees and plants at the back of the garden surrounding the outdoor kitchen area represent David Harber's origins while younger plantings at the front of the stand represent its contemporary work.
“The David Harber brand has evolved over its 30 years of history and accomplishments, and our 30-year presence at the Chelsea Flower Show has always been both a driving force for our creativity and the highlight of our year,” says Harber.
Limited Edition Armillary 30
With a verdigris finish suggesting patina, David Harber's new limited edition Armillary 30 is a contemporary take on his first ever sculpture, the Armillary Sphere. Like that piece, Armillary 30 is a tribute to the magic of solar time; its turning handle mechanism makes the new iteration interactive.
Torus and Mantle
Made of mirror-polished stainless steel, David Harber's iconic Torus sculpture anchors one side of the garden and creates a portal-like frame through which to view the world. To its right is Mantle, an Earth-inspired sphere comprising bronze petals that are gilded on the interior sides. Lush layers of green provide soft juxtaposition to the metal sculptures.
Florio and Quiver
On the left Florio is a new sculptural representation of plant growth designed specifically for this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show exhibition. Layers of curved copper flutes reflect Harber's passion for the natural environment.
On the right, Harber's leaf sculpture, Quiver, is made of mirrored metal leaves on oxidized steel stems and is designed to gently sway to hypnotic effect.
Hydra, Dark Planet, and Quill
Creating juxtaposition in form and material are, from left to right, Hydra, a small cluster of organic forms in bronze; Dark Planet, a sphere comprising hundreds of irregular black stones; and Quill, a metal sculpture inspired by the pencil pines of the Mediterranean. Solid oak furniture by Gaze Burvill underscores the "rooted in nature" philosophy of the David Harber brand.
Produced by Rachael Burrow; Photographs courtesy of David Harber.
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