subject: Maurice Saatchi's Secret Garden [print this page] The Saatchi Gallery, in the Kings Road, London, is without a doubt one of the best galleries in the world and is dedicated to showing off the collection of Charles Saatchi. His collection is so vast that the exhibits change every few months. It is his life's work. Now, his brother Maurice has revealed in an interview with Elizabeth Grice that his life's work is a garden. This is what the article said:
"His own legacy doesn't seem to be of much interest to him. If it lies in anything, it will be in his 70-acre "garden" in West Sussex where he has planted thousands of trees and created a new landscape embellished with bridges, pediments, arches, pavilions things he collects as avidly as his brother collects modern art. "That's been my life's work, really. It gets better every year. That will be there for ever."
Charles Saatchi has spent tens of millions on his art collection and it looks as though his brother is doing the same with his garden. The intriguing thing is that nothing seems to be known about it. I'm assuming that it is in Staplefield in Sussex, as this is where Maurice Saatchi lives and his title is baron Staplefield. But I can't find a single article about this "life's work" or any reference to it at all. Charles Saatchi has become a recluse and is never seen in public. He didn't even attend the 40th anniversary party for Saatchi and Saatchi last week. Maurice Saatchi, on the other hand, did.
Gardens, like art treasures are there to be shared. There is a well known saying that a garden dies with it's owner and I'm not sure that Lord Staplesfield can be confident that his will be there for ever. I think he should start to share it now, while there's a chance.
