TERRACOTTA TALES: JEAN MUS

Terracotta Tales continues, and this time the person who tells us about his personal interpretation of Poggi Ugo products is Jean Mus, the French architect who for more than 30 years has been composing, imagining and revisiting the most beautiful gardens in the Mediterranean and beyond.

Who does not have in mind those images of the Mediterranean coast, collected from magazines, landscapes that are both poetically rustic and exuberant. Very often these “clichés” come from the gardens created by Jean Mus.

Inspired by the wild and delicate nature of the Mediterranean, Jean Mus is the heir of great landscape designers who, in the last century, brought a new spirit to the creation of gardens.

Jean Mus combines the know-how of his ancestors with the design of spaces and atmospheres, respecting the environment and the memory of the place, a great innovation that has inspired and continues to inspire contemporary landscaping.

First of all, we want to talk a little bit about your history: can you introduce yourself and tell us how you got into this profession?

As a landscape architect by profession, I was influenced by the exceptional talent of Ferdinand Bac (1859-1952 artist, writer and garden designer, n.d.), who in the early 20th century designed the gardens of Villa Croisset in Grasse, where I spent my childhood.

During your prestigious career, when and how did you get to know the Poggi Ugo furnace?

The Poggi Ugo terracottas were introduced to me by my Italian colleague Pietro Porcinai (1910-1986, Florentine by birth, was the greatest Italian landscape painter of the 20th century nda) – sadly deceased – who warmly recommended your furnace to me.

How does a garden or green space project usually come about?

Every project is born from a dream, from a connection between a place and its owner, then there is a program to define and finally it is the landscaper’s turn with his staging…

Can you tell us about a particular project where you used Poggi Ugo terracotta pots? What exactly did you do and where was the project located?

The project in which I began to use Poggi Ugo terracotta was the garden of the famous Villa La Fiorentina, in Cap Ferrat, where I continued the tradition created by Ferdinand Bac.

In the context of this project, why did you decide to use terracotta pots and not other materials?

In addition to the color, inspired by the vases of Florentine and Italian gardens, the texture of terracotta has always attracted me for the sensation its surface gives to the touch. Moreover, the extraordinary shaping that characterizes Poggi Ugo products has increased my appreciation for the talent of the human hand in contact with clay.

How do you finally choose the perfect vase/complement for your projects?

The final choice of the perfect pot depends on the style of the garden, the style of the building and the vegetation to be planted. Everything must be in harmony with the musical score of the garden, of which terracotta is one of the main notes.

Moreover, terracotta is the main expression of the typical Mediterranean art, regardless of the region. It is also an ally in accommodating the “whims” of fragile plants. That is why in winter it is the perfect companion of orange groves, because terracotta protects citrus trees from cold winds.

Which vase styles do you prefer and why?

Speaking about the general style, I am attracted by ancient and highly worked terracotta, but new architectural trends encourage us to use modern vases that allow aesthetic compositions in the arrangement of vases.

How is the suggestion of using terracotta complements being received by your customers?

My suggestions are well received because terracotta pots are durable and allow you to change compositions over the years. You can move them around, change plants, and change colors to change the look of the garden.

It is always very interesting to exchange ideas with great landscape architects of Jean Mus’s caliber, because he manages to make us discover aspects of our product that even we are sometimes unaware of; moreover, being able to better understand the plant-pot combination allows us to more carefully design the object that will be the best choice for you, both from an aesthetic point of view and from the point of view of the well-being of the plants.

Stay in touch with Poggi Ugo to read new stories about terracotta… see you soon!