West Sussex mansion set to become one of the UK's largest outdoor art installations by artist who worked on Harry Potter

The Elizabethan Mansion, which is currently undergoing an extensive roof restoration, will be wrapped in a huge 1,550 square metre canvas.

The piece on the Grade I listed 16th century property is called Planet Wakehurst and is a bespoke photo montage by Australian-born artist Catherine Nelson.

It depicts plants from across the 535-acre site, which were photographed last summer, to celebrate the biodiversity of Kew’s wild botanic garden in Ardingly.

Catherine said: “I thought a lot about Monet, looking at his summer garden paintings, and I wanted the South elevation to be able to compete with sunny Wakehurst days, so I kept the palette bright and colourful. The West Elevation instead has a dusk feel whilst for the East elevation I looked at Golden Age landscape paintings with their dramatic skies, looking to create a different mood. My work is about nature with a keen awareness of the need for its conservation. I hope people leave Planet Wakehurst with a life affirming feeling. We have a beautiful planet, and we need to take care of it.”

Catherine studied painting at art school but later moved into film visual effects to work on big budget movies like Moulin Rouge, Harry Potter and 300.

Her installation will have a viewing platform that is 33 feet above ground level so visitors can see across the mansion lawns and out to the Sussex Downs. Wakehurst said this will be the first time visitors will be able to view the venue’s landscape from this elevation.

Lorraine Lecourtois, Wakehurst’s head of public programmes said: “Our Mansion roof work forms the biggest restoration project of the past century. We knew the vast scale of the site with its layers of scaffolding poles and boards could form a magnificent canvas, but we had no idea just how spectacular this opportunity was until we started working with Catherine Nelson. Her vision for Planet Wakehurst will transform a building site into an artwork unlike anything you’ll see around the country.

“Her connection with our collections and our critical science research is palpable in her work. Her consideration for our important plant collections and her passion for Kew’s mission to halt biodiversity loss has resulted in a truly striking work.”