Brief Garden
A crowded, eccentric, sculpture-filled garden at Kalawila, inland from Bentota, made by Bevis Bawa — the more playful of the two Bawa brothers.
What Brief Garden actually is
Brief Garden is the garden of Bevis Bawa, elder brother of the architect Geoffrey Bawa, at Kalawila village near Beruwala, about 10 km inland from Bentota. Bevis was an army major who ran the family’s Brief rubber estate from 1929 and inherited it in 1949. He retired from the army in 1950 and spent most of the following decades turning part of it into a garden. One account says it was completed in 1970 and opened to the public in 1972.
Where Lunuganga is a controlled, architectural exercise, Brief is crowded, informal and a bit theatrical. Stone sculptures turn up in hidden corners, among them Roman-style male figures, Sri Lankan demon masks and Chinese miniature pagodas. Paths wind round the house and the planting is dense. One source gives the garden about 20 acres and more than 106 tree species, though acreage is not confirmed elsewhere.
The house contains a mural by the Australian artist Donald Friend, who was a friend of the family. After Bevis died in 1992, his former assistant Dooland de Silva took over as owner and head gardener. It is small, personal and takes about an hour.
Worth your attention
The sculptures in the planting
Roman-style figures, demon masks and little pagodas appear around corners rather than on a set route.
The house on the high point
Soft yellow with terracotta tiles, open salons and verandas. Visitors should not assume interiors are open.
Donald Friend’s mural
A village scene by the Australian artist inside the house, painted in a Chagall-like style.
The breadfruit-leaf imprints
Bevis started the idea of pressing breadfruit leaves into the garden steps, which Geoffrey later copied at Lunuganga.
Before you go
Do this
- Phone or message ahead to confirm it is open
- Pair it with Lunuganga for a comparison of the brothers’ styles
- Wear closed, flat shoes for the garden paths
- Allow time to sit; there are several secluded seats
Know this first
- It is a private home, and visitors have been asked to get the caretaker’s permission to enter
- Opening hours listed in different places do not agree, so call ahead
- Paths are uneven and can be slippery after rain
- Sculptures are placed among dense planting, so watch where you step
Getting to Brief Garden
Most people see Brief Garden as part of a stay around Bentota. Our Bentota guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Bentota — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Bentota guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Brief Garden — frequently asked
What is Brief Garden?
Bevis Bawa’s sculpture garden and former rubber estate at Kalawila near Beruwala, open to visitors.
Is Brief Garden the same as Lunuganga?
No. Lunuganga was made by Geoffrey Bawa beside Dedduwa Lake; Brief was made by his elder brother Bevis, inland. Brief is looser and more eccentric.
When is it open?
The Bawa Trust lists it as open from 1 pm to 4 pm. Check before you go, since times may have changed.
Who looks after it now?
Dooland de Silva, Bevis Bawa’s former assistant, who took over after Bevis died in 1992.
Also worth stopping for around Bentota
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