THE COURTYARD

A garden in miniature – enclosed with red brick walls and formal in design. Low growing symmetrical box beds are filled with Salvia, Echinops, Anthemis and Sisyrinchium. A substantial loggia is clothed with climbers including Vitis coignetiae and Wisteria venusta. A gentle trickle of water adds to the peaceful atmosphere. From the courtyard wander through a woodland planting to a tranquil seating area overlooking fields and the river.

WATER & WILDLIFE

Given the exceptionally low rainfall in this part of the country and our predominantly light soil we are fortunate to have two large natural ponds. They are a magnet for wildlife including dragonflies, newts, little grebes and regular visits from kingfishers.

SHADE

On a hot summers day the shady areas become a cool escape.

We have some magnificent mature trees including oak, horse chestnut and a very old sweet chestnut on the top lawn. Shade gardening brings its own challenges particularly during the summer and autumn when conditions can be very difficult. We hope you will find plenty to inspire you from the exuberant flush of spring bulbs, epimediums and dicentras followed by the gentle greens of summer when leaf texture and shape become so important and on to the autumn with cyclamen, the bright red seeds of Iris foetidissima and stunning colours of Hydrangea quercifolia.

tennis court garden

At the end of 2007 we took a major decision to remove the hard tennis court which had fallen into disrepair. The redevelopment resulted in the reflection pool garden. By 2020 and lockdown we had decided to revamp the area for a second time. The design is again formal but the planting remains generous and relaxed with Achillea, Stipa, Kniphofia, Helenium and Heliopsis – oranges and yellows blending seamlessly with the fields beyond.

We wanted to make the area less labour intensive and have edged the raised borders with steel, installed an large, unusual water feature and created a generous seating area along with a sculptural screen at one end.