North-East Worcestershire
Completed in stages over 2-3 years.
This project included:
design and installation of two large water features,
design and installation of several themed 'garden rooms',
upgrading an existing swimming pool,
design and installation of a kitchen garden for vegetables, fruits and cut flowers,
design and installation of an arboretum.
Landscape design, planting design and construction carried out by our in-house Designers and Landscaper Craftsmen.
External specialists consulted; estate fencing manufacturers, lighting engineer, irrigation specialists, and metalworkers.
A Heritage Property
A period home with a rich history in a rural location. Our client had fond memories of their childhood spent in Arts and Crafts gardens and wished to bring a little of the early 20th Century to their 'forever home'.
Large reception rooms enjoyed wide views across the garden with several mature trees to acting as a backdrop. There was little existing landscaping around the property, so we were fortunate to be starting with a clean slate.
In keeping with its Arts & Crafts style, we designed a series of ‘garden rooms’ around the property.
These included:
a ‘White Garden' arranged on a traditional cross-pattern with structural shrubs and plants for winter interest,
a jungle-themed garden with lush, vibrant planting to be enjoyed during the summer months as it was sited near the swimming pool,
a stunning Long Water; 66 feet of still water viewed straight in line from the formal dining room,
a rose parterre with a collection of specialist, scented roses,
a woodland walk encouraging a meditative journey through the wider garden area,
and a collection of summer herbaceous borders both dressing the foot of the house, and also throughout the garden, the latter protected from the exposed location with a series of hornbeam hedges.
A collection of snapshots of the different Garden Rooms:
Photos best viewed on a computer or laptop, or you can double-tap to expand on mobile.
A Challenging Build
The scale of the site disguised the slope across the width of the garden and it dropped several metres from one boundary to another. There was a significant slope across the site where our client requested a Long Water; a large ornamental pool inspired by the likes of Hampton Court Palace.
The site for the Long Water was flattened and graded through land sculpting with heavy-duty machinery; several hundred tons of soil were shifted to create a level platform. Accurate installation of the pool ensured the finished surface level of the paving only dropped by a few millimeters across 20m (66ft) length - quite an achievement when working with natural, textured stone on a mobile clay soil. In the photo below, you can see the embankment to the left and the steps under the window that were installed to accommodate the level changes required to make this feature possible.
The header pool for the Long Water was a feature in itself.
The functional filter system was disguised as an ornamental header pool, brick lined and stone edged with a circulating pump and a plant-based, natural filter system custom-designed by Stephen.
This system cleaned the water for the Long Water, oxygenated it and then gravity-fed the fresh water back into the pool.
The Leisure Garden
An existing swimming pool structure required a new, safe, natural stone patio surround. The swimming pool itself was raised above ground on the furthest corner from the house as the ground sloped significantly.
The new patio replaced the rotting timber deck surrounding the swimming pool, and was suspended on a block & beam structure to give smooth access from the house around all four sides.
Old fencing, overgrown shrubs, and trellis screens were cleared away from the pool, along with old walls and a tired patio (just to the right of the photo above). New retaining walls support the family dining terrace (just to the right of the photo below) with stable steps for improved access. Instant hedging provided immediate screening for the restored space. Timber and rope railings were installed after the photograph was taken.
Borrowed Landscape
The garden benefited from generous views across the 10 acre estate. The boundary between ‘field’ and ‘garden’ was blurred to give the impression of the garden blending into the wild landscape beyond. We then given it the Capability Brown treatment; we prevented livestock access through the installation a hidden ha-ha wall, and semi-mature trees were planted across the wider estate to frame views and create an arboretum for future generations to enjoy.
The exposed location also required large amounts of tree planting and instant hedging along one boundary to act as both a wind-break and sound barrier to the adjacent road.
The Productive Garden
Envisage designers Hilary and Stephen are both well-versed in productive gardens. Having spent many years working in orchards and walled gardens, they designed a small, functional Kitchen Garden for these busy home owners.
The space included slightly raised beds, a glass house, a soft-fruit cage and collections of flowers for arrangement in the house.
Construction in Progress!
Scroll through these albums that aim to show the progression of some of this gardens more technical elements.
Photos are best viewed on a computer or laptop, or you can double-tap to expand on mobile.
Cutting away the slope and creating the Long Water:
Defining the garden boundary and installing the Ha-Ha:
Creating the Rose Parterre:
Restoring the Swimming Pool:
Comentarios