The brief
The owners of this Cotswold property had recently retired and downsized from their 18th-century dower house by converting their former barn and other outbuildings into a new home. The house is arranged around a 16m x 12m courtyard, originally a rectangle of scruffy turf, with a central sunken gravel area. "The clients were pretty open in their brief," says landscape and garden designer Angus Thompson. "They just wanted a more elegant version of what they had; something that had to look after itself. For me though, this lovely, closed, southwest-facing courtyard lent itself to other, more exciting treatments."
The design
Angus sees this as a garden of three parts: a lawn quadrangle bounded by a perennial walk; a west-facing 'gin terrace' that captures the evening light; and a courtyard garden. "The first two are calmer areas, serving as counterpoints to the more riotous courtyard," says Angus. His driving idea was that the owners should be able to interact easily with the garden, using it as an alternative route between their bedroom and the kitchen-dining-living area, which are on opposite sides of the courtyard. From this arose the concept of stepping stones, with a row of generously sized buff stone pavers traversing the heart of this multi-level garden, "appearing to float, as if on water. In fact, they pass among waves of dynamic, Mediterranean-inspired dry garden planting, which suits the courtyard's warm microclimate," says Angus.
Running parallel to the path, a rectilinear and gently burbling pool offers a tranquil, reflective contrast to the planting. Angus raised the terraces that wrap around the house to match the internal floor height, allowing seamless flow between inside and out, while the existing site level changes, of around 800mm, were embraced and help to define different zones within the garden.
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Gardens Illustrated.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Gardens Illustrated.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Field of Dreams - The naturalistic gem Hans Gieszen has created in former meadowlands near Utrecht in the Netherlands is the culmination of a lifelong passion
Ever since his mother gave him seeds as a small boy, gardening has been a passion for Hans Gieszen. He is completely self-taught, relying on garden visits and books for instruction, with one book in particular, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Henk Gerritsen and Piet Oudolf, influencing his style. “It was fascinating,” says Hans, remembering his first encounter with the book. “All those photos – pictures with mists and these tall and low plants and grasses. I realised I couldn’t do it in my small garden, but I kept dreaming and reading about it.”
WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
This superb tour of the world's botanical gardens highlights their vital role in saving the planet's flora, says Claire Masset
THE FEMININE TOUCH?
Does your garden have masculine or feminine style, and does it even matter? Head gardener Benjamin Pope unpicks gardening's gender stereotypes
'If you emulate nature, you're on to a winner'
Gardener, television presenter and author Carol Klein talks about her new book, the books she loves, her current challenges and what she's up to next
FRIENDLY ADVICE
When tasked with creating a garden for her friends, designer Neive Tierney found the project came with challenges - not least the need to include a wheelchair ramp and squeeze in a saltwater swimming pool
Passing the baton
The celebrated nursery and garden at Marchants Hardy Plants in East Sussex is now being managed by a new team, who continue to inspire visitors with innovative planting
My sweet gourd
Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy's pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks
ANDY JASPER
The new CEO of the Eden Project on his excitement about a new chapter, the legacy he's left at the National Trust and his joy at heading home to Cornwall
Bedding in
In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Nursery in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials
Late summer dreams
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn