Very much a cut above
Country Life UK|July 22, 2020
Harvard Farm, Halstock, Dorset When topiarist Jake Hobson brought his sculpturally inspired techniques to bear on his mother’s evergreens, the results were unforgettable.
Non Morris
Very much a cut above

THE making of the garden at Harvard Farm is a story of two generations of gardeners who, after years of pursuing separate paths, began to work together with delightful results. First is Dilly Hobson, who moved to Dorset more than 25 years ago with her artist husband, Tim, to renovate a farmhouse on a windswept hill—her goal was to make a garden from scratch after the children had left home. Second is their son, Jake, who travelled to Japan after his Fine Art degree and fell in love with the Japanese approach to gardens, not least with the exacting and passionate approach to pruning and training trees and shrubs so that they sit happily in a garden context.

Their two or so acres now form a sheltered haven, a much-loved family garden with a backbone of strong organic shapes that adds definition to the planting, frames views to the next part of the garden and links the whole to the rolling hills and hedgerows of the countryside beyond.

‘The first time we saw the place,’ says Dilly, ‘I knew the kind of garden I wanted, but I hadn’t taken on board the challenge of its position. It was only when I started work that I realised it how difficult it would be. At times, the wind was so strong you could barely stand up.’

Planting a shelterbelt of broadleaf natives away from the house was the first priority and, over the next seven years, as the house was renovated, the garden slowly evolved around it.

Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin July 22, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin July 22, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

COUNTRY LIFE UK DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
Country Life UK

Kitchen garden cook - Apples

'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'

time-read
2 dak  |
October 23, 2024
The original Mr Rochester
Country Life UK

The original Mr Rochester

Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre

time-read
5 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Get it write
Country Life UK

Get it write

Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution

time-read
6 dak  |
October 23, 2024
'Sloes hath ben my food'
Country Life UK

'Sloes hath ben my food'

A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright

time-read
3 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Souvenirs of greatness
Country Life UK

Souvenirs of greatness

FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.

time-read
3 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Plants for plants' sake
Country Life UK

Plants for plants' sake

The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson

time-read
7 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Capturing the castle
Country Life UK

Capturing the castle

Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker

time-read
6 dak  |
October 23, 2024
Nature's own cathedral
Country Life UK

Nature's own cathedral

Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods

time-read
5 dak  |
October 23, 2024
All that money could buy
Country Life UK

All that money could buy

A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages

time-read
8 dak  |
October 23, 2024
In with the old
Country Life UK

In with the old

Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery

time-read
5 dak  |
October 23, 2024