Garden Flower Trowel

Overview

For this two-phase project, designer Amanda Patton was first brought in to revitalise the Manor’s walled garden and adjoining smaller spaces. Working to her design, we transformed the sloped, blank canvas into a beautifully groomed setting for socialising and dining, that now mirrors the character and grandeur of the property. Nestled between the two is a parterre garden that we planted with boxed hedges and silver birch trees, and beyond the lawned entertaining space we built a raised bed garden for home grown vegetables.

With the main entrance set at an awkward approach to the house, phase two focused on providing form and structure with the use of formal planting, really bringing the main facade to centre-stage.

Client's View

“My main wish for the garden was to have a clean, unfussy secluded space with a fireplace for entertaining in the long summer evenings. I wanted the garden to have individual rooms with many different themes, for example a simple vegetable garden and formal lawns.

“I didn’t need immediate perfection, so I was happy to have younger formal planting that would mature over time and at its own pace. I’m delighted with the way the garden is coming into its full form now that we’re several years in to watching it grow.”

Architect's View

“The simplicity that the client wanted really allowed me to play with space and form in this garden, with the different levels creating a 3-D sculptural design. The ultimate aim was to give the gardens, and later on, the driveway, the same essence of grandeur and stature as the house. Martin and his team are passionate about formalised gardens, and I knew they had the expertise to give this project the quality, skills and attention to detail it deserved.”

Amanda Patton, www.amandapatton.co.uk

Builder's View

“The manor has a rich history and one of the challenges of this project was having to remove 30cm thick concrete that been laid by Prisoners of War in the 1940s. It was an interesting glimpse into the property’s past. Like many of Walmsley Shaw’s projects, access was a challenge. On this occasion, access was through a covered walkway with a cobbled floor and a stunning oak barn door leading to the garden, which we lovingly preserved and also restored to its former glory.

“One of the highlights was in matching the beautiful original local honey-coloured Doulting Stone of the house. Fortunately, a local farmer had recently reopened the nearby quarry so we were able to match it perfectly. We carried in 2metre long solid stone step treads by hand, which now really link the house to the gardens, and give it that all important flow. It really is a fitting garden for a stunning historic property.”