This is a large formal garden near Henley on Thames with a series of interesting brick & flint buildings & lovely barns. My brief was to create a garden design within the walled courtyard & make something more of the entrance & front of the house. This enclosed garden is seen from the house & my client’s office which forms part of it. When I first saw it, it was a completely blank canvas.
My design includes a knot garden & a classic French fountain at the heart of the walled garden to provide year round interest & to tie in with the heritage of the surrounding buildings. I created formal parterres leading on from the large new dining terrace.
Beyond this is a BBQ area, cedar hot tub, formal lawns & multi-stem amelanchiers for structure. Separated by a pleached hedge is a kitchen garden with beautiful green oak raised beds. My clients are keen gardeners so didn’t want the usual low maintenance option. Instead there are espaliered fruit trees along the new walls, fabulous topiary shapes & lots of pretty romantic white flowers in the front garden.
