2010 –

A weekend/holiday cottage tucked away in the woods – with a protected wetland site of special scientific interest – there is a stream running through the garden and a lake, which sits perfectly in the surrounding landscape. It belongs to clients whose London garden is one of my regular jobs.

They already have a gardener three days a week, who has been involved in the garden for sixteen years, so I have had to tread carefully. I think he does enjoy our company and our help in what is a rather large garden to look after on his own, but is not convinced by our ideas for a wilder looking garden!

There is a constant battle (mostly amicable) between the “boys and the girls”, because the husband and gardener prefer manicured lawns, whilst the wife and I love meadows and wildflowers. I think we are winning them over slowly; fortunately the flowers are speaking for themselves.

The terrace and borders closest to the house have been one of the most satisfying projects. As it is only a weekend cottage, the clients did not want to spend much on re-landscaping, so we kept the existing paving and low walls, but made more flowerbeds to soften the terrace and house. We removed the raised pond and incorporated it into the new flowerbeds framing the terrace.

I have tried to concentrate the intensively gardened areas closest to the house, so that the garden does not jar with the surrounding woodlands and lake.

We have planted an orchard – with wildflowers in the long grass – in what used to be a mowed field beside the greenhouse, as well as a new meadow near the tennis court and a spinney in a triangular field of long grass near the lake.

The grass around the lake is also being left long during summer months with mown pathways leading you round to benches and fishing spots.

All these areas of longer grass will help to reduce the maintenance required and increase the biodiversity.