Rural farmhouse - Hampshire

Grange farm is a a former estate office converted back to a house that is set amidst rolling fields. The client recently purchased the property including a 1.5 acre garden and the adjoining 3 acre field. The existing garden at the front of the house presented large areas of gravel and did little to soften or frame the façade of the house. Various hedges and uncomfortable level changes sub-divided the rear garden making the space feel small and diminishing any connection with, or views across, the field. The existing swimming pool and terrace had large areas of concrete paving with limited planting, awkward junctions and levels, and lots of hard surfaces.

The first step was to re-wild the field turning it into wildflower meadow with new access routes from the garden. This was followed by a re-design for the rear garden. Clearing hedges and trees within the garden created depth and opened up the garden to a new wildflower area and grove of winter flowering cherries. The swimming pool was renovated to resemble a water feature with a dark liner, built-in cover and a simpler rectangular shape surrounded by lawn and clipped hedging and textural planting to soften the brick walls. A smaller reclaimed stone terrace for the new seating and dining areas was laid with open joints to allow thyme planting and surrounded by new planting beds in whites, blues and plums. New yew topiary and multi-stem trees create vertical interest and frame the views whilst also providing year-round structure. A small orchard set in a diamond pattern of meadow will provide a setting for a future garden room for entertaining.

At the front a new courtyard garden with water feature softens the house and new hedging and trees create intimacy as well as interest and a sense of arrival. Construction of the garden has been managed through a series of phases to support establishment and works to the house.