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reappearance of such native wildflowers as orchids, but, at the moment, there is only one main path arcing through the fairly narrow band of woodland and he and Mr Hutchinson are already plotting ways in which the route could be made more complex, with small open glades as ‘resting points’ from which to view the shapes and colours all around, as well as offering views down to the more formal gardens below. The gardens at Fonthill House, Fonthill Bishop, Wiltshire, usually open for charity a few times each season (www.fonthill.co.uk). Marie-louise Agius is a director of the landscapedesign firm Balston Agius (www. balstonagius.co.uk) and of Exbury Gardens. To find out more about William Pye, visit www.williampye. com; contact Tania Compton on tania@taniacompton.co.uk ● Area Ten acres of gardens within a 9,000-acre estate

● Soil The garden possesses a fortunate combination of green sand on the hill, ideal for the rhododendrons and magnolias, and clay at the bottom, ideal for the roses

● Altitude

From 400ft to 479ft

● Climate challenges The North Wood’s considerable slope allows frosts there to roll away, but damaging frosts do sometimes ‘stick’ in the flat lower garden. Even though the retaining bastion walls provide at least some protection, strong winds can be a problem, particularly in the North Wood, now that the planting there has been thinned