Beginning to bloom The wild and the whimsical unite in this spring garden

NATURE TAKES CENTRESTAGE IN THIS ABUNDANT GARDEN, WHERE THE WILD AND THE WHIMSICAL COLLABORATE

Bar the gentle whooshing of grass swaying in the morning breeze, the expansive grounds surrounding Judith and Phillip’s rural home are quiet. Suddenly, a flock of birds swoops through the air, landing gracefully in the clear water of the pond. “The birdlife the garden attracts is one of my greatest pleasures,” says Judith. “We’ve counted over 57 different species.”

It’s no wonder so many creatures gravitate to this little corner of the world – Judith and her landscape architect son, Stuart Webster, have created a garden that perfectly mimics nature in its most raw, untouched state. “Stuart has a great eye for movement and flow, and saw the garden’s possibilities,” says Judith. After watching the garden grow for more than 25 years, she hired her son to make some significant structural and aesthetic changes.

“The ground is solid clay and the site is exposed to a lot of wind in the winter months, so environmental difficulties were a big factor,” says Stuart. Because the local clay is difficult to grow anything in, existing raised beds were restored and new ones created for vegetables and decorative gardens. He expanded the pond, planting water lilies and swathes of irises on its banks. “My grandchildren take enormous pleasure in the endless fascinations of flora and fauna sustained by the pond,” says Judith.

Stuart also simplified the planting at the centre of the property, creating a large entertaining area in the process. Flowerbeds brimming with cottage-garden favourites such as hydrangeas and hollyhocks surround the house. The result is a truly charming expanse, where memories develop with each new season.

“Hardly a day goes by that the garden doesn’t offer a unique pleasure, a contemplative moment or the thrill of a discovery that brings me peace and joy,” says Judith.

WORDS VANESSA KEYS PHOTOGRAPHY ANGUS McRITCHIE

PATINA OF AGE Weathered timber cladding on outbuildings and old post-and-rail fences hint at the property’s provenance as a working farm, lending gravitas to the relatively new planting schemes. “Stuart and I share a common interest in the garden – and...

floral dance Next to the Hamptons-inspired home, a profusion of plant life spills from deep beds. Tall hollyhocks play tag team with old-fashioned roses as they ready themselves to burst into bloom, while topiarised box-hedge balls lend some formality...

“In the area next to the vegetable garden, we planted a parterre of glorious purple catmint,” says Judith. “It’s an enormous visual reward in all seasons.” Not just a boon to feline friends (it’s also know as catnip), catmint attracts beneficial...