dream Garden

A formal framework, abundant naturalistic planting and a reflective pool bring welcome winter interest to this garden

A reflective pool, prairie planting and double-cube pavilion enhance the geometric design of this artfully put together, well-proportioned space.

DESIGNER PROFILE

Christopher Bradley-hole is an internationally respected landscape designer and author, who originally trained as an architect. He has lectured across the world and is a multiple Gold-medal winner at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. His work on public projects, most recently at RHS Wisley, is done alongside private commissions.

WHAT WAS YOUR STARTING POINT FOR THIS GARDEN’S DESIGN?

This is the front garden of a large site that had already been partially developed, so I needed to respond to both the house and to the garden behind it – which was the work of Piet Oudolf and featured his characteristic prairie planting.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?

The garden is effectively an informal courtyard framed by the house and newly erected outbuildings. The aim was to make this space quite distinct from the back garden, yet for the two to work sympathetically together, with different yet complementary planting.

WHAT ARE YOUR CHIEF DESIGN INSPIRATIONS?

I have always been attracted by a classical sense of geometry and proportion: I like grids and gardens with a firm framework. It is also very important to me that the garden I design should acknowledge the period and style of the house.

HOW DID THOSE INTERESTS INFLUENCE YOUR DESIGN HERE?

As in every garden I landscape, I wanted to impose a sense of order through the planting and the geometry of the design. The plants and the central building echo both the proportions of the house and also serve to connect the garden, which is approached from a country lane, with the landscape beyond. The garden is layered, and the different levels are quite expressive.

WHAT WERE THE PARTICULAR CHALLENGES OF THE SITE?

The house lies on the Surrey/hampshire border, and is in the pre-arts and Crafts vernacular architecture of the area. It is slightly higgledy-piggledy, so the challenge was to create what amounted to a street plan through the garden that would relate to the house.

HOW DOES THE PLANTING RELATE TO THE DESIGN?

Stone paths are arranged in a geometric grid to link the house and its outbuildings. These paths cut through the beds, which are all planted with large blocks of grasses or perennials. The plants were chosen for their equal competitiveness, so that they would grow to more or less the same size and height. That in itself gives a sense of solidity to the garden, while the grasses really come into their own in winter, providing colour, texture and sound.

WHAT OTHER CONSIDERATIONS AFFECTED YOUR CHOICE OF PLANTING?

Most of the plants that I have used are tall and were chosen to look

I have always been attracted by a classical sense of geometry and proportion; I like to impose a sense of order through planting and design.”

after themselves over a long season of interest. They also capture the feeling of natural wildness that helps this garden to run almost seamlessly into the countryside beyond.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE DOUBLE-CUBE PAVILION?

I designed the pavilion as two interlocking cubes, with one cube lifted by 450mm above the other. The idea behind the design was to create an internal space that is open and transparent, yet feels pleasantly enclosed when you are sitting in it. Although it is a contemporary design, the pavilion has several different levels and that associates strongly with the complex proportions of the pre-arts and Crafts house.

HOW DOES THE REFLECTIVE POOL FIT INTO THE SCHEME?

Water is an important feature in almost all my gardens. Here, the grid-like shape of the pavilion is reflected in the pool beside it, with the reflections looking almost like a continuation of the gridwork of paths. Keeping the pool water level high gives any garden a sense of abundance: here the reflections of the grasses scatter the winter light.

IS A FORMAL GARDEN LIKE THIS EASY TO CARE FOR?

It’s very important to watch what is going on in a garden like this. I suggest observing closely month by month and keeping a careful photographic record so you can make changes out of season, such as taking action if one plant is outgrowing another.