About the Garden
In 1996, we bought a derelict barn with the roof collapsing. My architect husband, Peter Clegg, made it into a light and airy house with a wall of Streptocarpus instead of curtains. We would not want any more between us and the fantastic view.
We are on a steep hill at the top of an idyllic valley, but the house was surrounded by muddy fields. I was busy moving the nursery and had no time to make a garden. Peter had never made a garden before, but he designed and built a garden here on several levels with graceful flowing curves. I planted it with my favourite things.
We have heavy clay soil. Most plants thrive, but I love Mediterranean plants and I knew they would hate it, so the first thing I did was make a gravel garden. The plants loved it and so did I, so we made a second gravel garden.
We have springs so there are ponds with trickling water between and a bog garden.
In 1999 I did an exhibit at Chelsea, called "What's Black and White and Red Only Occasionally?" When I came back I planted a new black and white border (perhaps purple and silver would be more accurate).
Some years later Peter planted the 'Empty Quarter' - a circle of beech trees around plain gravel, then a vegetable garden and an orchard with a Miscanthus hedge between lawn and field, grass dividing grass from grass.
We made a woodland walk through the scrubby woods down one side of the garden with a magic carpet bridge that ripples up and over a tiny stream. We lost several trees this winter so it may be less of a woodland this summer. Nothing stays the same.
Peter's Shapes in the Landscape, sculpted hedging, a mystery to me when he started, is the crowning glory of the garden. But he cannot stop. Now he is sculpting the surrounding fields with the help of our friendly digger driver.
Over time the garden has grown and bloomed beyond our wildest expectations.
VISIT US arrow_outward
Contact Us
If you have any questions feel free to get in touch using the contact details below.
Sign Up
Subscribe to our occasional newsletter which includes hints, tips and special offers.