Garden visit: Bryan’s ground

Wondering down a mown pathway, with the dappled shade from many trees dancing on either side, I gaze ahead to see the reflections on a lake drawing me on.

I breathe in and turn right and step into a grove of wild cherry, Prunus avium, planted in a large square formation grid. The design, so regimented amongst the naturalistic planting, gives this grove so much sense of place. All around me tall pale tree trunks reach up to the sky, they look like pillars. The canopies above flutter and play with the light. It feels powerful and emotive, I am standing in natures church, happily worshipping its beauty.

I have been visiting Bryan’s ground for four years, each year I am delighted by its design and amazed at how quickly the garden is maturing in the rich loam of Herefordshire.

The house, owned by David Wheeler and Simon Dorrell, lies near Presteigne on the border between England and Wales and was built between 1911 and 1913. The gardens are home to 20 garden rooms, a rose garden, topiary, box pareterres, follies, long hedges, a ha-ha, a potager, a lake, a river and a thriving arboretum with long mown paths. It is a dream come true garden.

The planting is wonderful, sometimes colour themed, often very formal, at times very wild.

At the entrance, by the house, beautiful fruit trees line the scallop edged canal, they are underplanted with squares of 4ft-high Iris sibirica. If you come between mid May and early June you are greeted by thousands of these mass planted Iris in dazzling blue full bloom.

Full of anticipation, one flows from one garden room to the next, drawn on by the next peek of an urn, a gap in the hedges, or a jaunty building. It never disappoints, there is something special round every corner and down every path. The carefully curated vistas anchor the garden to the surrounding landscape and make you stop, gaze and wonder how you might be able to make it so you could stay here forever.

 

Bryan’s Ground, Stapleton (Nr Presteigne), Herefordshire (01544 260001;www.bryansground.co.uk). It will open again next spring to the public.

David Wheeler and Simon Dorrell are editors of Hortus magazine, a collection of essays and notes on horticulture. http://www.hortus.co.uk/

The grid, Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Mown pathways, Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

The canal, Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

The house at Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

The wonderful planting, Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

 

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground

Bryan’s Ground

Bryan’s Ground

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Bryan’s Ground © Cat Howard

Wish we were here: Hoshinoya Karuizawa

There are so many reasons for us to long for a trip to Japan, not least because of their wonderful ancient art of garden design.

Hoshinoya Karuizawa is a stunning hotel located in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan.

The landscaped water gardens were designed by Hiroki Hasegawa. There is a natural hot spring at the heart of the hotel which sits in a valley at the foot of Mt. Asama. There are beautiful ancient trees, a river, small connecting bridges and winding scenic paths. The needs of the hotel and the existing natural environment are considered beautifully in the design, which is a triumph of serenity and meandering exploration.

What a wonderful place to rest ones head, cleanse the soul and inspire the mind.

The White House

For this Kew garden, which overlooks the River Thames, we designed some lovely powder coated steel planters in dove grey, which work on two levels. These were filled with large Buxus balls and grasses.

The bins are now contained in a bespoke bin store, the front bed was planted with new green and purple planting and the window boxes with smart clipped Buxus balls.