Country House Garden, Somerset

The Garden Brief

This rural Somerset country house located in Abbots Leigh needed cohesion between its tired, old garden and the new modern extension Built and Designed by Moon. 

The brief from the clients was to create an inviting flow from inside to outside and situate the house the sloping rural landscape. 

The Garden Design

The aim for the design was to make it feel like the garden had always been there. Abundant planting spilling over paths, new textures seamlessly linking with old. 

We re-used the existing pennant paving to re-lay a welcoming patio leading out from the new kitchen and back of the house. New planting borders soften and root the terrace and house into one another. Pennant stepping stone details repeat through the garden marking junctions in areas of informality and echoing the aged material pallet. 

Where the previous house sat on a plinth with a lawn below, I broke down this level change to merge the upper level to the garden below and within the sloping landscape. I nestled a new terrace into the protection of the existing wall with large elegant steps of re-used pennant flowing down from the kitchen patio. Protected both from neighbour’s views and the prevailing wind the new terrace is the hub of the garden, perfect for both entertaining or a quiet cup of tea amongst the surrounding textural planting with the Seven estuary view beyond. The original red brick detailing of the Arts and Crafts house is echoed in the Chelmer Valley Bexhill clay pavers. 

As the garden unravels beyond the terraces the elegant straight lines sweep, curve and meander to reflect the natural form of the local landscape and views. Swathes of lawn give way to meadow. A wildlife pond within the larger wild meadow area is a hub of activity, a bench informally placed by the pond is the perfect place to unwind, enjoy the expansive view, and sunsets beyond.

I designed this garden whilst working in the Artisan Landscapes design team, who built the garden.