The interiors of this glorious Georgian house in Somerset are very contemporary. The clients’ love for this contrast gave us a wonderful opportunity to respond by adding some very bold and contemporary garden elements to sit juxtaposed with the ancient, mellowed stone and finely crafted Georgian structure. Using lots of copper beech as square clipped pleached trees in the entrance courtyard for example, instantly brought a sense of modernity. Layering them over the dark sculptural forms of a cloud pruned box hedge, which frames the square cut structure of a modern knot garden, built up a textural base which is a wonderful backdrop and enclosure for placing our flowering plants. everywhere we soften the structure with flowers, but where we might mix the palette of plants in a cottage garden, here we restricted the colour and variety to ensure the planting in the chippings and paving is as sophisticated and elegant as befits the house. In the cutting garden, the colours of the plants in the borders are repeated so that they carry through to the displays within the house.

A glorious outdoor space by Arne Maynard. BRING ON SPRING!!!!!!!