hampshire farm |HAMPSHIRE, UK | 1990 - ongoing
One of the most elevated parts of the South Downs National Park and farmhouse sits at 800ft approximately It is an intricate landscape of steep sided forested hills capped by downland pasture. Rupert grew up here, gardening from an early age encouraged by his parents. Father a zoologist and mother a gifted plantsman. The garden has evolved over 25years. Working with very thin top soil it has been possible to create a relaxed ornamental downland garden. Meadows, small fruit trees, layered hedges, the clipped domes of shrubberies all draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape. There are no hard structures or walls within this garden. A large gravel garden sweeps casually around the house forming many places to sit or set up a table with food. The house itself is draped with creepers and climbing roses, as floral and abundant as a farmhouse garden should be.
Garden design
Gentle curved contouring of the hillside visually allows the domestic garden to flow seamlessly into the pastural landscape beyond. This is an intensely gardened piece of land, but there is a feeling of great openness. Diagonals have been set up that run the full length of the land from corner too corner giving at certain points in a sense of flying over the surrounding landscape. Usually the house and boundaries dictate the structure for a garden. Here the reverse is true, the land itself that has been the catalyst for the design and use of the space.
This special piece of land has been like a ‘studio’ for Rupert. A garden to be hands on, to experiment with plant combinations as well as land-forming from behind the wheel of a digger. And it will keep evolving. Currently a studio is being built, designed and drawn by Rupert.
