The Weald.

In development - a wilding and rethinking of a family house garden.

A small but complex residential Sussex Weald garden, incorporating a shaded area, small brick patio, new and mature trees, chicken run, two sheds, a substantial lawn and parking for two cars – all on a partial sun and often-water-logged clay site.

The brief is to create a woodland area underneath a 100ft-plus horse chestnut tree, with wilded planting and a seating area; planting to work with the wet soil around the sheds to mitigate its seasonal degradation; a textured and layered terracotta pot garden for the patio, incorporating seating and lighting; a berry garden in the (repurposed) chicken run; a small orchard for apple, pear and cherry trees; architectural planting to landscape the car ports; and a reconsideration of the lawn to respond to its varied grasses and wild flowers.

Starting with some playing with space and composition in the patio, planting in the woodland area and by the sheds to get this underway for summer through to next year’s blooms, and leaving the lawn to grow a little to share its surprises with us.