LESSONS FROM REPTON: A COUNTRY GARDEN IN KENT

3 acres 

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Humphry Repton made "Red Books" for his clients in the 1800s, overlaying watercolours of landscapes with images of new possibilities.  Taking inspiration from these we explore initial ideas with hand drawn sketches, creating tracing paper windows into the imagined space.

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This large Kent country garden already had vistas, a pond, a meadow, but as so often the case the clients sought advice because it just didn't feel right, they weren't using it as much as they expected, they needed change and weren't sure where to start. We considered how different areas of the garden could be used, and brought the separate parts into a unified plan in which shimmering grasses, vibrant perennials, autumn flowering cherries and hornbeam hedges now create views, walks, and destinations. In the wider garden, mindful of small mammals and beneficial insects we kept mounds of bramble and tufted grasses - habitats which are more often removed when gardens are tidied up. The meadow is reseeded only in places, so as not to disturb existing ecosystems. Mown paths allow bare foot wandering through these wilder spaces, so that the family becomes part of them.  As always, a garden beneficial to wildlife has noticeable benefits for its human occupants too. 

 

The garden has been maturing for a couple of years now, and photos will be available in 2024.