A sensitive contemporary design from Alistair Baldwin has drawn out the unique history of a medieval burgage plot, once a hive of industry, nestled on the slope of Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire. Photographs Eva Nemeth <\/p>

\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nOne of Richmond\u2019s remaining burgage plots \u2013 a medieval term for a long, narrow slice of rented land behind a relatively small-fronted townhouse \u2013 the house is perched on a slope above the River Swale. The neighbouring gardens are stepped using huge retaining walls either side of Linton House, with a drop of more than five metres on the west side. This elevated position works wonders for the drainage<\/a>, and, because the west-facing garden runs parallel to the slope<\/a>, the actual effect is that of a south-facing garden.<\/p>\n

More gardens<\/strong><\/p>\n
Peter Korn\u2019s pioneering nursery and garden near Malm\u00f6<\/a><\/li>\n
Gardens to visit in Yorkshire<\/a><\/li>\n
Rowes at Priory Gardens: a stunning flower farm in a medieval priory<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
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$\""Peter\"$ <\/div>
\u00a9 Claire Takacs<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
In Richmond, as in many other towns, burgage plots were built around the castle and originally held buildings for craft and industry. \u201cIt was about working from home,\u201d remarks Alistair, drawing parallels between medieval practices and the new ways in which our work patterns are evolving today. \u201cCottage industry from home was small in scale but formed an important part of the economy.\u201d Immediately struck by the linearity of the site, Alistair made sense of the strip of land by dividing it into three separate areas: the Idyll near a new extension at the back of the house, the Stage in the centre with a lawn, and the secluded Den at the far end.<\/p>\n
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$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
At the rear of the house, a stunning, full-length rill runs along the length of the site. On the right, the ruin of an old workshop has been spruced up and sympathetically incorporated into the modern design.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Climbers and a trio of topiary<\/a> balls in tall, Corten steel containers<\/a> raise the eye up in a relatively narrow, shaded<\/a> side return, transforming a tricky space into a clean, minimalist feature that echoes materials used further into the garden.<\/p>\n

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Garden in brief<\/strong> What<\/strong> Unique Richmond burgage plot fusing historic features with contemporary design. Where<\/strong> North Yorkshire. Size 55m x 10m. Soil<\/strong> Stony soil over clay. Climate<\/strong> Temperate. High rainfall with cold winters. Although the garden is west-facing, a large wall on the east side makes it feel more like\na sheltered, south-facing garden. Hardiness zone<\/strong> USDA 9a.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nA luxurious, full-length rill<\/a> draws you into the garden and frames the beautiful perennials: Nassella tenuissima, Lavandula angustifolia<\/em> Little Lady (= \u2018Batlad\u2019), Astrantia major<\/em> \u2018Rubra\u2019, Erigeron karvinskianus<\/em> and salvias<\/a>.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nThe burgage workshop ruin was made safe and turned into a key feature of the garden with paths running through it. In the foreground, Artemisia<\/em> \u2018Powis Castle\u2019, Verbena bonariensis<\/a> and a selection of Mediterranean<\/a> herbs take on autumnal hues.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Alistair has played on the linearity of the plot with the path and rill to create a bold, central, line of sight, broken by stepping stones and crossed with small bridges to add excitement. These shapes reflect the medieval burgage plot\u2019s heritage and Alistair\u2019s design for the hedges and topiary echoes this.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nAn existing Hamamelis <\/em><\/a>x intermedia<\/em> and beech hedge<\/a>, which provide impressive colour right through winter, act as a backdrop to the soft, textural perennial<\/a> planting.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nEvergreens Euphorbia<\/a> characias \u2018<\/em>Humpty Dumpty\u2019 and Santolina chamaecyparissus<\/em> provide year-round structure, while Salvia nemorosa<\/em> <\/a>\u2018Amethyst\u2019 and Salvia <\/em>x sylvestris<\/em> \u2018Schneeh\u00fcgel\u2019 provide colour from their flowers right up to winter.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nCorten steel bridges cross the rill, which forms the spine of the garden, leading you along generous borders of perennials and ornamental grasses<\/a>, including Sesleria autumnalis<\/em>\nand Calamagrostis <\/em>x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019. Everything blends with the historic walls.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nIn time the pleached<\/a> Malus<\/em> \u2018Evereste\u2019 will create an ornamental hedge that will screen the raised neighbouring garden, while providing opportunities for underplanting at garden level.<\/p>\n
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$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
The buff colour of vertical Calamagrostis <\/em>x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019 glows against the russet of a trained beech hedge (Fagus sylvatica<\/em>), in perfect harmony with the colour of the Richmond local stone used for the surrounding buildings.<\/p>\n
$\""Alistair\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Three distinct areas divide the long burgage plot into usable spaces, linked by a main path and smaller pathways through the planting to increase the sense of journey and exploration.<\/p>\n
USEFUL INFORMATION Find out more about Alistair\u2019s work at alistairwbaldwin.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n
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