{"id":4451,"date":"2022-01-07T15:11:34","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T14:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/?p=69451"},"modified":"2022-01-07T15:21:28","modified_gmt":"2022-01-07T14:21:28","slug":"a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/rss_feed\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer\/","title":{"rendered":"A stunning hillside garden in Hertfordshire \u2013 designed by Bowles & Wyer"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Katie Beale\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 07 January 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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IN BRIEF <\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What <\/b>Terraced, hillside garden overlooking a valley.Where <\/b>Hertfordshire.Size <\/b>Half an acre.Soil <\/b>Thin soil on chalk.Climate <\/b>Temperate English.Hardiness zone <\/b>USDA 9a.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\""RBD101020-69-2-HDR"\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
At the lowest level of the garden, away from the formality of the house, circular steps lead down through grasses Pennisetum alopecuroides<\/em> \u2018Hameln\u2019 and Sesleria autumnalis<\/em> to a round seating area fringed with ferns and purple stonecrop. Beyond the wooden cabin, a gate leads out to common land.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

A distinct advantage to a sloping garden in a residential street is that privacy is achievable. At the bottom of this half-acre site within grasp of London, a circular clearing invites people to gather, below the sight line of the house and the neighbouring dwellings. It is overseen by a wooden building, with a veranda that is perhaps its main attraction: the owner wanted to be able to spend time outside in the rain, surrounded by foliage. \u201cSitting out on the veranda at the bottom of the garden is a very calm place to be,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

As the garden drifts off to the side of the cabin towards a stand of oak trees in the garden and in the common land beyond, the impression is indeed of wilderness. But a winding path of narrow, dark brick, connecting the rustic building with the upper tier of the property, signals that this is a garden that has been conceived and executed by a seasoned designer, in this case John Wyer of Bowles & Wyer. The twice-fired, dark-grey Belgian bricks, laid lengthways, give a mid-century, metropolitan feel to the leafy landscaping, even as moss grows (deliberately) between the cracks.<\/p>\n

It is a garden of curves and circles that is freed from the angles of the contemporary house the moment the brick pavers break away from the black basalt terrace, and begin to wind gently downhill. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s important that the garden should have its own geometry,\u201d says John. \u201cThe terrace basalt is quite rigid, and then you become aware of the hard materials running off-kilter, because the geometry has shifted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\""Persicaria\"<\/picture><\/div>
Persicaria amplexicaulis \u2018Amethyst\u2019 An autumn stand-out in searing pink and healthy green, alive with pollinators. Light shade. 1m<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Stipa\"<\/picture><\/div>
Stipa tenuissima Compact yet arching grass. Full sun and good drainage; can take exposure. 60cm. AGM*. RHS H4, USDA 7a-10b<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""A\"<\/picture><\/div>
A trio of Rhus typhina \u2018Dissecta\u2019 already existed to the side of this sloping site and their intense autumn colour is picked up all over the garden, including in the pair of multi-stemmed Parrotia persica behind them.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""uonymus\"<\/picture><\/div>
Euonymus alatus Known as winged spindle or burning bush, this shrub comes into its own in autumn with molten leaves against dark stems and striking orange and red fruits. 2m. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Ageratina\"<\/picture><\/div>
Ageratina altissima \u2018Chocolate\u2019 Bronze leaves and long-lasting white flowers; needs moisture. 1m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-8b.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Viburnum\"<\/picture><\/div>
Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum \u2018Lanarth\u2019 Lateral branches bear white lace cap-like florets in spring. Any aspect. 4m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-8b. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Carex\"<\/picture><\/div>
Carex \u2018Ice Dance\u2019 Easy-going and slow-growing evergreen sedge; any aspect and any well-drained soil. 50cm. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b\u2020. <\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Polystichum\"<\/picture><\/div>
Polystichum setiferum Plumosomultilobum Group Large, soft, shield fern that can take exposure and full shade. Moist, well-drained soil. AGM. RHS H7, USDA 6a-8b.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Pennisetum\"<\/picture><\/div>
Pennisetum alopecuroides \u2018Hameln\u2019 Purple-tinged flowers work well with other autumn colours. Full sun, good drainage. 1m. AGM. RHS H3, USDA 5a-9b.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""A\"<\/picture><\/div>
A path of dark-grey brick is flanked on the left side by fluffy Stipa tenuissima, with the green foliage of Libertia chilensis and searing-pink Persicaria amplexicaulis \u2018Amethyst\u2019 to the right. Beyond the auburn-tinged flowerheads of Pennisetum alopecuroides \u2018Hameln\u2019, a bank of Euonymus alatus (burning bush) flames away. The autumn hues of the cut-leaved stag\u2019s horn sumac (Rhus typhina \u2018Dissecta\u2019) and Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) in the foreground harmonise with the cabin roof at the garden\u2019s end.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""The\"<\/picture><\/div>
The flat lawn, created with \u201cgolf course technology\u201d (and excellent drainage) is kept aloft by a retaining wall of rusted Corten steel. The curve is held in place by steel fins, anchored into concrete foundations. As the grey brick path descends around the side, the rusted vertical becomes more noticeably a backdrop to the changing hues of Stipa tenuissima, as well as Panicum virgatum \u2018Rehbraun\u2019 and Sanguisorba \u2018Tanna\u2019.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""There\"<\/picture><\/div>
There is a sense of theatrical formality in the view from the house, with a pair of clipped Osmanthus x burkwoodii marking the entrance to an oval of highly maintained, green sward, and an ancient apple tree at the furthest end. Trees from beyond the perimeter lend drama, with the scene enclosed on one side by a beech hedge (Fagus sylvatica) and a pair of Liquidambar styraciflua \u2018Worplesdon\u2019.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe garden culminates in a circle, but it begins at the top with a large, green oval. It\u2019s a play on English classicism, with a pristine sward, a long beech hedge (Fagus sylvatica<\/em>) and the branches of an ancient, gnarled apple tree fanning across the furthest end. The \u2018entrance\u2019 to the lawn is marked by two clipped Osmanthus <\/em>x burkwoodii <\/em>that provide dense, evergreen structure, while a pair\u00a0of Liquidambar styraciflua <\/em>\u2018Worplesdon\u2019, with their elegant, maple-like leaves, colour up by the perimeter. \u201cThis oval lawn is a celebration of open space in itself. All the other shapes in the garden relate to this: in the middle you\u2019ve got an empty space,\u201d says John, adding. \u201cThat\u2019s something I\u2019ve always loved.\u201d The scene is set, and while the planting palette in summer leans towards red and green, the real drama is in the encircling autumn foliage and its shifting colours.\n
\""There\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
There is a sense of theatrical formality in the view from the house, with a pair of clipped Osmanthus x burkwoodii\u00a0<\/em>marking the entrance to an oval of highly maintained, green sward, and an ancient apple tree at the furthest end. Trees from beyond the perimeter lend drama, with the scene enclosed on one side by a beech hedge (Fagus sylvatica<\/em>) and a pair of Liquidambar styraciflua<\/em> \u2018Worplesdon\u2019.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

When John\u2019s clients first bought the site with a view to developing it, there was a lot of grass \u2013 as well as the old apple tree, a Sorbaria sorbifolia <\/em>and a group of Rhus typhina <\/em>\u2018Dissecta\u2019, all of which the owners wanted to keep. Each of these plants has a second act in autumn and it was natural that the additional planting by Bowles & Wyer should play on the oranges, yellows and reds of the shrub\u00a0foliage. Persicaria amplexicaulis <\/em>\u2018Amethyst\u2019 makes a brilliant, buzzing, pink-and- green mound that appears to be in the prime of life just as its neighbours begin their final flourish. Persian ironwood Parrotia persica <\/em>appears more than once around the garden edges, as well as spindle\u2019s psychedelic leaves, fruits and seeds, in Euonymus europaeus <\/em>and Euonymus alatus<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is interesting about this garden is that as you descend, you go into\u00a0a sort of nature hug. You sink down into the foliage, quite literally.\u201d The journey follows the curved line of the lawn, with rusted Corten steel edging that seems to increase in size as the path descends, its role as a retaining wall becoming ever clearer: \u201cWhen you get to the apple tree, it has become quite mammoth.\u201d The \u2018wall\u2019 is a good backdrop for grasses such as Stipa tenuissima <\/em>but it also performs a trick of making the lawn completely disappear. \u201cThis is my\u00a0favourite bit. Once you get down here,\u201d says John, \u201cyou are between two worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""The\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The flat lawn, created with \u201cgolf course technology\u201d (and excellent drainage) is kept aloft by a retaining\u00a0wall of rusted Corten steel. The curve\u00a0is held in place by steel fins, anchored into concrete foundations. As the grey brick path descends around the side, the rusted vertical becomes more noticeably a backdrop to the changing hues of Stipa tenuissima, as well as Panicum virgatum<\/em> \u2018Rehbraun\u2019 and Sanguisorba<\/em> \u2018Tanna\u2019.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Bowles & Wyer carries out its own garden building and maintenance,\u00a0useful services in complicated builds such as this one, with thin soil and a lawn created with \u201cgolf course technology\u201d (lots of drainage, no irrigation). The retaining wall was made with huge pieces of steel, held in place with fins that are anchored into concrete foundations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was quite a feat of manufacture and configuration,\u201d says John, challenges that were compounded by the difficulty of transporting all of the hard materials through a gap at the side of the house that measures just a metre at its widest point. \u201cWe really limited the amount of stuff that came in and out of this garden, which is one of the reasons why we built the lawn up,\u201d he says. The team was also conscious of the carbon footprint when making the garden, using recycled steel (requiring fewer materials and less transport than masonry). The ratio of soft\u00a0to hard landscaping is about 90 per cent. \u201cWe\u2019ve got plenty of undergrowth,grasses and seeds. There\u2019s food for birds and for invertebrates,\u201d notes John. \u201cThere is lots of biodiversity \u2013 despite the fact that we included a lawn, which is a very un-biodiverse feature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grasses are an important part of the planting; gracefully arching Pennisetum alopecuroides <\/em>\u2018Hameln\u2019 with its late-season, purple-tinged flower spikelets, and pale, densely tufted Sesleria autumnalis <\/em>flank the circular, brick stepping stones that lead down to the private, round seating area. Concentric circles of hard and soft landscaping end with a rustic Corten steel firepit by The Pot Company. \u201cDown here,\u201d says John, \u201cthe house has almost disappeared. You are sitting in a bowl of planting, hugged by foliage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blending hard and soft landscaping elements<\/strong><\/p>\n

\""A\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A path of dark-grey brick is flanked on the left side by fluffy Stipa tenuissima<\/em>, with the green foliage of Libertia chilensis<\/em> and searing-pink Persicaria amplexicaulis<\/em> \u2018Amethyst\u2019 to the right. Beyond the auburn-tinged flowerheads of Pennisetum alopecuroides<\/em> \u2018Hameln\u2019, a bank of Euonymus alatus<\/em> (burning bush) flames away. The autumn hues of the cut-leaved stag\u2019s\u00a0horn sumac (Rhus typhina<\/em> \u2018Dissecta\u2019) and Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica)<\/em> in the foreground harmonise with the cabin roof at the garden\u2019s end.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

For connecting the formal lawn at the top of the garden with the secluded woodland at the bottom, Bowles & Wyer used a winding path of twice-fired, dark-grey brick, from Vande Moortel in Belgium. Laid on their side, with occasional steps, it has a metropolitan feel that works well with the controlled effusion of grasses and perennials spilling over it on the way down.<\/p>\n

John Wyer notes that more than 90 per cent of the garden is made of soft materials. It is appropriate then that its hard bones are elegantly minimal, once the black basalt terrace gives way to well-matched brick. Lending themselves to curves, bricks are laid on the winding path and the seating circle. Stopping at the wooden building (sourced by the client), the brick is used for modular steps.<\/p>\n

The heavy lifting of the retaining wall is made to look easy, with a slim curve of rusted Corten steel becoming more prominent as the garden descends.<\/p>\n

*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural\u00a0Society. \u2020Hardiness ratings given where available.<\/em><\/p>\n

USEFUL INFORMATION<\/strong>\nFind out more about Bowles & Wyer\u2019s work at bowleswyer.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

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By Katie Beale Published: Friday, 07 January 2022 at 12:00 am IN BRIEF What Terraced, hillside garden overlooking a valley.Where Hertfordshire.Size Half an acre.Soil Thin soil on chalk.Climate Temperate English.Hardiness zone USDA 9a. At the lowest level of the garden, away from the formality of the house, circular steps lead down through grasses Pennisetum alopecuroides […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":4452,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"10"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/01\/a-stunning-hillside-garden-in-hertfordshire-designed-by-bowles-wyer-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Katie Beale Published: Friday, 07 January 2022 at 12:00 am IN BRIEF What Terraced, hillside garden overlooking a valley.Where Hertfordshire.Size Half an acre.Soil Thin soil on chalk.Climate Temperate English.Hardiness zone USDA 9a. At the lowest level of the garden, away from the formality of the house, circular steps lead down through grasses Pennisetum alopecuroides…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/4451"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}