Judith Wise Garden Design

West Sussex Manor House

Judithwise — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 14:44:58 +0000

Rural Village House

Judithwise — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 15:36:44 +0000

West Sussex Village House

Judithwise — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 19:18:23 +0000

In some ways a difficult site with the large village house close to the road in the north east corner of an 11 acre plot with three acres of garden. But, in other ways a gift thanks to an inspirational view. The main concern was to remove the car parking area from the the middle of the site and to create a garden around the house with some intimacy but at all times remembering the greatest asset – the view. The site had previously been acres of lawn with a large gravel drive dissecting it. Shortening the drive and making the parking area to one side of the house enabled the creation of an intimate terraced garden around the house using old york stone and old brick pavers with a plethora of planting beds abundantly planted with rich jewel coloured perennials and roses. Structure was provided in the form of evergreen hedging and clipped yew, laurel, pittosporum and bay balls.

The previously cramped pool area (necessitated by the previous location of the parking) was given space but privacy through the planting of a hornbeam hedge. A cooler planting pallet of white and green was used in the large border adjacent to the pool. The terraced garden leads via york stone steps within the grass bank to a semi circular formal lawn and then to a more informal grass area planted with native trees and seeded with wild flowers. Further interest is added with the creation of a large sweeping curved bank in the lee of the hills and an historic pond was renovated and its surrounds cleared of large numbers of laurels and replaced with native trees and shrubs.

Contemporary Landscape

Judithwise — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 19:15:36 +0000

It was imperative that the garden reflected the character of the house built by architect, Trevor Dannatt, but also related to the large horizon. It needed to be stripped back of any small detail. This was done by creating interest through the use of large earth forms, a wild flower meadow, extensive tree planting and managing of the woodland to let in light and allow the trees to reveal their architectural forms.

To give it a sense of its own space a large snaking bund was made in the image of the hills beyond. A sunken circular lawn, grass amphitheatre and silver birch grove created simple drama. One long bed adjacent to the pool was planted with drifts of grasses and a minimal pallet of perennials.

Topiary Garden

Judithwise — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:14:02 +0000

A yew maze, pruned to create waves, adds interest and movement to the large flat lawn area. A crescent bed filled with white flowering perennials and silver leafed shrubs, punctuated with holly and laurel balls, continues the feeling of fluidity and softens the lawn boundary. Further structural and autumnal interest is added with the central planting of a large mushroom-pruned beech tree. The various topiary shapes dotted through the corner shrub area create drama. The use of topiary to create movement is an effective transition from the formal to more informal areas of the garden.

More traditionally clipped topiary such as square box-edged beds with box balls and obelisks is effectively used close to the house as it relates well to buildings continuing in green form the geometric shapes. One dramatic five tiered topiarised yew adds surprise and prevents it being predictable.

Walled Garden

Judithwise — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 19:13:31 +0000

Three sides of the garden are enclosed by original 19th century brick walls. To create a distinct area but one which can be glimpsed from the rest of the garden, a fourth side was made through the planting of a yew hedge and established box pleached hornbeam. The walled garden is entered via a galvanised steel gate designed by Paul Elliot of Hammer and Tongs. Within the paths of old york stone with old brick detail are eight geometric beds edged with low evergreen hedging and abundantly planted with roses and perennials with vertical and all year round interest provided by large yew spirals and obelisks. The nearby pool area is separated by eight large yew balls and a pergola, covered in purple wisteria and pink roses, provides the entrance to this area.

Downland House

Judithwise — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 19:37:41 +0000

A grand symmetrical house which required a bold and geometric design. The North garden is large and formal in design to reflect the grandeur of the house. The use of box and yew in the form of hedging and topiary gives a strong structural base to the design with movement, softness and seasonal variety provided by single stemmed clipped malus trees, cornus, roses, grasses and perennials. The garden on the East of the house is simple and stately with a formal lawn lined with large box pleached hornbeams leading to curved Portland stone steps up to a grass meadow dissected by a wide mown grass path which leads the eye to the 19th century folly on the Downs beyond.

Sussex Farm House

Judithwise — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 15:48:00 +0000

Situated in beautiful rolling country side with extensive views it was important that the garden did not interrupt these but, with the driveway also doubling as a bridle path, the garden needed to provide privacy and solace. The boundary is created by hornbeam hedging to compliment the bucolic environment with box pleached hornbeams and parasol limes adding height and a touch of grandeur while allowing the views to be uninterrupted. The front garden uses box hedging, twisted bay trees, yew topiary, herbs and white flowering perennials and roses to create an old fashioned romantic entrance suited to the decorative flint and brick house. The back garden is divided into formal lawn garden with herbaceous borders and rounded topiary to reflect the rolling hills, a wild flower meadow glimpsed through two old apple trees and the vegetable garden entered via a hornbeam arch.

Grass Meadow

Judithwise — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 15:49:39 +0000

The grass meadow is the final transition between the formal and informal areas of the garden and the landscape beyond. The various grass species shimmer with movement from April to October. The meandering mown grass paths enable you to wander and explore the native and exotic trees planted within the meadow.

Small Gardens

Judithwise — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 11:59:16 +0000

In this small London garden, 15m x 15m, privacy, intimacy and a place of solace is created by abundant planting which in places projects into the centre of the garden. The use of vertical planting by way of 2 rose arches, climbing roses up the house and a standard crab apple tree planted within the lawn allows more planting and draws the eye up and away from the boundaries. Shade and privacy is provided over the terrace by 4 parasol lime trees and pleached pear trees create a natural green boundary and produce an abundance of white blossom in the spring. A touch of blowsiness and the countryside is introduced through cow parsley, hydrangea, foxgloves and naturalising snowdrops under the crab apple tree.

The hard landscaping materials are all old and reclaimed so they enhance and blend into the natural environment. Narrow paths, only 50cm wide, which provide walkways through the planting, are made from old pavers with soft hues of pinks, blues and browns and the small terrace is made from old reclaimed york stone. The planting of the low daisy ( Erigeron karvinskiansus), Alchemilla mollis, Geranium, herbs and wild strawberries, soften the edges of the terrace and paths.