Building A Dream – It’s Finished!

Editor

11 years ago

We have pretty much finished the garden build at the Old Rectory. Thank you to the lovely Jacqui Hurst for wonderfully capturing the garden as it is now, just a few weeks after planting.

I have added some before and after shots at the end of this blog but here’s what it looks like now after the 14 month build.

Cosy evening around the fire

A water feature in the dappled shade walled patio

A detail of the hand made railing on the garden steps created by Michelle Parker.

A stone seating area with a gas fire and fire sculpture by Cathy Azria.

Sunken patio lounge area

A dining table with a planter or ice tray for drinks

Flower garden and glasshouse

Golf studio living wall

Rustic treehouse

Fun up cycled log seat

A view of the wildflower meadow and Orchard

A rill with a stepping stone edged with Rudbeckia fulgida, Achillea, Echinacea and Thalictrum.

Sanguisorba ‘Bordeaux’ in full flower with a rill running though the flower garden.

A grove of Sweet Olives – Osmanthus fragrans with painted white trunks and underplanted with Rosa ‘Winchester Cathedral’ and ornamental grasses.

Guest Garden

A garden table, with a ribbon of Mind Your Own Business down the centre, placed under a canopy of Plane leaves

A view of the sun deck

Woodland secret path

The bridge and willow seating area near the swimming pond

Bird house in the woodland menagerie

Willow teepee

The garden is now being allowed to rest, establish and most importantly be enjoyed by its very lovely owners at long last. Every week when I visit things are changing, growing, settling in and its wonderful to watch. The last couple of months or so have been an incredible challenge as we had a hard deadline of the garden being opened to the village and our families at the end of August. This meant many a late night and much hard work and dedication, well above the call of duty, by an amazing team. It has been a privilege to work with everyone who has been involved on this project, in particular the landscape construction team at Breathe.

And all the hard work paid off because despite it being a (very!) rainy open day, a good number of people turned out to see what all the fuss has been about (and raise a bit of cash for charity)!

Special thanks and VERY big shout outs go to:

The owners of the Old Rectory – thank you for your vision and trust

Noemi who is an invaluable member of my team here at Bestique

The awesome team at Breathe Landscapes – Ben W, Ben B, Peter, Dave, Szymon, John, Jay, Woitcek, Mateusz, Nick and Oddy (as well as Dan, Nick ‘Crouchy’ and others who have come in over the year) – you guys have been amazing and the garden is what it is because of you. Thank you for your dedication, skill and for working such long hours to make it happen.

The specialist contractors and advisors – Adam at Carpenter Oak, Britta of Bruns Nursery, Cathy Azria BD Designs, Chris at Orchard Dene, Graham Cottingham (electrician), Helen at Majestic Trees, Ian Lovell, James of Parish & Shires Tree Surgery, Johnsons Wellfield, Juliet Colman (architect), Louise at Rivelin Fires, Mark at Deepdale, Michelle Parker (Blacksmith), Nick and Sam at Instant Hedges, Paul Cameron of Treehouse Life, Rachel at Eden Garden Rooms, Riverdale Stone, Sam at Landscapeplus, Sam and Grant at Scotscape (Living Walls), Steve Long (irrigation), Stuart at Curtis and Carder, Tim, Frank, Adrian and Melina at Gartenart, Tony Harragin (Waterfeatures), Will at Huxley Golf, Steve at Ecobunkers and South Northants Planning and Highways.

The gardening team Fiona, Dave, Amy and Steve who have been waging a war on weeds for the last few months as well as working with the Planting Team (particularly Rosanna, Amy, Fenella, Alex, Lorenzo, Mum and Dad, the guys from KLC and Shuttleworth Colleges) to get the garden planted up.

And last but not least my wonderful family, especially my sister Sal Sal for making the introduction.

Enough words! I have added a few before shots – as I know you love’em!