The total area of the garden is 3 acres of which about 2 acres is intensively planted. The garden has been created from scratch around a converted stone barn and has taken over 20 years. It has been planned to give pleasure and interest at all times of the year.The garden is on flat ground and has easy, direct access from on-site parking - making it a pleasure for all visiting parties.
The garden was started in 1985 when we moved here with two small boys. At first the acre of land was tamed, grassed and then some shrubs and trees added to make a playground for the boys. Then we made a few flowerbeds and I discovered plants.
In 1992 we bought a further two acres at the rear of the house from the farmer and grassed it by hand with 300kg of grass seed. In the following year we opened for the National Garden Scheme in September and have opened each year ever since raising over £10,000 for the scheme.
The garden has been designed as a number of different areas or rooms, each with a different style and feel, these are all linked together by a grass road which runs around the house and down through the orchard. Each room provides a different habitat and planting opportunity. It is a country garden set amoung fields in the Vale of York. There are no spectacular views but the garden fits into the open landscape with interest concentrated in the garden. We have made the garden between us, coming up with the design ideas together, refining them and then Howard puts the structure and hard landscaping in place followed by me doing the planting and maintenance. Over the years I have built up a collection of plants by visiting gardens and nurseries all over the country, many of the plants are unusual. I am still collecting, but have become more discerning, looking for plants which will like my soil and situation.
The planting is colour themed so that at any time of year in any part of the garden there will be different flowers with style and colours that go well together. We have well drained soil and a dry climate.