The owner of this estate in Oxfordshire asked for help in redesigning the various spaces immediately surrounding the house, in order to create a more intimate and inviting series of interconnecting garden rooms.

On one side, a Mediterranean style courtyard was designed, centred around two large contemporary pots from Atelier Vierkant, planted with mature olive trees and placed in the middle of box edged beds, while on the other side, dry stone raised beds were planted with long flowering nepetas, salvias, achilleas and repeat flowering roses and clematis. Traditional lead planters line a waterway, filled with tumbling pelargoniums and climbing roses. Finally, the planting around the swimming pool was designed to be at its best around mid to late summer, when the pool is most likely to be used.

The banks surrounding the water mill were laid with a wildflower turf. At the entrance to the estate, a large wooded area was also cleared and laid with the same wildflower turf, with mown paths meandering through the space. A selection of semi mature native trees, such as oak and beech were planted in the meadow to create a natural and romantic looking sense of arrival.