Background

Close to the source of the River Test, surrounded by fields and views of old watercress beds, our home was once a pair of farm workers cottages.

Polhampton, or “Polemetune” as it appears in the Doomsday Book, was a sizeable settlement named after the “pools” which rise from the aquifers deep beneath the chalk downland.  Presumably it was the pools that attracted the original settlement. 

Unfortunately, the community was wiped out by the Black Death in the 1340s.  The settlement never really returned to strength; instead, it moved down river to Overton.  All that now remains in this small hamlet are three houses.

In 1876, our home was built as two farm cottages (1 & 2 Polhampton Farm Cottages) by the Portal’s estate, local landowners who established a local paper making and money printing enterprise linked to the plentiful water supply of the River Test.  The Portal’s crest can be seen on the front of the house, and it’s just possible to make out the apex of the second cottage’s porch on the far corner of the house adjoining the bridleway.

The cottages were sold off by the estate in the 1980s, extended and gentrified.  They were renamed by previous owners on account of the large rabbit population and Polhampton’s appearance on the map in Richard Adams well known book, Watership Down.

We moved here in 2006 with the intention to create a family home and garden, initially undertaking extensive works.  At that time, the garden wrapped tightly around the house, and its main feature was the woodland in springtime.

Our soil has a very high chalk content, and the prevailing south westerly winds batter the front of the house when a storm blows.

In 2007, we excavated 18,000 cubic meters of chalk, absorbed it on the field above and created the terrace and garden around the house.  The ornamental garden you see today is limited by the curtilage of the original cottages. 

We consciously cultivate the rest of the landscape to woodland and wildflowers, enjoying the gentle coexistence with nature and the biodiversity this brings.  It also means our views of the River Test and Polhampton lakes take centre stage.  Wildlife, birds, butterflies, pollinators and other insects are the supporting cast and add vibrancy and seasonal changes to the garden and landscape.

Front Garden

The south facing front garden is largely laid to lawn and the climbing roses: Rosa Gregoire Stachaelin, a dark crimson Rosa New Dawn, Rosa Rambling Rector, Rosa Compassion, a climbing variety of Rosa The Fairy and Rosa Alfred Carriere, bloom from mid-May to the end of June.  Rosa Alfred Carriere will repeat.

The box (Buxus sempervirens) hedge was the first thing we planted on a very wet Saturday in early March 2007 and it has thrived.    It’s cloud pruned once a year in July to echo its native cousin which grows naturally on the other side of the lane.  We spray it regularly with Top Buxus XenTari from April - October to manage box blight and we also use box moth caterpillar traps.  I love the bright green foliage of box and put in quite a lot of effort to keep it looking as good as possible.   It’s not perfect but it’s not too bad.

Other front garden favourites include Clematis Perle d’Azur, Clematis Etoile Violette and Clematis Polish Spirit, Iris Benton Caramel, which tones perfectly with our brick colour and lichen, Geranium x oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink' and a very happy rosemary.

The tree on the corner of the bridleway is the lovely pale pink flowering Prunus autumnalis.  I especially enjoy looking at it from my bedroom window when it's flowering in wintertime.

Terrace Garden

This is where the fireworks happen.  From April to November, the terrace is an explosion of colour.  Every week it changes, and every patch of soil is densely planted with old favourites and trial combinations.

First the super-sized Euphorbia wulfenii subsp. Characias which self-seed generously as they love our chalky ground, paired with tulips in deep magenta and peachy colours, including Tulipa Abu Hassan, Tulipa Malaika and Tulipa Belle Epoque. 

It’s then the turn of the peonies and roses with pops of alliums, aquilegia and the ever-reliable Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ and the soft grey Stachys byzantina ‘Big Ears’.

The first peony to flower is Paeonia lactiflora 'Karl Rosenfield', followed by the much-used Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'.  The alliums are a mix of Allium stipitatum, Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, the unusual white flowering Allium nigrum, and Allium christophii.   I generally plant allium bulbs in clumps, so they emerge in blocks.  Inevitably some alliums will self-seed and these are left to their own devices in the spirit of randomness and letting nature play a part.

The roses are all from David Austin, although some are no longer easily sourced: Rosa ‘Gentle Hermione’, Rosa ‘Eglantyne’, Rosa ‘William Shakespeare’, Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, Rosa ‘Boule de Neige’ and Rosa ‘Ballerina’.

Spiralling around each metal obelisk is Rosa ‘Constance Spry’ with Clematis Niobe, Clematis Etoile Violette to prolong the season.  The honeysuckle is Lonicera × tellmanniana, rather splendid, boldly orange, and tones dramatically with our distinctive Hampshire red brickwork.

After the roses, the colours change from pinks, blues, white and purple to apricot, deeper pinks and darker hues.  The dahlias provide the constant colour, topped up with Cosmos, Echinacea and Asters. 

We can never guarantee the dahlias will re-emerge as we leave them in the ground over winter, and so probably lose two or three every year.  So, we supplement with new recruits.  This year we are adding: Dahlia ‘Preference’, Dahlia ‘Cornel Brons’, Dahlia ‘Natalie G’, Dahlia ‘Garden Desire’ and Dahlia ‘Misses Dutch’, if the slugs don’t get them first!

I love verticals and the terrace features:  Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora, which self-seeds prolifically (we quickly remove any pink intruders), the fragile pink Linaria ‘Canon Went’, Delphinium Black Knight Group which curiously seems to have disappeared this year after being sensational last year, the giant Scottish thistle Onopordum acanthium, and Cynara cardunculus.  I have also experimented with Eremurus, the foxtail lily, but they don’t like me as much as I like them.

Woodland Bed

A relatively recent update, the Woodland Bed marks the transition between the formality of the terrace, the end of the ornamental garden, and the entrance to the Dell. 

We cleared this bed approximately 5 years ago and planted lilacs, pink-flowering currants, spirea and viburnum.   All reliably deer resistant.

The two native hazel, which were coppiced this year, have been here much longer and the Euonymus europaeus, which I love for its bright pink fruits in autumn, has also been part of the planting for as long as I can remember.

The point of this bed is its early springtime appeal, after which it turns to wilderness.  Planted with snowdrops, wood anenomes, many varieties of narcissus and hellebores and a multitude of the delicate Tulipa clusiana ‘Peppermint Stick’ which resemble a slim pink stick of rock, it’s very pretty.

The Dell

The mighty multi-stem ash tree marks the beginning of the Dell.  Once an ancient chalk pit where chalk and flint were quarried, and more recently planted with ash trees for firewood, this space is a natural amphitheatre.

When we first moved here, it was covered in dense woodland.  During Covid, we realized our vulnerability if a limb from one of the ash trees fell on our precious telephone line which was Polhampton’s lifeline.  (Falling limbs are a frequent hazard with mature ash trees). 

On a freezing cold week in January 2021, a team took down approximately 80% of the ash trees as they were suffering from severe ash die back.  I decided we should retain a few, not least because I couldn’t bear to fell the multistem at the entrance, and I wanted to see if any of the trees would recover.  (It’s relatively easy to spot the ash trees still with bad die back around the garden).

Removing the trees was transformational.   I had spent so long working with the Tree Officer at our local council to obtain the appropriate permissions to take down the trees in this part of Overton’s Conservation Area, that I had not spent much time thinking about the views we would enjoy once the trees were removed.   It’s been amazing and we now have wide, expansive views of the lakes and its diverse wildfowl.

The Dell itself is still an experiment.  Planted with snowdrops and narcissus in early spring, this space is at its best then, when the views to the lakes are open and there are no leaves on the trees.  By May, the perennial ‘weeds’ have taken over and are tussling for supremacy.  In 2021 not much grew, but by 2022 it was Jack by the Hedge (Alliaria petiolata), and in 2023 it was the Eupatorium cannabinum which was the winner.  This tussle is itself interesting, and the Dell in summertime is currently left to its jungle.  A path is strimmed and simple steps made from reclaimed wood wind through the space, making it feel very immersive.

Lime Trees

This is a secret part of the garden with glimpses through lime trees to the lakes.  We put up solar powered festoon lights and moved the fire bowl here for the boys to chill with friends.   If there is a spot for forest bathing in the garden, this is it.

Close by are the dogs’ graves, a spot chosen by our eldest son when a Norfolk terrier puppy we had bred tragically died.   Because I’m often asked about these, the headstones are identical sized slabs of York stone engraved in Times New Roman font with the names and dates of each dog.  They have been made by our local stone mason. The dogs have a lovely view and Narcissus Tete a Tete grow amongst their graves in springtime.  It’s a peaceful place.

Daisy Wildflower Meadow

The oxeye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), which are in full swing in late May and early June, are a miracle of nature.  They turned up when we moved the chalk around the house and created ‘bunds’ with the spoil.  On the bunds, we planted native trees to add height and block out Portal’s Mill behind us and have subsequently planted various wild roses and yew. 

With the introduction of yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor), we hope to bring greater diversity to this space.  This year, the arrival of the Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsia), marked with a hazel stick, tells me our strategy is working.  We already have Pyramidal Orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis) which arrived on a patch we no longer mow, spurred on by ‘no mow May’ in 2021.

The yew bushes will be gradually clipped into topiary.   So far, they have names: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Nebuchadnezzar, Melchior, Balthazar, Salmanazar and Caspar.  The shapes will follow.

The spiral mound at the top of the meadow is a folly: a playful way to absorb still more chalk from our excavations. A spiral is an ancient, mystical symbol.  Walking to the top forces you to slow down, the view is concealed until you reach the peak and the distance travelled and incline feel very comfortable.   From the top, there is a fine view of the surrounding countryside. It’s probably the most talked about part of the garden.

Next to the spiral mound are our resident bee colonies, cared for by Jim our local Overton beekeeper.   This is the first year they have been housed in our garden, and I’m so excited about home grown Polhampton honey.

Terrace Wildflower Meadow

After various false starts, this was sown approximately 8 years ago using specialist seed: Emorsgate Chalk downland mix.  The land was exceptionally poor and very chalky; we were not sure if the seeding would work.  Fortunately, it’s been a huge success and is now the most diverse of our wild flower meadows that is at its best at the end of June and early July. It’s not just the flowers, the butterflies are amazing!

Utility Space

So often, the utility space for a garden is blocked off to visitors.  I think our ‘back office’ is interesting so well worth a look. 

A garden marches on its compost heap!  We have a 3-bin compost heap which we use slavishly with ‘in’, ‘cooking’ and ‘out’ compost bins.  We’ve found regular turning is the secret ingredient to creating a delicious fine tilth. 

Next to the compost is a bug hotel made from old builders’ pallets, dried foliage and natural landscaping and building products that were lying around the garden.   The idea is that bugs will make their homes in the cracks and crevasses, attracting more bugs and encouraging greater biodiversity.

Then there’s the potting shed, until recently a shared storage space with ball games and boys’ sports kit.  It’s now much calmer and tidier, providing much needed garden storage, potting space and a haven from the rain. I’m gradually adding my imprint and enjoying the process.

The Garden Studio

Below the utility area is The Garden Studio, a space we’ve rented on Airbnb over the last 3 years.  Decorated in kingfisher colours, with long views over the garden and towards the lakes, guests can enjoy the sunsets from the west facing terrace and might even spot a barn owl.  Garden Gathering visitors are welcome to use the loo in the studio.

Potager

This is where I spend most of my time, sowing seeds, tweaking pelargoniums, and battling with slugs!  We grow for the house, mixing vegetables with flowers, around the greenhouse and in the lavender lawn.

The hazel structures are all home grown and home made from this year’s coppiced hazel.  

Sweet peas, mange tout, various climbing beans and squashes will clamber up these throughout the summer.  The sweet peas were sown in November last year and are from Chiltern Seeds.  I am not loyal to any variety, choosing what catches my eye when I place my order.  I am, however, loyal to the runner bean ‘Celebration’ for its stunning peachy orange flowers and good cropping, the decorative Squash Turks Turban and delicious Pumpkin Crown Prince.

We also sow many different types of salads, including Franchi Seeds’ lettuce, endive, rocket, and various varieties of kale including Cavolo Nero, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Kalettes and Red Russian.

Back of the House

On the north facing side of the house, we added a ‘new’ front door and steps when we undertook the initial changes to the house. 

Either side are planted with winter flowering, highly scented shrubs including Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' and Sarcococca confusa.  There is also a Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ close to the entrance gate.  There are lots and lots of Lenten roses, Helleborus orientalis, in various colour ways which flower from late February to early April.  I absolutely love them, and they make a great statement with the evergreen box balls. 

Separating the drive from the back of the house, we have planted espalier pear trees (Pyrus ‘Doyenne Du Comice’, Pyrus ‘Conference’ and Pyrus ‘Concorde’) underplanted with lavender.  The lavender bushes are past their sell by date but the gaps allow for self-seeded white foxgloves and some randomness with forget me nots which I enjoy. Our Labrador Bella loves eating the ripe pears.

Gardening Team

They say a garden is a person not a place, but this place would not be the garden it is without: 

• Simon, for lawns, hedges and edges, and anything else involving petrol power

• Souren, for expert pruning, topiary, and weekly gardening help and musings

• Dave, for turning his hand to anything, including woodland steps and precision planting

• The other Dave and Keith, for big tree work

• Richard and Nick, for the original layout

Maintenance

This is a high maintenance garden and we embrace weeds!  The truth is that weeding is not top of our priority list.  We let plants self-seed and edit ruthlessly to create the effect of a garden on the edge of chaos.  To stop the garden looking totally out of control, we try to have tidy paths, neat lawns and to keep the box well clipped. The gravel paths are an extension of my seedbeds: some plants in the gravel are weedlings and some are precious seedlings, to be nurtured and transplanted into the garden. I realise it’s not easy to know the difference!

Biodiversity & Sustainability

Lastly and most importantly, I’m constantly making incremental changes to increase biodiversity and sustainability whilst controlling predatory wildlife naturally.

We harvest rainwater with a large ‘onion’ shaped tank under the terrace. The tank is only as good as its pump, but the rainwater supply usually lasts all summer long.

Rocket, our Bedlington whippet lurcher, patrols the perimeter and wards off deer and rabbits effectively. (I’ve noticed lots of keen gardeners have lurchers!)

We make and use our own compost and don’t use pesticides, even though I despair of slugs.

We feed the birds greedily and provide lots of welcoming nesting boxes.  Consequently, we enjoy a huge variety.

Jim’s bees are a recent and exciting addition, and I can’t wait to see how they influence the garden.

There are also some parts of the garden, where we have consciously decided to let nature tell us the answer and to wait and see what comes up.  We have been rewarded with wild orchids which tells me we must be doing something right.

It’s hard to describe a garden which is so personal, a pleasure and a haven.  Set in the beautiful surroundings of Polhampton with its river, lakes, long views and wildlife, I hope it’s how this garden makes you feel that you will take home with you. This feeling of wellbeing and nurturing that gardens can give us is why I think Horatio’s Garden is such a special charity.