Frost-resilient garden adorned with a striking winter design, masterfully crafted by Arne Maynard
Nestled in the heart of West Sussex, England, a picturesque garden has undergone a remarkable transformation, creating a winter wonderland that captivates visitors with its intricate design and thoughtful husbandry. The garden, designed by renowned landscape architect Arne Maynard, showcases a mastery of garden design that enhances the natural beauty of the site while incorporating innovative elements.
The garden, spanning 85 meters by 110 meters, is a 85 x 110m walled garden. It is situated in a unique frost pocket, which lends a distinct climate to the garden. This climate, coupled with the mix of green sand and sandy loam soil, provides a rich canvas for Maynard's design.
Upon entering the garden, one is greeted by a spiraling path that leads to a sunken lawn. The path is hidden by fluffy white heads of Miscanthus sinensis 'Kleine Fontäne', 'Malepartus' and 'Gracillimus', along with clipped beech sentries, creating an enchanting approach to the heart of the garden.
The garden is divided into four quadrants, each with its own purpose. One quadrant has been reimagined as a picnic area, with a sunken central lawn reached by a gently spiraling path. Another quadrant is given over to an ornamental grass spiral, which in winter becomes a contemporary tapestry. Arne Maynard has subdivided the remaining three large quadrants to create space for raised vegetable beds, soft fruits, and flowers for cutting.
The garden's winter framework includes trained fruit trees, timber-edged beds, and robust training posts. The true layout and skilled husbandry of the garden can be fully appreciated in winter, as every inch of soil is not hidden by vegetables, fruit, and flowers.
Outside the walls, a rectangular mirror pool is located, overlooked by neat yew buttresses. Beyond this, a stone-edged pool adds to the garden's tranquil beauty. An elaborate and whimsical metalwork gate, added in the 1930s, sets a dramatic entrance, framed by an ivy-and-lichen covered moon gateway.
The interplay of light and shadow in this area outside the walls is a particular pleasure. The garden design for winter includes creating vistas, repeating shapes and materials, adding contrasting textures, making the most of low winter sun, and considering paths.
Arne Maynard's design process typically involves careful planning, understanding of the site's history and context, and a focus on enhancing natural beauty while incorporating new elements. For a garden like the one in West Sussex, the process might generally involve site assessment, design concept development, plan development, implementation, and maintenance and evolution.
This stunning garden is a testament to Maynard's design skills and a must-visit for garden enthusiasts. For those interested in his design process or specific transformations, resources on his work, including the redesign of the Fountain and Bowling Green terraces for the present Lord Manners in 2005 and the creation of Allt-y-Bela in Wales, are readily available.
- The walled garden, spanning 85 meters by 110 meters, serves as a canvas for Arne Maynard's garden design, showcasing a blend of traditional and contemporary elements.
- The garden design includes four quadrants, each with a unique purpose - one is transformed into a picnic area, another becomes an ornamental grass spiral, and the remaining areas are dedicated to raised vegetable beds, soft fruits, and flowers for cutting.
- The garden's winter framework, consisting of trained fruit trees, timber-edged beds, and robust training posts, provides a striking, minimalist landscape that can be appreciated for its intricate design and careful husbandry.
- Arne Maynard's approach to garden design, which emphasizes careful planning, understanding of the site's history and context, and a focus on enhancing natural beauty while incorporating new elements, is a testament to the fusion of landscaping, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, and home-and-garden trends.
