Crowe Garden Design - Bespoke Garden Design In Essex

Columbine Hall is without doubt an impressive Tudor property and has been restored and the gardens developed since 1993. The principal design for the gardens was by garden designer George Carter and now after 15 years the garden has reached a maturity.

 

The area has been laid out with exceptional views, vistas and allees creating simple green rooms using Yew and Hornbeam hedging and pleaching. In fact the planting that does exist seemed unnecessary and could be simplified further.

 

The gravel courtyard around the entrance to the house is delightful, with pots and simple planting including some impressive clipped box balls. (Shame about the modern parasols.)

 

Throughout the grounds and garden repetition of motifs, principally the colour used for the fencing, seating and ornamentation and the pyramid finials give a cohesion. Lime trees are planting in an allee and then extend around to the entrance.

 

There was an area that simply looked odd, the "Mediterranean Garden" (see below), perched on a bank opposite the overflow ditch it felt wrong, out of character and with that sense of being 'added on'.

 

 

 

The Bog garden, planted along another ditch that feeds down was perhaps a more understanding use of the space. The delightful Herb garden and the Walled garden are unfussy examples of a simply executed idea.

 

The strength of the garden is in it's simplicity, a very strong layout in a classical and traditional style set in the pastoral countryside of Suffolk in East Anglia. There is an impressive moat surrounding the hall and the house is approached across a earth bridge. It is here where one would expect to find impressive borders and planting but at present this is not the case.

 

The gardens open as part of the National Garden Scheme and by prior appointment.