Greener Gardens at Hall Farm
Despite the horrendous amount of rain we’ve had this February, Peter Baillis and his team from Greener Gardens in Market Bosworth have been literally ploughing on through the mud. They are well on the way to creating the landscaping around the new Sheds giving guests a shrub-lined, meandering pathway to join the main farm courtyard and the public footpath. Peter’s exceptional plant and tree knowledge has been a Godsend and we’ve selected a native British shrub mix with just a few evergreens added to give Winter colour. Read more below about the species we’ve chosen below…
With the help of a landscape architect, the gardens have been planned to offer guest privacy whilst keeping an open flow. We wanted guests to enjoy the views to their full potential whilst feeling comfortable and separated from each other. Although the sheds have about 24 metres of open space between them, we felt that some sympathetic fencing was essential which will be planted on both sides with Photinia Red Robin. This plant is native to Britain, stays evergreen and also has wonderful red foliage as it grows to create a dense clipped hedge. It provides good screening for both verandas to allow guests each to enjoy their own private hot tub and dining area at Fielden’s Folly and The Fuller’s Shed.
The buildings themselves will be surrounded by deep borders of Lavender backed up by some evergreens for all year round colour. Lavender Hidcote has been specified as a native plant to create a bushy colourful border as well as for its heavenly scent. From each side a hedge-lined path continues up to the courtyard (and eventually the planned sauna) or down to the communal paddock where guests can enjoy the open space to picnic or sit around the fire pit in the evenings. Borders throughout these areas contain a mix of Ilex Equifoloum (Holly), Vibernum Opulus, Corylus Avellana (Hazel), Crateagus Monogyna (Hawthorn) and Prunus Spinosa (Backthorn) which will in time create a dense shrubbery.
Acer Campestre (Field Maple) trees have been carefully chosen to add height and broaden the canopy to the driveway, whilst Betula Pendula (multi stemmed birches) will be used in the front gardens so as not to take the view but to give height and interest on the guests’ lawns. And lastly hornbeams and oaks have been sited in the open areas to the fields to enhance the English view.
Now the planting is done, all we need is some sunshine and some growth! It’s on The Old Tractor Shed next to update and enhance the garden with a new border and a lawn tree.