Garden in the Cotswolds skillfully arranges to counteract severe weather conditions
In the picturesque north Cotswolds, the historic agricultural building Coates Barn has been transformed into a modern family home, boasting a 360-degree view of the escarpment but little protection from the elements. The new owners, the Sonneborns, sought to create a garden that would make the most of the views, provide protection for plants, and offer ample space for their family.
Enter garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair, who was enlisted to help with the garden and play area for the Sonneborns' grandchildren. The central area of the garden now features a feast of unusual forms and exciting cultivars, including hydrangeas, euphorbias, grasses, thalictrum, iris, sanguisorbas, persicaria, bearded iris 'Sable', Digitalis lutea, Patrinia scabiosifolia, Japanese anemones, white aster Symphyotrichum 'Monte Cassino', and more.
To open up the panoramic view, the central part of the stone wall and the gateway that enclosed the south-facing garden were removed. Trees have been planted to break up the view into bitesize pieces, and a treehouse, climbing frame, and swings have been incorporated to cater to all three generations.
The north-facing beds are planted with a wide variety of evergreens, while the south-facing beds undergo Chelsea chopping (cutting back in the third week of May to promote bulking out rather than tall willowy growth). Clematis and roses have been planted on the inside of the sheepfold, a dry-stone walled structure ingeniously created to resolve the issue of the Klargester septic tank opposite the front door.
A mown grass walk links the garden with the field beyond the wall and the landscape, while crab apples and rowans have been set in long grass at the entrance to the property. Planting started in the spring of 2022, with new beds made, under-planted with spring bulbs, and a loose, easy mixture of grasses and herbaceous plants.
The remaining walls were lowered by a couple of feet and two seats were created within them, capped with smooth stone. Yellow rattle has been seeded to begin the process of taming the long grass on the drive, and the beach of gravel that once dominated the approach to the house has been trimmed back to a smaller teardrop shape.
The garden around Coates Barn, with its unique blend of functionality, family-friendly features, and stunning plantings, is a testament to the Sonneborns' vision and James Alexander-Sinclair's design prowess.
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