GARDEN IN THE HIGH PEAK
This unique site is situated in The High Peak area of Derbyshire, high up in the Pennines. The house itself is a Grade 2 listed Georgian house, so we had to be careful to follow certain guidelines. The client had recently added a wonderful glass cube extension to the house to enhance their enjoyment of garden and the incredible views of the surrounding landscape.
This view shows how well the glass cube sits with both the house and garden, while being distinctly new and modern. Getting a contrast right can often depend on going for the extreme.
There were many challenges to completing the scheme, most notably the 4m high elevation to the site making access for materials and machinery difficult. A series of heavy duty conveyor belts helped us deliver over 30 tons of topsoil and 20 other tons of materials. Also 5 tons of concrete were needed to complete the water feature which had to be pumped into place.
The garden is subject to quite severe winters, so planting had to be hardy, but we managed to provide an array of plants that will mature into a beautiful garden, including a small knot garden that harks back to the Georgian era.
The garden is focused around a long canal-type water feature (some 12m long and 2.5m wide) giving that extra dimension of stunning mirror like reflections of the sky.
In the evening the sun gleams beautifully of the water, and once set the underwater lighting to gives a serene and stunning view from the glass cube that can be enjoyed throughout the whole year.
A discreet water filtration system (including a UV) is used to keep the it clear and reduce maintenance.
