Visit to the Barn Garden and Serge Hill

 Monday 18 June 2018
We were fortunate to have a private tour of the Barn garden home of Tom and Sue Stuart Smith and the Serge Hill garden their long time family home and now home to his sister Kate.

Gardener in the Courtyard garden

Water tank feature

Hakonechloa

Astrantia ‘Hadspen Blood’

Hedged walkways from the terrace

​The beautiful sunken courtyard garden at the Barn garden was a re-sited Chelsea gold medal winner from 2006. The entire garden at the site has been planted from scratch, with 100’s of trees being planted to provide shelter and shade. ​

The strong structure of hedges provides ample garden rooms, walkways and vistas for them to experiment with plants and styles of planting. Sue tends a glorious vegetable garden and the latest additions are a swimming pond and a perennial meadow area. Planting in all areas was plentiful and colourful.

Swimming pond

Butomus umbellatus

The view across the meadow and a shady spot for lunch

In the garden of Serge Hill house Kate tended a very pretty, large walled garden and large borders, with lots grown from seed and cuttings. The original Regency house has a Ha Ha allowing us to enjoy the lovely views out over cow studded pasture. ​

Sue Tymon

​Photos: Susie Warwick, Lesley Whayman