Bakewell House: 2.5 Acres
























The Place:
A 1700’s house with a wild feeling garden and the remnants of an ancient orchard.
The Brief:
Keep nature front and centre, keep it natural, light touch intervention. We are starting with the areas furthest from the house whilst the new kitchen extension is built and will work our way back, finally building the courtyard area. Areas for the family to entertain friends at night and relax surrounded by nature as well as restoration of the orchard were our starting points.
THE DESIGN, PHASE 1:
Woodland Dining Terrace and Firepit.
Large sliced boulders make up a the floor of the dining terrace, over time as vegetation creeps in around them they will feel as if they have been there forever. A table made from enormous slices of Sequoia gigantum that fell in a storm have been cut and dried to make a bespoke one of a kind table with Hay Palissade dining chairs. A work surface and log store have been built out of local stone. Stepping stones lead to the firepit area with a stone firepit created by master stone mason Tom Troughton. Six Hay Palissade arm chairs have been placed for relaxation, naturalistic boulders are lit up at night and moonlighters that mimic the light of the moon have been placed in the branches of the Betula, creating dappled light through its branches.
Front Drive.
Planning has been approved to move the drive to the back of the house removing car parking from the area that will become the courtyard.
HABITAT CREATION:
0.5 Acre Woodland:
Orchard:
A 1700’s house with a wild feeling garden and the remnants of an ancient orchard.
The Brief:
Keep nature front and centre, keep it natural, light touch intervention. We are starting with the areas furthest from the house whilst the new kitchen extension is built and will work our way back, finally building the courtyard area. Areas for the family to entertain friends at night and relax surrounded by nature as well as restoration of the orchard were our starting points.
THE DESIGN, PHASE 1:
Woodland Dining Terrace and Firepit.
Large sliced boulders make up a the floor of the dining terrace, over time as vegetation creeps in around them they will feel as if they have been there forever. A table made from enormous slices of Sequoia gigantum that fell in a storm have been cut and dried to make a bespoke one of a kind table with Hay Palissade dining chairs. A work surface and log store have been built out of local stone. Stepping stones lead to the firepit area with a stone firepit created by master stone mason Tom Troughton. Six Hay Palissade arm chairs have been placed for relaxation, naturalistic boulders are lit up at night and moonlighters that mimic the light of the moon have been placed in the branches of the Betula, creating dappled light through its branches.
Front Drive.
Planning has been approved to move the drive to the back of the house removing car parking from the area that will become the courtyard.
HABITAT CREATION:
0.5 Acre Woodland:
- Arboriculturalist report was undertaken and dead and diseased trees were removed.
-
Removal of brambles and planting of native whips.
-
Planting of hundreds of spring flowering bulbs.
- Bark mulch is added to improve soil structure.
Orchard:
- Removal of dead fruit tree, with trunks left on the land as wildlife and fungi habitat.
- Sensitive pruning of old productive trees.
- Addition of new trees.
- Planting of Oxeye daisies in the long grass to increase diversity.
PROJECT |
Bakewell House |
DURATION |
2021 - 2022 |
STATUS | Ongoing |