the dig
There was a moment where spade met soil, the remnants of the old garden sat ready for change and the task ahead was one that would be both demanding and laborious. The lay of the land beneath became quite obvious from that first inspection - the ground was stoney, the soil in areas was rich and untouched. There were areas of moisture where the water ran down through the woodland but the majority of the garden provided a sufficient foundation. We were happy to understand its language. There was an old stonewall that sat a metre or so away from the back of the house and running a distance before returning to create a storage area. A corrugated sheet sat disconnected on top, its patina telling the story of an area forgotten and out of sight. It felt right to leave this section of old wall, its axis had the opportunity to run the length from east to west connecting to the upper level of the secluded garden and on to the kitchen garden.
The house sits within a valley, one that has been shaped by the water that runs through it now. The slope that is positioned to the north of the property is steep and runs down from the fields above the woodland, touching heavily on the back facade, a weight that needed to be eased giving the house more room. We lost count of the tonnes dug away when opening up this area, but it was a decision that made the house sit more centrally within the garden, allowing opportunity.
When digging we encountered bedrock, both protruding from the bank and running beneath the ground, forcing us to amend the layout of the planting beds. Initially we were disheartened, we welcomed the opportunity of large planting beds alongside the boundary wall, but on reflection the bedrock brings an atmosphere to the space that cannot be replicated, a realisation of what lies beneath. Pushing back the slope made a dramatic difference to the garden but it also allowed for new, broader views from within the house.
The foundation outlines the boundary position, its line negotiates the bedrock but keeps true to the house. From this, the wall will rise 1.5 metres to meet the level of the ground above, which when eventually sculpted, will soften the edges and create a more informal finish, the soil seeded and over time enriched with plugs and bulbs to create a seasonal flourish and a nod to the woodland flora.
ground works
The diagrams show the lay of the land as it was when we moved (dotted line), the excavated area dug into the bank (red) and the built up ground (green) which creates a levelled area from the house through to the kitchen garden.
