Last winter we moved the Hamamelis from its original position which sat in an open lawn space away from internal views. When developing the design it became apparent that it would inhibit the line where the pleached trees would adjoin the old part of the house, a point that felt right and would provide an important layer as you travelled alongside the garden’s facade. It was a difficult decision to actively move a tree that looked unperturbed in its position, but it sat in a hollow and its location next to the pathway made it feel cramped by its maturing vase shaped canopy. This, along with the prospect of appreciating its display from within the house made for an easier decision, so we set out to move it, perhaps only five metres in total. It is always an interesting challenge, whether to design around existing elements or to move them to benefit the overall vision of the garden, a dilemma we come across often within our private work, but we always revert back to the ‘feeling’ and how it affects the garden’s future. 

We had not personally transplanted an established tree before, and of course moving anything of size can come with its risks but we were happy to take time to see it repositioned with space and in view. At the end of February we finalised the levels throughout the Approach, so we set out to begin the process of moving it. Watching the buds unfold in spring was both a pleasure and a relief.

the process