At home with...OwnersSueEmms
andPeteWeller.
HouseAsemi-detached
conversionfromfour18th-century
cottagesbuiltforfarmlabourers.
FeaturesA half-acregarden
thatincorporatesa wildlifepond,
rosegarden,potager,small
woodland,informalborders
mixingoldfavouriteswithunusual
plants,anda white-flowered
terrace with wisteria-clad pergola.Therecanbefewsurersignsofa wildlife-friendly
gardenthana closeencounterwitha coaltitfeasting
offaphidsona rosebush.Alongwithbuzzardssoaring
highorhungryredwingsinwinter,it is a familiarsight
forSueEmmswhowelcomeswildlifeintohercountrygarden.
‘We’resurroundedbybeautifulcountryside,andsome 30 different
birdspeciesvisitthegarden,’shesays.‘Thepondis hometoan
abundanceofdragonflies,newtsandtheoccasionalgrasssnake,
whilebeesandbutterflieshavea massofflowerstoattractthem.’
Approachedalonga single-lanetrackenclosedinfrothycow
parsley,ChurchCottageis surroundedbyfieldsofcornorgrazing
cattle.‘BothPeteandI fellinlovewiththesettingandtherewas
virtuallynothinghere,sowehada blankcanvastoworkwith.’
Whilethesunrisesoverwoodedslopes,tothewestliesa broad
hillthatslowstheprevailingsouthwesterlywinds.‘Thegarden
enjoyssunalldayandtheshadethatis herehasbeencreated by
myplanting– I loveshade-orientatedplants,’sheadds.
Itis almosta decadesincethecouplefirstsawthepropertybut
initiallySuewasconcernedtheplotmightbetoosmallforher
dreamgarden.‘ThenI realisedthatwithcleverplanning,it could
bemadetofeelmorespacious,’sheexplains.‘I decidedto create
differentareasthatflownaturallyfromonetoanother.’
Today,it is hardtobelievethatthisgarden– withitstwisting
pathwaystodisorientate,islandbedsplantedtocleverlyveil
views,andhiddenspacestosurprise– is barelyhalf-an-acre.
‘Visitorsoftencommentthatit feelsmuchlarger,’saysSue.Adding
anairofmaturityaretwooriginaltrees,oneanoldappletree
besidetheareaearmarkedforthepergola.‘It’sovera centuryold,
but I couldn't bear to remove it, so we pruned it hard, and it has>Aformer18th-century
farmlabourer’s
cottageseenover
bordersofsnowball
bush,foxgloves,
irises and lilac.