Modern garden design combines traditional and contemporary elements, tailored for novice gardeners in a nation's backyard setting
A Contemporary Garden in Historic Cambridge: A Haven for Wildlife and Relaxation
In the heart of Cambridge, England, a contemporary garden designed by Robert Myers has transformed Park House into a tranquil oasis that harmoniously blends with the historic Gothic Revival-style house built in 1854.
Myers' masterplan for the landscape offers spaces for relaxation, entertainment, and play, while delivering a succession of food and habitats for wildlife throughout the year. The design incorporates a diagonal path as the main axis, linking to an elevated paved terrace, and alternative routes to the wildflower meadow and pool.
The garden is a symphony of native plants, ornamental grasses, and pollen-rich perennials, all carefully chosen to increase biodiversity. Myers incorporated Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', Sesleria autumnalis, Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination', Agastache 'Blue Boa', Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna', and Penstemon 'Raven' into the garden. Sharon and David, the current owners of Park House, have added to this list with plants they like, creating a beautiful space that they enjoy viewing from their terrace on sunny evenings.
The planting beds are sandwiched between the diagonal pathway and another straight path in front of the kitchen. The water tanks in the garden, made from Corten steel, reflect sunlight and serve as visual punctuation marks among the flowers and grasses. They provide structure and interest in winter when the plants die down almost masking their reflective surfaces.
The garden is flooded with tulips in the spring, followed by a succession of alliums, euphorbias, and geraniums before the main show of flowers and grasses sets the garden alight from midsummer through to autumn. To make the most of rainfall, the design avoids hard landscaping and allows space for rain to soak into the ground, or installs a rain garden or permeable paving to help manage stormwater runoff.
The garden includes an expanse of lawn on the south side, referencing the original historic design, and a walled garden surrounding the pool. A new greenhouse and informal kitchen garden lie beyond the pool house on the north side. The garden also features a range of fruit trees, including apples, pears, and walnuts, to support pollinators and offer an abundant harvest of fruits and nuts in autumn.
Myers' work on the garden at Park House demonstrates a commitment to creating a garden that supports local wildlife while staying true to the historic setting. Although specific details about Myers' design approach on biodiversity, particular plants, or water features are not extensively documented, contemporary wildlife- and ecology-focused garden design in such settings typically emphasizes native plants and sensitive water features.
Sharon and David, who have maintained the garden themselves since its installation in 2020 during the first Covid lockdown, have developed a new-found passion for plants and love of nature while caring for their restored garden. Despite not being able to visit it until much later, the plants were found to be in pristine condition with no weeds in sight. The garden has become a cherished haven for both its owners and the local wildlife.
- The contemporary garden at Park House, designed by Robert Myers, harmoniously blends native plants, such as Calamagrostis x acutiflora and Sesleria autumnalis, with the historic Gothic Revival-style house.
- Sharon and David, the garden's current owners, have further enhanced the landscape by adding their favorite plants, creating a haven for wildlife and a spot they enjoy viewing from their terrace.
- The garden design includes water tanks made from Corten steel, reflecting sunlight and offering visual punctuation among the flowers and grasses, particularly during winter when the plants have died down.
- Wildlife-focused garden design, as demonstrated by Myers' work at Park House, often prioritizes native plants and sensitive water features to support local biodiversity in a harmonious blend with historic settings.
- Embracing the new-found passion for plants and nature, Sharon and David have managed the garden with great care since its installation in 2020, even during the first Covid lockdown, transforming it into a cherished retreat for them and the local fauna.
