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WORDS: Zia Allaway PHOTOS: Marianne Majerus BLURRING THE LINES Blending reclaimed materials, mature trees and open water to produce a series of breathtaking vistas, Ian Smith MSGD, co-director of Acres Wild, talks about the ‘invisible design’ he used to create this large in East Sussex

JOURNAL WWW.SGD.ORG.UK UK DESIGN

WWW.SGD.ORG.UK GARDEN DESIGN JOURNA: ! PREVIOUS PAGE Wrapped with ornamental grasses, a sheltered terrace provides the perfect vantage point to enjoy the water THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE A Japanese-style timber bridge links the design of this to the Asian-inspired pool further up the hill; Acer palmatum and a granite lantern set the tone for the Japanese-style pool; a formal garden leads through to the walled

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Ian Smith Having trained as architects, Ian Smith MSGD and his design partner Debbie Roberts MSGD set up their studio, Acres Wild, in 1988, choosing to then focus on the more intimate discipline of garden design. They specialise in the design and master- planning of large country , both here in the UK and abroad, and have created designs in France, Spain and California.

ommanding spectacular views over and terraces to enjoy the panoramic views and a – echo this style. Flanked by woods and meadows from one of the over the Sussex countryside, as well as mature woodland and fringed with formal C most elevated points in East Sussex, the a water garden and meadows for wildlife, , ornamental grasses and flowering gardens at Brightling Down Farm appear to have and a vegetable garden and . perennials, the line between water and land is been embedded in the landscape for a century or Ian’s design inspiration is always led by blurred with marginals, such as Pontederia more. In fact, they were created over the past 12 practicalities. “Form follows function,” he says, cordata, laevigata and Butomus umbellatus, years by SGD members Ian Smith and Debbie “and this job was an exercise in site planning. which help to bed the into the landscape. Roberts of Acres Wild, who conjured up this We needed to fit together a number of different However, Ian had something more exotic in blend of cultivated landscape and rural elements and spaces, and we also had to take mind for the third pond at the top of the hill. countryside to produce a network of mature into account the site conditions. Perched up on a “I have always loved Japanese gardens and the gardens, each with their own character, from an hill, the property afforded great views, but it was client also liked the idea of an Asian-inspired unpromising building site. also at the mercy of the wind and we needed to feature,” he says. “But it had to be separated in This talented duo specialises in naturalistic incorporate shelterbelts to reduce its exposure. some way so that the design didn’t jar with planting and sculpted , using Although the garden was undeveloped, we the rest of the plan. To achieve this, the ground “invisible design” that betrays just the merest discovered the remnants of some old, broken was carefully contoured and planting was used hint of a human hand in their “acres wild”. Their ponds and ditches that had formed part of a to enclose the space. Water flows from the pond, work has secured them countless awards, drainage system, and we could see the potential cascading down over rocky outcrops to form a including the 2007 Sussex Heritage Trust of using this area for a water garden.” link with the rest of the garden.” Landscape and Gardens Award and the 2012 SGD Ian employed water garden specialist Martin Large Residential Garden Award for this garden. East meets West Kelley of Fairwater Limited to help create the Although they work as a team on all projects, The traditional of the farmhouse ponds, working with him to produce a balanced one partner always takes the lead; in this case, demanded an equally traditional English eco-system. The result is clear water teaming Ian was principal designer. He explains how country garden, and two of the three with wildlife and large reflective surfaces the project evolved: “Our clients bought this interlinking ponds – connected by that mirror the setting sun and surrounding property with the intention of building a new farmhouse with reclaimed materials that would look like it had always been there, “WE NEEDED TO FIT TOGETHER A NUMBER OF and they wanted a landscape to complement and enhance the building.” Their wishlist DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND SPACES, AND WE ALSO also included a , tennis court HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SITE CONDITIONS“

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“ ARE THE STARS OF THE SHOW, BUT ORNAMENT ALSO PLAYS ITS PART, WITH CAREFULLY CHOSEN AND PLACED JAPANESE LANTERNS” landscape, forming a set of glittering images that evolve throughout the year.

A growing concern Beds of perennials and grasses and a herb garden provide an interface between the ponds and house, while a largely west-facing terrace wraps around the property and looks out over mown lawns, meadows and the Downs beyond. The terrace also leads to the walkway on the PERFECT south side, linking the house with a swimming ABOVE Swiss chard and marigolds weave pool, the walled vegetable garden and an orchard. around a willow obelisk POOLS “The vegetable garden evokes a traditional in the kitchen garden Victorian-style walled kitchen garden, which we BELOW Naturalistic To create successful divided into rectangular raised beds that are planting, including a ornamental ponds requires easy to and maintain,” explains Ian. “The gunnera, lines a a critical site assessment winding path central path through the kitchen garden runs and considered planting along the same axis as the pergola walkway, so choices. Here is Ian’s advice: you can see the door from the terrace. Sheltered by the walls, which were made from reclaimed UÊIdentify the best location bricks similar to those used for the house, and Water is such a strong the woodland to the east, it is in the perfect spot design element that it needs for growing vegetables. The walls also serve to careful siting to ensure that hide the tennis courts to the east. In addition, it contributes to the flow and we included two large glasshouses, which allow structure of the garden. At the clients to raise more tender .” Brightling we used water as The orchard, which is planted with apples, both a dramatic focal point including ‘Blenheim Orange’ and ‘Bramley and as a thread moving Seedling’, and pears, such as ‘Conference’ and through the design, linking ‘Williams’, nestles between the lower to different parts of the garden. the west and the kitchen garden, while a small formal garden lies between the pergola UÊCapture the mood and kitchen garden, offering a quiet space for Water has many moods the clients to enjoy before they begin work on from calm and contemplative their productive plot. to dramatic and exciting. We always look for Natural selection opportunities to employ The planting that cements together the different these characteristics areas is made up of both native and non-native through careful manipulation species, with the focus on foliage and late- of levels to create a varied flowering perennials. “The woodlands around but natural effect. the garden are home to deer and rabbits,” says The gardens that frame Brightling Down Ian. “Both ate their way through many plants Farm are testament to Ian and Debbie’s UÊSoften the edges and the deer decimated the salvias in our original visionary approach, while their masterful To blend water into the plan. But we are always saying we want to command of planting, line and form ensures landscape, use grasses, simplify our planting designs and the wildlife that each plant, path and pool is expertly bold perennials and large certainly helped us do that – we filled the holes placed to produce the intended atmosphere, foliage plants to provide with the tougher plants that they didn’t touch.” with the of the seasons a soft natural edge. Plants are the stars of the show, but ornament crystallised in every glance. Among our favourites are: also plays its part, with carefully chosen and The gardens are open by appointment Pennisetum alopecuroides, placed Japanese lanterns and a shishi odoshi through the National Gardens Scheme Miscanthus sinensis (deer scarer) beside the Asian-inspired pond. from May to October for groups of 10-30. ‘Yakushima Dwarf’, In the formal and kitchen gardens, large Email [email protected] Hemerocallis sp. and terracotta urns provide striking focal points. www.acreswild.co.uk Gunnera manicata.

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