Couple’s timeless garden flourishes with expert maintenance

The background

Tree & Lawn Company (T&LC) provide a range of topiary and grounds maintenance services to the owners of a seven bedroomed, Georgian-style Victorian house, located in a village on the outskirts of a large Essex town.

The mid-19th century property has been home to renowned portrait painter Richard Stone, his wife Rhonda and their family for the past 33 years.

The two-thirds of an acre plot had previously formed part of seven acres of parkland that had been subdivided in preparation for development in the late 1980s. Fortunately, most of the mature trees were subject to Tree Protection Orders, making the garden feel quite well-established.

As the house had been unoccupied for three years prior to the purchase, Richard and Rhonda embarked upon a mission to bring the tangled, overgrown garden back to some of its original former glory.

Richard said: “We wanted to sympathetically reintroduce some of the classic garden features that had been removed. We hoped to establish, on a small scale, a garden in keeping with the elegant and timeless house, making it appear as if the garden had always been its current size.”

Over the years, echoing details from 1930s photographs they had of the garden, the couple planted a yew hedge, which is now fully-grown. They carefully developed herbaceous borders, enclosed in a box parterre, added a grand sweep of lawn, clipped trees (including some wildly overgrown Portuguese Laurel) and a considerable number of box balls and pyramids – staying true to the house’s identity as an English country house.

They also introduced box hedging with a circular focal point within a secluded walled garden, which they now use as an outdoor entertainment space.

With the garden well-established and richly stocked, it had become a source of immense pride and joy for the couple. However, with them both still pursuing busy careers, they realised they needed expert help to maintain it.

Expert care from T&LC

In 2014, Richard and Rhonda contacted Peter (the owner) at T&LC, who visited them at their home to listen carefully to their wishes and accurately assess their needs. They have happily collaborated ever since.

T&LC provide a comprehensive garden maintenance service for the couple, using their expertise in lawn care, hedge cutting, topiary clipping, plant maintenance and tree shaping to keep the garden up to the couple’s high standards.

In particular, the company’s Lantra-awarded tree surgeon, Dan, plays a pivotal role in maintaining the garden’s overall structure, which includes large areas of box topiary, both as hedging and in numerous pots.
The couple are hugely appreciative of Dan’s innate understanding of hedging and breadth of experience, particularly in relation to box hedging.

Richard stated: “Box is a classic British garden plant and a wonderful choice for those who want topiary, as it provides clean lines for impact and structure.

“However, it is a substantial investment, requiring skill and expertise to keep it looking its best.

“Unfortunately, in recent years it has become extremely susceptible to pests and disease, but Dan has kept ours in exceptionally good condition.

Richard continued: “He clips ours once a year and it is a full week’s work, requiring patience, precision and an artistic eye, all of which he has in abundance – one slip can destroy many years of careful cultivation.

“Working with Dan, there is also a constant ebb and flow of ideas, which we find invaluable.”

Tree & Lawn Company collaboration

Richard and Rhonda also employ the skills of Wendy Smith (The Plantsmith Garden Design), who often works in conjunction with T&LC as a plant specialist.

Wendy has also been instrumental in advising how to make the garden more climate-friendly and drought resistant, drawing inspiration for introducing particular plants based on the season and their sculptural impact on the garden.

The results

Despite the vagaries of the British weather, the lawn, shrubs, flowers and trees continue to thrive.

Over the years, the couple have had many distinguished visitors to their home and studio and have always felt proud to entertain them in their beautiful garden.

Richard said: “After years spent creating our ever-evolving dream garden, it was essential to find a company that we could trust absolutely with its care.

“T&LC have been that constant presence, providing professional, respectful and considerate service.

“They are undoubtedly our garden’s best investment.”