Winchester
This elegant red brick Georgian rectory near Winchester needed a more gracious setting.
The client constructed three lakes and RSL was brought into harmonise them with their surroundings. The lakes were immediately ‘naturalised’ with sandstone rocks while around them lilies, buddleias, hydrangea, swathes of ornamental grasses and other lush species, were planted to give the impression the lakes had been there for centuries.
In the tradition of Capability Brown, RSL gave the landscape immediate grace with a sweeping driveway following a natural progression through the fields, woodland and parkland and along the side of the largest lake.
Existing gardens were relandscaped, a croquet lawn, other sweeping lawns and terraces added, and the original walled garden was renovated. A public right of way could not be removed so RSL disguised it by lowering it and placing steep hedged banks on either side that screened it from the house and tennis court.
Finally, RSL worked with a specialist plantsman to sow wildflower meadows, complementing the beauty of the existing mature trees.