Garden for a Grade 1 Listed House: Kings Weston House, Bristol.
Kings Weston is anearly-eighteenth-centuryhouse designed by John Vanbrugh for politician Edward Southwell. The magnificent Grade 1 listed housewas originally surrounded by a garden made with help from Southwell’s friend John Evelyn.
Almost every trace of the Baroque layout and the Picturesque landscape that replaced it has gone, but the new garden takes its inspiration from the grand combination of Baroque parterres and avenues immortalised in Johannes Kip’s eighteenth-century engraving.
As the garden’s original boundaries have disappeared, we have been able to create a slightly different footprint for the modern layout.
The new design incorporates generous lawns surrounded by colourful perennial planting. This new addition will provide a romantic background for marquees erected when the garden is used as the setting for weddings, parties and other celebrations. A new terrace furnished with two simple fountains will form a striking and practical link between house and garden.
On the southwest side of the house we have echoed Vanbrugh’s circular entrance courtyard known as the Great Court. We will retain the ancient lime trees leading up to this facade, planting a brand new lime avenue to lead visitors into our new interpretation of the Great Court.
These days the garden must work for a living and be self sustaining. The new layout will be realised in stages. Watch this space for news as this exciting new project unfolds.
