Hello, welcome to our garden

We hope there is something here for everyone, it is an idyllic haven, a hideaway place full of secret paths, a cornucopia of rare plants. Step through the hazel arch into our fantasy garden and be immersed in scents, textures and colour. We see ourselves as garden artists creating a beautiful and ephemeral piece of Land Art with the natural materials around us.

Mark and I have been gardening at Pinsla since 1982. When we came it was an overgrown forest of Laurel, it disguised our house as a lost fairy tale cottage, but was so overshadowing and nutrient stealing that very few other plants could grow. The initial task was to clear back the Laurel, and then to improve the soil. As we learnt more about gardening we made space for experiments in shaping and planting the land. We learnt to take cuttings, divide herbaceous plants and grow from seed, and in co-creating with nature we appreciated the magic around us. The Birch trees in the woodland are self seeded, lichens and mosses clothe tree trunks and banks, fungi springs from the logs we use to edge the paths. We want the garden to drift imperceptibly into the wood surrounding it. Ivy, Campion and Foxgloves have marched in, Tellimas and Evening Primrose have migrated out. We have softened the fences by weaving in prunings and decorative metal, and the hedges by cutting them into billowing shapes.

We are gradually introducing a tapestry of ground covering plants, notice the Cyclamen, Vincas and Epimediums early in the season, the spears of Hostas and Solomon’s Seal bursting through in spring, and a huge variety of Cranesbills from early summer against a backdrop of ferns. As the season progresses drifts of Sweet Rocket and Lady’s Mantle act as a foil for impressive stands of Innula, Plume Poppies and Alstroemerias. The garden grows yet higher as silver leaved Cardoons and Gunneras tower over you, but there is still a lot happening on the ground. Persicaria Pink Bubbles creeps over the gravel in the grass garden and Scaeveola and Bidens have been liberated from hanging baskets to fill in gaps.

There are lots of lovely shrubs and trees too, notice the peeling bark of the Eucalyptus, the delicate colouring of the Japanese Acers, the spiny trunks of the Aralias and the triangular leaves of the weeping Acacia Pravissima. The black stemmed Bamboo Phylostachys Nigra cannot be missed nor the giant oat grass Stipa Gigantica when its seed heads are shimmering in the sun. We grow plenty of succulents as well, House Leeks hang out of walls, a coiled terracotta pot of dark and gangly Aeoniums presides over the tea courtyard, where there are also blue glazed pots reflecting the shiny jade colouring of Echiverias.

Our garden is not just about plants though; we also make decorative paths, arches, shelters and edgings. Granite boulders have been painstakingly nudged into chosen positions, both in the stone circle, the grass garden and beside the main path of slate, stone, and incised concrete. Pebbles and pots make spirals, tiles are used on their edges for paving. White Feldspar makes glittering columns for the tea shelter and broken mirror lines the pergola roof in the moss garden. Oak roots and circles of twisted withies are used to heighten walls, and mystical sculptures peep out from behind trees.

We have made our garden for fun and to entertain and relax you. We hope you enjoy your visit and take away some creative ideas. If you want to know more please ask.

Best Wishes

Mark and Claire Woodbine

Claire Woodbine is available to give talks to garden clubs