Woodland hideaway
Tucked into the trees, just off the main path, this old workman’s hut at Attingham Park entices you to peer inside and glimpse a world far removed from the lives of most of us today: a time of slow seasons passing, of simple tasks repeated throughout a lifetime of work, of hardship and privation but also of certainty and order.
Garden makers unimpressed by the lure of the latest gadget, the brightly lit patio, the hot tub or the plant breeders latest triumph still share something of that experience – the quiet performing of seasonal tasks using old and much-loved tools, the moments alone in the garden to savour the stillness of a winter evening or the fragrance of an early summer morning, the gathering of produce for the kitchen and the occasional ritual of turning the compost heap. These are the experiences I have in my mind when I am designing gardens; this is the heritage I want my gardens to reflect.
