With the changing of the seasons, the garden views from Down House shift gradually, from spring’s leafy radiance to a summery haze of cow parsley, scrambling roses and abundance. In autumn, attention moves from fruit and flower to fiery foliage; then, as the year winds down, the bones of the garden are laid bare. ‘Not everything can peak at the same time – nature doesn’t work like that – but here there is always something that looks lovely,’ explains Mark Porter who, with his wife Jackie, has lovingly created this garden.
By midwinter, hidden depths are revealed by a low sun that dances from tree to plant, illuminating enclosed spaces, and silhouetting clipped shapes against a chilly blue sky. ‘There is an interplay of light and shade within different “rooms” that makes the garden deeply atmospheric in winter,’ says Mark.
The garden is rarely lovelier than when dusted