Few gardens dazzle in more than one season, but Philippa Burrough’s is an exception. Not only does it dazzle in spring, with zesty greens and a rainbow of glistening, dewy tulips, but autumn also scintillates, with exotic plants, vibrant flowers and dramatic foliage. ‘We play to the strengths of our climate,’ says Philippa, who has created this spectacular Essex garden in one of the driest regions in the country.
Spring warms up early here – ideal conditions for tulips – and is followed by hot, dry summers. ‘Young plants put on a lot of growth in the warmer weather, creating a dramatic display by autumn,’ she explains. ‘It works very well but is completely dictated by the climate.’
Resting deep in the Chelmer Valley, the one-acre garden and ten acres of woodland, ponds and meadows have been redesigned, developed and extended by Philippa over several decades. At the heart of the gardens lies a 17th-century farmhouse and a former farmyard surrounded by three listed black Essex barns. ‘This space has the feel of a walled garden,’ believes Philippa, ‘and I quickly realised that the black timber walls would create a marvellous backdrop for plants.’ She designed four rectangular, box-edged beds that are separated by brick paths, and enclose a circular central bed.
Away from the buildings, the emphasis shifts from formality to a more naturalistic style that blends into the rural backdrop. In front of the house, drought-tolerant borders ebb and flow around a
