GARDENING A twilight NGS

A GARDEN by TWILIGHT

Sue Moffitt and her brother-in-law David have curated their beautiful five-acre Barrowden garden for the past 18 years, and it just keeps getting better. Redhill Lodge will open for the National Garden Scheme on Friday 4th June from 6pm-9pm with wine, Pimm’s and refreshments available too!

EARLIER IN THIS EDITION, we met Helenka & William Brown, taking on (arguably beating) our continental contemporaries at their own game, producing world-class sparkling wines just half an hour from the traditional English market towns of Oakham and Uppingham. Meanwhile, Sue Moffitt’s five acre Rutland garden takes Patrick & Sylvie Quibel’s world-renowned Rouen based garden, Le Jardin Plume, near Normandy, as its inspiration. Sue and husband Richard arrived in Rutland from the opposite direction, from East Lothian. That was over 18 years ago. Having also built their dream home on the site, which was completed 10 years ago, Sue has spent much of her time in Rutland establishing her business, which has seen her working as a garden designer for over 15 years – latterly in partnership with brother-in-law, David Moffitt – as M360 design. “We work on projects both locally and nationally, producing masterplans and planting schemes but also overseeing the building and planting-up of our designs. Our own garden has been a huge source of pleasure though, it’s a project which has more evolved over time.” “The whole family have been at home and have been more involved in the garden this year. During lockdown we planted many new trees along the drive creating an arboretum.” >>

IN THE GARDEN IN JUNE...

Jobs to complete and a guide to planting in the summer months

n Look after your lawn: Just because it’s ‘not that long,’ don’t leave the lawnmower alone. Trim your grass little and often, and water it in shade to ensure lush summer turf.

n Roses: Deadhead your roses after they have flowered to encourage the plant to send out new shoots.

n Bulbs: Lift tulip bulbs out of the ground and store them away, fill gaps in borders with pots of lilies for instant colour. n Good soil hygiene: On cloudier or cooler days, grab a fork and dig in some manure or leaf mulch to give your soil a nutritional boost.

n Growing your own herbs: Pick and sow herbs either in pots in your terraces or the kitchen windowsill. You can also cut lavender for drying and grow tomatoes in growbags plus salad leaves for delicious and light summer lunches.

n Show some support: Support tall-growing perennials with frames, canes and twines. n Baskets and containers: Check and water baskets and containers each day and use liquid fertiliser once a week. n Mulching around shrubs: It’s a good idea to dig in some mulch around perennials, trees and shrubs then cut away dead foliage on perennials and ornamental grasses to keep them looking neat. n Grow the tallest sunflower: Encourage children to get their growing going. Who can grow the tallest sunflower? Challenge them to find out! n Enjoy the garden: It might sound a little glib to state that enjoying your garden is a tip. But in fact, if you’re working on the garden all the time, rather than admiring your handiwork, you’re less likely to observe the spaces that look pretty and work well. Sit back, enjoy a G&T and subject your garden to a rigorous ‘perpendicular assessment!’

DEBUT OF A NEW SCULPTURE

Jane Hindmarch on her new sculpture, due to be unveiled this month...

Full-size model of the proposed sculpture.

“I had the chance to visit Sue’s beautiful gardens at Redhill Lodge on two previous occasions and was already enthralled before the lovely offer of a sculptural commission was suggested!” says Jane Hindmarch, the Stamford artist who has created a brand new sculpture due to be unveiled at Redhill Lodge this month. “I was captivated by so many areas and particularly by the prairie gardens. The tall waving plants and grasses combined with the simple clean geometric shapes of the beds seem the perfect combination and the peaceful space at the centre where the square pool reflects the grasses and the sky above is quietly dramatic.” “My work is based in natural form and my research for the sculpture began by exploring plant forms and leaf shapes, then moving on to the less elaborate and more compact, structures of seeds in tall, vertical formats.” “The tall structure of five spheres in an ascending row give height for the piece to rise out of the planting area of the prairie garden offering a silhouette against the sky and above the hedge behind, creating a point at the centre of that side of the garden. It will be extended through it’s reflection in the surface of the pool.” “Being constructed of four intersecting planes it will catch the sun as the light changes throughout the day giving a strong three-dimensional presence at any time of day.” n See www.janehindmarchart.com.

“The prairie garden also overlooks a super looking rill, incorporating several sculptures including two new pieces by Stamford-based artist Jane Hindmarch...”

“The garden is on a hill side and broadly comprises three levels with lawns and a turf amphitheatre on the mid-layer.” “At the top is the viewing mound and prairie garden, especially suited to the windy conditions. Adjacent to this we created a formal grid style layout with yew hedges and Prunus Shurifogen (late flowering cherries).” “Planting in each bed is wild and informal with grasses and late-season perennials. From the top of the mound there’s a spectacular view of the Harringworth Viaduct –the largest brick-built viaduct in Europe.” “The prairie garden also overlooks a super looking rill incorporating several sculptures. These include slate sculptures in the garden by Scottish Sculptor James Parker and we have two new sculptures being placed in the garden in May by local artist Jane Hindmarch. Fabricated from Corten steel, the two sculptures are known as Concurrent Orbs Ascending and will complement one another.” On the opposite side of the garden is an arbor of climbing roses leading towards an area of walled garden, beyond which, in the more sheltered space just below the house, is a natural swimming pond surrounded by water gardens. A new Japanese-style stroll garden is also planned around the pond as Sue’s next project. Over the past year, Sue and David have made quite a number of changes to Redhill Lodge, and have managed to ensure its position – as one of the best looking gardens in Rutland – endures. The whole site has been 18 years in the making and serves as a superb showcase for Sue & David’s garden design. Happily, in addition to the twilight NGS opening, Sue also anticipates they will open during daylight hours, with summer opening dates to be confirmed as Pride goes to press... day or night though, it’s certainly worth a visit!

n Redhill Lodge in Barrowden is the garden of Sue & Richard Moffitt and David Moffitt. It will open for a twilight NGS event from 6pm-9pm on 4th June, please note this is a ticketed event, see www.ngs.org.uk for details.

A Garden Party

This month we’re telling the story of Eleanor and Alex whose plan to marry was up-skittled but gave way to a day that turned out to be better than the couple could ever have imagined…

Wedding Photographer: Barney Staniland, BGS Weddings, 07919 927105, www.bgsweddings.co.uk.

WHAT’S THAT PHRASE? ‘God laughs when men make plans.’ Eleanor and Alex had what they thought was the perfect wedding planned, but those plans needed a rethink. Happily, there’s another pertinent phrase… ‘it all works out for the best.’

“I don’t know why we didn’t think of it first!” says Eleanor. “I’d driven past Barnsdale Gardens on a number of occasions, but never considered it as a wedding venue. When Covid meant we had to rethink our plans, we ended up with a wedding that was so perfect, that in retrospect we wouldn’t have changed a thing!” The couple now live in Dorset, with Alex posted at Blandford and Eleanor a technical advisor for Farrow & Ball. However, the two hope to return to the area soon. Raised in Rutland, Eleanor was born in Melton but grew up in Oakham, Ashwell and Empingham. Alex, meanwhile, grew up in Stamford. The two attended Casterton School where their eyes met over a sketch book during an art class one day, leading to a close friendship. “There was always a sort of feeling that there could be something more there, but we never quite dared to make the leap from friends to girlfriend and boyfriend. I think we were both worried that we might ruin our friendship.” Alex joined the British Army and took up a post within the infantry. A three-year posting to Cyprus meant that suddenly the two friends weren’t just around the corner from one another anymore. That proved quite the lightbulb moment… introducing yet another popular phrase, for it was rather a case of ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder.’ “We spoke every day until finally we realised that we wanted to be together. Unusually, Alex was then offered the chance to attend Sandhurst, passing out after a year’s training in August 2019; I was really proud as a commission from the ranks is quite unusual, but even though we were together, it meant we were still apart!” “Alex proposed in June and we knew his next posting would happen soon, so it was panic stations, we tried to do as much as possible. We liked the idea of Oakham Castle as a venue for the ceremony, and back at school we had our prom at the William Cecil in Stamford so we thought that those two places would make a nice combination.” “As I’m from Rutland and Alex is from Stamford, we also thought that would tie to two places together nicely. Instead, though, Covid happened and we had to rethink if we were to keep our date – which we both agreed we’d retain, as it’s also close to our anniversary.” “In the end we were restricted to 15 guests – far fewer than we were anticipating – but actually, that turned out to be ideal as it meant we could spend meaningful time with our parents, siblings and their partners. My sister was my maid of honour and my best friend Rosie was bridesmaid. Alex also had two ‘best men;’ Ross and Tom.” “Charlotte at Barnsdale Gardens was really good at keeping in touch and gave us regular updates about how work on their new oak gazebo was progressing.” “We held the ceremony underneath it and as I looked around on the day, the gardens were looking so lovely, I can’t think why we didn’t consider marrying there in the first place… even the weather was perfect, which was lucky because a week later it wasn’t nearly as sunny!” “Our photographer, Barney, made the most of the setting too. He was such a talent and our shots are so colourful natural and beautiful. We’ll treasure them for the rest of our lives!” >>

WEDDING SUPPLIERS

ALEX & ELEANOR ROADS

Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Barnsdale Gardens, 01572 813200 www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk Wedding Dress: Sincerity by Justin Alexander supplied by Wedding Belles 0116 279 2217.

Wedding Breakfast and Cake: Stamford Kitchen, 07732 074613, www.thestamfordkitchen.co.uk.

Wedding Flowers: Pollen of Oakham, 01572 724404, pollenfloristry.co.uk. Bell Tent: Magical Events, 01362 637483, magicaleventsltd.co.uk Wedding Photographer: BGS Weddings, 07919 927105, www.bgsweddings.co.uk.

“We couldn’t imagine how we could have changed a thing to enjoy it any more. It really was perfect..!”

>> “Oakham’s Pollen provided our flowers and they were absolutely lovely. We even received a lovely card from them afterwards, hoping we had a nice day, which was so thoughtful.” “Our car was a Jaguar Royale from Rutland Wedding Cars. Tim, the owner, was so lovely, providing a bottle of Champagne for us to enjoy on our way to mum’s house.” “After our ceremony we had a socially distanced garden party for the 15 of us in my mother’s garden in Empingham. The buffet and cake were provided by Rosie at Stamford Kitchen, and we hired a 5ft bell tent and so slept in the garden as a sort of minimoon!”

“We’ve not been able to have a honeymoon, but we’ve travelled together already so that’s not too much of a concern. Someone suggested that when we do go on honeymoon it should be to the Greek island of Rhodes: ‘the Roads go to Rhodes.’ We’ll see!” “The day might not have been as we first envisaged, but with the people we love, a beautiful setting and some wonderful suppliers, honestly, we couldn’t imagine how we could have changed a thing to enjoy it any more. It really was perfect!” n

WONDERFULLY WHIMSICAL

Colourful and care-free, this month we’re celebrating wonderfully whimsical summer dresses designed to make you shine in the sun throughout the season...

This Page: Taifun exotic print midi dress, £140.