Transformed Ugly Abode with Stunning Panorama: Couple who Persisted Transforming 'Least Attractive House with Best Sight' into Somerset Gem
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Nestled in the picturesque town of Somerton, Somerset, lies a modern garden masterpiece designed by renowned landscape architect, James Alexander-Sinclair. The garden, belonging to retired Lloyds underwriter-turned-letter-press printer, Monika Horder, and her husband, Michael, is a testament to the harmonious blend of modern aesthetics and the local environment.
The garden, a departure from traditional English country gardens, showcases a contemporary country garden design that seamlessly integrates with the home, a contemporary house built by knocking down two adjoining properties and constructing a structure of blue lias stone and concrete. Blue-lias gravel paths run down between the beds, with changes of level discreetly dealt with by concrete steps, adding to the industrial style of the building.
The garden is home to a variety of unusual fruit trees, including medlars, pomegranates, szechuan pepper, cobnuts, and Chilean guava, as well as Verbena bonariensis and Cephalaria gigantea. The pond in the garden, enlarged to attract various wildlife, is a haven for herons, egrets, wild ducks, moorhens, and even otters.
Long beds of tall grasses and strong, soaring herbaceous plants stretch down the slopes, their architectural forms suiting the industrial style of the building. A hedged area with raised beds of vegetables and fruit bushes, plus several fruit trees dotted around the property, evoke a woodland feel to the quieter areas to the north and east of the house.
Monika, initially worried about the maintenance of the garden in the second year, received reassurance from James Alexander-Sinclair that it is her garden and that it makes her happy. This sentiment is reflected in the garden's continued flourishing, despite challenges that may have led others to abandon or replace parts of it.
A wide terrace of engineering brick extends to the south of the house, underneath which is a tank that can hold 10,000 gallons of grey water for irrigation. A robot mower tends to the grassy areas around the pond, ensuring the garden remains well-maintained.
James Alexander-Sinclair, the designer of this unique garden, visits at least twice a year to check on its progress and offer advice. Monika can be found sharing updates and photos of her garden on her Instagram handle, @pacets.
[1] It should be noted that specific details of the design process for this garden are not extensively documented, but general practice and James Alexander-Sinclair’s known design ethos suggest a close collaboration with the client, site analysis, adaptation to the natural setting, and incorporating both structural and planting elements that blend modern aesthetics with the local environment.
- The contemporary country garden design, with its unconventional fruit trees and industrial-style elements, seamlessly merges modern aesthetics and the local environment, reflecting a harmonious lifestyle blend of home-and-garden and gardening.
- The garden, rich with unusual fruit trees, Verbena bonariensis, Cephalaria gigantea, and a variety of wildlife, mirrors Monika Horder's lifestyle, which brilliantly intertwines modern design principles with the natural surroundings, demonstrating successful home-and-garden gardening.
