Lillesley Barn

About Lillesley Barn

The front courtyard garden has evolved over the last few years with the climate in mind. The dry gravel garden was created in 2016 inspired by visits to the Beth Chatto garden. We have incorporated many of the plants that Beth found would survive drought conditions; mainly those found in the mediterranean and various grasses. We have also welcomed the large collection of aquilegias and digitalis that have chosen to seed in the gravel and have allowed the garden to flow over boundaries. The gravel courtyard is edged with a fig, olives, giant echiums and herbs to keep the mediterranean feel. A shadier corner of the courtyard introduces ferns and hostas.

The rear garden is entered through a gate beside a woven rusted iron fence. Passing under a rose arch, a large steeply sloping herbaceous border with a large variety of perennials and some roses sweeps around a red brick seating area and lawn bordered with lavender, climbing roses and agapanthus.

The lawn leads under weeping birches to a larger lawned area, alongside another red brick seating area under the birch trees bordered with large potted hydrangeas; and a wider lawn bordered with a row of pleached hornbeam and ornamental shrub borders. A summer house looks across the lawn, and is fronted with a path leading between two flower beds which contain tulips, foxtail lilies, alliums and roses, followed by dahlias, cosmos and annuals for cutting later in the summer. The small orchard is entered through a cleft oak gate in the hedge and contains a variety of fruit trees including young medlar and quince trees. From the garden there are wonderful views of Kersey church.