Mansard House

About Mansard House

Mansard House, nestled in the picturesque village of Bardwell, Suffolk, is a testament to the enduring beauty of English country living. Over the past 20 years Tom and his wife have lovingly embarked on a journey of restoration, bringing the house back to its former glory. Beyond the charming facade and the warm embrace of its centuries-old walls, Mansard House boasts a garden that is nothing short of enchanting. Set across two and a half acres, the garden is a semi-wild paradise, a carefully cultivated wilderness that blends seamlessly with the Suffolk countryside. It is a place where nature reigns, and every season tells a unique story.

At the heart of the garden lies a walled jewel, a traditional kitchen garden that has been meticulously restored to its former glory. Crinkle-crankle walls, weathered by time, provide a protective embrace to this oasis of productivity. The kitchen garden consists of a collection of fruit trees, cordons, espaliers, and fan-trained specimens, each bearing the promise of a bountiful harvest. Six main vegetable beds, neatly aligned, showcase an array of organic delights, ensuring that the family’s table is always graced with the freshest produce.

But Mansard House’s garden is not confined to the structured confines of the walled garden. It is a sprawling canvas of beauty and biodiversity, a testament to the family’s deep-rooted love for the land they call home. Beyond the formal plantings surrounding the house, the garden morphs into a wilder expanse that seamlessly merges with its natural surroundings. Wetland meadows stretch as far as the eye can see, adorned with an abundance of native flora and fauna. Ponds glisten in the sunlight, their surfaces mirroring the ever-changing sky, while meandering streams add a soothing, melodic soundtrack to this tranquil landscape.

Throughout the wild garden, you’ll discover ornamental plantings that seem to have sprung organically from the earth, inspired by the works of legendary Irish gardener William Robinson. This part of the garden is, in many ways, a horticultural laboratory, a place where Tom experiments with new plant varieties and horticultural concepts, ensuring that each addition to his beloved landscape has been tried and tested before finding its place in future projects.