About Willow Cottage
Behind the historic thatched pub in Treoes, a tranquil village in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales, lies a garden of charm and discovery. The Vale is known for its rolling countryside and fertile farmland. It is in this rural setting that the house and gardens take their place, inviting visitors to explore a carefully created landscape that raises funds for the National Garden Scheme.
Visitors first pass between handsome stone pillars and follow a long driveway edged with mature shrubs. The path then opens to a sweeping vista of the distant hills before revealing the house and gardens. The property began life as stables and was converted with such craftsmanship that it won an award. That same artistry is reflected in the design of the grounds.
Reclaimed chimney pots and stone troughs filled with bright summer bedding set the tone. From the cobbled flagstone courtyard, sweeping steps rise to the main lawn, where a re-purposed mill wheel now serves as an impressive outdoor dining table. The lawn itself is centred by a mixed border and surrounded by mature planting. Beyond, estate fencing separates the garden from the paddocks, home to three donkeys rescued more than twenty years ago. From here, views open in every direction across farmland and countryside, with the tower of St Mary Hill church standing on the horizon.
The Secret Garden, enclosed and intimate, contains a variety of shrubs and perennials, along with a flock of chickens in their coop.
Trees are positioned with care to provide structure and interest, while climbers weave fragrance and colour across the garden. In spring, Clematis and Wisteria spill across the house in a spectacle of blossom.
At the rear of the property lies The Quiet Garden, a peaceful courtyard where a pond stocked with cold-water fish reflects the summer sky. Visitors are encouraged to look upward here, for on one chimney a dragon can be seen keeping watch.
Around the periphery, mixed hedges form a natural frame, while bird boxes and feeders attract wildlife, with sparrows nesting in the porch. Since the house was completed in 2015, the garden has been a labour of love, shaped with devotion and ever evolving, always offering something new to discover.
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