Derbyshire Stone

The design of the garden at Fanshawe Gate Hall is inspired by natural materials and historical associations of the house and its surroundings. The mellow Derbyshire sandstone of the 16th century hall is repeated in the imposing stone gateposts and dovecote, relics of a once large house. The same stone is used in the massive retaining walls of the courtyard and the stackyard, and in the walled "Elizabethan" garden. Less formally, a traditional Derbyshire drystone wall marks the outer boundaries of the garden. The stone provides a versatile backdrop for planting. On a sunny day, the south facing walls seem to glow behind their covering of roses and clematis. The north facing walls are green and mossy, sheltering ferns and shade-loving plants. Water cascades down stone ledges from the orchard to the courtyard, splashing:

next->