COUNTRY HOUSE, DORSET
We have been working with our clients on their 800 acre estate in Dorset for nearly 20 years. The main house was re-constructed in 2006 and required a new courtyard, extensive re-modelling of the spaces around the former farm buildings, a vegetable garden, tennis courts, parking and further garden areas. We designed a 4 acre lake which was constructed around 2005 with ecology and biodiversity as the overriding principle but also acting as a means of balancing water flows into the local river network. This included a complex reedbed filtration system to mitigate against silage effluent from the former farm. The multiple habitats created around the lake perimeter have seen a huge increase in the number of species of insects, birds and mammals which now live and breed in an area which was formerly low-productivity farmland Some of the farmland was turned from fertiliser-reliant grazing to low-nutrient species-rich meadow by inverting the soil profile.
Many specialists were involved including agricultural consultants, ecologists, local wildlife trusts, bird experts and local farmers.
The project is ongoing with further changes to the gardens in 2023. The site is now recognised as one of the best examples of biodiversity enhancement in the south of England. They host educational events, conferences and university research teams.
We are proud to be part of this project and look forward to the next phase.
LOCATION: Dorset
CLIENT: Private
See below for a view of the courtyard following the demolition of existing buildings and the same view 24 months later.
