Studio Thadian Pillai

Seasonality is highly specific to each place. In this temperate garden within a glade of oak and hornbeam, the seasons are embraced. They activate the planting design, luring the owners deep into the garden to enjoy their home office in even the coldest months.

Spring in England is a time of blossom, bursting buds and foliage at its freshest.  As the tree canopy closes, the first flowers of the woodland edge transition into Summer.  The glade is flooded with roses and other summer flowers. Summer retreats into Autumn, and the harvest of fruit and vegetables continues in the kitchen garden.  The fire of berries and foliage sweeps through the glade.  Winter brings the surprise of unexpected flower, extraordinary stems and the icy transformation of form.  The garden remains a valued resource for wildlife. 

In a time of some fracture between us and our environment, a garden of seasonality creates mindfulness.  It engages us with our environment, enabling us to slow down sufficiently that we perceive the passing of time, and our place in it.