The garden of a former abbey combining ecclesiastical symmetry with informal planting

On the site of a former abbey in Oxfordshire, designer Angel Collins has combined ecclesiastical symmetry with informal planting to create a garden that is both awe-inspiring and delightfully domestic
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Eva Nemeth

Steps descend from the front terrace through borders of mixed perennials and apricot Rosa ‘Rose des Cisterciens’

Eva Nemeth

The garden is not just about the grand gesture at the front of the house: there are other surprises to be found. On one side of the front terrace, steps lead to an unexpected scene – a wildflower meadow planted on the roof of the former school swimming pool, now trans-formed into a hidden garage. This extraordinary upper terrace is a favourite spot for evening parties, with a fabulous elevated view over the formal garden. On the other side of the terrace are two modestly sized enclosed gardens: a productive area with step-over apples and espaliered ‘Evereste’ crab apples; and the monk’s garden, which runs alongside one of the single-storey rear wings of the house that have an almost cottage-like feel. The scale here is smaller and more domestic, to contrast with the grandeur of the formal gardens at the front.

But the pièce de résistance, always kept until last in any garden visit, is the Spanish garden, tucked away between the two back wings of the house. Walking through a cloister-like corridor, one emerges into the most glorious space – an Alhambra-esque courtyard with long rills and exuberant planting. The rills echo the canal at the front of the house, and feature 16 fountains playing on the surface of the water, while domed Ligustrum lucidum also provide a visual link to the other, more formal garden, mimicking the shapes of the hornbeams. Sheltered and warm, the courtyard is home to some exotic plants such as Lobelia tupa and Acca sellowiana, the pineapple guava, set among a froth of hydrangeas and Rosa ‘Boscobel’. With the kitchen opening directly into the courtyard, this delightful space is well used by its owners. ‘I’m not a competitive garden owner,’ says Lord Glendonbrook with a smile. ‘All I want is a garden that I love and enjoy – and Angel has certainly given us that’.

Angel Collins is one of House and Garden’s Top 50 Garden Designers and a member of our online directory The List by House & Garden, take a look at her profile here.

angelacollins.co.uk