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Rain at Last

Finally we have had some rain here at Mansard House in Suffolk. Since May we have only watered the polytunnel and everything else has had to take turns with the washing up bowl contents. Many …

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Rambling Roses at Mansard House

The garden at Mansard House, here in Suffolk is not so much of a designed garden, but rather a kind of garden laboratory to try out planting schemes before imposing them on our clients. The …

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Autumn Colour

Autumn colour is always a bit disappointing at Mansard House – with the exception of this year. I think it’s a soil/climate thing. Firstly, our soil is a very silty sandy loam with a very …

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Bulb planting in meadows

The soil at Mansard House is far too fertile for the traditional wildflower meadow. Owing to the fact that we are on alluvial flood plain; essentially silty loam. I have managed it as a wildflower …

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Cambridge Garden Design

There is one big hurdle to overcome when designing a garden in the city of Cambridge in that it is the driest city in the UK. Combined with rain shadow and global warming, Cambridge is …

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Rewilding at Mansard House

It’s at this time of year that our rewilded part of the garden really comes into its own. When I say rewilded, it’s not on a Knepp scale with herds of marauding beasts roaming over …