But revamping this vast garden wasn’t simply about aesthetics. There were practical reasons for changing it, too. ‘The owners have a young family and enjoy entertaining on a larger scale,’ he says. ‘They felt that they didn’t have anywhere to put a marquee, while the children didn’t have anywhere flat to play.’
Inspired by the lake that sits at the bottom of the lawn, Wilson came up with a ‘flow’ concept. The layout was then designed to suggest water flowing down the garden. ‘The planting starts off regular and then starts to twist and turn, meandering to suggest a fluid movement,’ he explains.
There was an existing swimming pool, which was modernised to create a deck-level pool with a gym and pool house attached. Wide, elegant steps now link it to the main terrace, which Wilson paved in pale sandstone. The result is a large space that wraps around the south side of the house. This, he feels, is one of the most successful parts of the redesign, since it directly addresses one of the clients’ issues. ‘Having this big terrace allows them to entertain either as a family or as a large social group,’ he says. ‘It means there’s much more useable space around the house.’