Beechwell House (so named because of the Beech Tree and the 16th century well in the garden) is a privately owned garden located in Yate, near Bristol, South Glos, UK.
Since moving into the property in 1990, the garden has been transformed by owner Tim Wilmot from what was once a large patio, beech hedge and overgrown orchard, into a garden of largely sub-tropical and architectural planting.
The garden has been completely designed, created and maintained by myself. There are no professional gardeners on my plot!
First, the orchard was cleared making way for a border at the back of the garden and a Koi pond. Unfortunately I planted 'invasive' bamboos around the pond, which have perforated 3 butyl liners since (no such thing as a 25-year guarantee when it comes to bamboo! puncturing your liner). Small palms which had been in pots in our previous house were planted in various places around the garden.
Next a 'pagoda' was made, not from a kit but from fencing panels and posts. Either side was planted some structural box, which now has a nice rounded shape, framing the building.
A few years later, some remaining apple trees down the right side of the back garden were cleared and the bed raised and filled with good quality top soil and grit. Phormiums, Yuccas, Trachycarpus Palms and Bamboos (non invasive) were planted.
The next project was making a gravel garden, introducing a second pond for wildlife, planting various grasses and putting in some large 'Cotswold stone' boulders for effect. These were rolled into the garden 'Stonehenge' style, on rollers and rope.
Next, the beech hedge dividing the garden in half was removed to make way for a raised border for succulents and a central border for more Palms and Phormiums.
The Palms, Phormiums and tall Italian Cypresses are the 'skeleton' plants of the garden and have been in filled with smaller plants adding year round interest
Since moving into the property in 1990, the garden has been transformed by owner Tim Wilmot from what was once a large patio, beech hedge and overgrown orchard, into a garden of largely sub-tropical and architectural planting.
The garden has been completely designed, created and maintained by myself. There are no professional gardeners on my plot!
First, the orchard was cleared making way for a border at the back of the garden and a Koi pond. Unfortunately I planted 'invasive' bamboos around the pond, which have perforated 3 butyl liners since (no such thing as a 25-year guarantee when it comes to bamboo! puncturing your liner). Small palms which had been in pots in our previous house were planted in various places around the garden.
Next a 'pagoda' was made, not from a kit but from fencing panels and posts. Either side was planted some structural box, which now has a nice rounded shape, framing the building.
A few years later, some remaining apple trees down the right side of the back garden were cleared and the bed raised and filled with good quality top soil and grit. Phormiums, Yuccas, Trachycarpus Palms and Bamboos (non invasive) were planted.
The next project was making a gravel garden, introducing a second pond for wildlife, planting various grasses and putting in some large 'Cotswold stone' boulders for effect. These were rolled into the garden 'Stonehenge' style, on rollers and rope.
Next, the beech hedge dividing the garden in half was removed to make way for a raised border for succulents and a central border for more Palms and Phormiums.
The Palms, Phormiums and tall Italian Cypresses are the 'skeleton' plants of the garden and have been in filled with smaller plants adding year round interest