Project
Plant-rich design for a wedding and a windmill
Sympathetic to the age of the mill, while rooted in contemporary planting design.
The brief was to give the grounds the same renewed sense of life as the interior of the windmill, transforming a broad area of near blank canvas into a garden rich in plants and atmosphere.
Privacy was required in key areas, with a preference for screening through planting rather than fencing or walling. There was also an opportunity to create a sequence of linked spaces, bringing character and interest to land that currently offered very little.
The windmill itself, built from local Cheshire brick and sandstone, provides the strongest cue for the design. Its curved form, tapering structure and historic detailing are all used to inform the wider landscape language.
Grade II listed
Designed for a moment. Built to endure.
Plant-rich garden for a historic windmill
The garden was designed to be fully realised for a private family wedding, requiring immediate presence, cohesion and atmosphere from the outset. Planting was carefully procured, placed and established in advance, ensuring the landscape was ready to be experienced at its fullest on the day itself.
The layout was shaped by light, movement and the distinctive form of the windmill, creating a sequence of spaces suited to gathering, pause and photography. Curved geometry and a restrained palette of brick, stone and oak establish a strong connection to the building.
Planting is contemporary in composition yet grounded in its setting, providing early impact while forming a framework capable of maturing into a more layered and enduring landscape.
Reclaimed York stone, Cheshire brick, sandstone coping and green oak establish a strong underlying structure, while topiary and layered groundcover bring rhythm, texture and year-round presence.
The result is a garden that feels composed and resolved from the outset, while continuing to develop depth, texture and character over time — balancing immediate presence with long-term evolution.