Landscapes & gardens we love
In an increasingly busy world, taking the time to connect with nature can really help to boost your physical health and mental wellbeing.
Research shows that visiting natural spaces that bring you closer to the natural environment can make a significant difference to how you feel.
Inside and outside of work, there are plenty of landscapes that inspire the Land Studio team. Below is a round-up of what the team had to say about their favourite landscapes and gardens …
A lockdown veggie patch
There was a surge in interest in gardening when lockdown began and, like many people, I saw it as a great chance to start my own veggie garden. My husband’s workplace were getting rid of some old lockers which I repurposed as troughs.
It is great to pop into the garden and spend a few hours pottering in this space, especially when the weather is nice! It helps me wind down from a busy day and I love that the family gets to eat all the lovely fruit and vegetables we have grown. I am just waiting to harvest the sprouts ready for Christmas.
Lisa Sawyer, Director and Civil Engineer
An enchanting Devon garden
It’s impossible to ask a landscape architect for their favourite garden as there are so many to choose from!
However, Stone Lane Gardens in North Devon, which is on the very edge of Dartmoor National Park, is a very special place to me. It is set in an enchanting 5 acre woodland and water garden and is famous for its National Collections of Birch and Alder trees.
The gardens are the result of just one man and his wife. Kenneth and June Ashburner started collecting birch and alder seeds when they travelled the world. When they returned to Devon, they planted the seeds and they have grown them in their beautiful garden.
If you’re ever in North Devon, it’s well worth the drive to visit. You won’t regret it.
Rachael Fenton, Associate Landscape Architect
A walk with panoramic views
An all-time favourite landscape of mine is the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which I have explored since I was a child.
Covering almost a quarter of Shropshire, it’s a living landscape with a rich history and perfect for walking, relaxing and inspiration.
With a large variety of trails to follow, each route feels different to the last, with panoramic views of both Wales and England available at the peaks of the hills.
One of my favourite aspects is the seasonal changes and their impact on the landscape, which can truly be appreciated from the hills. Seeing the groups of wild horses that live there is an added bonus to the tranquil routes through the AONB.
Hamzah Akhoon, Assistant Landscape Architect
A dog friendly Welsh garden
One of my favourite places to spend time is in the National Trust’s Bodnant Garden in North Wales. A world-famous garden home to National Collections and Champion Trees, I have probably visited it at least once a year for the past ten or more years.
I always go with family and, more recently with our dog, Tenby, as they now allow four-legged friends all year round (on a lead). It’s a beautiful garden, with dramatic topography, a wide variety of planting styles, and plenty of follies and nooks to explore.
Kate Richards, Associate Landscape Architect
A head clearing hill walk
My favourite place to go for a relaxing walk and to clear my head is Bickerton Hill in Cheshire.
Part of the Sandstone Trail, heather clad Bickerton Hill is a rich mosaic of habitats supporting a variety of threatened plants and animals. It’s a key part of Cheshire’s ecological network.
I love the woodland and the panoramic views of the Cheshire Plains.
Sian Rossiter, Assistant Landscape Architect
Coastal walks full of memories
It feels like most of my memories growing up in North Wales were of my parents taking the family somewhere for a walk along the coast at weekends.
One of my favourite places was – and still is - Newborough Beach on Anglesey.
Home to one of the largest and finest dune systems in Britain, the shoreline has been shaped by the wind and sea over thousands of years. The dunes are lined by magnificent Corsican pine trees, which are the home to red squirrels.
I’ve found that it’s somewhere I keep going back to now that I’m starting my own family with my fiancé. It’s somewhere you can really appreciate how special North Wales is as a place to live.
Matthew Reece, Landscape Architect
An inspirational garden
I joined Land Studio a couple of months ago and my first team away day was a visit to the gardens of Toolerstone House in Cheshire, which dates back to the 17th century.
This garden is special to me because it was my first team trip, I was with everyone from the studio and I’d never done anything like that before.
The house has stunning formal gardens, a large pond area and a designated vegetable garden. It was relaxing to walk round and to take in the surroundings.
Albie Williams, Trainee Technician