Holker Hall Garden Festival

Waters Edge

Ben Cunliffe Architects won a Silver Gilt for their garden, “Water’s Edge” at the 2008 Holker Hall Festival. The Garden aimed to represent the Cumbrian native landscapes in miniature. The progression of flora was shown through a progressive journey in the garden. Small rills, Alpine Birch, Rowan trees, and Alpine sedums represented the fells. A grassed border showed the lower slope meadows, and lush planting, large water and domestic plants became the lowland valley, and the presence of mankind.

These natural features were contained in a modern hard landscaped construction that would be suitable as a garden to a building. The raised formal beds and fixed seating were also designed to provide accessibility for elderly gardeners or gardeners with accessibility requirements. The hard landscaped materials and sculptures were designed in conjunction with Yew Tree Barn in High Newton.