The place

Hillside is located in a small valley near Bath and is where Dan lives when he is not working in London.

The brief

Originally a smallholding used to raise beef cattle, since moving there in 2010 Dan has been managing the land for increased biodiversity and native flora. Another aim is to be self-sufficient for fruit and vegetables for much of the year. The ornamental garden is an evolving experiment in designing a planting that is completely at home in its rural setting.

The design

The majority of the land is pasture, two thirds of which has been oversown with a local native wildflower seed mix. This is managed and grazed as meadow. Major works have included extensive native broadleaf tree planting, for both blossom and fruit, hedgerow improvement and extension, the creation of an orchard and nuttery, a kitchen garden and a half acre ornamental perennial garden. Dan writes about Hillside on his weekly blog, Dig Delve.