Cringlemire
Cringlemire is an imposing arts and crafts house, with elegant stained glass and floor to ceiling bay windows, that sits at the top of a hill with sweeping views across Lake Windermere to the Langdale Pikes and to the south towards Belle Isle. The house boasts a once grand Thomas Mawson garden, complete with archways and terracing.
The steeply sloping land in front of the house is filled with rhododendrons, azaleas, ferns, brambles, and other plants that have been allowed to run riot over many years. In most cases, the rhododendrons have grown into each other and the trunks have become as thick as tree trunks. The slate steps and walkways have become overgrown with ferns and brambles and their edges have been blurred by years of leaf drop and weed growth. Views to the lake and fells have been marred by the overgrowth of shrubs that have been left to grow, in some cases into huge trees.
Our client asked us initially to explore the slope to understand what, if anything, was hidden underneath the impenetrable mass of undergrowth. From there our job was to clear and tidy the area so that some sense of order could be restored and the plants given the best opportunity to thrive.
The Solution
The initial work was to clear as much undergrowth as was necessary to see the garden more clearly. Our team set to with loppers and hedge trimmers to find out if there was any form of layout or pathway structure hidden beneath the heavy undergrowth. A small pond was uncovered at the lower extremity of the garden that had all but disappeared amidst the matt of miniature bamboo and pond plants that had once prettily adorned it. The first of our smaller projects within the larger project is to renovate the pond, and to expose the rockery that rises up the hill behind it. Victorian style water worn stones have been revealed, and we are excited to bring this area back to life as Thomas Mawson would originally have envisaged it.
The next phase was to prune and clear more thoroughly, removing unwanted plants and taking some down to the ground in order that they could sprout afresh in the spring. Others were to be pruned to raise their crowns, exposing interesting trunk structures and allowing for flowering in the coming spring and summer.
Upon clearing the overgrown plants, a patch at the top of the garden recommended itself for the addition of a summer house that would nestle amongst the rhododendrons. The lake and mountain views and evening sunlight would make this a particularly good position to take full advantage of the stunning location.
The Outcome
Work on this captivating project continues. Our team have cleared and tidied much of the garden and clipped many of the shrubs into shape. When the clearing has been completed we will begin the process of rebuilding and renovating the stonework and pathways, as well as creating an informal walkway through the garden to aid access.
“Thank you for bringing our garden back to life!”
Andrew O.
