A winning combination

A clean, green structure balanced by romantic billowy planting is the key to this beautifully judged garden, reveals Non Morris

- Non Morris

Everdon Hall, Northamptonshire, The home of Charles and Caroline Coaker

THE kitchen window of Everdon Hall looks out over a spreading magnolia tree that marks the visitor’s arrival to the house. When Charles and Caroline Coaker took on the ‘almost derelict’ house 25 years ago, renovations were delayed by planning issues, so they decided to start on the garden before they moved in and to enjoy the opportunity offered by an almost blank canvas: a few mature trees and an abandoned walled garden.

Malus hupehensis in the Walled Garden emerge from a low circle of clipped box and a mound of Hebe rakaiensis.

The Coakers asked garden designer Angel Collins to help them, starting with the walled garden, which had the advantage of being far enough away from the house not to clash with building works. Mrs Collins has returned at regular intervals over the years to develop other parts of the 4½-acre garden that gently encircles the house with views onto glorious parkland. ‘This is really why we fell in love with this place—everywhere you look, there are views to rolling hills,’ says Mrs Coaker.

The new owner of Everdon Hall had a good idea of the style she had in mind: ‘I wanted the garden to be comfortable and soft, almost Italian. I love green; I wouldn’t mind if there was nothing else.’ Her brief for the key elements of the walled garden was even clearer. ‘I wanted a tennis court and a swimming pool to entice the children to the new house, but I didn’t want a kitchen garden. Nowadays, they are all terrible foodies, but when they were young all they would eat were frozen peas!’