IN THE GARDEN Medieval parterres at Braunston’s Quaintree Hall.

This month we’re enjoying a Rutland garden that has been beautifully curated from parterre to pickery. Caroline Lomas has lived in Braunston for 30 years, and her garden has layers upon layers of interest...

REDISCOVERING BRAUNSTON’S Medieval Garden

OF ALL THE DAYS to enjoy a visit to a garden, my recent misfortune was to book an appointment on the very day forecasters were warning of apocalyptic 40°c heat. On the other hand, it was my very good fortune to be enjoying the very bright, colourful and beautifully curated borders and parterres of Braunston’s Quaintree Hall, which must be one of the most wellconsidered and lovingly curated gardens in Rutland. Quaintree Hall itself is rather spectacular: a medieval hall house dating back to 1297 in its oldest parts, with 13th century timber crucks securing the property a Grade II* listing, flanked architecturally by several Elizabethan and Georgian addition. Owner Caroline Lomas became custodian of the property in 1994 and saw the potential of its 1.5 acres, as a long-term labour of love. To the front of the property was a c.250 year old ceder of Lebanon which sadly needed removing for fear of the massive tree’s roots causing chaos. It was one of 27 trees – mostly young, self-seeding saplings – which needed to be removed before new planting could be introduced. A teacher of Classics at Oakham School, Caroline is to be found leading at least one lesson a day, Monday to Saturday. The rest of her time is dedicated to looking after the garden and spending time with her two daughters and year-old grandson. Commendably methodical in her approach to gardening, Caroline has a hand-drawn plan which shows how she has divided up the garden to ensure year-round interest. To the front of the property is a parterre which replaced a patch of lawn, and wrapping around the front of the property is a spring border with a yellow and blue scheme colour scheme adjacent to the wall bordering the property plus a grey border closer to the house. >>

>> To the south of the house is an area of garden which stretches right back to the curtilage of the grounds. Adjacent to the house is the Spring Garden with a brace of yew trees and aged-looking – but in fact recently installed – stone steps snaking through some lovely shaded walkways. Through a little gate is the Round Garden, flanked by hostas and with red and yellow summer borders which will really come into their own during an upcoming NGS open day. To the end of the Round Garden is curved yew hedging planted here to provide a ‘reveal’ of the Long Garden beyond. Exhibiting rich summer colour which really comes into its own later in the season, the borders are complemented by a rose border on the southern edge of the Long Garden, and with a rose arbor in the corner.

On the opposite side of the driveway to the three gardens is the property’s Tithe Barn, Long Barn and a garage, each facing a saxifrage/peony border. Along with the property itself, these enclose a central courtyard with herb garden and conservatory, with a raised terrace and raised beds.

Beyond is the tool shed and a pickery with a rear paddock, apple and pear arch, and a further paddock. “I work to a colour scheme everywhere but the courtyard,” says Caroline. “I also try to make sure that there’s something of interest all year round. I’m also keen on succession planting, for instance with dahlias replacing spring bulbs, then late-flowering bulbs.” “Rather than fighting against conditions, I’m also a keen advocate of growing to a particular area’s conditions. Occasionally I do take the odd risk, like the planting of roses on the southern border of the Long Garden, but they seem happy enough.” “Gardening is, to some degree, trial and error, but one tip I do find useful is to plant anything you’d like to trial in pots, enabling you to move them around and try different degrees of shade to see where they’ll thrive.” “My other tip is the use of Strulch, a straw mulch of wheat straw. It was developed by the University of Leeds and it really improves the soil. Because it looks like bark, it’s fairly inconspicuous too, and I’d say it suppresses nearly all annual weeds. I order it by the pallet load and it’s fairly light so it’s easy to move around.” Even on the hottest day of the year, walking around the gardens of Quaintree Hall proves invigorating, as visitors can discover for themselves during the open garden event. It’s a garden that has been 725 years in the making, but undoubtedly, the last 30 years have proved its most transformative, thanks to Caroline and her abundance of talent! n

IN THE GARDEN IN SEPTEMBER

Lots of jobs to complete and a guide to planting this month...

n Collecting Seeds: It’s simple, generally inexpensive and it’ll help to increase the number of plants already in your garden. When seed heads ripen, collect them before they disperse, set two months after flowering or as soon as the seeds ripen. Think holly berries, catkins, poppy seeds, sweet pea pods and the winged seeds of acers and sycamores. n Divide Perennials: Ensure healthy and vigorous growth by diving perennials like iris and hostas. n Sow Hardy Annuals: Scabiosa, cornflowers and cerinths can all be sown in the ground now ready for flowers early next summer. n Plant Spring Bulbs: Now’s the time to plans crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, bluebells and snake’s head fritillaries, in pots or borders ready for spring 2023. n Autumn Interest: Use cyclamen, heathers, heucheras for autumn interest in borders and containers. n The Kitchen Garden: Plant onion and shallot sets, sow hardy greens like kale, pak choi, broad beans and peas. Pick apples and pears before they fall, lift and store maincrop potatoes. n Garden Maintenance: Rake up thatch or scarify to remove detritus in your lawn, capture fallen leaves over the coming months and compost to create mulch. Once you’ve completed the last cut, have your mower taken away for a good service and to have its fuel removed to prevent it going stale. n Make an Investment: Now is also the time to clip hedges, but if you’re still relying on noisy, vibration-prone petrol equipment consider investing in a single battery system but with multiple appliances: mowers, hedge trimmers, strimmers and chainsaws. Brands like Stihl and Ryobi provide a wealth of tools that are quieter, easier and lighter.

Beautiful Garden Products with FORAS

From landscaping to lifestyle, in your home and around your garden! Foras has a range of gorgeous products to express your creativity and individuality... and it’s a really enjoyable, beautifully landscaped place to find inspiration, too!

OUR HOMES & GARDENS are incredibly important, meaningful places and they influence how we think, feel and support how we want to live. Choosing what to put on the walls and floors is a huge decision, making tiles and flagstones the foundation of any project which are crucial to get right from the beginning.

There’s a lot to consider, from which materials and textures work harmoniously with the property to what colours and patterns will be complementary – so if you’re in need of inspiration and expert advice, look no further than Foras.

An award-winning family-run business, Foras was founded in 2003 by Norfolk farmer John Wootton and consultant Claire Brutnall with the aim of producing an exclusive range of natural stone flagstones, porcelain tiles and garden accessories, directly sourced throughout the UK, Europe, and Asia.

Products are cleverly displayed at the company’s home in Stowbridge, Norfolk, a unique browsing experience where the gardens are fully dressed and landscaped to provide plenty of inspiration and ideas.

Inside the tiles and flagstones are laid on the walls and floors in large areas, with accent tiles available to mix and combine into ‘mood boards.’ Swatch samples are available to take away and full tile samples are available to purchase.

Foras sets itself apart from the competition by importing their own unique blends of stones and finishes. The team personally sources their Foras Originals tile and flagstone range directly from the manufacturers, taking each product through a rigorous quality control process.

“My passion has always been to supply the finest tiles and flagstones fully ‘in house’ to ensure consistency throughout every batch,” says John.

“It has taken years for us to build solid relationships with our quarries and factories and, by sourcing directly from them, we’ve been able to select our own unique tonal blends, exquisite finishes, and can produce bespoke items to order.”

Foras’ flagship stone is Moorland York F40, a fawn-coloured sandstone which has been extensively worked to give the appearance of an authentic aged York stone.

It has proven popular in both modern and traditional projects, including the prestigious Old Hall in Ely. The team at the Old Hall started working with Foras in 2008.

Since then, their business has grown alongside Foras, expanding more and more. They are now one of the most beautiful wedding venues in Cambridgeshire, also offering hotel stays, fine dining, and exclusive party/event hire.

The extensive terraces are laid with Moorland York F40 sandstone and have the perfect amount of character to complement the Jacobean manor house. The pathways are detailed with Moorland York F40 Setts.

As the Old Hall continues to expand, more terraces will be required, thanks to Foras’ commitment to consistency and colour selection new Moorland York F40 can be laid alongside older batches of the stone with little to no tonal variation. n

Main Image: Foras' spectacular show gardens in Stowbridge with over 50 running water features. Insert Images: The beautiful Old Hall, in Ely.

THE DETAILS Foras, Stowbridge

About Foras: Based at King’s Lynn, Foras provides unique quality products for the home and garden from luxury water features, benches, sculptures, lighting solutions and bird care, plus deckchairs, candles and much more besides!

Tiles & Flagstones: For more details and information about Foras Tiles & Flagstones please visit www.foraswallsandfloors.co.uk.

Home & Garden: For spectacular Foras garden features please visit foras.co.uk or visit the showroom at Stowbridge to see the Foras difference for yourself.

Contact Details: Foras Ltd, West Head Road, Stowbridge, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE34 3NJ. Telephone 01366 381069. n