Danehill, West Sussex
A large, 16-acre, south-facing site in West Sussex. The house is a grade II listed building with a gradual sloping site and beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. The project is still work in progress.
The North–South Meridian line runs directly through the garden, acting as a central axis and central to the concept.
The garden concept explores the tension between the Meridian line and how our lives can appear to follow a linear path. Yet major moments of upheaval fracture that sense of continuity and reveal time as something far more fluid, unpredictable, and transformative.
This garden explores this tension through a composition of curved forms set against straight lines. This dialogue between order and movement lies at the heart of the garden: life rarely follows a fixed course, and meaningful change often arrives unexpectedly, reshaping our direction in an instant.
Six spaces within the garden represent non-linear phases of life: Grief, Searching, Renewal, Regrowth, Flow, and Connection. They are not intended to be experienced in sequence, but like life itself, they offer multiple routes, unexpected returns, and the freedom to wander.
Inspired by Alexander Calder’s poised, balanced forms, Bridget Riley’s exploration of movement and tension through line and curve, and the intimate, richly layered atmosphere of the Bloomsbury Group’s work.
Images of the pre-existing site before the design phase.
An elevated view of the feature garden, capturing water pools, curved borders, and a stepped rill running down the North-South Meridian line.
A curved rill cuts through a terrace with gravel planting leading to a water feature and seating area.
