The moment one steps into Linda Marsh’s Cotswold garden, the immediate impression is one of audacious color and unconventional beauty, a stark departure from the traditional pastel hues often associated with such English landscapes. Here, a vibrant tapestry of red, purple, yellow, orange, and pink hues intermingles within sweeping borders, drawing the eye towards the distant, picturesque vistas of the Cotswold hills. This bold aesthetic is a refreshing counterpoint to more expected horticultural expressions, setting a distinct tone for the entire landscape.
Beyond the striking palette, the selection of plants itself reveals a deliberate break from convention. Instead of the ubiquitous roses, manicured shrubs, and clipped box hedges typical of many Cotswold estates, Marsh’s garden embraces expansive drifts of grasses and large perennial plants. These plants seem to flow organically, subtly blurring the lines between the cultivated space and the natural, neighboring fields, creating a seamless integration with the surrounding environment, a hallmark of modern landscape architecture.
Remarkably, this verdant oasis is merely five years old, having been meticulously carved from what was once little more than a patch of rough grass on the site of former stables. The rapid maturity and lushness of the vibrant plantings might lead one to believe the garden boasts a much longer history. This impressive progress is a direct testament to the extensive and thoughtful groundwork Linda, a seasoned garden designer, implemented before a single plant was introduced, laying a robust foundation for the garden’s future vitality.
Linda Marsh, who moved to her Swindon Village home after outgrowing her previous Cheltenham garden, meticulously designed curved beds, delineated by wide grass paths, which are brimming with a diverse array of plants. These selections are chosen for their varied colors, heights, and forms, creating intricate visual interest. Examples include the distinctive flat heads of Selinum wallichianum and Achillea ‘Credo,’ alongside ground-hugging Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Allium lusitanicum ‘Summer Beauty,’ complemented by the vertical presence of echinops, phlomis, and bronze fennel, showcasing a rich tapestry of textures and forms.
The overarching aesthetic of this unique Cotswold garden is heavily influenced by the new perennial planting style championed by Dutch master Piet Oudolf, renowned for his naturalistic and ecologically informed designs. Furthermore, Linda attributes her daring and experimental use of color to the pioneering work of Christopher Lloyd at Great Dixter. Lloyd’s fearless approach to horticultural experimentation deeply resonates with Marsh’s garden design philosophy, echoing her own past achievements, which include creating a garden for RHS Hampton Court and a Chelsea exhibit for the Hardy Plant Society.
Designed for sustained visual impact, the garden is at its peak from mid-June through November, with plant varieties carefully chosen to ensure continuous allure. Later-flowering species like Helenium ‘Loysder Wieck’ and the autumn star Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’ extend the seasonal display. Even in winter, the architectural seedheads of the grasses and the striking silhouettes of plants such as phlomis command attention, persisting until Linda and her part-time gardener Katherine Sowerby prepare the beds for the first emergence of snowdrops.
While the garden’s style diverges from typical Cotswold traditionalism, many of its plant choices are surprisingly familiar, including commonly cultivated varieties such as Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty,’ persicaria, and Verbena bonariensis, often chosen for their reliability and effectiveness as fillers. Linda’s pragmatic approach includes the thoughtful repetition of successful plants throughout the landscape, a technique that not only ensures horticultural success but also visually unifies the entire garden, drawing its diverse elements into a cohesive whole.
A critical design consideration was the strategic placement of trees; Linda intentionally limited their number to avoid casting excessive shade on the predominantly perennial beds and, crucially, to preserve the spectacular, unobstructed views of Cleeve Hill. Near the house, a large terrace, designed to complement the former stable block, provides an ideal space for entertaining. The adjacent planting seamlessly extends the garden’s themes, featuring kniphofia, echinops, and aster, while the retaining wall ingeniously doubles as additional seating, maximizing the functionality of the space.
Ultimately, every element within this exceptional Cotswold garden must rigorously justify its presence. Linda Marsh maintains a dynamic and evolving landscape, continuously reassessing borders and decisively removing anything that fails to thrive or contribute to her bold vision. This constant refinement ensures the garden remains a vibrant, evolving masterpiece of horticultural innovation and landscape architecture, embodying a truly unique approach to traditional English gardening.
