Country garden by the Bay

This beautiful period home in Carbis Bay, St Ives, was lovingly restored along with its gardens. The exterior works were extensive and initially driven by excavations necessary to plug mine shafts found beneath and around the property—the project’s greatest challenge.

Numerous mature trees and shrubs were carefully protected during construction, most notably two large purple cut-leaf Japanese maples and a statuesque black walnut. These specimens were used to frame views, draw the eye and shape the garden’s design. The layout also reflects the clients’ priorities: lawns for child’s play, terraces for dining and entertaining, and space for a shepherd’s hut. Reclaimed Yorkstone, much of it salvaged from the original garden, and traditional stone walls define the terraces, while wrought iron, terracotta, red brick and granite details provide subtle contrast.

Knocking down a dilapidated cottage and tarmac drive behind the house allowed for a complete redesign in the back garden. The contemporary layout responds to the architecture, with formal lawns, a bespoke oak pergola, a Torc Pots water bowl and pleached Magnolia grandiflora used to delineate terraces for evening entertaining and family activities such as table tennis. Crisp, sawn Yorkstone paving and steps differentiate yet unify the front and rear gardens.

Year-round interest was central to the planting design, with the garden divided into distinct zones. Colourful Cornish exotics, cherished by our clients, surround the gravel drive. Along the eastern side, a drought-tolerant, wildlife-friendly herbaceous border curves around the home. Anthemis, Baptisia, fennel, Phlomis and Stipa were selected to thrive in the hot sun and poor soil. The rear garden uses a modern green-and-white palette of Viburnum × burkwoodii, Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ and Hakonechloa macra, punctuated by accents of Penstemon ‘Plum Jerkum’, Astrantia ‘Roma’ and Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’, to name but a few.

Planting was finished in 2026 and we continue to look after the garden moving forward.

Hard landscape construction & groundworks: Terry Harris & Sons

Soft landscape & planting: In-house

Aftercare & maintenance: In-house

Photography: Bob Berry