A Naturalistic Garden

So much more than just a 4500m² experimental garden & nursery

8 November 2023

Perched on a hilltop in the heart of the Rivelin Valley, between the city centre of Sheffield and the Peak District, sits Arcadia Landscape Design Garden the brainchild of Landscape Designers Doug Baker and Charlotte Liu.

I was very kindly put in touch with landscape designers Doug and Charlotte of Arcadia Landscape & Design Gardens in Sheffield, by Jane Hindmarch, a talented artist that I came across after photographing Redhill Lodge, a beautiful private garden in Rutland last year. I was instantly captivated by Arcadia through Jane's depictions of it in her paintings.

Arcadia is made up of a woodland, a native meadow, a garden for moisture loving plants, a garden for dry loving plants, and a space planted mostly with tall perennials. A palette of liquorice, chocolate, rust, burnt umber, copper, deep fuchsia, wheat, vanilla, lime, amber and lemon. Textures, shape & form, random tall planting, with light weaving its way through and leading the eye to each verse and chapter.

Planting: Filipendula ulmaria 'rosea' [meadow dropwort], Teasel, Liquidambar styraciflua, Drumstick alium, Eupatorium, Scabiosa alpina, Artemisia lactiflora, seed heads of Iris sibirica, grasses of Molinia caerulea, Miscanthus giganteus and Tufted hair grass the Deschampsia caespitosa.

---

Brown, spiky teasel heads and the flame red leaves of the liquidambar subtly kissed by autumn light, with notes of white from the birch trees set against the trees beyond. A meadow scape, filled with perennials, seasonal palette, and texture.I cannot begin to appreciate the work and knowledge involved in creating such a thought-provoking space, but I do know that Doug and Charlotte have created something extraordinary that I cannot wait to immerse myself in time and time again. 

Rare breed: Crested Cream Legbars

And then when the sun comes out!

The extraordinary planting and foresight of Doug & Charlotte explodes like nothing I have ever seen, felt, nor experienced. To witness this space in the flesh is to be transported onto another level. It's almost spiritual.

Holly Hagg Community Farm & Alpaca Treks

I captured a couple of images of Arcadia's neighbour's plot

A naturalistic space that transports you to a transcendental experience. Arcadia has soul, a heartbeat, a rhythm that gets under the skin.

I love what Doug and Charlotte have created, and look forward to visiting them and Arcadia soon.

If you have enjoyed this piece and would love to see more, why not join me over on Instagram @ginadoverjaquesphotography.

iPhone captures