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Jo Thompson says it is an “honour” to be designing a garden for Corpus Christi College in Cambridgeshire where she is an alumni.
The award-winning garden designer will be overseeing the renovation of the gardens at Mogford Lodge, a property that has belonged to the college for centuries and which was previously known as Ashton House.
Her design will incorporate sustainable principles, naturalistic planting and one of Thompson’s signature colour palettes. There will be areas for students to relax and socialise and which foster a sense of wellbeing, as well as wilder areas for biodiversity where the grass will be allowed to grow long.
“The garden is surrounded by beautiful trees and so the starting point for the design takes inspiration from this setting. I want the garden to have the feel of a woodland glade, and as ever this is a gentle intervention, working with what is already there,” says Thompson.
“There is a journey around the garden inspired by the idea of contemplative walks as well as places to gather and places to sit quietly and enjoy nature.”
She will be keeping as many of the existing garden features as possible, using them to define different ‘rooms’ throughout the property.
The early stages of clearing the garden in preparation will be started shortly by the college’s gardening team, led by head gardener Andy Pullin and deputy head gardener Matt Mace, with completion of the garden expected in mid-June.
Mace says the design is “a beautiful synergy between thoughtful design and naturalism, which feels very soft and very expressive. It’s going to provide good habitat for beneficial insects such as native bees and butterflies.”
It was created following consultation with the college’s gardens teams and committee and an extensive survey of the property and existing plants.
A “romantic”planting palette will feature flowering plants in pastel shades of pink, blue and mauve, along with darker toned specimens such as purple alliums and scarlet tulips. There will also be new flowering shrubs and roses.