Country House Hotel, Formal Gardens

Our work

Down Hall Hotel & Spa,
Formal Gardens, Bishop's Stortford

“We wanted to restore some of the grandeur of the past around the fountain, while making the gardens contemporary. The Parade Lawn of Ilex balls is both formal and fun. We imagined the impactful view from the windows above, alongside the joy of watching children play around the topiary on a summer’s evening,” Hicks & Hart.

Historic Gardens, Reimagined for Modern Hospitality

Set in 110 acres of parkland on the Hertfordshire-Essex border, Down Hall Hotel & Spa is one of England’s most storied country house hotels. With roots dating back to 1322, the current Italianate mansion blends centuries of heritage with refined elegance.

Hicks & Hart were commissioned to redesign the formal gardens at the rear of the hotel – creating a multifunctional outdoor space for weddings, al fresco dining, cinema nights and garden games. Overlooked by the hotel’s finest suites, including the bridal suite, the gardens needed to look picture-perfect from every angle. The brief? Create a garden that is timeless, functional, low-maintenance, and visually striking – ideal for guest experience and social sharing – while aligning with the hotel’s broader interior refurbishment.

Design Highlights

The 4,000 sq ft garden was restructured using Taxus baccata (Yew) hedging to define three elegant, flexible spaces suitable for wedding ceremonies, events and private dining. These formal layouts respect the historic architecture while supporting modern use.

Guests step directly onto a parade lawn planted with thirteen sculptural Ilex crenata balls, arranged in an organic pattern. These bold forms are repeated around a central fountain, balancing classical formality with playful charm. A topiary wall along the northern hotel elevation provides a striking green backdrop – perfect for wedding and event photography.

Planting with Impact

Lush planting brings softness and seasonality to the formal layout. The central garden is framed with Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, delivering large, romantic white blooms in high summer and creating contrast with the structured hedging.

A resin-bound path leads to a gazebo used for outdoor weddings, flanked by six graceful Amelanchier lamarckii trees that offer blossom in spring and rich foliage in autumn – adding a natural sense of ceremony and visual interest throughout the year.

Beyond the formal garden, a wide lawn stretches toward the surrounding woodland – a space for croquet, open-air cinema, picnics, or larger events – seamlessly linking designed formality with the wild charm of the landscape.

Photography by: Bennet Smith at Marianne Majerus Garden Images and Hicks & Hart ©