Riverside Garden, North Norfolk

Our work

Riverside Garden,
North Norfolk

“Layered planting and natural movement shape a garden that feels alive – made to be lived in and full of moments that surprise and delight,” Hicks & Hart.

Layered Landscape, Lasting Views

This half-acre riverside garden in North Norfolk was redesigned alongside the renovation of a Grade II listed house and barn.

The garden maximises the full potential of the site by creating a series of outdoor ‘rooms’ where the family can relax, entertain and enjoy walking between areas of planting, lawn and terrace. The back garden was prioritised first, taking advantage of its stunning views over a river and surrounding farmland.

The garden is being developed in stages. A wildlife pond and barn gardens are planned as part of future phases — allowing the landscape to evolve in rhythm with the family’s lifestyle.

Planting That Connects to the Landscape

The planting design creates a bold visual impact from both the house and terrace, while also responding to the agricultural setting beyond – a landscape of rotating rapeseed crops and open skies.

The garden is abundant, filled with spring and summer flowering plants, including warm yellows and oranges from Achillea filipendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’ and Achillea ‘Walter Funcke’ and rich reds from Cirsium atropurpureum. Soft purple Nepeta anchors the colour palette, while clipped Taxus baccata (Yew) cubes and multi-stemmed Amelanchier trees introduce formality and structure.

Sculptural Taxus baccata cubes ground the design and ornamental grasses add texture and movement – a signature Hicks & Hart touch.

Sustainability at the Heart

Inspired by the RHS Sustainability Strategy, this garden is designed to support climate resilience, biodiversity and long-term sustainability.

Reclaimed materials are used in select hardscape areas, while generous lawns and gravel surfaces ensure water permeability. Hicks & Hart worked in collaboration with author of the RHS strategy and Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership Fellow, Sue Garrard, to shape a garden that supports pollinators and native wildlife habitats.

This is a garden that’s as environmentally considered as it is beautiful – a space rooted in place, designed to grow with time and care.

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