David and Andrea Anderson, a couple in their 80s and 60s respectively, have transformed a 19th-century walled garden in Warwickshire, England, into their dream home. The property, which they purchased for £880,000 (approximately US$1.4 million), was the former walled garden of Idlicote House.
The Andersons, avid gardeners, were drawn to the property’s promise of a 3-acre pastoral sanctuary. However, when they inspected the house in 2013, they found major issues and decided to demolish it to build a new modern home that incorporated the garden into its structure.
Their architect designed a 2,800-square-foot home with no interior hallways, camouflaging it within the walled garden. The result is a temperature-controlled home with underfloor heating and air conditioning trunking in the ceiling, as well as a glass link between the house and the garden wall that allows light to enter.
The couple tackled the overgrown garden and wall maintenance themselves, commissioning Northcot Brick to replace 30,000 Victorian-size bricks for about £100,000. They also cleared and relevelled the garden, reinstating a Victorian-era dipping pond, at an additional cost of £100,000.
David, the primary gardener, mows and cares for the 3 acres but feels he needs to scale back due to age concerns. The Andersons are looking to downsize and have listed their property for $2.8 million.
The couple shared their renovation tips, including choosing a reliable builder carefully and prioritizing a garden that suits their lifestyle. They also highlighted the dramatic change in view from their new home, which changes with the seasons.
Source: https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/living-in-a-secret-garden-was-the-real-draw-the-house-came-second-aa20b453