WILTSHIRE STUMPERY

For several years, we’ve worked with a client to restore and revitalise their Wiltshire estate and gardens. Near the house, where three paths meet, lay a neglected space between formal gardens and rural surroundings. We wanted to preserve its wild character while introducing surprise and delight. 

Walks through the client’s woods often revealed upturned trees and exposed roots, brought down by age or storms. These inspired our proposal for a stumpery, a largely forgotten garden feature. The idea became popular in the nineteenth century during “pteridomania”, the Victorian craze for newly discovered ferns from around the world. Few stumperies survive; the best known are at Highgrove House and Biddulph Gardens. 

The 200 m² site was built and planted in spring 2026. Despite an exceptionally dry summer, it is developing well.