Garden Design for Large Country Properties

A large country property needs more than a collection of attractive garden features. It needs a landscape plan that connects the house, gardens, trees, land and surrounding countryside.

Kirman Design creates garden designs and landscape masterplans for substantial properties across North West England. The aim is not to landscape every part of the site intensively. It is to give the property a clear structure, decide where investment will have the greatest effect and allow the wider landscape to complement the house.

Why large country properties need a masterplan

A substantial rural property may include terraces, drives, mature trees, lawns, woodland, orchards, paddocks, outbuildings and long views. These areas need to work together, even if the landscaping is completed in phases.

A masterplan can establish the main routes, garden areas, planting structure, important views and future projects. It helps each phase contribute to the same overall design and can prevent individual improvements from feeling disconnected.

For a broader look at design at scale, see garden design for large gardens. For properties where the architecture is the main focus, visit garden design for country houses.

Connect the house with the wider landscape

The area closest to the house may need more detail, with terraces, paths, structured planting and places to sit. Further away, the landscape can become more informal, transitioning into an orchard, meadow, woodland edge or countryside views.

This change in character helps a large garden feel coherent without making every area equally formal or costly to maintain. The design should also consider how the house appears from the garden, and how views from the house open onto the surrounding landscape.

Frame views and create garden rooms

Views across fields, hills, woodland or the garden itself can be among a country property’s greatest assets. New trees, structures and planting should be positioned with those sightlines in mind.

Garden rooms can make a large site easier to understand and use. A terrace, kitchen garden, orchard or woodland garden can each have a distinct purpose while remaining part of the same landscape. Trees, hedging, walls and planting can create a sense of shelter and intimacy without closing off the wider setting.

Plan trees and planting for the long term

Trees can provide structure, shelter, screening and scale, but their mature size and position need to be considered from the outset. Existing mature trees should also be assessed before decisions are made about removal or new construction.

Planting at this scale often benefits from broad, repeated groups rather than scattered individual plants. Depending on the property, the design may include specimen trees, woodland planting, native hedging, orchard trees and naturalistic borders.

Explore planting design and specimen trees for more information.

Address levels, access and drainage

Large rural sites can include slopes, exposed areas, heavy soil and waterlogged ground. The design needs to understand how water moves across the property and how people, machinery and materials will reach different areas.

Terraces, steps, paths and retaining structures may help make parts of the garden more usable. For site-specific advice, see garden drainage solutions and landscaping large gardens.

Develop the landscape in phases

A large country property does not need to be completed all at once. The main house garden, drainage, routes and tree planting may come first, with an orchard, meadow or secondary garden areas developed later.

A masterplan gives those future phases a clear direction. Kirman Design can provide garden design only or help deliver a project through complete garden design and build and landscape construction.

You can also see how a project progresses on the garden design and build process page.

Garden design for country properties across North West England

Kirman Design works with large country properties across Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the Ribble Valley and surrounding rural areas.

Each site has its own character. The design should respond to the house, land, views, existing trees, levels, soil and the way you want to use and maintain the property.

Discuss your property

A garden design consultation is a useful first step for discussing the property, your priorities and the right scope of work.

Contact Kirman Design:

• Telephone: 01942 604976

• Email: info@kirmandesign.com

• Contact page: Contact Kirman Design