This fine country house was built on the footprint of a farm cottage, seamlessly blending with a lovely collection of retained stone barns to the rear. We worked closely with the architect and clients to create a dramatic cascade of natural pools emerging from under the terrace that spans the south elevation of the house, leading the eye from the terrace to the sinuous lake and far horizon beyond. The cascade takes all the roof water from the main house, and we traversed it with two floating timber bridges, allowing full immersion in the planting. Working in a large landscape like this we were bold with our plant groupings, painting them in with a large brush to reflect the sweeping scale of the landform that embraces the cascade and wider garden. The garden is bathed in wonderful morning light through the summer and autumn months so we chose species that would capitalise on this, catching the suns rays in their blooms and foliage. Grasses play a key role, lending the scheme a texture which blends with the areas of uncut grass which flank the slopes next to the lake. This was the first of four phases of work we completed at this lovely garden in North Yorkshire, and it continues to give us and the clients real delight.