Ham house visit gave an interesting insite to see the way landscape design has been changed and influenced throughout time. Ham House has symmetrical gardens and rigid lines of planting which still have an impressive visual impact.
Ham House was built in 1610 and further extended in the 1670's. It was originally home to the Duchess of Lauderdale who was known as a political activist, the house became the the heart of the civil War in the 17th century.
Amoung the Houses many garden are the Cherry gardens to the east of the house, which are a visual delight when looking at the garden. The cherry garden features lavender parterres flanked by two vaulted trellises of peach hornbeam and a ststue of Bacchus at its heart. the contrast of colours in such a symmetrical garden design really show what can be achieved with such a small planting pallet.
On the south terrace gardens the planting consist of cones of alternating yew trees with clipped flower shrubs. there are three rows of herbaceous plantings to complete the effect.
lying further south of the terrace is the wilderness a formal style planting of hedges to create a maze like effect in a symmetrical pattern. Central to all the planting of Ham House is the axial relationship everything is design to, inspired by the palace of Versaille in France.
Ham House is an intrigue to view such an old design still standing today and yet it still has some relevance such as simple planting effects bold shapes and colours can have.
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