The grounds

The walled garden

Set in the former farmyard, this formal garden is bordered by ancient stone walls - some of them drystone - and centres around an old olive tree. It includes gravel paths, small grass lawns and borders where box hedge balls are crowded by blooms of colourful flowers. There are two paved areas in which to sit and relax, and at the end of the garden, a raised ornamental pond.

The walled garden at Church Farm
The walled garden at Church Farm
The orchard

Down a small lawned slope, the floral borders of the walled garden give way to a wilder kind of beauty in the orchard. Here you’ll find varieties of apple, pear and damson trees below a vegetable garden, both of which supply Church Farm with fruit and veg throughout the year. The orchard also includes a wooden climbing frame and a rope swing in an oak tree to entertain the farm’s younger guests. There are uninterrupted views out to the surrounding farmland and up to the village of Kingston on the top of the ridge to the south.

The orchard at Church Farm
The orchard at Church Farm
Detail of an apple tree in the orchard at Church Farm
Detail of an apple tree in the orchard at Church Farm
Outdoor dining

The gardens include two areas to dine and entertain alfresco. A rustic Purbeck stone table sits on the raised terrace behind the farmhouse offering a lovely vista across the formal lawns to the orchard and beyond. In a covered area at the top of the orchard, a larger wooden table and chairs benefit from heating for chilly evenings, a fairy-light strewn climber and a barbecue.

The covered dining area in the orchard
The covered dining area in the orchard
The Purbeck stone table and metal chair on the terrace
The Purbeck stone table and metal chair on the terrace
A spread of food and drink on the Purbeck stone table
A spread of food and drink on the Purbeck stone table