Coworth Park, Dorchester Collection

Coworth Park, Dorchester Collection

Sunningdale, Surrey

Heritage, culture, art

Macfarlane + Associates Ltd

Dorchester Collection

Macfarlane Wilder was appointed to develop a landscape masterplan for the areas surrounding Coworth House. The brief for the landscape design was to create a luxurious setting for the new use of Coworth Park House as a country house hotel, similar to those restored at nearby Tittenhurst Park, which also offers hotel and leisure activities within a wider parkland setting. The neglected gardens immediately surrounding the house were required to be restored and refurbished with avenues and vista lines re-established to give structure and meaning to the landscape.

LI Awards 2012 - Design over 5 hectares - Winner

Architects:EPR, Purcell Miller Tritton Project manager: Buro Four Engineers: Bellamy Roberts, AKS Ward, Wallace Whittle, Considere Engineers Planning consultants: Gregory Gray Associates

Runnymede Borough Council

2010

14 hectares

£4 million

£12 million

The entrance planting seeks to merge with the wilder surrounding landscape by featuring at both ends a variety of Rhododendron and Azalea species. As the design progresses towards the entrance it formalises with round topiary of Buxus and Osmanthus species juxtaposed to tall rural grasses, creating a vibrant dynamic entrance. The evergreen topiary and grasses frame perennial planting to the front of the beds which are changed by the hotel on a regular basis to add theme and colour throughout the year. The existing trees within the stable courtyard were retained to create a centre point and the central dynamic hedge creates a pivoting feature around which curving planted beds rotate. The strong axis of a Taxus baccata sloping circular hedge creates a central plaza for a quiet seating or private event venue. A circular grass ‘bare foot’ path is framed by flowering Rhododendrons and the bright reds of Ucinia rubra and blues of Festuca glauca, while on the outer edge the rich browns and reds of Carex ‘Comans Bronze’ are set against the bright silver of the Convulvula cneorum and Panicum virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’. Planting to the roof of the sunken spa includes a sedum mat over the sloping areas as well as a variety of scented herbs including Lavandula stoechas, Mentha, Melissa officinalis, Thymus serpyllum ‘Pink Chintz’, Thymus vulgaris ‘Silver Posie’. The fresh herbs are used within the spa for a variety of treatments. The landscape also includes 3.2 hectares of wild flower meadow. The mixture used is bespoke to the light sandy soil type with a relatively low Ph. Species used include Wild Carrot, White Campion, Knapweed, Ragged Robin, Devils Bit Scabious, Ox Eye Daisy, Cornflower, Corn Cockle, Corn Marigold, Fox Glove and Common Poppy. Several modern methods of construction methodologies and sustainable design principles were used including: no dig construction for both vehicular and pedestrian areas; natural reinstatement of pond ecology; biodiverse meadow hiding a GSHP; short crop rotation for biomass boiler; green roof technology over a spa building sunken within new land contours.

The original Coworth Park House dates back to 1776 and was constructed in Georgian / Palladian Manor House style. The new entrance paving design, with an orthogonal layout, is respectful to the original geometries, creating a dialogue with the existing architecture. The rectangular design, with a smaller section with cobbles in the middle, creates a formal sense of arrival to the hotel. The Chinese Green green/grey sand stone, with lighter granite banding, complement the white cladding of the building.

Galliford Try and Elite Landscapes