Case studies
MULBERRY: KEEPING UP APPEARANCES AT TURVILLE COURT
Extensive grounds maintenance is not just a requirement of large corporates and public bodies – many private houses also have large gardens which need professional care. One such estate is Turville Court, near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. When the Head Gardener left after five years, the Estate Manager called on landscape maintenance specialist Mulberry to take over the care of the house’s stunning gardens.
Turville Court is a majestic country mansion which nestles in an area of great beauty and tranquillity at the head of the Hambleden Valley in the Chilterns. The house was built in 2000 and a garden specialist designed the 17 acres of formal gardens that surround it. For both the building and the grounds, the designers focused on achieving the highest standards of quality and elegance.
A new broom
The long carriage drive sweeps up to the house from the entrance, which is set between a pair of gate lodges. The grounds have simple but immaculate gardens which complement the natural beauty of the area. These include a picturesque rose and herb garden with an ornamental fountain and an impressive walled kitchen garden. There are also extensive lawns and hedges, as well as a track two thirds of a mile long that runs around the perimeter of the garden.
For the first five years after the house was built, the grounds were under the care of a Head Gardener. However, when he left, the owners decided to outsource the contract as they had difficulty in attracting and retaining the right calibre of staff.
Estate Manager, Deborah Carter, explains: “We had never used a landscape maintenance company before, but we wanted the flexibility of having outsourced staff – although they would have to be capable of maintaining our very high standards.”
Deborah knew that experienced grounds maintenance companies were scarce, but she placed an advert in the Henley Standard. One of the companies that responded was Mulberry, an Oxfordshire-based firm that specialises in interior and exterior landscape maintenance, care and design.
A fresh approach
Mulberry drew up a detailed proposal for the maintenance of the gardens at Turville Court, including various suggestions for improvements. The proposal was based upon the ‘Mulberry Treatment’ – the company’s all-encompassing solution for landscape care and maintenance. Deborah continues: “They were very professional and I was impressed by the company’s Managing Director, Anthony Ussher.”
Mulberry was subsequently awarded the contract. Anthony Ussher says: “We are committed to the very highest levels of care, and this philosophy is in line with the estate’s strong emphasis on quality. Ultimately, our aim is to carry out most of the key maintenance tasks during the winter period, so that the full glory of the gardens can be enjoyed during the spring and the summer.
“With maintenance, the skill lies in the ability of the staff to ‘read’ the garden and to know when to carry out tasks such as the transplanting and splitting of herbaceous plants. If you neglect this essential time of preparation during the winter, the gardens will never reach their full potential.”
Mulberry chose two full time gardeners to work on the estate. Anthony adds: “The owners who employed us originally were very private people, so we adapted our practices and working hours accordingly. Our two gardeners have an early start and an early finish for the first four days of each week, and on Fridays they start early and finish by noon. This enables the owners to enjoy their gardens on Friday afternoons without any interruptions from our staff.”
A positive outcome
Either Anthony or his fellow Director, Lynn Rees, visits the estate once a week to review progress. Other suggestions implemented by Mulberry included changes to the fountain to increase the water flow; improvements to the estate’s wisteria; the replacement of some failing shrubs and dead lavender; and the supply of bark mulch to the woodland areas.
“Our goal was not to make vast changes,” explains Anthony, “but to build upon the high levels of care that had previously taken place and to develop a range of best practices throughout.”
Deborah Carter comments: “The quality of the garden had started to drift slightly since the Head Gardener had left, but Mulberry soon brought it back to the high standards we always seek to maintain. They have fitted in with what we wanted and have provided useful advice rather than trying to impose unwanted changes upon us.
“They are all very easy to get along with and very helpful. Using an outsourced company gives us the flexibility to replace staff if necessary. However, we haven’t needed to do this yet, as both of the full time gardeners have been excellent. The house has been sold recently and the new owners have decided to retain Mulberry’s services – which in itself is a very good recommendation.”
