A modernist garden design on the Devon coast
On a steep, exposed cliff on the Devon coast, this garden climbs from the drive to a terrace high above the sea. It surrounds a carefully restored Grade II listed house designed in 1960 by the modernist architect Mervyn Seal. The family’s brief was for a holiday garden to enjoy in every season, one that could hold its own in a challenging setting.
The listed house remains the hero, and our coastal garden design starts from respect for what is already there. Rather than recreate a period garden, we channelled the spirit of mid-century modern design: house and garden read as one, every space has a purpose, and much of the design lies in the edges, where one material meets another.
We cleaned and repaired existing concrete paths and steps and repainted the walls, adding new tiling and a rain-fed planter near the house entrance. At the top of the garden, a new curved terrace in brushed concrete is wrapped in planting, a place to gather that balances privacy with open views to the sea.
Garden design for coastal locations asks a lot of the planting, and our work here began with the prevailing winds. The garden sits on limestone, with sunny upper slopes open to sea air, shaded beds below the house, and long spells between family visits. On the upper slopes, sculptural Euphorbia × pasteurii, Melianthus major (Great Honey Flower) and Astelia chathamica (Silver Spear) thrive in the mild coastal climate. Below, the bold leaves of Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’ (Chinese Rice-Paper Plant ‘Rex’) echo the architecture. Kniphofia ‘Beth’s Apricot Sundae’ (Red Hot Poker) lights up summer, while Cyclamen hederifolium (Ivy-leaved Cyclamen) carries the garden into autumn. Since planting, the garden has continued to develop in dialogue with its gardener.
Coastal garden, Devon
