Shaping the Landscape at Standish
“Green Walk is like a hidden gem”
Eric Grabham and his landscape team have been on site with us at the Standish Estate in Gloucestershire since we started redevelopment three years ago.
Eric recalls: “The NHS had basically left it without maintenance for some years so many areas were overgrown with shrubs and trees that needed pruning and maintenance. There are some wonderful specimens here, including the rare Cork Oak Tree so we wanted the surrounding areas to showcase these and create more interest all year round. The winter flowering cherries we planted three years ago had a wonderful display this year and we can’t wait to see our latest planting flourish in the future.”
“Green Walk is like a hidden gem. You turn off the main road through Stonehouse up a track and then even when you go through the gates and look up you only get a glimpse of the new houses on the WestRidge. You would not believe there is a little village up there, 32 acres over all! I did not know this existed.”
“The Muntjac are coming back – shy little deer about the size of an alsation. Right at the back of the site, the grounds carry on up into the woods and they have been coming down at night because they like peace and quiet and have been nibbling plants. Roe deer are common but the little Muntjac is wonderful to see.”
“There’s a lovely mix of modern living here, where your home is all warm, dry and efficient yet you are in a rural environment and two minutes from a bridal path. I have friends who live here with their two young daughters and they are very very happy.”
“At the start we had half a dozen men, people there every day of the week, & we are now seeing the plants growing the trees developing and as always there is a constant list of jobs to attend deal with.”
“Wherever possible we support we buy locally to support the local supply chain and a lot of us live within 20 minutes of Standish – I can even see the village by the river Severn where I live when I am on site.
“We all feel very privileged to be part of creating it.”