Ashley Farm, Herefordshire

Ashley Farm, near Presteigne in the Welsh Marches, is a remarkable looking building. Situated in the northwest corner of Herefordshire in an area of steep wooded hills, ancient earthworks and orchards, the timber and stone house dates from 1580, with 17th century additions, and was a working farmhouse until the 1950s. Now, thanks to the hard work and vision of owners Roger and Jackie Pietroni and designer Simon Dorrell it is set in an equally remarkable garden, a formal arrangement of spaces divided by yew and hornbeam hedges and pleached limes, suited to a house largely built when formality and symmetry were the fashion. 

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Liquidambar styraciflua 'Lane Roberts'.
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Lane Roberts'.
Berberis.
Berberis.
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Grayswood Ghost' with shrubs beyond planted for autumn colour such as Liquidambar styraciflu...
A group of deciduous shrubs planted for autumn colour including berberis, Liquidambar styraciflua 'Lane Roberts' and Cercis c...
A winding path leads between groups of birch in the Birch Grove with pink tinged stems of Betula albosinensis 'Hergest' in th...
A bench in the birch grove.
The Birch Grove framed by the flaming orange foliage of Acer griseum, the paperbark maple.
In the part of the garden called Arcanum a snaking grass path runs between herbaceous borders planted with perennials floweri...
In the part of the garden called Arcanum a snaking grass path runs between herbaceous borders planted with perennials floweri...
In the part of the garden called Arcanum a snaking grass path runs between herbaceous borders planted with perennials floweri...
A gate opening from Arcanum into the Japanese Cherry Orchard with a massive old perry pear tree beyond.
Il Vivaio, a small enclosed garden with a rectangular pond and mediterranean plants including lavenders, thymes and phormiums.
Prunus lusitanica 'Myrtifolia' in pots on the terrace frame the entrance to Il Vivaio, a small enclosed pond garden and the f...
A white gate leads from Hardwicke out to the wider garden of fields and orchards, framed by the vivid yellow foliage of spent...
A white gate leads from Hardwicke out to the wider garden of fields and orchards, framed by the vivid yellow foliage of spent...
The Box Ball Garden features 24 box balls and a circular fountain.
A sweeping view of the Herefordshire countryside stretches away from the terrace on the south side of the house.
Terrace with Prunus lusitanica 'Myrtifolia' in terracotta pots with views of the Herefordshire countryside beyond.
Rosa 'Rambling Rector' trained along a wooden barn forms one side of the gravelly herb garden planted with rosemary, sage, ba...
The Hildyard features 28 box cones set into gravel in front of the house with pleached lines separating it from the Canal ga...
The Hildyard features 28 box cones set into gravel in front of the house with pleached lines separating it from the Canal ga...
The Canal, framed by pleached limes and terracotta pots, with 16th century house behind.
The Canal, framed by pleached limes and terracotta pots, with 16th century house behind.
The Knot Garden, newly planted with Ilex crenata to replace diseased box plants, features standard Prunus lusitanica, Portuge...
The Knot Garden, newly planted with Ilex crenata to replace diseased box plants, features standard Prunus lusitanica, Portuge...
The Knot Garden, newly planted with Ilex crenata to replace diseased box plants, features standard Prunus lusitanica, Portuge...
The Box Ball Garden features 24 box balls and a circular fountain.
The Box Ball Garden features 24 box balls and a circular fountain.
The Box Ball Garden features 24 box balls and a circular fountain.
Frosty raised beds in the Kitchen Garden.
Stone urn acts as a focal point at the end of The Avenue, created with yew hedges.
Stone urn acts as a focal point at the end of The Avenue, created with yew hedges.
The apple orchard, where frost throws the grid of mown paths between the trees into strong relief.
The apple orchard, where frost throws the grid of mown paths between the trees into strong relief.
Avenue of trees leads to an urn.
DRA98267
DRA98266
The apple orchard, where frost throws the grid of mown paths between the trees into strong relief.
Frosty raised beds in the Kitchen Garden.
The Loggia Garden where clipped box balls provide permanent structure along borders full of gorgeous herbaceous perennials in...
The Loggia Garden where clipped box balls provide permanent structure along borders full of gorgeous herbaceous perennials in...
The Loggia Garden where clipped box balls provide permanent structure along borders full of gorgeous herbaceous perennials in...
The Knot Garden, newly planted with Ilex crenata to replace diseased box plants, features standard Prunus lusitanica, Portuge...
The Canal, framed by pleached limes and terracotta pots, has a wooden seat framed by pots of clipped box at one end.
The Hildyard features 28 box cones set into gravel in front of the house with pleached lines separating it from the Canal ga...
Pleached limes separate the Hildyard featuring 28 box cones in gravel at the front of the house from the Canal garden.
The Hildyard features 28 box cones set into gravel in front of the house with pleached lines separating it from the Canal ga...
The Canal, framed by pleached limes and terracotta pots, with 16th century house behind.