Farrs – John & Jennie Makepeace
We had the privilege of visiting John and Jennie Makepeace at their historic townhouse in the centre of Beaminster, Dorset. We were welcomed with great warmth and generosity, and were given the rare opportunity to explore the interior of their remarkable home. John shared insights into his furniture design and recent commissions, while also introducing us to some of the modern paintings, sculptures, and artworks in their collection—an absolutely fascinating discussion.
Jennie then guided us on a wonderful walk through their beautiful gardens, after which we were treated to a delicious cream tea. It was a thoroughly memorable and inspiring visit.
Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival 2025
We attended all three days of this fabulous festival in September, held at Yeo Valley Organic Garden in Blagdon, and it was fantastic from start to finish.
There was a constant stream of fascinating talks from leading figures in the regenerative and organic field. We went to as many sessions as we could and came away with countless useful tips and ideas that left us truly inspired.
Running into lots of friends along the way made the experience even more special. Set in such a beautiful location, this festival is a must for anyone interested in organic gardening, curious about regenerative practices, or simply looking for a wonderful day out.
We’re already looking forward to the next one!
To book your 2026 tickets: https://yvogardenfestival.co.uk
Garden visits in Ireland
We recently spent three inspiring days in Ireland, travelling over to attend a course at Jimi Blake’s remarkable Hunting Brook Garden. The workshop ‘Succession Planting & Full Bloom’, co-hosted by Luke from Great Dixter, was a brilliant deep dive into colour, planting, and the artistry of garden-making. Between them, they delivered a true masterclass. We came away with so many valuable notes; they were remarkably generous in sharing their knowledge.
That evening we stayed just down the road at June Blake’s, where we wandered through the most atmospheric garden in the evening light, soaking in the riot of colours.
The pace picked up the following day as we dashed south to Patthana Garden having had an incredible lunch at The Strawberry Tree, Ireland’s first fully organic restaurant. There was an amazing variety of ferments, pickles and preserved wild foods stored in jars. We got to see their walk-in wild foods pantry, oh my! TJ and his partner Simon welcomed us with unforgettable warmth. TJ—an extraordinary artist—brings his painterly eye to the landscape, creating a garden rich in colour, structure, and imagination.
On our final morning, with barely an hour to spare before our flight, we made a flying visit to Ardan Garden near Dublin. Owned and lovingly tended by Nuala and Conall, it’s a thrilling, dynamic space bursting with ideas. They gave us a generous whistle-stop tour before we headed straight to the airport and just made it onto our plane home.
Nature inspired art workshop for children
We absolutely love welcoming Alex Hucks each summer! An incredibly inspiring and talented art teacher, Alex runs joyful, hands-on art workshops from our studio. She takes the children off into the garden, where they dive into nature, sharpen their observational drawing skills, and let their creativity run wild. Back in the studio, the sketches are transformed into truly unique masterpieces — each one bursting with imagination!
Food Forest workshop with Martin Crawford
Martin Crawford’s approach to edible forest gardening is so inspiring. We attended a weekend workshop in August and came away with our heads bulging with ideas! We are so excited to start designing our own edible forest at Caisson which will be an incredible addition to the ecological system here and a rewarding long-term project.
Martin showed us how to grow shiitake and oyster mushrooms on pieces of wood.
A visit to Dan Pearson’s garden
We had a most wonderful day in Dan Pearson’s garden near Bath, all arranged so thoughtfully by Annie Guilfoyle as part of the Garden Masterclass programme. Being in Dan’s garden felt special — calm, beautiful, and full of ideas we can’t wait to take home. Hearing him talk about the space brought everything to life. We’re really grateful to Annie for putting together such a fantastic day and to Dan and Huw for welcoming us so warmly.
Features in Print
We are absolutely thrilled to see our garden highlighted in several wonderful publications, including The English Garden (images by Clive Nichols, words by Ben Pope), Country Life (images by Jason Ingram, words by Caroline Donald), Somerset Life (images by Jason Ingram, words by Andrea Cowan), and The Garden (RHS magazine; images by Clive Nichols, words by Lucy Bellamy). It’s been such an honour to share our little slice of paradise with even more garden lovers!
We feel hugely honoured to have been included in “The Contemporary Garden” book, curated in collaboration with Annie Guilfoyle, Sorrel Everton and Tovah Martin, showcasing 300 green spaces in over 40 countries.
Quoted by Vanity Fair as “an immersive book in all manner of verdant dreamscapes” – we would certainly agree with that! It is wonderful.
So lucky to have been featured in this book, “A Year in Bloom” by Lucy Bellamy; a wonderfully informative book with sumptuous photos by the brilliant Jason Ingram.
Thank you for visiting …
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited us this year – we were thrilled to sell out! It was such a joy to see the garden so full of life. It was such a joy meeting so many of you and spending time chatting along the way made the season even more special.
We hope you enjoyed wandering through our wondrously wild garden and wildflower meadows, soaking up the magical spirit of the place and watching the busy wildlife buzzing around. And oh, those cakes – what a show-stopping spread!
We’re excited to welcome new faces and to see so many of you who have become familiar, friendly and valued regulars. We are truly grateful for your continued suppport and enthusiasm, it helps keep the energy buzzing here at Caisson!
A Visit to the Enchanting Garden of Ninfa
In May, we finally visited the extraordinary Garden of Ninfa, just south of Rome—a place that had been on our wish list for far too long. It proved to be every bit worth the wait.
May is a particularly magical time to go, when roses scramble up trees and spill gracefully over medieval ruins. The ancient city of Ninfa was destroyed in the 14th century, but in the 20th century an English-style garden was lovingly created amid its ruins. The result is a landscape where history and nature intertwine in the most romantic way.
Crystal-clear water emerges from the hills behind the garden, flowing into gentle streams and tranquil pools that weave through the grounds. This abundance of freshwater creates a surprisingly temperate microclimate within the Mediterranean setting, encouraging lush growth and offering one picturesque vista after another. We even spotted a thriving population of enormous trout—just one sign of how idyllic this habitat is for countless small creatures and insects.
If you ever have the chance, do go, as it is truly unique.
A workshop with Joshua Sparkes
We visited Joshua Sparkes at Birch Farm to learn more about his inspiring blend of agroforestry, Korean natural farming, and biodynamic practices. It was such a fun visit and we learnt so much.
Phil has been busy ever since making lots of different tonics, to spray on plants and use as a root drench. He refers to them as homeopathy for plants, in that the sprays introduce native microbes which improves soil structure, root development, nutrient uptake and plant resilience without any synthetic chemicals. They are made by mixing leaves and stalks, or fish heads or animal bones with sugar and then leaving them to ferment and drawing off the liquid at the end. This liquid is diluted 1000:1 in water. There are so many different recipes and if you are interested look up the book Korean Natural Farming.