" On reflection I was left with one clear thought, there is a very real sense that the excitement and drive of JC's original planting ambitions have been recaptured. The combination of new wild-source plants and the availability of  new garden cultivars, particularly magnolias, have provided you with the same opportunities that the estate had in the early part of the 20th century. The key difference is however, that the earlier plantings, now in stunning maturity, provide the framework and backdrop to your work.

I was equally impressed that you have grasped the, always difficult, nettle of renewing the structural plantings - overstory trees, shelterbelts and windbreaks, accent and foil plants. You will know better than anyone how important these are in maintaining the vital microclimates that give every garden of worth the subtle nuances that provided its character and uniqueness. It is never easy to undertake clearance and feling programmes but it has to be done and a stout heart in the early stages is the only way forward."