Where landscape, life, and intention flow together
Hidden in a quiet valley in Somerset lies a garden that feels like a living meditation. Since 2010, British landscape designer, gardener, and writer Dan Pearson OBE has been nurturing this land together with his partner, Huw Morgan. What was once a grazed pasture for beef cattle is now a biodiverse tapestry of meadows, an orchard, a nuttery, and a vast kitchen garden – a place where beauty, simplicity, and nature’s rhythms come alive.
Cultivating in conversation with nature
Rather than imposing a design, Pearson listens to the land. His planting approach is intuitive and painterly, creating gently evolving scenes that feel deeply rooted in their rural setting. Meandering pathways weave through grasses and perennials, drawing the eye towards what he calls the “borrowed view” – the rolling hills and fields that lie beyond, reminding us of our small yet sacred place within the greater landscape.
A garden of nourishment and presence
At Hillside, the ornamental garden expands into spaces of sustenance. The abundant kitchen garden, lovingly tended by Morgan, provides vegetables, herbs, and fruit for their table, deepening the connection between cultivation and nourishment. Cooking here becomes an act of gratitude – honoring the energy exchange between earth and body.
Living as part of the landscape
For Pearson and Morgan, Hillside is not simply a garden – it is a creative laboratory, a source of food, and a quiet teacher of mindfulness. It invites us to reflect on what it means to live with the land rather than on it. Each plant, each path, each view has been shaped with intention and care, creating a sanctuary that reminds us: when we listen to nature, we also listen to ourselves.