Charleston Farmhouse - Where creativity flows

Charleston Farmhouse, located in East Sussex (UK), was the country residence of Vanessa Bell, sister of Virginia Woolf, and a hub for the Bloomsbury Group, a group of writers, intellectuals and artists in the early 20th century, exploring new ways of thinking. Today, it continues to serve a similar purpose. When I visited, a literature festival was taking place.

The garden’s design is relatively simple: a rectangular-shaped walled garden with a central lawn, flanked by two borders; a vegetable garden and a ‘zen garden’ at the back. However, many subtle elements make this small garden a paradise: a sculpture sunken in cloud-shaped boxwood, the sound of water from a gargoyle with peaceful floating water lilies, recycled ceramics as colorful tiles, a headless bust serving as a flowerpot, and lush, dreamy borders…

Despite the small size of the garden, it left a profound impression on me. What I love about this garden is that it doesn’t require a vast expanse of land, major interventions, or the importation of exotic plant species. Essentially, anyone with a rectangular space and a love for gardening could create a place like this. True beauty is accessible to all those being creative.