Hortlands restored the historic turning circle at Hedsor House, Taplow, in just two weeks ahead of a wedding — featuring sett banding, yew domes, turf, irrigation and lighting.
Since 2021, Hortlands has been the horticultural partner of choice for Hedsor House — one of the country’s most prestigious and sought-after wedding venues. Our work with the estate spans regular horticultural maintenance, automatic irrigation systems, and landscape renovations, all aimed at preserving the grandeur of this historic country house while enhancing it for modern-day guests.
The team at Hedsor House is never satisfied with simply maintaining the status quo. They are constantly looking for ways to elevate the guest experience — and one of the most ambitious projects to date was the reinstatement of the estate’s historic turning circle, a feature that once welcomed carriages and now sets the tone for every wedding party’s arrival.
Project Details
Hedsor House’s popularity as a wedding venue means the calendar is booked solid, leaving very little downtime for major landscaping work. When the opportunity arose to restore the turning circle, the Hortlands team faced a formidable challenge: just two weeks to install and finish the feature before the next couple arrived for their big day.
This tight timeline demanded precision planning, close coordination between multiple specialist partners, and a team willing to work at pace without compromising on quality — because at a venue like Hedsor House, there’s no room for anything less than perfect.
The project began with setting out the perfect position for the turning circle, working closely with Askew Nelson Landscape Architecture to ensure the feature aligned sympathetically with the historic proportions of the house and grounds.
From there, the build came together in stages:
#1 Edging
Sett Banding
Supplied by Artorius Faber, was installed to define the circle with a durable, elegant edge in keeping with the property's period character.
#2 Planting
Yew Domes
Grown and supplied by Hortlands Nursery, were planted to add structure and timeless formality — a nod to classic English country house planting.
#3 Turf
Turf & Irrigation
Turf was laid to complete the circle with a lush, manicured finish. Irrigation was installed to keep the new planting and turf thriving long-term, consistent with the automated systems Hortlands already maintains across the estate.
#4 Evenings
Lighting
Lighting was added to ensure the turning circle looks as spectacular after dark as it does in daylight — a crucial detail for evening arrivals and receptions.
The result is a striking, fully restored turning circle that honours the heritage of Hedsor House while serving a very practical purpose: creating a grand, memorable arrival experience for every guest who passes through the gates.
Completed on time and to the exacting standards the venue demands, the project is a testament to what’s possible when skilled specialists — landscape architects, master craftsmen, nursery growers, and horticultural teams — work in close collaboration under pressure.
For Hortlands, it’s another example of the kind of transformative, detail-driven work we’re proud to deliver for our long-standing partners.
Book a free, no-obligation site visit and quote with our landscaping team.
