(click anywhere on the image to zoom-in)

 

Towersey Manor is a beautiful Oxfordshire house built of brick and flint in the early 19thC. Around the property are nestled a fascinating collection of barns and out-buildings which play host to an annual jazz festival. The owner, Marie-Jane Barnett has recently created a magical garden at Towersey composed of yew avenues, richly stocked mixed borders, a nuttery and secret rooms.

In the distance, one can see a 'Mount'. 'Spiral Mounts' were common features in gardens from the medieval period until the middle of the 18thC. They offered a gradual ascent for the ladies in their Farthingale dresses. They were 'incidents' in the tour of the garden which provided a means of seeing the surrounding designs from above. They were particularly popular in gardens built on flat land, which explains their origin in the Netherlands. Mounts were often topped by fanciful structures such as tea-houses, built in every imaginable style - from rustic to chinoiserie!

Jonathan painted the garden from above to show the entire layout of the property. The family are all present here, as are the gardeners. A figure appears floating on his back in the swimming pool, another cuts the hedge, more are hidden in the trees. A minute portrait of Jonathan himself is seen in the bottom right of the painting - at work on the actual canvas. This inclusion is a common feature of Jonathan's work.

-Back to Top-