Attempted to do some work in the garden today - weeding out the Equisetum (the pain of my front garden!) and clipping the cloud trees I have created from seedling Goat Willows over the past seven years. The heavens opened and I will have to leave the former until another day but I did manage to finish the cloud trees - they are looking great.

So, back to the drawing board and a very productive day it turned out to be as I have now finished the first draft of the master plan for Black Farm.

The tennis court is re-sited, the walled garden designed, the main terraced lawns with elliptical retaining walls are all configured, the beds and borders around the house, the new extension and the new barn complex are all complete. Have managed to work into the design all that the clients requested including the pergola walk (they must have a Wisteria to remind them of the one they left behind in the Triggs garden at Sparsholt), the side lawns, a dining out area and a herb parterre. Have also looked at the future planting of 15 - 20 native trees in the water meadow pastures and have located and planned the 36 tree orchard up one of the pastureland slopes - haven't forgotten either, the Whitebeam avenue as requested through the meadow where the public right of way bridlepath runs. Hope the Conservation Officer likes my pergola next to the extended house - have kept it simple and in Oak as the extension will be so he should be happy!

Only slight problem to be discussed with the clients and the planners is the repositioning of the tennis court which now extends over the 'curtilage' line by 2.5 metres - this small area is at present agricultural land and we will need planning permission for this area to be taken into the cultivated 'garden'.

So, next we need another site meeting to discuss my proposals and then hopefully it will be back on the drawing board to create the final ink and wash master plan to go off to the City Council for planning consents.

Watch this space and be patient because the master plan will eventually appear!