Chatsworth House, Derbyshire
Observe Nature
Can a landscape tell a different story each time we return?
Chatsworth House, Derbyshire
September 2024 & December 2024
When I first visited Chatsworth House, it was only a few days after arriving in the UK to begin my Master's in landscape architecture. It was one of our first field trips, and everything felt new. I still remember exploring the garden – the Maze, which was designed by Denix Fisher. 1209 English yews, Taxus baccata, were required to complete the Maze. For the first time and laughing with twenty classmates as we spent almost twenty minutes trying to escape the garden maze.
A few months later, I returned during Christmas. The same estate felt completely different. This time, I spent less time looking at plants and more time inside the house, appreciating the craftsmanship, seasonal decorations and the relationship between architecture and landscape. Nothing about the place had changed dramatically, but I had.
That second visit made me realise that landscapes are never experienced in exactly the same way twice. Seasons change, memories accumulate and our own perspectives continue to evolve. Places are not static compositions; they reveal different layers depending on who we are at that moment.
Since then, I have become less interested in designing a single experience and more interested in creating landscapes that people can continue discovering over time.
A landscape doesn't simply change with the seasons. We change with it.