Sasha York's home is a 12-year labour of love for green-fingered Instagrammer

Sasha York’s garden is a home from home as Sally Clifford found out when she visited the green-fingered Instagrammer. Pictures by Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 yearsSasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years

Sasha York says her garden is her soul.

Inspired by her favourite gardens, among them Newby Hall, The Himalayan Garden, Scampston Walled Garden, Alnwick, Kiftsgate and Hidcote, and many private gardens, the development of the three acre oasis surrounding Sasha’s family home has been a 12-year love affair.

“It’s an amalgamation of all my favourite gardens – a little bit from everywhere,” says Sasha, who also takes inspiration from landscapes and nature.

Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 yearsSasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
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“The Garden Book” she sets down on the table, decorated with jam jars filled with freshly picked flowers from the garden, is a photographic record of the gradual transformation of a bare landscape, with views as far as the eye can see, into a tranquil sanctuary creating a colourful wildlife habitat in harmony with the surrounding landscape.

This extraordinary transformation brings to life the dedication and enthusiasm Sasha, her husband Christy and their three sons, Woody, Charlie and Arthur, have put not just into words and pictures to look back on, but as a template for their future plans.

As any gardener will know, outside space evolves through seasons and time. The garden is an evolving, ever-changing project for Sasha and her family.

The garden began in 2009 with the hard landscaping. The first areas of the garden to be created were the vegetable garden, terrace borders and rose avenue.

Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 yearsSasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
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Early 2010 brought the creation of the Cutting Garden, and the long yew hedging providing a strong framework.

By the summer of 2010, the family’s outside space really began to take shape, the hard landscaping, incorporating the terrace – an area for entertaining – had been completed.

Leading out on to the lawn, the terrace is softened by a leafy outline of herbaceous borders, and compartmentalised with castellated yew hedges into a myriad of areas, each planted with eye-catching detail.

An avenue of Old English David Austin roses add a splash of colour to the sculpted surroundings, and a beautiful hornbeam canopied walkway leads to the circular bed filled with foxgloves, euphorbia, alliums and other flowers created from Sasha’s cuttings.

Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 yearsSasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
Sasha York who has created her garden in Hutton Wandesley from scratch over the past 12 years
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The Weeping Pear avenue is one of Sasha’s favourite areas. The original Weeping Pear avenue was planted in 2010 using small whips, and the grass avenue was added 10 years later at the end of 2020.

Sasha’s taste and style has changed throughout the life of the garden, as does her choice in plants.

The tree-lined walkway reflects a new style of planting in the garden, and is bordered by a range of species including standard, Hebe rakiensis, Verbascum chaixii “Album,” Calamagrostis brachtyricha and dotted with annuals.

At the head of the avenue the Hare sits in its circular installation, one of the ornate sculptures created for the garden by Sasha’s friend, Rupert Till, who invited her to help design and plant his trade stand at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.

The garden was very sparse when Sasha moved in 12 year agoThe garden was very sparse when Sasha moved in 12 year ago
The garden was very sparse when Sasha moved in 12 year ago
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“It was an amazing dream come true. One of my life-long ambitions, it was incredible to see Chelsea behind the scenes and during the week before the show opened,” says Sasha.

Gardening takes all shapes, forms and can be on any size from a window box, terrace, roof garden or larger outdoor space.

“Gardening is very therapeutic and just a short time in the garden really helps me when life feels overwhelming. In lockdown, I thought, ‘what is everybody going to do?’ I just pressed record and said ‘my name is Sash and I am going to get you through lockdown’ and so began @sashinthegarden (on Instagram).

Nightly 10 minute tutorials were posted which soon developed into “Live” demonstrations. Sasha’s online tutorials demonstrate all areas of gardening and breaking down any fears of the unknown.

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Over the years she has designed many gardens and created planting plans no more so than now through her Instagram page; @sashinthegarden.

She is always delighted to share her own tips and advice with her Instagram followers, and regularly hosts “Greenhouse Friday Night Questions and Drinks” from her beautiful greenhouse.

Sasha inherited her own gardening interest from her parents and upbringing in rural Northumberland.

“My parents were always gardening so any spare moment we were set tasks in the garden. I learnt from the best and from a very early age. Despite my jobs, including weeding and edging, my love of gardening grew and developed. To me, a house is not a home without a garden. I enjoy all aspects of gardening.”

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Sasha undertook a course in Garden Design with the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) to develop her knowledge.

This helped to increase her confidence, and she is now passing on advice and tips to followers through her tutorials which are filmed around the garden and in her greenhouse where she spends many hours working within a space that is very much an extension of home.

“I like structure in the garden – the house is very symmetrical and I believe the garden should complement the house. A garden also needs to be interesting and I have created many “rooms” within the garden,” says Sasha.

Among the ‘rooms’ in her outside space are a wildflower meadow, cutting garden, orchard and vegetable garden.

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Companion planting of flowers brings a splash of colour to the vegetable beds which, during the seasons, bear an abundance of fruit and vegetables.

Among them plums, apples, damson, cherries, pears, cucumber, tomatoes, beans, beetroot, leeks, sweetcorn and squash are produced as chemically free, and as organically as possible.

“Many vegetables store incredibly well over winter, including beetroot, squash, onions and garlic.

“With the glut of peppers, chillies, courgettes and tomatoes, we make relishes, chutneys and sauces to be enjoyed throughout the year. In the summer there is nothing nicer than nipping out to the veg patch and creating lunch and supper from the freshest ingredients,” says Sasha.

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The garden is also a haven for wildlife – and provides a home to the family’s free roaming chickens, who deliver fresh eggs daily and are happy to share their space with the couple of Runner ducks.

The Woodmeadow is a hive of activity where beekeeper, Christy, keeps eight hives producing honey for family and friends.

Despite spending the majority of their working lives in the financial sector in London, the couple have a natural affinity with nature.

For Christy the move back to Yorkshire brought him back to his roots. Their home is on his family’s rural estate in Hutton Wandesley, near York, where they have ambitious plans for the future.

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Their work in progress is the restoration of the Victorian walled garden just a few short strides from their home.

Work began in 2021 and is progressing well towards anticipated completion in July this year.

“I was nervous to take on such a project alone, but friends and family persuaded me to go for it, and I have designed it, planted it and all the family are working on it. I hope that many will be able to enjoy the fruits of our labour in years to come,” says Sasha proudly.

The family are contemplating its future as a potential event venue but, for now, it provides an extension of the stylishly sculpted yet natural space surrounding their home for all to enjoy.

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“The garden is a reflection of my passion and love for the outdoors.

“It is a true love affair. Gardening allows me to escape the trials and tribulations of everyday life, and to switch off. Gardening heals me in so many ways.”

Follow @sashinthegarden on Instagram to find out more about Sasha’s gardening journey, along with handy tips and advice.

Sasha regularly opens her garden for charity and asks people to get in touch directly for any private garden tours.

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