Every time David and Victoria Beckham share a look inside their Cotswolds country home, we know we're going to feel at least a little bit inspired. We've already taken a moment for the couple's chicken coop and their cold plunge pool – but a recent wander around Beckham's backyard revealed (arguably) the most intriguing feature of all: a greenhouse – that's not used for raising plants.
The Victorian-style glass structure seen in the footage below may, at a glance, appear like an impressive place to grow greenery (after all, greenhouses are conventionally used for this). However, a deeper look suggests the couple uses the space as the ultimate dining and entertaining space. It's unlike anything we've ever seen – taking al-fresco dining to new levels.
It's something that hasn't gone unnoticed by our Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull, who explains how the couple have used the glass structure to accentuate the beauty of their country garden surroundings.
'This contemporary glasshouse features floor-to-ceiling window panels encased in ultra-chic black frames, with a classic pointed roof and spikes reminiscent of a traditional Victorian glasshouse. The building itself is not going to be used as a place to raise plants. Rather, it will serve as a botanically-inspired dining and entertaining space. With a hint of imagination, it's easy to see why the Beckhams' have decided to do this – the planters at the front of the glasshouse will no doubt be packed with a vibrant array of cottage garden plants, and come the summer the garden will serve as the perfect surroundings for outdoor dining,' Bull comments.
Naturally, installing a greenhouse on this scale isn't possible in most backyards (whether we plan to use it for growing or dining). However, the multi-purpose elements of the Beckhams' structure are replicable in smaller-sized yards.
'For the majority of us, installing a large-scale, bespoke greenhouse in our gardens would be somewhat of a pipedream. There are, however, tips and ideas we can take from the design of Beckham’s luxury glasshouse and the layout of his vegetable garden,' Bull comments. 'You could consider making your greenhouse a multi-purpose space too, by creating a small seating area within or just in front of it, forming a sheltered space to entertain and rest in all seasons.'
Plus, the backyard offers bite-size inspiration in the shape of an evergreen favorite: lavender.
'The path leading up to the building in the Beckhams’ garden has been recently planted with what appears to be young lavender plants. When established, this will form a beautiful and classic border teaming with bees, which will lead the eye naturally up to the entrance of the glasshouse,' Bull says.
'You can easily recreate this look, even in a small yard or vegetable garden, by marking out a path to a greenhouse using flowering shrubs or strategically placed raised beds.'
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To get the look, Bull recommends starting with a black frame, cast iron greenhouse, similar to the one from Wayfair below. We also love these lavender plants that are sure to smell as beautiful as they look.
Ideal for US hardiness zones 7-9, the beautiful color of Otto Quast Spanish Lavender will fill our yards with sweet-scented delight.
