Working for the Prince of Wales since 1993 the Bannermans have helped out with ideas for many things in the gardens at Highgrove but their most notable contribution is the ‘Stumpery’. Following their creation of a small Fernery with seats made from reclaimed giant limestone capitals and their adaptation of a set of ‘factory’ gates to provide a magnificent separation between park and intimate garden, and presented with a tiny budget with which to cheer up a dispiriting windswept but of woodland, the Bannermans suggested an enclosed glade about a fine oak tree, flanked on either side by a pair of simple classical temples. The idea to make them from monumental pieces of oak came miraculously as they struggled with the costs, and the idea to use tree roots to create an enclosure and a perfect foil for ferns and hellebores came from years of research and scouting round trying to find materials with which to make things along the lines of 18th century genius’s Thomas Wright and William Kent. The resulting place, with it’s carefully chosen inscriptions, ammonite paths and spectacular carved benches in the manner of the finest early Georgian Hall furniture, have brought some visitors to tears. The successful use of tree roots was taken much further round the woodland to a place where another oak monument became dedicated to her Majesty the Queen Mother following her death in 2003(?) and more enchanting still the pool and Gunnera fountain, made by Julian in three days using reclaimed stone from Gloucester Cathedral, and giant clam shells from the cellar at Sandringham. In 1998 the Phoenix sculpture was commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei for HRH’s 50th birthday present, and it now glisters in the park at the top of a giant cast iron column. The wall of gifts, Arboretum Portal, Indian Portal, Box garden, Stone Seat, advice at Birkhall and the Castle of Mey, were all to follow in and extraordinary ongoing collaboration with the Prince himself whose interest and enthusiasm is boundless and highly informed.