HESTIA garden at The Plough Shiplake, Henley-on-Thames
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Henley Pub Dining Garden Features
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Henley Garden Design Open Areas
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Rigden Studio Garden Design, Hestia Garden at The Plough Shiplake, copyright Alister Thorpe
copyright Alister Thorpe
Henley-on-Thames Pub Garden Pathways
Rigden Studio Pub Garden Oxfordshire elevated view
Pub dining garden central path
Pub dining garden naturalistic planting
Pub dining garden herb planting
Pub dining garden outdoor kitchen
COOKING OVER FIRE
The menu at Hestia Garden was to be cooked over wood in an outdoor kitchen, so the element of fire is at the heart of the dining experience here and thus was used as the main inspiration behind the design – the sense of community fostered by sitting around an open fire is after all what many of us expect from a country pub! Two communal areas were conceived, one with a beacon and the other with a large fire bowl – the beacon sited at the heart of the garden and visible no-matter where you’re sitting. The feeling of warmth extends into the planting scheme, with russet tones and flaxen grasses, and it’s echoed in the pre-rusted Corten steel.
DINING ROOMS DEFINED BY PLANTING
Hestia Garden – the new outdoor dining space at The Plough Shiplake – was planted on the site of an old carpark. The space was divided into a series of ‘cosy’ semi-private dining rooms, defined and screened by soft ethereal perennials and translucent grasses, and the 18 new specimen trees brought onto site. And it’s this planting that creates the routes and frames the views in every direction. The garden provides a connection to the landscape of woodland and open fields beyond, reinforced by the use of native trees and hedges.
THE SCENTED WALKWAY
At Hestia Garden, a fragrant Mediterranean planting scheme lines the route from the pub itself into the outdoor dining area. The scheme is simple and beautifully scented. Rosemary, Lavender and Russian sage are utilised for their soft mauve and purple hues, offset with bronze fennel, and dainty Erigeron for ground cover. Ornamental grasses add movement and grace, with Stipa Gigantea and Molinia Transparent the stars of the show.
AN AWARD WINNING PUB GARDEN
Tabitha Rigden won the New Designer category with Hestia Garden in the esteemed Society of Garden Designer’s Awards 2025 – the first ever pub garden to be shortlisted for one of these awards! The garden was also shortlisted as a finalist in the ‘Public Realm Landscapes & Gardens’ category 2025, featuring alongside some of the biggest names in the industry – a significant moment for the studio.
“A well designed and considered garden that has made great use of local views, planting and materials to create an impressive public space. A perfect example of how creative thinking and investment has transformed a grey space into a welcoming destination for visitors”