Meet Us
We're Ben and Georgina, a couple who made the leap from a 2-bed flat in London to a 17th-century cottage in Somerset. We moved to Apple Trees in November 2025 with big dreams and muddy boots.
Ben Huss
Creative Technologist
Ben builds with AI, VR, and AR: training simulators, 360° documentaries, and the kind of tools that show up in this guide. He runs Immersi, a VR studio for enterprise clients, and is CTO at Cobble, a GPS-powered audio app that brings London's history to life as you walk it.
He hosts The Immersive Technologist podcast.
Side projects: Barklife (finding dog-friendly places) and Fileseal (secure file sharing).
Georgina Rose
Florist
Georgina trained at Rebel Rebel in East London (bold, unconventional arrangements), The Real Flower Company (British-grown scented roses), and Electric Daisy Flower Farm (early movers in the British cut-flower scene).
Originally from a village in Somerset, she's returning to her roots.
She's now planning to grow her own personal cutting garden here at Apple Trees.
The Cottage
A Piece of History
Apple Trees Cottage has deep roots in Clanville. The oldest part of the building dates back to the 17th century, making it the oldest surviving building in the hamlet.
The site was once home to a dairy farm, and you can still find original stone walls in the garden. The cottage has been extended and adapted over the centuries, but retains its historic character with thick stone walls, low beams, and that unmistakable sense of permanence.
The Land
We're fortunate to have around one acre of garden to explore and develop. The property includes several mature apple trees (hence the name!) and a magnificent large pear tree that dominates one corner of the garden.
The previous owners clearly loved this land, and we're committed to nurturing it further while making it our own.
Our Plans
We have plenty of ideas for Apple Trees...
Chickens
Fresh eggs from happy hens. We're looking to home rescue chickens and planning the coop build out of reclaimed material.
No-Dig Vegetable Plot
Following Charles Dowding's no-dig methods for year-round growing. We were delighted to discover his garden, Homeacres, is just 5 minutes up the road.
Cutting Garden
Georgina's domain - rows of dahlias, sweet peas, and seasonal flowers for arrangements.
Treehouse
That magnificent pear tree is crying out for a treehouse. Watch this space.
Natural Pond
A natural filtered dipping pool for wild swimming at home.
Wood-Fired Sauna
Nothing beats a hot sauna followed by a cold plunge.
Apple Press Restoration
We found a rusted-out apple press hidden in the garden. The plan is to restore it in time for pressing in autumn 2026.
Why This Guide?
When we got here we kept finding things: the perfect dog walk, a brilliant farm shop, a pub with real character. We started keeping notes, and those notes became this guide.
It's mostly a reference for ourselves. But there's a lot to find around Castle Cary: Iron Age hillforts, the gardens at Stourhead and The Newt, Charles Dowding's no-dig veg patch a few minutes up the road, cider farms still running on the same presses they always have. We're still finding new stuff.
If you spot something we've missed, tell us.