Humphrey Waterfield and Nancy Tennant met in 1932 when she was 35 and he was 24. In spite of the age difference between them, and judgemental opinions of society at the time, they became best friends and collaborators for life. They lived near each other, travelled widely together and were the partners in the creation of Hill pasture in Essex 'the most beautiful small garden in England' and the restoration of Le Clos du Peyronnet in Menton, South of France.