The Gardens Today

There are more than 130 different varieties of snowdrops within the gardens and are the highlight of our first event of the year that includes a special indoor display. 

The gardens count as an ancient orchard because fruit trees have been grown on the site for more than 100 years. Most of the apples were discovered before 1900 and there are displays of the different ways to grow them. 

Through the gardens each plot has a different character as would have been the case in Victorian days. Following on from their tradition there are vegetables, flowers, soft fruit and top fruit and a lawn, and in many a summerhouse. 

The glass house is used for a mixture of purposes, propagating for the nursery and for the garden as well as housing a growing collection of sempervivums and other plants which need winter protection such as the aeoniums.  

The rare plant border in Plot 17 is a collection of plants which have been saved from extinction through Plant Heritage. 

They are perennials and rarely seen in commercial nurseries and include iris siberica, asters and hemerocallis. The Aster Hill Close Blue was discovered as a seedling in the garden. 

Among the many different Michaelmas Daisies is 'Noreen' named after one of the influential horticulturists who played an important role in the restoration of the gardens. 

The Chrysanthemums are part of a dispersed Plant Heritage national Collection of Hardy Boarder Chrysanthemums and make an amazing display in late autumn.