In under 5 acres Gertrude Jekyll laid out a varied and interesting garden that gives examples of a wide spectrum of her prodigious talents. To the West of the house lies Jekyll's only surviving and faithfully restored Wild garden. It is disciplined by mown grass paths which wind through longer grass, rambling roses, shrubs, bamboo and (still immature) trees. These paths lead towards the pond which is surrounded by rocks and planted with indigenous and water-loving plants.

To the East of the house the Formal Garden stands within a framework of yew hedges. It is more structured and disciplined than the Wild Garden. Jekyll converted the grass slopes that ran from the house into terraces supported by dry stone walls which she planted to give the effect of vertical beds. A heavy oak pergola, hung with ship's rope, leads away from the house to the Rose Lawn. Here she used formal geometric beds around square stone centres to beautiful effect. This formality contrasts with the soft pinks and greys of the cottage garden planting. But her main borders, which run from the house along the yew hedges, have dramatic colours in the summer. They are planted in typical Jekyllian drifts with plants whose colours move from cool blues and whites at either end through warm yellows and oranges to central fiery reds.

North Herbaceous Border

Rose  Garden & Pergola

About Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll, 1843-1932, was probably the most respected gardener of her time and her influence on the art of gardening is evident throughout the world today. She designed about 398 gardens (three of which were for clients in the United States) but because so few survive, and only a handful are accurately restored, it is by her books and articles that she is best remembered.  She taught the world the full craft and art of gardening. She appreciated the beauty of both natural and formal styles and explained the importance of structure, proportion, colour, scent and texture in gardens of almost any scale. As her obituary stated, "To Gertrude Jekyll is due not only the complete transformation of horticultural design, but also that wide diffusion of knowledge and taste that has made us almost a nation of  gardeners ".