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. An 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 and again out again to cool colours.