The walled garden dates back to the mid 1700’s, the bricks coming from the old Littlethorpe brickworks. Originally a kitchen garden and orchard, it was redesigned in 1998 as a garden of the seasons. At its centre is a metal gazebo with a symbolic ‘tree of life’, Ygdrassil, the Norwegian World Tree.
In each corner, paved with sawn york stone and surrounded by espalier clad bespoke metal screens, are specially commissioned statuary figures relating the cycle of life to the cycle of the seasons.
The flowering circulates around the garden following the seasons. In early spring Narcissus ‘February Gold’, Pulmonarias and Hellebores flower with Stachyurus praecox and Sarcococca. Early single tulips then light up the borders, including ‘Princess Irene’ and ‘Couleur Cardinal’ underplanted with spring herbaceous groundcover. The early summer borders are filled with Alliums, Paeonies, Lupins, Iris and Oriental Poppies. Old-fashioned roses create a midsummer highlight with the gazebo covered in the rambler ‘Francis E. Lester’.
Delphiniums, Campanulas, Astrantias, Geraniums and Eremurus grace the summer borders, followed by Monarda, Phlox, Agastache and Kniphofia.
Climbing roses and clematis cover the walls, with Vines on the patio screening. Late summer is dominated by Echinacea, Helenium, Perovskia, Persicaria, Salvias, Penstemon and Dahlias. The autumn patio is enclosed by espalier Apples and the borders planted with Eupatorium, Rudbeckia, Chelone, Aster, Vernonia and Miscanthus.
The winter corner is brightened with the orange red berries of espalier trained Pyracantha, combined with Dogwoods, Viburnum x Bodnantense, Bergenia and ferns, the herbaceous plants gradually fading, leaving the grasses and seed heads of winter. Box hedging provides year round structure.
In the winter corner, the Brewhouse is now used to display plans and photographs of the garden project. At the entrance to the walled garden is a greenhouse and frames adjacent to a small kitchen garden.
