A huge thank you to all those who have visited us this summer and autumn. Despite many vagaries with the weather it has been a beautiful time in the garden and a pleasure to share it with so many people. The Friends scheme has been a great success and we plan to repeat it next season. We will post more in the New Year. Meanwhile it is a busy time here preparing for 2024 with new bulbs displays planned for our winter openings in February and also spring openings from early April onwards. Changes are being made to the front drive area; a new water feature being installed; new plantings in the wisteria walk and replanting of box moth afflicted plants. A garden never stands still! Meanwhile the white gladioli murielae from around the fountain have been lifted and potted on, the tender succulents are now under glass and the dahlias and salvias will soon be stored as well. There are zillions of leaves to gather and compost to spread.

We feel very honoured to be included in the BBC Gardener’s World winter special garden programmes with a dedicated feature on our winter garden filmed before the bulbs emerged early last February.

BBC Gardeners World have now confirmed our garden will be shown as part of one of four Winter Specials, all to be broadcast in December, and that filming at The Manor House Garden at Stevington will be shown either just before Christmas or just before New Year.

What’s happening in 2024

Please check back regularly for the latest information

We are planning to open in very early February to coincide with the winter flowering aconites in bloom, cornus stems, the ornamental grass gardens, the avenues of white stemmed birch backed by creamy pampas, ghostly white rubus, tiered hollies and so much more. If the sun shines, it is a magical time here. We have to be led by ground conditions however, as a wet winter can bring slippery muddy surfaces on the grass. We will not open if it has been very wet or there is snow on the ground – pretty as it might be! Crisp and dry would be ideal! Please check back nearer the time for our finalised opening dates.

We will also open for the National Garden Scheme on February 11th (advanced bookings through their website, linked through ours nearer the time)

We will then reopen in early April taking us right through to end September. The spring bulbs will be in flower, (I am going to trial some special mixed plantings in the formal garden to give longer displays) the swallows will have returned and we will be on course for peonies and alliums, early Chinese roses, lilacs, viburnums, laburnums, wisterias and a flower packed season ahead. Makes me smile just thinking about it. We will create the hot dry succulent garden again and give it even more impact and will plan another sumptuous season of dahlias, salvias and cosmos in the main borders. So please do come and visit us. We limit our numbers morning and afternoon so that we can look after you and have enough tasty home-made cakes for you to enjoy. Simon has been busy juicing and preserving the apples and we offer our own apple juice as well.

For further more detailed information please check back to see the website as it is updated.

Group Visits:

About the garden

Spring is the magical time when the garden comes back to life with clouds of cherry blossoms and bulbs. Our orchard is a special joy with the apple and pear tree blossom coinciding with the blue camassias. 

In early to mid-April the gleaming white stemmed birch by the drive have a wonderful display of  snakeshead fritillaries followed by glorious white Rockii tree peonies.

The two beds opposite are filled with more Rockii peonies whilst another is dedicated to the sumptuous intersectional types. Tree peonies, intersectional and herbaceous peonies provide fantastic interest from end April to early June.

Spring blossom
Cowslip

Various wisteria and early Banksiae roses on the house walls provide great beauty through May followed by the wisteria and laburnum arches which generally take centre stage by mid to end May, all underplanted with a mass of purple alliums. Honeysuckle, solanum, poppies and foxgloves join the scene as well…it is a magical time.

The wild flower meadow has a great number of cowslips, now drifting in and populating the ellipse of white birch. Meanwhile the meadow besides the drive becomes a shimmering sea of buttercups in May. Wilding is both deliberate and natural.

Please check back regularly for the latest information on our opening dates and times or follow us on Instagram.