IN THIS scout
Levens Hall is one of the most spectacular gardens in the country and is home to the world ’s oldest live topiary garden .
First planted in the 17th century , the garden has been defend over the past 330 years and the topiary has continued to thrive .
I spoke with Chris Crowder , the Head Gardener at Levens Hall , who has cared for the gardens for the retiring 37 years .
The History of Levens Hall Gardens
“ The garden here at Levens is about 8 acres , but there [ is ] actually another 200 acres of parkland , ” explains Chris .
“ The home changed hands in the 1680s and the new owner , Colonel Graham , bring in a French garden interior designer to lie out the garden .
“ It is those gardens that we walk around today . They ’re not a restoration or a recreation – it is a garden that has been restored and maintained over time .
“ There was a huge crazein the 17th century for topiary , so the garden here has ended up as the good , the oldest , and the most extensive topiary garden in the world .
“ The garden is now over 330 years sure-enough and has had a clip every year by myself and my predecessors . ”
The Topiary Garden
“ At the centre of the topiary garden , wehave a survival of the fittest of boxand yew Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , with gilded yew amongst them , ” Chris shares .
“ There ’s over a hundred different shapes and they ’re all quite a size of it now .
“ Some of the box pieces were plant in the 1820s , which make them 200 year sometime .
“ We ’ve got a couple of Pyramid , top hats and chess pieces , but they ’re all really old shapes that have arrest cock-a-hoop over time .
“ Not only do we have some of the old topiary pieces here , but we have some of the novel ones that I ’ve planted in my sentence .
“ I ’ve done like every Head Gardener in their time and supply to the collection where there has been space . ”
More Impressive Features
“ The other big highlight just for this month are the double herbaceous molding , ” says Chris .
“ These we plant up with acolour scheme of yellowness , bluing , whites and pinks , and the bee lie with it .
“ The rosaceous garden is also in full rosiness at this time of the year .
“ It ’s full of David Austin ’s English roses , so there ’s an old - fashioned , mythologic perfume to each rose and they are at their peak .
“ The chief mete lead out across the Ha - Ha , which was the first one in Britain .
“ Ha - ha ’s catch on in a big style in the 1700s when everybody had landscape parks near their house . ”
Visiting The Grounds
“ The most rewarding facet of tending to this garden is that sentiency of story and continuity , ” excuse Chris .
“ Obviously , I ’ve been here a long time and I ’ve been involve with growing plant and tally to the historic display of topiary .
“ We see ourselves as part of that advance and moving forward . In the future , it ’ll be somebody else ’s garden , but hopefully , that persistence keep on . ”
To see out more information about Levens Hall , make indisputable to visittheir internet site .
