thinkinGardens

Iconic gardens

"Art has to move you and design does not, unless it's a good design for a bus." David Hockney

Below is a short list of iconic gardens of the British Isles. By this we mean gardens which are not simply very enjoyable and entertaining, or which contain interesting plants and plant associations, but ones that have taken their particular genre forward or transformed it in some way. These are significant gardens, whether because of a long-lasting reputation, or that they epitomise a certain time, place or movement. (for further thoughts on iconic see below ***)

We have only included gardens that are extant and open to the public. The list is not definitive but intended as a starting point.

Hestercombe, Somerset (www.hestercombegardens.com)
'Classical, "Moorish" Arts and Crafts vernacular; it sounds like a mess but Aunt Bumps and Ned (yes, their real nicknames) made a whole new language out of it.' Tim Richardson

 

 

 

 

 

Landform Ueda, Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh (www.nationalgalleries.org)

Portrack, Dumfriesshire (www.gardensofscotland.org)

 

 

Gibberd Garden, Essex (www.thegibberdgarden.co.uk)
'Although the garden contains many works of art, you are continually surprised and delighted by its many childlike touches.' Sara Maitland

 

 

 

 

Prospect Cottage, Dungeness
'I personally had never considered that gardening could ever be considered an art form, but what Jarman created here is nothing but art, albeit more challenging to construct and maintain as it is an art that continually changes and grows.' Nick Chapman, Spike Magazine

 

 

 

Rousham, Oxfordshire

 

 

 

 

(www.gardenvisit.com/garden/rousham_house_and_garden)

Clearbeck, Lancashire
'One of the most personal and individual gardens we have seen, which none the less feels free of deliberate or provocative "eccentricity".' Sara Maitland

www.ngs.org.uk/GardensList.asp

 

 

 

 

Veddw, Monmouthshire (www.veddw.co.uk)
'Anne Wareham is creating a garden that is both original and deeply embedded in its specific location, and in the whole history of gardening itself.' Sara Maitland

 

 

 

 

Thames Barrier Park, London

 

 

 

(www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/nav.001002009001)

Great Dixter, East Sussex (www.greatdixter.co.uk)

 

 

 

 

 

Walled garden at Broughton Grange, Oxfordshire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Sparta, South Lanarkshire (www.littlesparta.co.uk)
'Little Sparta is a place that is the antithesis of a "nice" garden in the Yellow Book sense, and long may it prosper.' Tim Richardson

 

 

 

 

Stourhead, Wiltshire (www.nationaltrust.org.uk)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lyveden New Bield, Northamptonshire (www.nationaltrust.org.uk)

Hawkstone, Shropshire (www.nationaltrust.org.uk)

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire (www.waddesdon.org.uk)

East Lambrook Manor, Somerset (www.eastlambrook.com)

"Margery Fish was obviously a good egg. A good down-to-earth egg. The type of egg who made a prototype pseudo-cottage garden that hit the spot for millions.' Tim Richardson

The Laskett, Herefordshire.

(tour available: www.border-lines.co.uk)

Denmans, West Sussex (www.denams-garden.co.uk)

Iford Manor, Wiltshire (www.ifordmanor.co.uk)
'Harold Peto’s own garden. Precious, other-wordly, an amalgam of Renaissance fragments. The garden is characterful too.' Tim Richardson

Folly Farm, Berkshire (www.gardenvisit.com/garden/folly_farm_garden)

Levens Hall, Cumbria (www.levenshall.co.uk)

'... it is the abstract parts which stay in the mind, and which have, in their old age, metamorphosed from an historical relic into a Modernist living garden ... Gardens like Levens are the antidote to Arts and Crafts fuss.' Stephen Anderton

Stowe, Buckinghamshire (www.nationaltrust.org.uk)

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***Stabs at defining 'iconic garden' from the Garden Design Journal's series "New Iconic":

"For a garden to be able to qualify as 'iconic' it really has to be young, or youngish, innovative, high-achieving, publicly accessible and financially secure" Charles Quest-Ritson on Trentham Garden (not so financially secure maybe, currently laying off staff.....) in the Garden Design Journal March 2008.

"The soil's consistency can never be overlooked, for this garden's (Marchants) 'iconic' status is gained principally from the supreme plantsmanship that Graham and Lucy and their small team of helpers has adopted." David Wheeler Garden design Journal June 2008

"an iconic garden should be the uninhibited expression of a life or an enthusiasm; it should have an audience beyond those who ever visit; it must contain enough ideas for each generation to find new meanings; it must reflect national identity; and it must show the highest quality of thought and expression." Christopher Woodward Garden Design Journal January 2008.

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With thanks to Charles Hawes, Anne Wareham (www.veddw.co.uk) Anne Guy (www.anneguygardendesigns.co.uk), Paul Leitch (http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/) Adam Hodge and Peter Matthews (www.petermatthews.co.uk) for use of photographs.

Quotations: Tim Richardson, from Garden Design Journal, where he writes a great column; Sara Maitland from Gardens of Illusion (with Peter Matthews) Cassell 2000 ISBN-0304-35434-1 (a very thinkingardens book) and Stephen Anderton from Gardens of Inspiration (there was a lot of it about) ed. Erica Hunningher, BBC 2001 ISBN 0-563-55176-3.

If anyone can offer us free images of the unillustrated gardens we would be very grateful: email: info@thinkingardens.co.uk  

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