“A GARDEN NEVER STAYS STILL – IT IS FOREVER CHANGING. WITH CHANGE COMES RENEWAL. THE GARDEN BECOMES YOUNG AND VIGOROUS AGAIN AS NATURE MOVES ON.”
ALGERNON HEBER-PERCY
Hodnet Hall Gardens comprises a medley of distinct environments that each have their own character, from the jungle-like unruliness of the Water Garden to the structured sophistication of the Circular Garden.
Walk on a carpet of magnolia petals that drop like melted wax, or tour the traditional walled Kitchen Garden, where neat rows of fruit and vegetables offer food for the soul as well as sustenance. The Kitchen Garden produces local rarities such as melons and Japanese shiso in addition to more traditional fayre.
“SPRING UNLOCKS THE FLOWERS TO PAINT THE LAUGHING SOIL”
REGINALD HEBER
As well as the vibrant tapestry of plants and trees, the wildlife at Hodnet Hall is rich and varied. Spot the resplendent green woodpecker, witness the emergence of thousands of frogs and toads, and marvel at the butterflies and bees in their tireless pursuit of nectar.
To the bees’ delight, the south-facing Broad Walk border comprises a rich assortment of herbaceous perennials for a summer-long display; it revels in the sunshine and fills the air with a violet-like scent for a few weeks in late-May.
Our Head Gardener describes the garden as a sequence of moments, each of which takes a triumphant turn upon the stage. With 60 acres to explore, even regular visitors will be drawn in to witness new sights and sounds at every turn.
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Early-spring visitors to Hodnet will discover a floral scene in the Camellia Garden more reminiscent of the great coastal gardens of Cornwall. A number of our fragrant camellias were first raised at Caerhays Castle in Cornwall in the early 1900s. You’ll also find early-flowering rhododendrons amongst them, for example R. orbicular, an outstanding species with rose-pink flowers from China. March is magical time of year to witness the annual spring phenomenon.
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With the first breaths of spring, daffodils blanket the grass beneath budding oaks and ash, and rhododendrons begin their invigorating show. Azaleas, camellias, lysichiton, berberis, prunus, halesia and osmanthus are all opening their flower heads to soak up the sun.
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The dappled light of towering beech trees dances on the surface of the ponds. Later-flowering magnolias, azaleas, primulas and wisteria burst into bloom while new varieties of rhododendron and prunus flourish, complemented by cornus, viburnum, acers and malus.
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The garden is kaleidoscopic in early summer, with laburnum, pieris, davida, philadelphus and peonies in full bloom, alongside more exotic species. The herbaceous borders are heavily scented and abuzz with bees. Geranium, helenium and erigeron vie for attention with primulas, Erica, tree peonies and delphiniums.
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As summer gets into swing, high clouds languish on the surface of the ponds and lakeside walkways come alive with towering yuccas, bamboos and ferns. Beds of scented shrub roses and concentric circles of paeonies, hydrangeas and hybrid musk roses create a spellbinding atmosphere in the Circular Garden, making this one of the most magical times of year.
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As the light softens in late summer, great drifts of white roses and red astilbes surround the pools and cascades of the Water Gardens. Stepping stones wind lazily through rich plantings of candelabra primulas, giant leaved gunneras and spireas. White, pink and yellow water lilies carry colour across the pools to break the reflections of the overhanging shrubs and trees.
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As the nights draw in, the garden landscape becomes richer still. The many varieties of acer and birch, sorbus, berberis and cotoneaster are just a few examples of the trees and shrubs putting on a brilliant display. The magnificent kitchen garden is at its peak, with an abundance of fruit and vegetables ready to be harvested.
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By mid-Autumn, the seasonal colours are at their peak – a riot of red, orange, gold and purple foliage – while many of the late-flowering plants are still out in force. When the trees drop their leaves, you’ll find our team of resident gardeners busy gathering and chopping leaves for mulch and compost, or gathering and processing firewood for the estate in preparation for winter.
KITCHEN GARDEN
indulge all five senses
Walk amongst marshalled rows of carrots and their cruciferous friends; inspect boughs of trees bent low with the weight of soft, plump fruit; and smell the sweet, heady scent of roses ready for cutting. The Kitchen Garden is thriving under the careful and expert eyes of its current custodian and our resident rose expert.
In late spring, a wall of sweet peas envelops you in their rich perfume. In late summer, apricots, figs and peaches ripen along the south-facing walls.
The Kitchen Garden provides year-round sustenance and flowers for Hodnet Hall, as well as food for The Bear Inn. Recent debuts in the vegetable garden include melons and Japanese shiso.
The soil is enriched with manure from a local stable yard, and vegetables are rotated every year to support good soil health.
DOVECOTE
ARCHITECTURAL perfection - ALL FOR A PIGEON COLONY
Framed by trees and shrubs, and lying almost exactly in line with the Hodnet Hall and the Main Pool, this spectacular example of a Tudor dovecote brings a singular synergy to the gardens at Hodnet.
Built in 1870, the dovecote is a Scheduled Monument and Grade II* listed building, which has been carefully and sensitively restored to its former glory.
Dovecotes were once status symbols – beautiful towers worthy of fairy tales, but built for pigeons and doves. Thus, at Hodnet as elsewhere, the architectural beauty of the simple dovecote approaches that of the main house.
TITHE BARN
APPRECIATE THE LEGACY OF BRITAIN'S AGRICULTURAL PAST
Beyond the Old Smokehouse, opposite the Kitchen Garden, you’ll discover a pristine 400-year-old relic of our agricultural days.
Dated 1619, this Grade II listed building is timber framed with red brick nogging (the brickwork inside the timber frame). It was used to store tenants’ tithes, usually a proportion of their produce, which would have been paid in lieu of rent.
