Gardens and Parks

From the Garden of Eden to the present day, gardens have always been an important part of English culture.

There is a saying that if you scratch the surface of an Englishman, you’ll find a gardener. There must be some truth in it. Visiting gardens is a national pastime; after all, what better way is there to gain inspiration for your own keenly cultivated patch!

Visitors seeking inspiration in Essex will not be disappointed. The county’s mild climate, the driest in the British Isles, coupled with its gently rolling landscapes speckled with picturesque villages, have inspired a range of well-known and lesser-known gardeners to work their magic. Some of their creations have been faithfully preserved, like ‘Capability’ Brown’s vision of temples, lakes and tranquil vistas, immortalised at Audley End. Others like Harold Peto’s Easton Lodge or the lost gardens of Hylands House have been lovingly restored to their former glory. Others again, like the gardens at Saling Hall, are a modern interpretation based on an historic plan.

Yet what is also outstanding in Essex is the number of more modern creations that have carried forward the county’s garden-making tradition. Take Beth Chatto’s Water Garden with its huge menacing gunnera towering above a hundred shades of emerald and Sir Frederick Gibberd’s intriguing design near Harlow, where crumbling Roman columns soar skyward in a secret woodland glade. Or visit Hyde Hall, created by Dr and Mrs Robinson from a windswept hilltop farm, and let the heady scents and hazy hues of the Dry Garden carry you away to Mediterranean shores. Now that’s what I call inspiration! Essex offers a variety of beautiful gardens with many well-known garden designers having worked their magic to create some delightful experiences. Don't miss Audley End House and Gardens, a magnificent Jacobean estate with stunning gardens landscaped by Capability Brown and a real organic kitchen farm, or RHS Garden Hyde Hall, famous for its thriving dry garden and herbaceous borders.

Download our new guide to Gardens and Park or request a copy via our more information section.

Crucial year for Historical Gardens

Do you have a little time on your hands? Are you looking for a great local volunteering opportunity? A chance to get involved personally with a heritage site? Then you are needed at the Gardens of Easton Lodge, near Great Dunmow.

There has been an estate at Easton Lodge since the 16th Century. In the late 19th Century it became the grand residence of the Countess of Warwick, who employed Harold Peto to design much of the Gardens.
2007 is a crucial year. The Creasy’s have lived at Easton Lodge for the last 36 years, restoring a wilderness to some of its former glory and a beautiful place for the public to visit. They are now retiring. The task of running these remarkable gardens is passing to a charitable trust. Their only source of income is from membership of the Friends of Easton Lodge. 15 pounds a year (individual) guarantees free entry and discounts on tickets to musical and theatrical events.
To remain open volunteers are needed. People who can help with restoration or gardening work. Serve in the tea shop or man the ticket booth, organize and help at events, contribute their skills to this wonderful place. A recruitment drive for volunteers will be held at an event in May (date to be confirmed), with storytelling, walks, wildlife spotting and gardening opportunities.
The Gardens of Easton lodge has raised its profile as an arts venue, through events and work with local schools. For the past 2 years they have won the heritage award in a national competition for the Big Draw. In 2008 they will be to continuing their contribution to the arts and also hope to get involved in the BBC Breathing Places campaign. Join this campaign to save a special slice of Essex history. Become a Friend of the Gardens of Easton Lodge, or become a volunteer. This lovely place cannot continue without you!

Contact Catherine Mummery, Project Manager, on 01371 859767, website at www.eastonlodge.co.uk, or for more information on volunteering at the Gardens go to: www.bbc.co.uk/essex/content/articles/2006/05/30/easton_lodge_feature.shtml