Discover the country's romantic landscapes
From classic literature to the luxurious lives of aristocrats, gardens have long held a place in England's culture. With their lush variety of plants and flowers designed to create beauty throughout the year, these gardens continue to pique the romantic imagination.
Beginning in the early 1700s, English gardens moved away from the formal structure of French or Italian gardens. In their place, a designed yet organic feel became the style, with rolling hills, winding paths and colorful florals. By the 1800s, gardens were seen as a living art from, with designers focusing on creating painterly settings around every bend.
Take a peek around the hedge and step into your own artistic daydream ...
Dr Oliver Cox, Heritage Engagement Fellow at the University of Oxford, visits Blenheim Palace (near Oxford) to celebrate the 300th birthday of “the man behind England’s green and pleasant land.” Lancelot “Capability” Brown (1716-1783) designed the lush, naturalistic gardens of some of England’s most beloved country houses.
Made famous as the Crawley family home in Downton Abbey, this estate was built in 1679. The gardens were designed by acclaimed English landscape architect Capability Brown in the 1700s.
Originally a grand Elizabethan manor house, Sisinghurst Castle in Kent had fallen into a ruinous state by the 20th century. But it attracted the attention of bestselling author Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962) who, together with her husband and a team of gardeners, worked to create a world-class garden. Tour the grounds with host Alice Loxton and National Trust experts.
The Isles of Scilly, an archipelago just 45 km (28 mi) off the coast of Cornwall, is home to this sub-tropical oasis, which is home to over 20,000 varieties of exotic plants. Explore this surprising garden with its curator, Mike Nelhams.
Yorkshire's Studley Royal water garden is the beautiful vision of John Aislabie and his son William. This short film from the National Trust explains what make it so special.
This 1765 monument is situated with the vast gardens of Stourhead estate (not far from Salisbury) and stars in a charged scene between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice.
The gardens at this manor house (about 45 mins from Cheltenham) were created by Major Lawrence Johnson (1871-1958) who used innovative planting techniques to create unique views and color combinations throughout the garden. Lottie Allen, Head Gardener, provides a tour.
Join florist, gardener, and designer Hazel Gardiner, as she explores Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Gardens in Warwickshire. Walk in the footsteps of Elizabeth I through the garden and imagine the opulence and splendor of Elizabethan Kenilworth. Learn how the team maintain the gardens so they are worthy of a queen and can be appreciated for years to come.
From Victorian glasshouses to an Alpine rock garden, enjoy these stunning images of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This palace has been renovated and expanded numerous times since construction began in 1514. Today’s grand gardens reflect their design from the 1600s, after the end of the Tudor era.
Bringing to life the science and adventure of 18th-century plant collecting, this is the story of how six men created the modern garden. Cultivating exotic blooms from around the world, they helped make Britain an epicenter of horticultural and botanical expertise and changed the natural world in the process. By Andrea Wulf.
London's royal parks are among its most beautiful and beloved spaces. The author tells the story of all eight of them—St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Regent’s Park, Greenwich Park, Bushy Park and Richmond Park—from the point when they were acquired by the monarchy until the present day, including the major historic moments and events with which they are associated. By Paul Rabbitts.
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