“The kiss of the sun for pardon,
the song of the bird for mirth,
one is nearer God’s heart in a garden
than anywhere else on earth.”
GARDEN ROOMS & WALKS
The Entrance Walk
South Lawn and Forecourt
The Old Laundry Yard
The Statue Walk
The Dog Walk
The Pool Garden
The Pine Court & Dutch Garden
The Monkey Pool
The Terrace
Reflecting Pool, Philosopher’s Garden and The Secret Garden
The Spinney Garden
The Wild Garden
ABOUT THE GARDEN
Gardens evolve and change. Nowhere more so than at Cottesbrooke and its 13 acres of gardens.
When The Hall was purchased in 1936 by the Macdonald-Buchanan family who would have thought that a continuous programme of change and development was about to start reflecting the changing tastes and vision of three generations of keen gardeners.
The garden that they took over was principally Arts and Crafts and designed by Robert Weir Schultz in the first decade of the 20th century. The gardens wrap around the west side of the house in a series of rooms – gardens themselves – divided by formal hedging and warm brick walls, with views and vistas punctuated by statuary.
Beyond the gardens, the park provides a stunning backdrop with vistas towards far distant ridges and churches, notably All Saints Brixworth (680ad), lakes and wonderful trees. Flanking a small brook on the other side of the park, is The Wild Garden. Spring bulbs, gunnera, fine acers and wonderful specimen trees abound.
Catherine, my grandmother, turned the house back to front and employed the famous landscape architect, Geoffrey Jellicoe, to help her develop The Forecourt. It contains large yew cones, lead statues and blue agapanthus in pots. After the war she collaborated with Sylvia Crowe and developed The Pool Garden with its warm brick walls, once the laundry drying yard for The Hall. Now surrounded by borders brimming over with dahlias in late summer.
My father John carried on the development of the gardens and this culminated in winning the prestigious Christies /Historic Houses Association “Garden of the Year”. My wife Sheran and I have moved the garden on again with the help of garden designers Arne Maynard and James Alexander Sinclair introducing interesting plants, trees and shrubs – a plantsperson’s paradise.
Come and be enchanted.
HEAD GARDENER
As Head Gardener, Russell Beeton oversees the care and development of the gardens, continuing a long tradition of horticultural excellence at Cottesbrooke Hall & Gardens.
