Buxlow Manor (also known as Ghost House, Red House Farm)

1750-1922 The Vernons and Aytons variously owned the house but probably did not live in the Manor which was probably occupied by a series of tenant farmers. Little is known about the layout of the gardens.

1922-1972 Owned by the Howdons who at some point planted rose beds, kitchen garden traditional greenhouse and coldframes which were probably Victorian.

1972-1978 Frank Hall inherited the Manor House and gardens. He removed his Grandmother to a bungalow and ploughed up her beloved garden and put it down to grass for easy maintenance. The house was used as a bed and breakfast establishment and was looked after by caretakers. The planting that remained on the left of the drive were trees and shrubs, very old lilacs, laburnum, Cupressus Macrocarpa and not very interesting climbing roses.

1978 House bought by current owner Guy de Moubrey.

The south-eastern boundary has trees, mainly oaks, two Turkey oaks were added to replace trees brought down in the hurricane of 1987.

Within the garden there were some substantial trees and two ponds. The old dairy, garage/ workshop and Tudor brick wall to the right of the drive still remain, the tennis court, which was put in in 1979, has been allowed to grass over naturally. Spoil from the construction of the tennis court is now a bank, next to the canal, which is planted with small trees, mainly gold or purple.

The remains of the old cold frames and green house now have a large fig, cardoon and Globe artichoke growing from the foundations. The house, from old photographs, used to have a substantial kitchen garden, old Wisteria, Rosa Alberic Barbier and an old Japanese cut leaved Maple.

The current garden consists of lawns with island beds, herbaceous borders, shrubs, rose gardens two substantial ponds and many large and newly planted specimen trees and shrubs; some of the trees which survived the ploughing in 1972 include a Weeping Copper Beech (100+ years old) and Horse Chestnut.

1979 a sunken garden was planted with a Metasequoia Glyptostroboides (a very fine example).

The main pond was choked with Yellow Flag Iris, self sown Hawthorn and bramble and was cleared in 1979. The borders of the pond have since been planted with Golden Dawn Redwood, Weeping Willow, Berberis and Swamp Cypress. There is a wilderness area at the far end of the pond. A Yew hedge was planted in the mid 1980s at the southern boundary.

1992 a spring garden was planted and a Garden Pavilion constructed.

The garden boasts a profusion of spring bulbs, particularly at the rear of the back pond, and underplanting around the trees, Yew hedge. There are also examples of clipped topiary.

A comprehensive list of planting and history is available from the owner.