Introduction
This ornamental garden, laid out since 1957, features formal and informal elements. There are some fine trees, rhododendrons and a large collection of hydrangeas.
Terrain
Flat, at an altitude of 600 feet.
- Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts
Access contact details
The site is open from April to the end of November, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays from 11am to 6pm (or dusk). The site is also open on the last two Sundays in February for snowdrops and hellebore.
Directions
Take the road from the B3092 to the National Trust car park for Stourhead. The entrance is in the south-east corner, near to the National Trust farm shop.
Other Websites
- Features & Designations
Features
- House (featured building)
- Earliest Date:
- Latest Date:
- Greenhouse
- Urn
- Column
- Description: A crescent of eight columns frames the way from the daffodil garden to the main lawn. Two are of stone, the other six are old telegraph poles, painted white. Part of the beam across their tops has collapsed.
- Pergola
- Ha-ha
- Moat
- Description: The moat is a channel following the crescent of the columns.
- Pond
- Description: The pond is the hole left after an enormous beech tree blew down.
- Tree Belt
- Description: Many hornbeams have had to be thinned from the belt on the southern part of the east boundary.
- Hedge
- Description: The herbaceous garden is surrounded by hedges of Cupressus Leylandii, cut to form pinnacles over the arched 'doorways'.
- Herbaceous Border
- Mixed Border
- Specimen Tree
- Topiary
- Potager
- Planting
- Description: Woodland garden, within which is a male holly thought to be one of the tallest in the country.
- Planting
- Description: THE AREA NEAR THE ENTRANCE:Hydrangea frillibet - sport of H. Mme MouliereSorbaria sorbifoliaRubus spectabilis FloraplenaKoelreuteria paniculataHydrangea villosa 'Anthony Bullivant'Tree peonies - lutea and lutea/delavayi crossRosa moyesii 'Geranium'
- Planting
- Description: ALONGSIDE THE DRIVEWAYS AND TOWARDS THE VEGETABLE GARDEN:Clerodendron TrichotomemRubus double flowerbedWhite buddleaRosa mundiAraliaBalsamHydrangea Rosewarne LaceSycamoe variegated Drummondii?Hosta (large flowered, from 'Mira')Berberis (small, scented, yellow flower)Philadelphus delavayi? (best pure white, single flowered)Colutea arborescens (Bladder senna)BuddleiaHosta mira - whiteBerberis (long spires, small flowers, scented)Philadelphus - single?Orange pea flower large lax shrub?AraliaEuphorbia robbiaeRubus spectabilisDeutzia scabra Flore PlenoDeutzia - varIris foetidissimaRubus spectabilisMany camelliasIris foetidusHolly, variegatedRoas mundiHydrangea macrophylla Veitchii (AGM)Hydrangea villosa 'Anthony Bullivant'Hydrangea macrophylla Vicomtesse de VibrayeHydrangea (?) aspera (lacecap) Green Tonic - not in plant finderHydrangea Juno (in 12 apostles walk)
- Planting
- Description: THE ROSE WALK, WITH VEGETABLE GARDENS ON EITHER SIDE:Rambler roses: 'Dorothy Perkins', 'Excelsor' and 'Gardener's Pink'WisteriaNepetaAlchemilla mollisDelphiniumLychnis coronariaWILD FLOWER BORDER (TO THE LEFT OF THE ROSE ARCH)St John's wortMallowWeldYarrowChicoryTeaselTansyEvening primroseAlchemilla mollisGeraniumsPotentilla12 cupressus (Cupressocyparis?) 'Hercules' clipped cones, leading to the Pond Garden.
- Planting
- Description: POND GARDEN ENCLOSED BY A HIGH WAVY HEDGE:Hydrangea involucrata hortensisHydrangea macrocephalaHydrangea subsp. strigosa - all three in herbaceous gardenLeylandii hedge, tall with a wavy topActinidia delicosa, one male, one femaleEucalyptus gunniiCrocosmia 'Lucifer'Geranium Plenum CaeruleaSalviaMagnolia soulangianaPeony delavayiFuschia magellanicaHemerocallisPhloxPotentilla 'Hopwoodiana'AlliumsBuddleia davidii 'Royal Red'Golden rodAlstromeriaEupatoriumJapanese anemoneFuschia magellanica alba variegataKirengeshomaThalictrumPotentilla 'Etna'AstrantiaAruncusScrophularia (Somerset skullcap)CimicfugaPenstemon digitalisAnchusaHydrangea involucrate hortensisHydrangea macrocephylla - mottled redHydrangea hornlii - smallest redIn pond: pitcher plants, mimulus, iris, grasses
- Planting
- Description: THE WOODY, SHRUBBY AREA:Eucalyptus gunnii - fruitingClipped boxMagnolia stellataDavidia involucrataWeigela 'Ruddigore' (red flower, yellow leaf)CallistemonClerodendron bungeiIris stylosaClematis heracleifoliaC. RectaFuschia (tiny pink flower)EuphorbiaHydrangea BluebirdHydrangea Blue moon - Stourton originalHydrangea vibrayeSkimmia japonicaHelleboresCampanula pyramidalisAstrantia 'Moira Reed'Aralia, variegatedViburnum plicatum 'Mrs Bullivant'Catalpa bignonioidesCamelliaKolkwitziaDicentraSkimmia japonicaPhytolacca Americana (Red ink plant)Fuschia, yellow leafClematis rectaSyringa 'Bellicent'Cedrus libaniTree peony luteaRose, pink burnetWeigelia rudigore - red flower, yellow foliageCallistemon - red bottle brushRodgersia aesculifolia
- Planting
- Description: THE POND AREA:Picea pisiferaAcerCampaunula pyramidalis albaStipa tenuissimaHebeEuonymusHemerocallis Sunrise (from Patricia Marrow)Hemerocallis MelonHemerocallis Pink DamaskEchinops bourgatiiWillow seccaEryngiumCotoneaster pendulaBetula tristis (pendula)Metteuca stratheopteris (sp)Rheum palmatum purpureumGeranium phaeumCotoneaster pendulaBetula pendula (tristus)Rosa NevadaRosa moyesiiRosa pteracantha (large red throns)Willow? (large leaved)FernsMatteuccaVinca diformisLonicera belgicaSedum telephinumStipa arundinaciaLilium pyrenaicumHydrangea paniculata White moth
- Planting
- Description: THE NEW BOG GARDEN:AstilbeIrisPrimulaHostaArum lilliesHimalayan balsamFuschia magellanica (dark leaf)Milium effusum (wood oat/millet)?Wisteria, standard
- Planting
- Description: THE SECRET GARDEN:Ink plant - American poke weed pink and redPhytolaccaAcer palmatum dissectumFerns (some very unusual)ArisaemaLibertiaDwarf holly Ilex ferox?Arundinaceae - fine groupHydrangea Geoffrey Chadburn - rich bluey dark pinkMagnolia wilsonii and seedlingsTree heathersRhododendron arboreum CynthiaUpright IvyErythronium - white beauty, canis and pagodaVariegated camellia - pink flowersCamellia - almost white with pink stripe and waxy tight petalsCamellia margherita - doubleAzalia ponticumRhododendron with scented leavesEnkianthusEuphorbia griffithii
- Planting
- Description: THE WOODLAND:Eucryphia nymansensis 30' highViburnum carlesiBerberis splashes?Viburnum Pink BeautyAzalea ponticumTree fernsFascicularia versicolor - ice blueTrilliumsMyrtle tarantenaEucomisHydrangea enziandomCamellia devonia - whiteRhododendron fastuosumHornbeamCorylopsisErythronium, cyclamen, snowdropsHydrangea Rosewarne - lace capMagnolia campbelliiTulip treeHydrangea Ayesha - silver slipperHydrangea double form from France via ChinaCedarLiquidamberMagnolia sinensisPauloniaAzalea - sugar pink, narrow leafPieris and myrtle - both variegatedSarcococcaViburnum plicatum Elizabeth BullivantHydrangea Green spireHydrangea small flowered cream greenHosta lancifolia
- Planting
- Description: THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE:Magnolia grandifloraCrinumHydrangea villosa Anthony BullivantStachys Cotton BallsHydrangea PeacockLarge holly - no prickles!Hydrangea Ayesha - tight incurved flowersHydrangea Geoffrey ChadmanHydrangea Queen ElizabethLigustrum variegated
- Ornamental garden
- Trees
- Key Information
Type
Garden
Purpose
Ornamental
Principal Building
Domestic / Residential
Survival
Extant
Hectares
1.8
Open to the public
Yes
Civil Parish
Zeals
- References
Contributors
Alison Mayall
David Feather
Mary Hember
Jane Hudson
John Catchpole
Shirley Catchpole
Gareth Slater
Wiltshire Gardens Trust