Living willow sculptures at Hyde Hall

Every winter the team at RHS Garden Hyde Hall creates spectacular living willow sculptures in the Winter Garden by binding the willow stems together into fantastical shapes. The theme behind this year’s sculptures is ‘after dark’ and you can find of all sorts of creatures and creations you’d expect to see in the garden at night. Salix alba var. vitellina ‘Yelverton’ is a favourite willow to sculpt with, both for its fantastic colour and vigorous growth, meaning it has lots of side shoots to play with.

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The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound.

Beth Chatto's Plants and Gardens

Beth Chatto transformed an overgrown wasteland deemed unfit for fruit farming, into a series of informal gardens. As the conditions within the garden vary widely, five distinct areas have been created providing useful examples of working with nature to find the right plant for the right place:

• Gravel Garden - Showcasing drought-tolerant plants
• Scree Garden - A series of raised beds containing alpine plants
• Water Garden - A calming space full of lush foliage and rich colours
• Woodland Garden - Shade-loving plants under a canopy of oaks
• Reservoir Garden - An open area full of late season interest

Beth Chatto was born in 1923 to enthusiastic gardening parents. After working as a teacher she married the late Andrew Chatto in 1943. His lifelong interest in the origins of plants influenced the development of the Gardens and our use of plants to this day.

Following Andrew’s retirement, in 1960 the Chatto family built their new home on a wasteland that had been part of the Chatto fruit farm. The site presented many difficulties for starting a garden including low annual rainfall. It was to Andrew’s plant research that they turned.

Informed by his knowledge Beth selected plants for a series of Gardens that could thrive under the different conditions. Through gifts of seeds and cuttings a large collection of unusual plants and a good knowledge of propagation was acquired. Since the late fifties Beth Chatto had become involved in the Flower Club movement, lecturing, opening new clubs and demonstrating flower arranging. By 1967 the Flower Club members were an enthusiastic audience for unusual plants. Requests for catalogues followed and from a small hand typed sheet a mail order business and plant nursery was born.

In January 1975 “Unusual Plants” exhibited at the RHS Hall, Westminster, winning a Silver Medal and gaining the first press coverage. From 1977 Beth Chatto and her stand of “Unusual Plants” went on to win ten consecutive Gold Medals at RHS Chelsea. Beth Chatto’s first book, The Dry Garden, was published in 1978. She went on to publish eight books, lectured around the world and wrote articles for magazines, newspapers and online. Beth Chatto was able to get out into her beloved gardens fairly regularly on her electric scooter, chatting with staff and visitors, sharing her deep love and profound knowledge of planting, right up until she passed away on May 13th 2018.

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Stevie Wonder - Black Orchid.

Hyde Hall

Nestled in the heart of rural Essex, Hyde Hall is an oasis of peace and tranquillity with an eclectic mix of traditional and modern planting styles. The garden has expanded over the years and there are now more than 365 acres of garden to explore.

To look at Hyde Hall today, it’s hard to imagine its beginnings as a farm estate. The farmhouse and estate were purchased by Dick and Helen Robinson in 1955 and they donated the 24-acre garden they created with the surrounding farmland to the RHS in 1993. Since its inception, this vast garden has established from a handful of trees to a jewel in the landscape.

In 1976 the Hyde Hall Gardens Trust was set up and in 1993, the Robinsons donated the 24 acre garden they had created with the surrounding farmland to the RHS. Today, the garden encompasses 365 acres, of which 90 acres are leased to a local tenant farmer and 85 acres are grassland. One of the first major garden projects was the installation of a 45-million litre (10 million gallon) reservoir to provide the garden with all its irrigation needs. To further promote its water-efficient ethos a Mediterranean styled Dry Garden was added to showcase a range of drought tolerant plants. The Dry Garden was completed in the spring of 2001 – following one of the wettest winters known.

In 2002, a renovation of the old Pig Park along with The Queen Mother’s Garden were undertaken. Work then began on an Australia and New Zealand Garden. Designed around mature eucalyptus trees, the area has an authentic Antipodean feel with many native plants such as kangaroo paws, and tree ferns. Project work continued with the redevelopment of Hermione’s Garden, which is a true plant haven with many detailed and unusual species. As a lasting tribute to Hyde Hall’s original owners, the area was renamed The Robinson Garden.

The RHS also embarked upon an extensive tree planting programme, with around 50,000 trees initally planted. Visitors can now enjoy a stroll through the woodland and explore the rich flora and fauna. A major turning point came in 2008 with the construction of a visitor centre comprising a café, shop and garden centre. The building was officially opened in March 2010 by Alan Titchmarsh. Work continued at pace and the ever-changing landscape ensured visitors had plenty to draw inspiration from. Projects included a Winter Garden, Global Growth Vegetable Garden and a Sky Meadow.

Hyde Hall now offers beautiful panoramic views and rollings hills. The landscape continues to evolve with new features creating a garden for all seasons. 

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 Linda Perhacs - The Soul Of All Natural Things.

Cressing Temple Barns

Cressing Temple Barns offers a unique piece of history at the 13th century, Knights Templar Barns, complete with restored Tudor walled garden and Tiptree tea rooms.

The Grade I listed Barley and Wheat Barns are the oldest known timber framed barns and amongst the few remaining Templar buildings in England.

Granted to the Knights Templar in 1137, Cressing Temple Barns is of significant historic interest for its unique buildings and garden.

Internationally renowned for its impressive and remarkably well preserved medieval carpentry, the barns attract visitors from around the world, providing them with a remarkable insight into the building techniques of the time and a glimpse into the lives of the people who built them.

Nestled in the grounds, the walled garden has been faithfully recreated as a Tudor pleasure garden. A place of beauty and tranquillity, sure to delight anyone with an interest in horticulture or history.

Take a virtual tour of the beautiful walled gardens in all their spring glory and discover seasonal gardening tips from one of the Head Gardeners, Rebecca. Discover more about the impact of The Peasants' Revolt of 1381 on Cressing Temple though a recent research project. Read more about the restoration of some of the working farm machinery at Cressing Temple Barns.

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The Call - Amazed By You.