The Lawns

The Main East and West lawns were the centre point of Marnock’s Gardenesque style, with the Broadwalk leading from north to south ending with the now restored fountain.

 

The West Lawn

On the West Lawn grows a 20m evergreen Lucombe oak, Quercus x crenata ‘Lucombeana’ a hybrid between Quercus cerris (Turkey Oak) and Quercus suber (cork oak), from Mr. Lucombe’s nursery in Exeter 1762.   It is said to be semi-evergreen, but our handsome specimen keeps its leaves on all winter, and has the most amazing bark.

At the top, near the pavilions, Chinese dogwoods put on a long lasting, free-flowering display from May. The redwood, Sequoia sempervirens 'Cantab', is an imposing sight.

Opposite the Rose Garden there is a long-standing collection of maples. The Oregon maple, Acer macrophyllum, which is the largest leaved maple, has a mass of golden flowers in spring and produces spectacular  autumn colour. It was possibly planted by Robert Marnock. The Montpelier maple, Acer monspessulanum is a  small tree resembling a field maple, mentioned in the original plant catalogue of 1838. Both of these are county champions. The Paperbark maple, Acer Griseum, is admired year-round. A nearby tree-Rhododendron flowers spectacularly most years.

  • East Lawn November 2021

  • Handsworth New Silver Oct 2020

  • Lucombe Oak December 2021

  • Rhododendron campanulatum West Lawn March 2022

  • Sequoia sempervirens Cantab December 2021

  • West Lawn March 2022

  • Aster October 2020

  • Mixed planting July 2020

  • Mixed planting June 2014

  • Molinia caerulea December 2016

  • Bench in front of mixed planting September 2015

  • Bench in front of mixed planting September 2021

The East Lawn, right hand side facing the Pavilion

The East Lawn is home to a diverse collection of deciduous trees, looking their best in every season when backlit by the late afternoon sun. However, the rare Corstorphine plane tree, Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Corstorphinense’, sits atop the mound opposite the main entrance. It is well positioned for its distinctive yellow new leaves which can be admired from across the Gardens.

Nearby is Magnolia acuminata or Cucumber tree, a large tree originating from North East United States of America, introduced in 1736.  The flowers appear in May/June, but only after it is 25 – 30 years old. Its popular name refers to the shape and colour of the fruit. 

There is a Tillia tomentosa, said to pre-date the Gardens by 20 years, and its silver pendant lime is a magnet for bees. Caucasian maples provide beautiful autumn colour. The Japanese hornbeam and the American ash are champion trees of the county. Nearby is a black mulberry Morus nigra, a common Walnut, Juglans regia, and a rare Phellodendron chinense which is essential in Chinese medicine.

The Ilex aquifolium ‘Handsworth New Silver’ a variegated holly with deep purple stems, and abundant scarlet berries, came from the Handsworth nursery Fisher Son & Sibray.

Central Broadwalk, Herbaceous Borders

Along the Central Broadwalk between the East and West lawns, 2 substantial 80m by 3m herbaceous borders were developed in the 1930s by the  Curator Charles Curtis. As part of the Restoration Project they were redesigned as mixed herbaceous/shrub borders, drawing on the ideas of Gertrude Jekyll, with mirror image planting in pale, soft shades near the fountain, merging to stronger colours at the top end.

The holly hedge backing the borders is made up of a variety of hollies, some of which were propagated at the Handsworth Nursery, by Fisher Son and Sibray.

Through the summer and autumn months, against the solid green backdrop of the holly hedges, the scale of the planting creates a splendid display with eye-catching subjects such as Crambe cordifolia, Iris sibirica 'Dreaming Yellow', Campanula spp, Geranium 'Patricia' followed by Aster spp, and Chelone obliqua (twisted shell flower).

A fine Ligustrum lucidum ‘Excelsum Suberbum (variegated Chinese privet) flowers beautifully in early autumn.

Miscanthus spp, Molinia spp and Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' are among the graceful selection of grasses which give movement and continuity.

These, along with a pair of Chusan palms, a Trachycarpus fortunei, and a Trachycarpus wagnerianus, provide structure and interest through the winter.