The Gardens at Kelmarsh Hall
Explore the historic gardens at Kelmarsh Hall
The Gardens at Kelmarsh Hall are designated by English Heritage (Historic England) as Grade II*, a garden of national significance.
The gardens surrounding the Hall are known for their relaxed charm and ‘haphazard luxuriance’.
The Gardens are open to for visitors to enjoy during our seasonal opening from April – September 2023.
All areas of the Historic gardens are open for exploring, including our wonderful Walled Garden, Long and Double Borders, Sunken Garden,
Philadelphus Garden, Fan Rose Garden, the Wilderness, Fairy Walk in the Woodland and Lakeside areas.
History of the Gardens
Nancy Lancaster, who lived at Kelmarsh Hall, brought much of the immediate landscape to life during the late 1920s and again in the 1940s, with the help of garden designer Norah Lindsay and landscape architect Geoffrey Jellicoe.
Nancy was a keen gardener, who created a soft, beautiful outside space that complimented her English Country House Style interiors. Borders filled with sweet peas and roses framed relaxed seating areas, and walkways that provided a backdrop to the diverse views that may be enjoyed from the different aspects of Kelmarsh Hall, providing a stunning venue for
lavish cocktail parties in her era.
Kelmarsh Gardens Today
A team of wonderful volunteers have worked tirelessly with experts and our Head Gardeners since 1998 to conjure a sense of the gardens’ heyday from photographs, memories and magazine articles of the period and have created the fragrant, romantic atmosphere that can be enjoyed today.
From the sophisticated pastels of the sunken garden through to the showier saturated colours of the 60m long border, the garden leads you on a tour around the perimeter of a triangular walled garden.
This secret heart is a relaxing space filled with traditional fruit and vegetables, cut flower beds and a restored vinery. The produce and cut flowers are sold in the produce shed, located in the Walled Garden when available.
These overlays of history within the gardens contributed to the gardens’ listing by English Heritage as Grade II*, a garden of national significance.
Seasonal highlights in the garden
April: Daffodils and snake’s head fritillaries.
The Walled garden, for rhubarb & blossom on espaliered fruit trees
April/May: Tulips and alliums
May/June: Peonies
June: Roses
July: The Double border, for cottage garden perennials
The Walled garden, for Sweet peas
July to September: The Walled garden, for cut flower beds with Dahlias.
August to September: Long border and Dahlias
October: Michaelmas daisies and Dahlias until the frosts
The Lakeside, Woodland &
Fairy Walk
At Kelmarsh we have a fabulous woodland walk through the chesnut trees, leading round through the wilderness woodland, and over to the other side of the lake, looping back up to the Hall.
We also have a magical fairy walk for children in the woodland – discover creatures and doors around the beautiful trees!
Please note, due to external events, these areas may sometimes be closed off for the safety of our visitors for small periods of time. Please keep an eye on our social media for this, or ring the office before your visit: 01604686543.
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