Forde Abbey Garden

A former Cistercian monastry which has became a stately home after the dissolution of the monastries (1539). From a distance, one can see the Cistercian's characteristic good taste in the placing of buildings in valleys protected by woods and hills.From the front of the house one sees a Victorian garden which draws upon the monastic remains. Forde Abbey has a large herbaceous border beside a canal, a topiary enclosure, a kitchen garden, a rock garden by Jack Drake, a very good bog garden and a fish pond made by the monks. Parts of the Abbey were kept (eg the Chapel, Dormitory and part of the Cloister) when, over the next 3 centuries it was converted into a private residence.