Crosswater Farm Garden

History

Crosswater Farm was bought derelict by David's parents, Ted and Romy Millais in 1947. They soon started raising Rhododendrons and Azaleas, and over the next 50 years, they developed a wonderful collection of their favourite plants, including new introductions from their plant collecting expeditions to the Himalayas. Slowly the garden extended further into the canopy of tall pine woodland. Vistas and ponds were created on this low lying sandy acid heathland soil.

The peaceful woodland garden bursts into life in the spring with colourful Rhododendrons and Azaleas, with additional interest through the year from Sorbus, Magnolias, Cornus and Japanese Maples. The garden features several ponds and a stream, with interesting vistas throughout.

The gardens have seen much recent development during the past few years with a new wildflower meadow, and significant replanting of trees, shrubs and bulbs throughout the gardens.

The gardens work in partnership with the adjoining Millais Nurseries, a specialist plant centre, from where you can purchase your garden tickets. They grow one of the largest ranges of Rhododendrons in the world, growing more than 900 different varieties ranging from tiny alpine gems up to large specimen sizes.

Plants of note

Rhododendrons bred by Ted Millais include High Summer, Spring Sunshine, Golden Splendour, Lemon Meringue, Summer Dawn. Some of his best Deciduous Azaleas include, Cassley, Torridon, Solway, Moidart, Silverwood, Crosswater Red and late flowering viscosum hybrids such as Water Baby, Water Girl, and Midsummer Mermaid which have lovely glaucous foliage.

Ted helped to introduce several new and rare species from his pioneering plant hunting trips in the Himalayas. Some of his key Rhododendrons in the garden include denudatum EGM 294, rex EGM 295, coeloneuron EGM 334, irroratum ssp. yiliangense EGM 339, and rubiginosum 'Ted Millais' which was named after him by RHS Wisley Gardens.

Other plants of note include a number of Sorbus species from the Himalayas and modern Magnolias such as M. Yellow Lantern. There is a good specimen of Arbutus menziesii, the noble Madrona from California, with lovely peeling bark.