Leonardslee Gardens

A great woodland garden, inspired by the planting ideas of Sir Uvedale Price, Richard Payne Knight and JC Loudon. Exotic plants are used a 'picturesque' manner, derived from landscape painting. Sir Edmund Loder bought the estate in 1889 and imported the herd of Wallabies which still lives here. The Leonardslee Gardens lie in a sheltered valley with a string of ponds, made a century earlier to provide waterpower for the iron industry. Being damp and slightly acid, the soil is well-suited to rhododendrons, camelias and magnolias. Loder gave his name to the famous hybrid Rhododendron 'Loderi'. Like him, one can walk through the garden imagining onself to be in a misty Himalayan valley, for travel and adventure. The gardens closed to the public in 2010 and are set to re-open in 2019.

Head Gardener's Comment

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is described as ‘The Finest Woodland Gardens in England’.

First planted in 1801, the Grade I Listed gardens on the 240-acre estate feature an outstanding scenery throughout the year and particularly majestic as it blooms in spring or takes on the glorious colours of autumn.

For a perfect day out, you can also visit the renowned Rock Garden and Dolls House Museum, see the rare colony of wallabies and catch sight of the deer roaming free; and then enjoy dining in style or taking high tea in the Grade II Listed Mansion, or enjoy more informal refreshments at other locations on the estate.

Plants of note

The gardens are famed for outstanding displays of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, Magnolias, Bluebells and the beautiful ornamental rock.